Summer 2024 Get Away (Part 3)

This week I’m focusing on the last leg of our vacation in Newport, Rhode Island.

We were only in Newport for a little over 24 hrs. Our first stop The Breakers. We enjoyed lunch at the Breakers Cafe before we went onto the mansion. I downloaded the Newport Mansions App. so I could listen to the audio guide and after our visit I’ve been able to relive a wonderful experience. I highly recommend. These images are of the Great Hall from the first floor including a look outside at the Loggia, the fountain behind the grand stairs and views from the second floor including the the tapestry and skylight.

These images are of the Dining Room, The Music Room (which was used as the Russell’s Ball Room in the HBO series The Gilded Age) and the Library.

Gladys Moore Vanderbilt, Countess Széchenyi’s Bedroom and Bath on the second floor.

Images of the Upper Loggia on the second floor.

Here we are in the basement you see the Butlers pantry and kitchen.

We wandered the grounds and then we did a portion of the Cliff Walk.

We were staying near Bannister’s Wharf and after our visit to the Breakers and getting settled at our hotel we walked over and did some shopping and enjoyed a delicious dinner at Clark Cook House.

After our wonderful dinner and the purchase of a sweatshirt for my son we walked across the street to Queen Anne’s Square, Trinity Church and wandered around enjoying the architecture.

On our last day we had tickets for The Elms Servant Life Tour which was very interesting but I wish we’d also thought to add tickets to tour the mansion. After which we made our way in the rain to the International Tennis Hall of Fame before a delectable late lunch at The Mooring and heading home.

The Elms was built by Edward J. Berwind a coal baron. Mr. Berwind - loved technology and The Elms was one the first homes to be wired for electricity in 1901. It was powered with coal of course. Mr. Berwind liked things hidden from view. A tunnel from Dixon Street brings coal directly into the basement unseen by anyone inside the mansion. The service entrance is also hidden by massive trellis work and plantings to ensure from the interior of the home the view of the entrance is blocked. If anyone looks out a window they just see foliage.

And that’s where we started our tour. We were led down the servants stairwell to the basement - the thing you will see is a huge amount of light from windows flooding the stairwell with light and the walls are covered in white subway tiles to reflect that light. (Even though the home was wired light bulbs only illuminated at 7watts.) Mr. Berwind did all this to benefit his staff and keep the turn over of employees low. In July 1902 though the staff complained about working 18 hrs a day 7 days a week to Mrs. Berwind and she directed them to her husband who dismissed every member of staff - sending them all back to NYC. A full new staff was employed in a day.

Upstairs on the third floor there was a sky light with glass blocks in the floor to allow that light to travel down to the second floor. The servant bell system had several different bells that chimed and based on the sound the servant knew if they needed to attend the family. The Bathtub for the servants was the same style used throughout the mansion. We saw an example of a servants room and at one end of the hallway there is a access door to the roof for the servants to enjoy. You can see from the street the area is completely hidden from view. The last image is of the Berwind’s NYC mansion that still stands on the corner of 64th Street and Fifth Avenue.

Servants Hall 3rd Floor at the Elms 2.jpg

We ended our tour in the basement. We saw the laundry, storage area, coal line, an ice chest Mr. Berwind helped design to keep ice at the plenty, the boilers and power plant of the mansion, the pantry and kitchen. Part of the kitchen is used as the Russell’s servants diningroom in the HBO series The Gilded Age. Then it was off to Gift Shop.

I purchased a guide book and an ornament.

I wished it hadn’t been pouring while we were at the International Tennis Hall of Fame. It was really interesting and great to see so many tennis players from the last 100 + years of the game. The HBO series The Gilded Age also films here.

We arrived a bit early for our reservation at The Mooring - no matter we sat at the bar and all enjoyed a beverage - my glass of Sancerre was yummy! I saved my last meal to enjoy a Lobster Roll and it was worth the wait.

I can’t wait to visit Newport again! The mansions, the food, the history - all were a delight. Til next time be well and I’ll see you over on Instagram.