Abraham Redwood
Summer House

A National Historic Landmark

Summer houses, or gazebos as they are more commonly known, are almost as old as the art of gardening itself. By the 15th-century, they had become popular in England. However, it was not until the later generations of colonists that their popularity spread to North America. Begining in the early 1700s, summer houses began to appear throughout the colonies.

Abraham Redwood's Summer House, the focal point of the gardens at Redwood, was originally built for his country estate in Portsmouth, RI, ca. 1766 by Peter Harrison. It was designed in a classical style with rusticated pine wood exterior (like the Library itself) and a double curved roof.

Since its donation in 1916, the Summer House has undergone two major restorations. The first was completed in 1935 by John Russell Pope. After a great deal of research in collaboration with architect Norman Isham, he was able to faithfully restore the Summer House, which had suffered from neglect and former botched restorative efforts, to its original form.

The second major restoration was carried out September 2000 as part of the full restoration, rehabilitation and renovation of the entire Redwood Library currently underway.

First primer coat is laid during Summer 2000 restoration

Windows removed for rejoining and re-glazing.

The exterior wood surfaces were carefully stripped of the accumulated layers of paint down to the bare wood, which was in surprisingly good condition and almost entirely preserved. Windows were removed for re-joining and re-glazing, and the rooftop finial restored and re-fitted for its cap. After the restoration of the original wood was completed, the entire exterior surface received a coat of latex paint, similar to that on the 1750 Harrison structure.