Newport Mansion Tours

[Marti Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Marti]

We are vacationing in Jamestown and Newport RI

We will be here for at least two (2) weeks & have plans
to tour all of the Newport Mansions, houses and gardens

We purchased a Household Membership for $90
which it fully tax-decuctible and gives unlimited
admission to regular tours at all eleven (11)
Preservation Society of Newport County properties

One time house hold pass to the Rooftop and
Behind The Scenes Tour at The Elms Mansion

Each time we visit a property
We will take photos and upload the best on Kodak Gallery
After the tour I will take notes and write up a mini review

I hope some on the highlights of the tour
will want you to come and visit the area
and will help you schedule your tours

We do not know anything about the area and
are learning a little more each and every day

Jamestown - Newport is a very beautiful area
and has so much to do and see

The weather is lovely in Early September..


The Preservation Society of Newport County
www.newportmansions.org

[Marti Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Marti]

Our First Visit to Kingscote

Septemner 4, 2006 - Monday - 11:30 AM

For our very first visit and tour in Newport
We choose the beautiful Kingscote House

We had a "special private tour for two"
Our tour guide was a lovely lady name Pat
who was born and raised here in Newport

Pat was professional and very friendly and she made
our first Newport Mansion tour one we will never forget

Kingscote

Kingscote is a landmark of the Gothic Revival style in American architecture. Its appearance in Newport marked the beginning of the "cottage boom" that would distinguish the town as a veritable laboratory for the design of picturesque houses throughout the 19th century.

In 1839 Southern planter George Noble Jones commissioned architect Richard Upjohn to design a summer cottage along a country road, known as Bellevue Avenue, on the outskirts of town. Upjohn created a highly original "cottage orne," or ornamental cottage, in the Gothic Revival style. The general effect was romantic- a fanciful composition of towers, windows, Gothic arches and porch roofs inspired by medieval tournament tents.


At the outbreak of the Civil War, the Jones family left Newport never to return, and the house was sold in 1864 to China Trade merchant William Henry King. His nephew David took over the house in 1876, and several
years later decided to enlarge Kingscote. He engaged the firm of McKim, Mead and White to make the renovations, including the new Dining room.

The room combines Colonial American details with exotic ornament - reflecting the architects' interest in combining eastern and western motifs. The innovative use of materials was also important, such as cork tiles
as a covering for the wall frieze and ceiling, and an early installation of opalescent glass bricks by Louis Comfort Tiffany.

The house remained in the King family until 1972,
when the last descendant left it to the Preservation Society.

Today, Kingscote is a National Historic Landmark. It is a rare example of a Gothic Revival house and landscape setting preserved intact with original family

[katiemack Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close katiemack]

Marti,
Thanks for sharing this ...it brings back some great memories. My Mom's family came from Newport, and her Dad owned and operated a small inn on King St.....I wonder if the name of the street was named after the King you wrote about here. I hope your visit has created some warm memories like the ones I have of Newport.

[bigfrank Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close bigfrank]

Marti, I am not sure if they mentioned this to you on the tours or not. Some of the Mansions that are worth millons sold for $25,000. No one wanted them because of the upkeep and the Taxes. I also believe they had to maintain them as a tour mansion but they could still live in part of the home. Some sold for this price just about 20 years ago , I think Belecort was one of them. I wish I had known about it.

[Marti Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Marti]

Chepstow

September 4, 2006 - Monday - 1 PM

For our second Newport Tour
We choose Chepstow Mansion

Chepstow
Is located just off Newport`s Famous Bellevue Avenue
at 120 Narragansett Ave. Newport, Rhode Island 02840

You have to call and make a reservation for this property
I called and made our reservation for Monday Afternoon Labor Day
It was one of the last four afternoon tours of the 2006 season

When you first drive up to the gate you will see a green Open Flag
As you drive into the gate the parking lot is on the left side of the house

Park and walk over to the Carriage House
If your need to purchase tickets ($10)
You can purchase them Inside the Carriage House
The Carriage House has a waiting area and a Restroom

When it is time for the tour to start the guide will walk with you over
to the house. Tours start on the hour and last approx 50-55 minutes

The Italianate-style villa house is very attractive
but not as grand as other Newport Mansions

Chepstow houses a remarkable collection of art and furniture gathered
by the Morris family of New York City. Built in 1861, the home was
designed by Newport architect George Champlin Mason.


(The house is now closed for the season and will reopen next year - 2007)

[Marti Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Marti]

The Isaac Bell House

September 4, 2006 - Monday - 2 PM

For our third Newport Tour
We choose The Isaac Bell House

It is located at the corner of Bellevue Ave and Perry St
The address/entrance and parking lot is on Perry Street

The house is presented for tour as a work in progress
It is a beautiful old house and will take years to restore

John, our tour guide told us that
The Preservation Society of Newport County
purchased this house

The Isaac Bell House

The Isaac Bell House is one of the best surviving examples
of shingle style architecture in the country.

The house was designed by the firm of McKim, Mead and White in 1883
for Isaac Bell, a wealthy cotton broker and investor. After passing through
a succession of owners, the Isaac Bell House was purchased by
the Preservation Society in 1996, and is today designated a
National Historic Landmark.

The exterior of the house has been extensively renovated and interior
restoration work is continuing.

The Isaac Bell House was remarkably innovative when it appeared in 1883.
It is a combination of Old English and European architecture with colonial
American and exotic details, such as a Japanese-inspired open floor plan
and bamboo-style porch columns.

(The house is now closed for the season and will reopen next year - 2007)

[Marti Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Marti]

Hunter House is a National Historic Landmark

September 4, 2006 - Monday - 4 PM

For our fourth Newport Tour
We choose Hunter House

Hunter House is located on the corner of Washington and Elm
From the water side of the property you can look out across
the Newport Harbor and see The Hyatt Hotel and Goat Island

Hunter House is the smallest house on the Newport Mansion Tour
It is located near The Newport Visitors Center - Tickets cost $25

Anita our guide really did a great job describing all the furnishings

We were told that The Keno Brothers from
The Antique Roadshow visited Hunter House

Hunter House

The Preservation Society restored Hunter House to the era of Colonel
Wanton (1757 to 1779). Today, the house exhibits examples of the
finest achievements in the arts and crafts of 18th century Newport.

The collections include furniture by the Townsend-Goddard family,
premier cabinetmakers of the colonial era who worked in the neighborhood
of Hunter House. Newport pewter and paintings by Cosmo Alexander,
Gilbert Stuart and Samuel King are also on display.

(The house is now closed for the season and will reopen next year - 2007)

[Marti Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Marti]

Next .. The Breakers and Rose Cliff

The Breakers and Rose Cliff

[Marti Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Marti]

The Breakers


September 5, 2006 - Tuesday - 12:30 PM

For our fifth Newport Tour
We went to The Breakers


The Breakers is located on Ochre Point Road
Across from - Shepard - Victoria - Ruggles Avenue
There is free parking across from the Mansion

As you walk thru the entrance gate you can feel the
difference. This is by far the best Mansion on the tour

As you walk up to the front entrance way
You will see three sections
To the left - is the section for guests with tickets
The Middle Section - Members Line
To the right - is the section for groups

As a special perk - Members get to go to the head of the line
When the lady came out to get everyone ready for the tour
She came directly over to us - She welcomed us warmly and
asked to see our membership card - We were the first to go in.

The Inside and Outside of The Breakers Mansion is magnificent
The Breakers sits on 13 acres and overlooks the Atlantic Ocean
and the Famous Newport Cliff Walk

We walked up the grand stair case to the second level
however, we did ride on the elevator with our tour guide and
another couple back down stairs towards the end of the tour

Beverly was our guide at The Breakers
She is very professional and did an excellent job
I walked/stood by her side during the entire tour

When you finish the tour - you enter the downstairs gift shop
next to the gift shop area is where you will find the Restrooms

The Breakers

The Breakers is the grandest of Newport's summer "cottages"
and a symbol of the Vanderbilt family's social and financial
preeminence in turn of the century America.

[lawren2 Malibu Beach Barbie & A Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close lawren2]

Marti

I am loving your Newport tour posts and think we will have to go up to Rhode Island someday. A pity they all seem to close down in early September as I imagine it would be a nice fall destination too.

I think I read somewhere that the mansions are all lit up for Christmas and some are reopened for that timeframe. Is this true?

I hope you have a nice stay and take some photos for us.

[Glitter Brunello Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Glitter Brunello]

The Breakers is indeed magnificent; you may not find another so grand, but they are all interesting and have their own history.

Lawren, they do open some of them for Christmas, I have always wanted to see them lit up and decorated, it must be fabulous!!! I think they start right around or right after Thanksgiving, go through New Year's.

[gophish Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close gophish]

Marti

I am loving your Newport tour posts and think we will have to go up to Rhode Island someday. A pity they all seem to close down in early September as I imagine it would be a nice fall destination too.

I think I read somewhere that the mansions are all lit up for Christmas and some are reopened for that timeframe. Is this true?

I hope you have a nice stay and take some photos for us.

Lawren,
Yes a few of the mansions are open during the Christmas season. I posted that in another thread about what to do in Newport. Those that are open include The Elms and The Breakers plus some others and they are all decorated very impressively. Also during December there are lots of special things going on in Newport like various kinds of holiday concerts etc. We were there in early December last year and had a great time. There were music programs somewhere in town that we could go to almost every night and most were free or a very small price.

[lawren2 Malibu Beach Barbie & A Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close lawren2]

Lawren,
Yes a few of the mansions are open during the Christmas season. I posted that in another thread about what to do in Newport. Those that are open include The Elms and The Breakers plus some others and they are all decorated very impressively. Also during December there are lots of special things going on in Newport like various kinds of holiday concerts etc. We were there in early December last year and had a great time. There were music programs somewhere in town that we could go to almost every night and most were free or a very small price.

AH! That's where I saw it!

Worth keeping an eye on LC and EV then.. a cheap 2 or 3 day-er and sounds like a nice trip for a 2.5 hour drive.

[ArtsieAng Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close ArtsieAng]

Lawren,

Here is the schedule for the holidays......The Marble House is one of my favorites. I would love to see the holiday decorations.....Definitely something to think about.


NOVEMBER 18 – JANUARY 1, 2007
Christmas at the Newport Mansions

The Breakers, The Elms & Marble House
Open Daily and decorated for the holidays
The Breakers opens at 9 am, all others open at 10 am. Last tour admission at all houses at 4 pm, houses and grounds close at 5 pm.


Holiday Evenings At The Breakers
Saturdays, November 18 & 25, December 2, 9, & 30
6 pm to 8 pm

Holiday Evening Duet: The Elms and Marble House
Two houses for the price of one!
Saturday, December 16
6 pm to 9 pm

[bigfrank Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close bigfrank]

Alot of Bed and breakfasts here and other information.

http://newportri.com/pages/homepg.html