The Historic Carriage House and Clock Tower

Map Coordinates: 41°39'30.1"N 71°25'19.8"W

"Hopelands" house and the surrounding acres are certainly a fine example of the era of country estates in New England in the mid 1700's. Equally impressive and iconic is the "Carriage House" that sits northwest of "Hopelands" a short seventy five yards away. The carriage house represents the evolution of the property while in the hands of Hope Brown Ives' grandson, Moses Brown Ives Goddard (1831-1907) and his wife, Elizabeth Amory Swann Goddard (1843-1918). 

When Moses inherited the property from his mother, Charlotte Rhoda Ives Goddard, in 1881, he clearly had a vision for transforming the farm. "He greatly improved the house and added many other buildings to those already on the estate."[1] By 1885, the property had a new northern ell complete with an elevator as well as a grand veranda and porch. Moses built the beautiful Carriage House complete with its unique clock tower. Prior to his ownership, the building was a much simpler, rectangular structure serving as stables. Along with the new construction, Moses and Elizabeth added  "Rose houses, graperies, beautiful gardens, cultivated fields and spacious tree-shaded lawns, extending to the river.[2]" Given the Fence work throughout the property and brick pillars topped with granite, it is speculated that the additions of Moses Brown Ives Goddard were designed by the well-known architectural firm of Hoppin & Ely. They were responsible for the design of many historical homes in Providence including those of Hope Brown Ives and Thomas Poynton Ives and Moses Brown Ives Goddard. The Van Wickle Gates of Brown University have an uncanny resemblance to those found on Hopelands Farm as do many of the architectural details throughout Hopelands.

The National Register of Historic Places describes the building that Moses added as, "a two-story cubicle mass topped by a flaring hip roof with a central cupola containing a clock. The eaves are broken by gables on the east and south sides, the former over a slightly projecting pavilion, the latter supported by columns framing the original carriage doorway. The clock tower was described as keeping "the machinery of his small village running on time."[4] The clock was made by E. Howard & Co.,  a clock company that began in 1842 and made an estimated 4000 tower clocks in its 100 years in operation. "E. Howard is widely considered one of the finest American clock makers and is very sought after by collectors, especially in the United States.”[5]  The older portion of the building, where the stables were located, still maintains small square stable windows as well as the original posts. An interesting remnant of the space is a built in "Higbee of Chicago oats cleaner/chute that runs from the loft down to the stable area. Both the tower clock and the oats cleaner, as well as its overall size and architecture, make it a wonderful example of a turn of the century carriage house.

Over its lifetime, the grand Carriage House of Hopelands farm has served as stables, a school auditorium and classrooms, and its current iteration, a fine arts building and library.

Scroll through to view photos. You may click on an individual image for more details.

1 Lawrence, Anna M. M. Potowomut: Warwick, Rhode Island. The Greenwich Press, 1931. 

2  Lawrence, Anna M. M. Potowomut: Warwick, Rhode Island. The Greenwich Press, 1931.

3 United States, Congress, The National Register of Historic Places. The National Register of Historic Places, United States Department of the Interior, pp. 74–78A.

4 Lawrence, Anna M. M. Potowomut: Warwick, Rhode Island. The Greenwich Press, 1931. 

5  Tower Clock Parts List - Commons.princeton.edu. https://commons.princeton.edu/motorcycledesign/wp-content/uploads/sites/70/2019/08/TowerClockPartsList.pdf.