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Newport RI Mansions |
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Newport boasts mansions of two types these days: those that are museums open to the public, and those that are still private summer residences and are emphatically not open to the public. |
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Believe it or not, many of these palatial houses are indeed still privately owned, maintained, and lived in. Interestingly, the wealthy people who live in private Newport mansions are often also responsible for opening others to the public. Through the efforts of the Preservation Society of Newport County, to which many of the mansion-owners belong, the marvelous houses we can tour today were preserved. To think that the Elms, perhaps the most graceful and charming of all the mansions, was to be torn down to make way for a housing development before the Preservation Society bought it, is astounding. Here's a list of the Preservation Society's mansions. Not all the mansions that are open to the public are owned by the Preservation Society, however. Several notable houses are privately maintained and open to visitors, such as Belcourt Castle, Rough Point and the Astors' Beechwood. When visiting the mansions, remember these two rules of thumb: first, figure on at least an hour per house to take it all in; second, don't try to see more than three or four houses in one day unless you have a tremendous capacity for absorbing glitter and magnificence. More than that in one day will leave you dizzy and exhausted. Also, try to visit the mansions on a weekday, when the crowds are smaller, saving Saturday and Sunday for Newport's other attractions. If you must go on Saturday, get there early. Among the best times of year to visit the mansions is December, when admission lines are short or non-existant, and the mansions are decorated for Christmas, with special musical and other programs. More...
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Above, The
Elms, perhaps the most
beautiful of Newport's
grand mansions.
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