| Sweetbriar | |
| Location: | West Fairmount Park, Philadelphia[1] |
| Built: | 1797[2] |
| Architecture: | Federal |
| Designation1: | Philadelphia Register of Historic Places |
Sweetbriar is a Neoclassical mansion in the Federal style built in 1797[2] in West Fairmount Park, Philadelphia.[1] The mansion was built by Samuel Breck and named for the roses that grew on the property.[3] The interior includes a double parlor and floor-to-ceiling windows with sweeping views of the Schuylkill River.[2] Period pieces include Chinese armorial porcelain, Hepplewhite and Sheraton style chairs, and Adam style furniture.[2] Wedgwood jasperware and fireplaces with delicate plaster decorations were influenced by discoveries in the ancient houses of Pompeii.[2] Bird prints by John James Audubon and paintings by William Birch decorate the walls.[2]
The house was operated by the Modern Club of Philadelphia from 1939 to 2014. It has been closed while undergoing renovations as the city looks for a new organization to maintain it.[4]