What is a Brownstone?

Brownstone is a word used both to refer to a type of building material and structures built or sheathed in it. While it is most closely associated with the Eastern United States, brownstone was at one point used all over the world in construction, particularly in upper class regions. A distinctive architectural style using brownstone is very familiar to many residents of industrialized nations. The popularity of brownstone as a building material waned when builders began to realize that it weathered poorly, and that other materials might be more suitable. The building material is a type of sandstone, which was heavily deposited in Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New Jersey during the late Triassic period. Deposits of brownstone formed in other parts of the world as well. The stone's unique reddish brown color comes from dissolved iron oxides in the rock. It proved relatively easy to quarry and carve, and became a popular building material in the 19th century. New York and Boston both ...  more