Take A Virtual Tour Of Rhode Island's Most Famous Mansions
By Jessica Wick|Published April 09, 2020
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Jessica Wick
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Jessica Wick is a writer and travel enthusiast who loves exploring new places, meeting new people and, of course, beautiful Big Sky Country and every part of Washington State.
If you’ve lived in Rhode Island for any amount of time, you know that the historic Newport Mansions are one of our greatest sources of pride. Regal, refined, and downright majestic, these structures are fantastic to tour, especially during the holiday season.
At this time, the mansions are closed to the public in an effort to comply with current laws. The good news is that they’ll be open again before we know it… and the better news is that you can tour a few of the mansions without leaving your home. Check out these exciting virtual tours!
The Newport Mansions are a small group of Gilded Age mansions that cropped up all over the country between 1870 and the early 1900s.
They were built by some of the richest families in the country, and most of them are still standing today. And thanks to the efforts of the Preservation Society of Newport County, we can tour three of the mansions virtually.
The first virtual tour is of The Elms, which was built in 1901.
This one also happens to be inspired by the Château d'Asnières, an 18th century house in Hauts-de-Seine, France. And while it's not a replica, there are definite similarities.
This enormous mansion, which cost $11 million to build (equivalent to $313 million today) was used as a summer house by Alva and William Kissam Vanderbilt. That's right... this was a vacation home.
Marble House was used by the Vanderbilt family between 1888 and 1892.
The mansion, which has 50 rooms, required 36 servants to run it. When Alva Vanderbilt divorced William in 1895, she already owned Marble House outright, as it was her 39th birthday present. We're not quite sure how you'd top such a gift for a 40th birthday.
Last but not least, check out the lovely Hunter House.
The original house was built in 1748 for Colonial Deputy Governor Jonathan Nichols Jr. In 1756, the property was sold to Colonel Joseph Wanton Jr., who was imprisoned during the Revolutionary War for being a loyalist. The interior is so full of historic art and furniture, no photography is allowed... but you can still tour it virtually.
Ready for a tour or two? Check out these beautiful homes without leaving your couch here.
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