Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-03-05
HISTORIC GIFT
FOR PROVIDENCE,
Home Of First Commander Of
the American Navy.
FOR USE AS PUBLIC MUSEUM.
Great great grandson of Admiral Esek
Hopkins To Give Ancient Landmark
a. Memorial to Mother-Fine Colon
iai Mansion Filled With Relics.

For the purpose of fulfilling his moth
er's last and greatest wish Marshall
Hopkins Gould, son of the late Mrs,
Elizabeth Angel West Gould of S72
Massachusetts avenue, Cambridge, and
great-great-grandson of Admiral Esek
Hopkins, the first commander of the
American navy, is making preparations
to turn over to the city of Providence,
r. l., the famous historic Hopkins
mansion, 1876 years old, as a monument
to the memory of Mrs. Gould.
The ancient landmark, built by the
admiral as permanent home In 100,
is undergoing a rehabilitation in the
shape of new dress Of paint, both
within and without, and the restoration
of It's rooms to their original appear
ance so far as possible.
When that task has been completed
and a quantity of antique furniture,
most of it handed down directly from
the family Of the admiral, which is to-
day in storage at Cambridge, shall have
been installed In the mansion 1t will
be ready to be placed at the disposal
Of the city for park purposes.
To that end Mrs Gould had toiled
unremittingly, often spending entire
weeks In the old homestead. On Dec.
16 while actively engaged in work at
the house which would aid in fitting 1t
up ready for occupancy by the city
she was stricken with apoplexy and
died before nightfall. Her son had
been hastily summoned from Cam
bridge and was by her side.
Almost her last act In connection
with her intention to give the house
and the land upon which it stands to
the city was to hand to Alderman John
c. Dunn Of the Third ward formal
agreement which she had caused to be
drawn up and signed by herself in the
presence Of her son, who was fully in
sympathy with his mothers purposes.
That agreement is now In the posses
sion of the aldermen.
That the city will purchase the ad-
Joining two and one-half acres of land
on the Church lot is q certainty. Al
derman Dunn and William K. Reyn-
olds have taken an active interest IN
the plans Of Mrs. Gould and will see
the project through. The Hopkins
homestead and the land upon which
it stands, comprising two and one-half
acres. are valued at approximately
$4,000. The adjoining property can
be bought for $4,000.
When the furnishing of the house
has been completed to Mr.. Gould's sat
isfaction In accordance with his moth
ers expressed desires the intrinsic
worth OF the property will be greatly
enhanced, while as historical relic its
value can hardly be measured.
The house is large structure of CO
lonial design and commodious rooms.
1t has withstood the wear and tear of
occupants and the effects Of weather
and climate wonderfully, most of its
heavy tlmbers being as sound to the
heart rs the day the admiral saw them
raised to form the framework of his
homestead. Standing on an eminence
overlooking the city, with its northern
portion In the Immediate foreground, 1t
occupies one Of the picturesque spots
of Providence.
In her effort to restore the old CO.
lonial aspect to the place Mrs. Gould
has transformed the various rooms OF
the stanch old homestead into veritable
museums of antiquity and Hopkins
family relics. So successful has been
her quest for furniture and bric-a-brac
of character to restore the ancient ap-
pearance OF the houses interior that a
visit to the place imparts the sensation
OF stepping a century backward and
becorni"" ~~-. "'' ""-cal Of the ia