Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1908-04-02
HISTORIC GIFT
FOR PROVIDENCE,
Home of First Commander of
the American Navy.
FOR USE AS PUBLIC MUSEUM.

Hopkins To Give Ancient Landmark
as 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, 1855 years old, as monument
to the memory of Mrs. Gould.
The ancient landmark, built by the
admiral as a permanent home in 1855,
is undergoing 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 it 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 it
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 a 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
derman Dunn and William X 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
tsfaction in accordance with his moth
er's expressed desires the intrinsic
worth of the property will be greatly
enhanced, while as a historical relic its
value can hardly be measured.
The house is Il 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 timbers being as sound to the
heart as 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, it
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 verltable
museums OF antiquity and Hopkins
family relics. So successful has been
her quest for furniture and bric-a-brac
of 4 character to restore the ancient ap-
pearance of the houses interior that
visit to the place imparts the sensation
of stepping century backward and
becoming part and parcel of the ia
nous admiral's time.
1t needs but Il slight stretch of the
imagination to bring Americas first
naval commander to life and place him
in the mammoth chair beside the fire
place or at table Uttered with maps,
charts and designs Of ships in his
chamber on the second floor, there to
work out problems of defense and Of
fense with his miniature feet.
SO completely he's been preserved
the furniture OF the Revolutionary pc
riod and the subdUcd. time worn color
ings of the interior decorations main
tanned that the illusion is hardly dis
PEELED 10y the rumble of the twentieth
century trolley along the highway with
in few rods Of the door or the Shrek
of the locomotives whistle as the Bay
State limited express enters the rail-
road yard at the foot Of Charles street.
The kitchen of the dwelling has been
restored TO what it was in the admiraPs
time. The old fireplace, the heart of
the mansion, has been replaced proba-
bly, exactly as it was 100 years ago,
even to the rough laying of the bricks
In the fireplace itself and the generous
hearthstones, which extend over nearly
third of the floor space Of the room.
While not as large as some in houses
of an earlier period, the fireplace is
ample and capable of taking In good
sized log. The fittings with which it
was equipped are identical with the
period of the houses construction and
are relics Of the Hopkins family pos
sessions. The crane, kettles and and
irons are of the type made for use and
not for show.
To add still further to the original
appearance OF the kitchen. its furni-
sure includes q spinning wheel, linen
wheel and bobbin winder Of the old