The Clarke Burdick House was built on its original site c. 1835. A two-story, gable-roof house, it draws heavily on the Greek Revival style for both its exterior and interior architectural detail. It was purchased by the Newport Restoration Foundation (NRF) in 1969 and restored in 1973-74.

The Greek Revival period is just outside the timeframe of the NRF's concentration. However, with the Samuel Whitehorne House across the street slated by Miss Duke to become a museum, the Clarke Burdick House and the Joseph Record House (415 Thames Street) were acquired in the interest of supporting the Whitehorne property.

Greek Revival architecture flourished between 1820 and 1860. It drew key stylistic elements from classic Greek architecture, particularly the temple form. This broke from Georgian and Federal styles that drew inspiration, proportion, and details from Roman designs. The Greek Revival elements clearly represented by the Burdick House include the end-to-the-street orientation (presenting the temple shape as a first impression) and bold corner trim that seeks to resemble columns, as well as a more shallow angled roof than found in previous styles.

The doorway is also a good example of Greek Revival style, with sidelights at the side, as well as over the door itself. The mullions in sidelights often took on Greek geometric patterns during this particular building period, although the ones on this house are quite simple. While the house is an example of local Greek Revival architecture executed with some significant degree of design care, it does not compare to those built with grander aspirations of high style Greek Revival design