Brownstone

Brownstone refers both to a brown Triassic-Jurassic sandstone historically prized as a building material in North America and to the townhouses faced or built with it. The stone was unusually easy to quarry and carve, which made it a popular and economical choice for nineteenth century urban rowhouses, though the same softness left brownstone facades vulnerable to weathering and damage over time. The style is closely associated with a raised entrance stoop, a steep exterior staircase rising from street level to a doorway set almost a full story above the ground. Brownstone rowhouses appeared in cities across the northeastern United States but became most closely identified with New York City, especially the neighborhoods of Brooklyn and Manhattan.