Post 69 ~ Falling Up Tour ~ Rhode Island

Newport RI ~ tour of the Mansions

We actually toured RI before CT though stayed in CT because RI was so small it didn't have a campground.

We were told the one thing we must see in RI was the Mansions.

Cute little school

Though they do have big bridges

and big boats

or should we call these ships...

maybe yachts

They do some serious lobster-ing here too..

And then there were the Mansions...

The pictures do not do justice to the enormacy of these structures

This pic helps to give some perspective to the size of the front gates

Drive leading up to the "Breakers", the Vanderbuilt's summer cottage

Pictures were not allowed of the inside so we shot a few of the outside

Side view looking out on the ocean

Built in 1895 out of granite and marble

The amount of detail was unbelievable, there must have been 100's of these around the building, all hand carved

Look at the detail...all in stone

This ornate work was everywhere

Rear view also looking out onto the ocean

Just amazing and over 100 years old

Dan trying to figure out the locking hardware

We took a stroll on the "Cliff Walk", a path between the ocean and the mansions

Just a few more...

summer cottages

A beautiful sunny day for the middle of October

Small lighthouse in front of the "Breakers"

This was the 2nd mansion called the "Marble House"

Built in 1892 and using over 500,000 cu. yds of marble

A little Tea House they built at the back of the Marble House overlooking the ocean

View of the bay from the Tea House

Rear view of the marble house looking at the water

The grounds

Another elaborate entrance

The 3rd mansion was Rosecliff, 1902

Pam snuck a few interior shots

This was the servants entrance that was completed hidden with lattice work so they wouldn't be seen

The 4th mansion was the "Elms" 1902

The 5th and last was the "Chateau-Sur-Mer", 1852

So that was the "Gilded Age" of conspicuous consumption.