Newport Mansions a Rhode Island Highlight

Tours of Astor and Vanderbilt Mansions Show Gilded Age Lifestyle

Oct 24, 2009 Kathleen Curry

When the Vanderbilts and Astors built "cottages" in Newport, Rhode Island, where they could spend the summers, they did so in the glamorous style of the Gilded Age.

Visitors can still experience the incredible splendor of that time by touring the various mansions throughout Newport as one of many options for a trip to Rhode Island. Some, such as Astors’ Beechwood Mansion, are under private operation and offer interactive tours. Eleven of the properties, including the Breakers, are maintained by The Preservation Society of Newport County.

The Preservation Society of Newport County

The Preservation Society of Newport County maintains 11 of these historical properties, seven of which have the distinction of being National Historic Landmarks.

The Elms was the fist Newport house to be fully electrified. Marble House is so named because it has 500,000 cubic feet of marble to go along with a Chinese Teahouse out back. Rosecliff was used as the setting for the film of The Great Gatsby, while Chepstow houses a collection of paintings by artists from the Hudson River school. Interesting architecture can be seen in the shingle-style of the Isaac Bell House, or the stone mansion Chateau-sur-Mer, or the Gothic revival style of Kingscote. The oldest of the restored properties is Hunter House, built in 1748.

Besides amazing homes, the properties also offer stunning landscaping and gardens set just off the Atlantic Ocean. One of the favorite places for children to visit is the Green Animals Topiary Garden, which has 80 different shapes such as lions, bears, elephants, ships and geometric shapes sculpted from living plants.

Anywhere from just one to all of the properties can be toured by purchasing one of the many different ticket plans available through the Society. Most of the mansions are close enough together that one can walk between them. Parking is available for those traveling by car, and local bus tours will drop-off and pick-up passengers at certain mansions.

The most popular of all of the mansions to visit is The Breakers.

The Breakers Mansion

The Breakers was built by Cornelius Vanderbilt II. Completed in 1895, it has 70 rooms, including a 45-foot high great hall. The mansion sits on a 13-acre spread overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. The name came about because from the back of the property one can see the waves breaking on to the rocks below.

Admission to The Breakers also includes an audio tour which describes what things are made of, what art is on display and explanations about the architecture and design of the late 19th Century. Listeners will also get to hear various people reminiscing about life in the mansion, including the voices of servants and their children.

The Society also operates The Breakers Stable and Carriage House, which is located a couple of blocks away.

Astors’ Beechwood Mansion

While the Vanderbilts were building mansions, the rival Astor family was keeping up with stunning buildings of their own. Astors’ Beechwood Mansion not only shows off the architecture of the period, it also provides various tours that allow visitors to get a taste of what life would have been like had one visited the mansion when it was in its glory days.

For example, the Victorian Servants Tour lets visitors see what it was like to apply for a job at the mansion while learning about different jobs in the household and getting a behind-the-scenes look at how things were run. There are also Christmas and Murder Mystery Tours.

An Evening with The Astors

For those who have ever wondered what it would be like to attend a glamorous ball at a Newport mansion, “An Evening with the Astors,” offers the opportunity to tour the mansion in the company of actors portraying the various members of the Astor family. Following the tour, the Astors lead their guests in a grand procession into the ballroom for an evening of dancing, song and entertainment. It brings the history of the place alive and gives those in attendance a fun night of dancing and interaction with the actors, who stay in 19th-Century character throughout the evening.

Astors Beechwood Mansion

580 Bellevue Avenue

Newport, RI 02840

401-846-3772

The Preservation Society of Newport County

424 Bellevue Avenue

Newport, RI 02840

401-847-1000

Whether it’s for the architecture, the history or just being stunned by the splendor, the Newport Mansions are an enjoyable experience when touring Rhode Island.

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