The Gilded Age, the period from the 1870s through World War I, gave Newport its identity as a summer colony for America’s well-to-do families. The magnificent “summer cottages” built to resemble the palaces and estates of the European aristocracy were created for the wealthy to socialize and amuse themselves for the twelve weeks each year when society was in residence in the city. The grand dining rooms and ballrooms were full each night. During the day the city was alive with tennis, polo and water sports.
The Breakers, the 70 room house built by Cornelius Vanderbilt II in 1895, considered the grandest of the Newport ‘summer cottages.’
The entrance to the International Tennis Hall of Fame on busy Bellevue Avenue.
But Newport is much more than just mansions and wealth. Surrounded on three sides by water, the city has spectacular sea sides. The harbor to the north, Narragensett Bay to the west and the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south all boast dazzling scenery – the Cliff Walk, Fort Adams, Easton’s Beach and Ocean Drive all await you. And exploring the wharves and streets around the seaport is delightful – after all Newport still considers itself the sailing capital of the world.
The city has its roots in colonial times. In the 17th century, the colony was founded under the “Newport Compact,” which established it as a place of religious tolerance. Many of the homes of these early colonial settlers and those who came after them are still preserved in the quiet streets and squares of downtown Newport, easily accessible by foot. The neighborhood called The Point, the oldest section of town, is worth a trip as well as the many historic houses of worship, including the oldest synagogue in the United States.
The white steeple of Trinity Church. The church, built in 1726, overlooks Queen Anne Square and the harbor.
A view of the Newport harbor from America’s Cup Boulevard.
Downtown has a bustling night life, and of course during the day, there are a host of shops and galleries to discover. Before the Civil War, Newport was a haven for artists, scientists, novelists and patrons of the arts. This legacy continues to make its imprint on the cultural and artistic life of the city. Museums and historic buildings like the International Tennis Hall of Fame and the Museum of Newport History in the Brick Market are well known. Lesser known, but well worth a visit, are the Redwood Library and Newport Art Museum on Bellevue Avenue, Colony House and the Newport Artillery Company Armory.
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