Visit to Newport, Rhode Island
Ochre Point is one of the largest and most impressive shingle style buildings on the Cliff Walk. McKim Mead and White designed this as one of their “rustic cottages.” The front of the house facing the street is more formal, while the back of the house facing the ocean is informal.
Wakehurst (Dudley Newton, 1887) is in the Gothic Revival style. Leaded glass windows. Parapeted gables with pinnacles and a heavy slate roof are a few of the defining features.
Ochre Court is a the second largest house after The Breakers. Commissioned by Ogden Goelet, it was built at a cost of $4.5 million in 1892. These two mansions, along with Belcourt Castle (the 3rd largest mansion) and Marble House, were designed by architect Richard Morris Hunt. It is owned by Salve Regina University.
McAuley Hall in the Vinland Estate was built at Ochre Point, Newport, Rhode Island, United States, in 1882 for tobacco heiress Catharine Lorillard Wolfe by Peabody & Stearns. The Romanesque Revival style exterior consists of red sandstone with Aesthetic Movement style elements. Interior elements include designs by William Morris, windows by Burne-Jones, and landscaping by Ernest Bowditch.
The Breakers (Corneilus Vanderbilt House) (Richard Morris Hunt, 1892-1895) is the second largest house in America (after Biltmore in Asheville, North Carolina) and the most opulent of the Newport “summer cottages.” Modeled after an Italian palazzo, this house features the finest American and European craftsmanship. Views of the sea and modern technology combined to provide for luxurious living and entertaining. Construction from steel, brick, and limestone made the building fireproof, and utilities were placed underground and away from the house. The central Great Hall with its 50-foot-high ceiling is reminiscent of Italian courtyards, though adapted to the varied climate of Rhode Island. The Breakers was designated a National Historic Landmark on October 12th, 1994.
The Rodgers Recreation Center is a 60,000 sqft athletic facility built for $9 million. In many ways the building is reminiscent of Newport. Similar to The Breakers is was built of reinforced concrete, block, and steel giving solidity and fireproof features. The building is then clad in red cedar shingles, mahogany windows, and detailed trim like some of the more rustic cottages of Newport to help it better blend in. Of the total area, 36,000 sqft is below grade requiring sophisticated waterproofing, drainage., sewerage, and storm pump systems.
The Cliff Walk provides a scenic at times breathtaking view of the ocean and the houses that line it. One is reminded of the treacherous climbs in uneven sections. While this is an undeniable asset for Newport, it also presents a liability by making the waterfront a little less private and risking injury or death for people who make unnecessary risks passing through.
Some sections have the walk more clearly delineated with staircases, walls, and fences to prevent people from going over the top or into more dangerous areas.
When we visited in 2014 the Cliff Walk was closed from Riggles Avenue to Ledge Road.
While in town we made a quick visit to the Opera House. This three-story red brick building to the right was actively being used at the time. One of the unique features is livestreaming the America’s Cup sailboat races.
The Meeting Room at Queen Anne Square was a project by Maya Lin with The Doris Duke Monument Foundation. The installation consists of three foundations, all representing historic uses of the property. Text form historic documents has been carved into the thresholds. The Meeting Room brought 3,000 square feet of new green space, 24 additional trees, and 11 benches and additional seating, LED lighting, and free WiFi.
Queen Ann Square was undertaken between 1976 and 1978 in collaboration with Trinity Church. The ideas was to create a town green in what was a congested retail, commercial, and warehouse district. The upper area was deeded to Trinity Church and the lower portion was deeded to the city for public park use.
