Patrick Barry House collection

The Patrick Barry House at 692 Mount Hope Avenue was built in 1855 by Patrick Barry, co-owner of the famous Ellwanger and Barry nursery. He had arrived in Rochester from Long Island fifteen years previously to work with George Ellwanger, who had purchased the nursery from its founders W.A. Reynolds and Michael Bateman. Its original name was the Rochester Seed Store and Horticultural Repository.

Designed by architect Gervase Wheeler, the style of the Barry House is that of a modified Italian villa of rose brick and limestone trim. It was given to the University of Rochester in May 1963 by the heirs of Harriet Barry Liesching, Patrick Barry's daughter who lived in the home until her death in 1951. According to family spokesman Peter Barry, a former Rochester mayor, the decision was influenced by University's "[I]nterest and enthusiasm for preserving and restoring the Barry House [as] a tremendous source of satisfaction to all of us, for we believe that far too many fine old homes have been torn down or ruined by adaptation to other uses. The University's proposal for bringing the house to life again as a private residence is one of the rare examples of what our family would like to see happen more often. We feel that the University's plans indicate its strong community awareness and its continuing commitment to the City of Rochester."

Elizabeth Holahan, then chairwoman of the board of the Society for the Preservation of Landmarks in Western New York, was selected as the University's advisor for the restoration and remodelling project. According to Holahan, the Barry House is likely the country's best example of the Italian villa style of the Victorian period, as the one comparable residence, located in Bridgeport, Connecticut, had been recently raised despite protests from art and antiquarian groups.

Holahan's meticulous renovation ran from 1964-65. The University maintained the appearance of the exterior and purchased many original home furnishings from the Estate of Frederick Barry. The landscaping was as of special historical importance, as Patrick Barry and his descendants had planted on the property some of the finest specimen trees from the Ellwanger and Barry nursery. Many of the trees are still living and nationally known in horticultural circles.

In 1969 restored library and parlor of the Barry House were selected by Helen Comstock, a top authority on furniture and antiques, to appear in her book 100 Most Beautiful Rooms in America. The home also appeared in Dorothy and Richard Pratt's 1956 book A Guide to Early American Homes - North. Its first post-restoration occupants were University President Robert Sproull and his wife Mary Sproull. Today it is the residence of the University Provost, having undergone a second renovation in 2008.