Tag: providence

Gilbert Stuart Museum

July 16, 2023

Meet the painter of George Washington’s famous portrait

Gilbert Stuart Museum (Photography by #USA1731)

Gilbert Stuart , one of America’s master portrait artists is best known for his portraits of George Washington. His birthplace is Saunderstown, RI and the snuff mill of the Stuart family has been authentically restored and open to visitors — see visit information at the museum’s website: https://gilbertstuartmuseum.org/ (note: while the website indicates that Guided Tours are given on a regular basis, they depend on volunteer availability).

AMERICANREVOLUTION.ORG reveals the story behind the third and most famous painting of Washington: When Mrs. Washington wanted a picture of the President for herself, she persuaded her unwilling husband to submit a third time to Stuart’s brush and company. In the stone barn in Germantown he used as a studio, the painter waited anxiously for Washington to ride out for the first sitting… Washington entered the barn with cold courtesy, sat down in the chair Stuart had provided, and clamped his face into the rigid expression he saved for portrait-painters. Stuart plunged into his fund of anecdote, but the face did not relax… Stuart commented on a local horse race; Washington made an animated answer and his face came alive. Then Stuart ransacked his mind for all he knew about horses, and soon the two men were actually talking. Stuart’s brush flew merrily in rhythm with his tongue. The conversation moved on to farming, a subject it had never occurred to Stuart to discuss with the Commander-in-Chief, and again Washington was interested.

President Washington’s passion to horses and to farming probably explains his historic visit to Cole Farm in Providence, RI (see: http://sites.rootsweb.com/~rigenweb/articles/170.html “The Cole home has been preserved in as nearly as possible the form in which it was when early members of the Cole family entertained Washington and Lafayette, and contains among other relics of that day the chair in which the commander-in-chief sat.

Cole Farm was famous for its high-grade cows and for horse breeding. Read our blog post about one of the best Thoroughbred racehorses of the late 18th century : Hambletonian


#GilbertStuart #Washington #historic #RhodeIsland #USA1731#ColeFarm #Hambletonian

Photography by Chris Vaccaro https://www.rimonthly.com/gilbert-stuart-ris-most-famous-painter/

Providence Restaurant Week is back:July 9 – 22, 2023

July 9, 2023

Restaurant week is back to Providence for two weeks. Dine at Providence fine restaurants with special prix fixe menus for lunch and dinner.

See list of participating restaurants at: https://www.goprovidence.com/rw/

A short distance from the Cole Farmhouse you’ll find two of my favorite restaurants that are participating in Restaurant week: Waterman Grille and Red Stripe

You’re welcome to share photos on social media using the hashtag #PRW or #PVDEats

President’s Day is on Monday – Fun Facts!

February 18, 2023
  • President’s Day was established in honor of President George Washington’s birthday. The federal holiday is officially called Washington’s Birthday.
  • President George Washington was born in Virginia on February 22, 1732.
  • Abraham Lincoln, our 16th president, was born on February 12, 1809 , and is often honored on President’s day.
  • President Washington’s leadership during the Revolution and Constitutional Convention, and his unimpeachable character made him the ideal presidential candidate. He was unanimously elected president twice, in 1789 and 1792.
  • George Washington grew up on Ferry Farm where he learned the principles of agriculture.
  • Washington thought of himself first as a farmer.
  • George Washington expanded the Mount Vernon plantation to five farms where he studied and implemented innovative farming methods.
  • A local Radio program reported that George Washington sat on a chair in Cole Farmhouse when he visited Governor Sessions.
  • Cole Farm was a little village with 100 inhabitants, famous for its herd of high-grade cows and for horse breeding.
  • Cole Farmhouse was built by Richard Brown in 1731 — one year before Washington’s birth.

(source: https://www.mountvernon.org/george-washington/10-things-you-really-ought-to-know-about-george-washington)

The historic Cole Farmhouse in Providence, RI
Now available at Airbnb

What is this large post outside the old house? 🤔

February 8, 2023

The large stone standing next to the water well is an historic hitching post.
Hmmm, what is a hitching post? 🤔 Here is the response from RI Historical Preservation & Heritage commission…
Those holes in the front appear to be filled with lead, which probably held the pins from which iron rings would have dangled. These were often placed not far from the front doors of houses so a visitor’s horse(s) had a place to be parked 🐴🐴🐴.

Thank you @rihphc_pres for your help!🙏 🤓 A post about a post….

Historic hitching post outside Cole Farmhouse in Providence, RI

Cole Farm Village in 1918, famous for its herd of one hundred high grade cows

August 16, 2022

At early 1900’s , the Cole Farm section was a little village with about 100 inhabitants and its own general store (see map). The farm was famous for its herd of one hundred high grade cows. During its later years the farm was used for horse breeding.
It remained a farm until 1947 when the last 3 acres of land were sold off for house lots.

1918 Map of Providence East Side

bringing this farm to a high standard of efficiency and excellence…

August 16, 2022

“The name of Cole has been identified with the history of Rhode Island since the early years of the struggle of the little colony for existence. … Washington Leverett Cole, was educated in the private school of Samuel J. Austin in Providence and on completing his studies, became interested immediately in the in the management of his father’s large property and of his farm, eventually succeeding him in the control of the estate. He devoted his entire life to bringing this farm to a high standard of efficiency and excellence, purely for the love of the work, and for his deep interest in agriculture and dairying.”

source: American Biography: A New Cyclopedia, Volume 6 (pp. 238-240)