Preview

Date
1-1-1979
Description
Though not visible, the U.S. Customhouse (leftmost building) is capped by an iron-cast dome that was conceived to dignify the third floor courtroom and upgrade the exterior view to be superior to customhouses at lesser ports. Pictured at the center, the Equitable Building incorporates the Victorian custom of splitting the street-level tenants in half - a shop half a floor down and the principle business half a floor up. At the right is the Wilcox building. It's L-shaped floor plan wraps around the neighboring Equitable building giving it facades on both Weybosset and Custom House Streets. In 1975 the interior was destroyed by a fire. The ensuing restoration helped restore community concern to downtown preservation.
Creator 2 Dates
1798-1874
Creator 2 Role
Supervising Architect (Federal Building)
Creator 3 Dates
1872
Creator 3 Role
Architectural Firm (Equitable Building)
Creator 4 Dates
1875
Creator 4 Role
Architect (Wilcox Building)
Building Type
Mall
Building Style
Renaissance Revival
Themes
Urban Development
Subject Headings
Renaissance revival (Architecture) -- Rhode Island -- Providence; Architecture, Victorian -- Rhode Island -- Providence; Downtown districts -- Rhode Island -- Providence; Government buildings -- Rhode Island -- Providence; Historic buildings -- Rhode Island -- Providence
Country Name
United States
Region Name
Rhode Island
City Name
Providence
Street Address
42 Weybosset St
Recommended Citation
Smolski, Chester; Ammi B.; Walker and Gould; and Edwin, "U.S. Customhouse, Equitable Building, and Wilcox Building" (1979). Browse All. 976.
https://digitalcommons.ric.edu/smolski_images/976
Keywords
architecture, Victorian, downtown, street scene, architecture, architecture, renaissance revival, cast-iron facade, federal building, customhouse, commercial streets, downtown restoration
Notes
Bibliography: Jordy, William H, Ronald J. Onorato, and William M. K. Woodward. Buildings of Rhode Island. Oxford: New York, 2004. 48-49.