To spot the Woods-Gerry House, look for a huge three-story brick mansion partly hidden by tall trees, with big arched windows and a grand porch right in front of you.
Now pause a moment and let your imagination travel back to 1860-picture the air filled with the sound of horse-drawn carriages and the smell of freshly cut grass, as this place was brand new, standing tall and proud on Prospect Street. The Woods-Gerry House was commissioned by Dr. and Mrs. Marshall Woods, who wanted a home grand enough to fit their bustling social life-and maybe to have the fanciest address on the block! Designed by Richard Upjohn, a master architect of the time, it stands as Providence’s largest surviving 19th-century house. Take a look at its elegant Italianate features: the arched porch where ladies in hoop skirts would gossip, and a sweeping porte-cochere big enough to shield a whole family from the rain. Today it’s RISD’s Admissions office, but back when those bricks were fresh, it was a symbol of taste, wealth, and a little bit of competitive neighborly pride. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, this building has seen Providence’s history swirl around it-just imagine all the stories hidden behind those stately walls! And if you hear someone whisper “Welcome to RISD!”-don’t worry, it’s probably just the ghosts of eager art students past.
