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The Elms- Newport, RI
Built at the height of Newport’s popularity, The Elms is an excellent example of Gilded Age excess. In the best possible way, of course. A striking, monumental mansion, it could never be duplicated today, although I suppose if Jeff Bezos wanted to, he could. But for the rest of us, it’s fortunate the grand mansion survived its planned demolition day. Although coal magnate Edward Julius Berwind and his wife Sarah started summering in Newport in the early 1890s, their original home proved far too modest for their lifestyle. In 1898, Philadelphia architect Horace Trumbauer was commissioned to build a massive mansion in its place, which more appropriately reflected Berwind’s status…
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Rosecliff- Newport, RI
Newport, Rhode Island is a perfectly preserved Gilded Age playground. It’s an absolute architectural wonderland, where you can lose yourself for days wandering around estates owned by the elite of the Industrial Age. Seasonal homes, only occupied for a few months each year, these magnificent creations were meant to showcase the ridiculous wealth of the titans that commissioned them. In this respect, Rosecliff was an unmitigated success. Intended for entertaining, Rosecliff was built for Nevada Silver heiress Theresa Fair Oelrich, whose father was one of the four partners in the legendary Comstock Lode. In 1898, with a virtually unlimited budget, Oelrich retained superstar architect Stanford White (McKim, Mead & White)…
