Brownstones are located in upper Manhattan and Brooklyn.
Brownstone is a word used to refer to a type of building material and structures built or lined with it. Although most closely associated with the eastern United States, this material was at one time used throughout the world in construction, particularly in upper-class regions. A distinctive architectural style using brownstone is all too familiar to many residents of industrialized countries. Its popularity as a building material waned as builders began to realize that it could not withstand the elements and that other materials might be more suitable.
Some brownstones were converted into cafes or other businesses.
The building material is a type of sandstone, which was largely deposited in Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New Jersey during the late Triassic period. Brownstone deposits also formed in other parts of the world. The stone’s unique reddish-brown color comes from dissolved iron oxides in the rock. It was relatively easy to mine and carve, and became a popular building material in the 19th century.
New York and Boston have a large number of brownstones that were built in the form of row houses or terraced houses with raised entrances. Harlem, Park Slope and Brooklyn have a large number of these houses in various conditions. The stone can also be found in structures in the United States and Europe, especially in large cities.
Brownstone quarries provided stable employment and income for the towns in which they were located. However, the ease with which the stone could be mined turned out to be an indicator of its overall strength. The ornate carvings and ornamentation that characterize many 19th-century buildings quickly wore away when carved from brownstone, which is a soft, brittle material unlike marble or granite. The stone also had the potential to fail when used as a vital building component.
As a result, builders turned to stronger and more versatile materials for construction. A reddish-brown granite that is very similar to stone is now used to repair old brownstones or build new structures designed to mimic them. While no longer popular in new homes, existing examples of brownstone can be seen in many places. Especially on the East Coast of the United States, homeowners tend to take pride in houses built with this material, ensuring that there will be examples of 19th-century brownstone architecture for people to see in the future. In some cities, tour guides will take visitors on city tours to visit neighborhoods filled with these stately old houses.