Visiting rich history in Rhode Island
The Breakers Mansion in Newport, Rhode Island
May 31, 2016
You might think spending the summer staying in a small summer cottage makes for a great summer experience, but what about staying in a summer cottage that’s design is based off of the palace of King Louis XIV of France?
The Newport Mansions were built to display the new wealth of America at the turn of the 19th century, known as the Gilded Age. With no income tax, a lucky few, such as the Vanderbilts, gained a fortune and became part of the social elite. They ventured to Newport each summer, entertaining themselves with lavish parties and activities that many could only imagine experiencing.
“In Rhode Island History class, we talk about it locally, as North Kingstown as being a stepping stone to get to Newport for a lot of the wealthy people coming up from Connecticut, and New York as well,” said history teacher Mr. Christopher Carty. “It’s exciting to think about the Vanderbilts coming through North Kingstown and staying in Wickford or Saunderstown to catch a ferry out of South Ferry Road to go over to Newport.”
One hundred years ago people ran from the hot summers in the city to find relief by visiting seaside properties. This habit persists today, with people flocking to the East Coast, and many dropping by Newport, Rhode Island to get a glimpse of our rich history.
Through the Preservation Society of Newport, you have the option of visiting nine different mansions open throughout the year.
The largest and most popular mansion is The Breakers, named after the waves that crash on the rocky cliffs at the edge of the property. The Breakers was commissioned by Cornelius Vanderbilt II, the Chairman and President of the New York Central Railroad system in 1885. The mansion itself was designed and built by architect Richard Morris Hunt. Hundreds of thousand of people visit The Breakers annually, awed by the enormous wealth displayed in a single house.
Junior Ashley Baierlein took a family trip to the mansions about six years ago. “I really enjoyed it when I went,” Bairlein said. “I was on the kid’s audio tour, which did a great job of simplifying the history enough for children to understand. The Mansions were beautiful. Being about eleven, I was floored by the grandeur these people lived in.”
“I went to the mansions during Christmas time,” said senior Chantrea Sanford. She also visited the mansions while she was in middle school. “I saw a bunch on the Christmas tour. The mansions were beautiful and unique.”
However, those who visit as young kids are not able to fully appreciate the grandeur of the architecture and the opulent lifestyle of the American social elites.
“I would love to visit again now that I am older and have had the benefit of taking US History courses,” said Baierlein. “I honestly don’t remember much from my visit, so it would be nice to go again and have a better understanding of the legacy of the buildings.”
Through the high school, there are a couple opportunities to learn more about the Newport Mansions. In the elective Rhode Island History, Mr. Christopher Carty teaches a unit on Guilded Age in Rhode Island, going into the history behind the mansions. Mr. Richard Garland teaches the elective Business Leadership and Entrepreneurship, and the class takes a field trip to see The Breakers.
If you don’t have the chance to take one of these classes, there is always the opportunity to visit the mansions over summer break. “[The mansions] are a celebration of the culture of the state and appreciating the time periods around us,” said Carty. “It make kids realize history is alive and relevant.”
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