ROLAND RICHARDSON GALLERY MUSEUM
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Today, this beautiful historic house is an art gallery filled with paintings and prints by Roland Richardson, Saint-Martin's internationally renowned impressionist painter.
The house, one of the oldest in Marigot, is still inhabited. It's a fine example of mid-19th-century architecture. Built in 1845 by Frédérick and Georgina Baker-Hodge on Rue de la République (then known as Grand-Rue), the house comprises a first floor used as a store and an upper floor for living quarters. It was built of stone and plastered with lime. The roof is in shingles, and the rear balcony, originally in wood, is now in concrete; this is the building's only transformation. Frédérick and Georgina bequeathed their house to their nephew, Fernando Morales, who lived there until his death in 1937. Fernando, better known as Nando, was a merchant and owner of the Golden Grove plantation.
After serving as deputy mayor for thirty years, he eventually became chief magistrate himself from 1925 to 1928. His house became the town hall, a tradition. His daughter, Hortensia Morales-Fleming, inherited the house and rented it to MLC Fleming from 1938 to 1948. Vere Richardson, the current owner, set up Marigot's first café: the Majestic Bar, serving St. Kitts ice creams and sodas. Later, the house became home to one of Saint-Martin's first boutiques: Ceci et Cela.