y

In the market for new digs ? These homes might offer some inspiration .

THE BREAKERS

COMPLETED IN : 1895 BUILT FOR : Cornelius Vanderbilt II and his wife , Alice DESIGNED BY : Richard Morris Hunt PRESENT OWNER : The Preservation Society of Newport County In 2006 , a lab analysis discovered a series of wall panels in the priceless mansion were even more precious than previously thought . The presumed silver leaf was actually a valuable platinum that hadn ’ t tarnished in the house ’ s 111-year history .

BELCOURT

COMPLETED IN : 1894 BUILT FOR : Oliver Hazard Perry Belmont DESIGNED BY : Richard Morris Hunt PRESENT OWNER : Carolyn Rafaelian Constructed as a bachelor pad for Belmont and his horses , Belcourt got a feminine touch in 1896 when he married Alva Vanderbilt , his divorced neighbor ’ s former wife . It ’ s said to be haunted : Later owners reported regular sightings of a spectral monk walking the property and preparing for Mass in the chapel .

ROSECLIFF

COMPLETED IN : 1902 BUILT FOR : Theresa Fair Oelrichs DESIGNED BY : McKim , Mead and White PRESENT OWNER : The Preservation Society of Newport County Oelrichs was so eager to show off her summer cottage that she threw her first party there in 1900 , two years before it was complete . Later events featured exotic visitors like the famed magician Harry Houdini .

MARBLE HOUSE

COMPLETED IN : 1892 BUILT FOR : William K . and Alva Vanderbilt DESIGNED BY : Richard Morris Hunt PRESENT OWNER : The Preservation Society of Newport County William K . Vanderbilt ’ s fiftyroom mansion was built as a thirty-ninth birthday present for his wife , Alva . But alas , it wasn ’ t enough to save their marriage : The couple divorced in March 1895 . ( Alva got to keep the house .)

SEAVIEW TERRACE

COMPLETED IN : 1925 BUILT FOR : Edson Bradley DESIGNED BY : Howard Greenley PRESENT OWNER : The Carey family Seaview Terrace was originally built in Washington , D . C ., before it was deconstructed and moved to Narragansett Bay . A favorite locale among fans of the paranormal , it ’ s also one of the average admirer ’ s few opportunities to join the ranks of the Aquidneck elite : In 2021 , the house went on the market for $ 29.9 million .

CHATEAU-SUR-MER

COMPLETED IN : 1852 BUILT FOR : William Shepard Wetmore DESIGNED BY : Seth C . Bradford PRESENT OWNER : The Preservation Society of Newport County Unlike most of the Bellevue Avenue elite ,

the Wetmore family lived in their mansion year-round . William ’ s son , George , was a Rhode Island politician who served as governor and in the United States Senate .

OCHRE COURT

COMPLETED IN : 1892 BUILT FOR : Ogden Goelet DESIGNED BY : Richard Morris Hunt PRESENT OWNER : Salve Regina University This fairy-tale estate along the Cliff Walk once housed the entire college . The Goelet family donated the property to the Religious Sisters of Mercy to open Salve in 1947 . The original fifty-eight students lived on the third floor , attended classes on the second and dined on the first .

VERNON COURT

COMPLETED IN : 1898 BUILT FOR : Anna Van Nest Gambrill DESIGNED BY : Carrère and Hastings PRESENT OWNER : The Alliance for Art and Architecture Anna Van Nest Gambrill had Vernon Court built as a summer residence after the death of her husband , Richard , making it one of the few Gilded Age properties commissioned by a woman . Today , it hosts works by Norman Rockwell and others as the National Museum of American Illustration ( although it ’ s currently closed for renovations ).

THE ELMS

COMPLETED IN : 1901 BUILT FOR : Edward Julius Berwind and his wife , Sarah DESIGNED BY : Horace Trumbauer PRESENT OWNER : The Preservation Society of Newport County The Elms is known for its lavish gardens , but the true marvels lie beneath the house : An underground tunnel connects the basement with nearby Dixon Street to shuttle coal discreetly into the home . — L . C .

PHOTOGRAPHY ( THIS PAGE ): COURTESY OF DISCOVER NEWPORT ; THE PRESERVATION SOCIETY OF NEWPORT COUNTY ; COURTESY OF EDGE REALTY RI ; GETTY IMAGES ; THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AMERICAN ILLUSTRATION . ( OPPOSITE PAGE ) SHUTTERSTOCK / LIFE PHOTO COLLECTION ; THE SUFFOLK COUNTY VANDERBILT MUSEUM .

62 RHODE ISLAND MONTHLY l JUNE 2023