Origins

The Burnside House was built for General Ambrose Everett Burnside in 1866. Burnside was a prominent rifle manufacturer before the Civil War. His company, Burnside Rifle Company, was one of the most respected arms manufacturers of the 19th century. When war broke out, Burnside severed all ties with his company in order to command the Rhode Island Volunteers. He became famous not for his war exploits (because his career was relatively unexceptional), but for his facial hair. He grew his sideboards until they connected with his mustache and this style has ever since been called "burnsides." Later, the Webster Dictionary changed the term "sideboards" into "sideburns" in honor of General Burnside, and this is the term that we recognize today.