Posted in Rhode Island
April 09, 2020
Take A Virtual Tour Of Rhode Island’s Most Famous Mansions
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!

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.

It was designed for the coal baron Edward Julius Berwind by architect Horace Trumbauer.

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.

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.

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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Address: 367 Bellevue Ave, Newport, RI 02840, USA
Address: Marble House, 596 Bellevue Ave, Newport, RI 02840, USA
Address: 54 Washington St, Newport, RI 02840, USA