Brownstone

Brownstone is a type of brown sandstone from the Triassic and Jurassic periods that people used a lot for building. It was chosen because it was easy to dig up and shape into buildings. In the United States and Canada, the word "brownstone" is also used to talk about townhouses that are covered in this kind of stone or something that looks similar.

Brownstones in Harlem, Manhattan, New York City

Because brownstone is easy to work with, many houses and buildings were made from it, especially in older parts of cities. However, over time, these buildings can get damaged by weather because the stone can wear down. This makes taking care of brownstone buildings very important to keep them looking nice and safe.

Types

Apostle Island brownstone

In the 1800s, workers mined brownstone on Basswood Island in Wisconsin. This brownstone was used to build the first Milwaukee County Courthouse.

Many buildings in Hummelstown, Pennsylvania, are constructed of Hummelstown brownstone.

Hummelstown brownstone

Hummelstown brownstone is very popular on the East Coast of the United States. Many important buildings in West Virginia, Pennsylvania, New York, Maryland, and Delaware are made from this stone. It comes from a quarry in Hummelstown, Pennsylvania.

St. Paul's Chapel in lower Manhattan features Portland Brownstone quoins.

Portland brownstone

Portland brownstone is also very popular. Stone from Portland, Connecticut was used in famous buildings in Chicago, Boston, New York City, Philadelphia, New Haven, Hartford, Washington, D.C., and Baltimore.

Old Queens (built 1809–1823) at Rutgers University was constructed from ashlar brownstone quarried near New Brunswick, New Jersey.

New Jersey brownstone

Quarries in northern New Jersey provided brownstone for many buildings in New York City and New Jersey.

South Wales brownstone

Devonian aged sandstone is often used in Southern Wales.

Use

Brownstones in Boston's Back Bay neighborhood

Brownstones are special buildings made from a type of brown sandstone. They are very common in many parts of New York City, like Park Slope, Clinton Hill, and Brooklyn Heights. These buildings have a small set of steps, called a stoop, leading to their doors.

People often call any old townhouse a "brownstone," even if it isn’t really made from brownstone. There are also brownstones in places like Philadelphia and Boston. In Chicago, similar buildings made from a different stone are called "greystones."