We took a trolley tour that carried us through Newport's pretty downtown and then along mansion row - Bellevue Avenue. The number of grand houses we passed was mind-blowing. Many of them were designed in the style of the great French chateaux. There sure were a bunch of incredibly wealthy folks back then.
Our tour guide told us that during the great depression of 1929 many of the mansion-builder families lost their fortunes and were no longer able to afford the upkeep of their palaces. Eventually many of the mansions went on to serve other functions. For example, a number of them, like the one below, were consolidated into Salve Regina University, a Catholic liberal arts institution. What an amazing campus that would be for getting an education.
Some of the most impressive of these mansions have become public museums. The one most commonly recommended for touring is The Breakers, built in 1895 by the family of Cornelius Vanderbilt, the railroad magnate.
It was of course very impressive, with high ceilings, grand staircases, lots of artwork, and the best technology available back then. You could imagine the parties that the Vanderbilts threw. However, I'm not sure how comfortable it would have been for day-to-day living. Maybe that's envy talking.
We also toured The Elms, built in 1901 by coal magnate Edward Berwind. A modest little cottage.
That evening we had dinner at Bouchard, a well-reviewed restaurant in downtown Newport. It is a rarity these days - a truly traditional French restaurant, with much less experimentation than most high-end restaurants feel is necessary to separate them from their competitors. But delicious and beautifully presented, it was one of the great meals of our trip.
I'm a fan of this Newport town. We're going to check out open houses on Saturday.
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