With brick structures being popularized by Philadelphian townhouses and architecture, brick was a trend of the time and greatly available. The above picture shows the Samuel Whitehorne House, which was built in 1811. It is a great example of the federal period of architecture in Newport, Rhode Island.
Federal characteristics displayed in the Samuel Whitehorne House are:
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the urban context of structure
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shared formal entrance and organization symmetry with Georgian precedent
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small plot (time before vehicles)
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corner chimney — more typical of southern influence and break with local colonial vernacular
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low sloped roof — looks like a flat-roofed townhouse from the street
The brick material is an assertion of the importance of the builder; not just for civic structures as previously seen. The cupola was added in the 1850s, giving the house an Italianate flair.
Commercial example of the Federal Period of architecture in Newport, Rhode Island: The Newport Steam Mill (now the International Yacht Restoration School). Built in 1831.
The Newport Steam Mill was built by adding an addition to an existing stone structure. It was one of the very few mill buildings in Newport where trade, fishing, and fine craft dominated the economy just before and after the Revolutionary War. The brick addition to the Newport Steam Mill displays these trademark Federal Period characteristics:
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shallow roof — appearing flat when viewed from sides
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exposed beams (as it was a utilitarian structure)
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brick structure
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