We woke up early in the morning, had a cup of coffee, took a shower, and then...wuuuuz.....picked Jessy (Colin's friend) up. Then, we drove to Newport--Rhode Island, America's First Resort.
Founded in 1639, Newport's first residents were settlers seeking religious freedom. The area was soon recognized for its ideal trade location and quickly developed into one of the major seaports on the East Coast. Newport's era as a seaport diminished with the British occupation of 1776. British ships blockaded the harbor, and residents were forced to use the city's timber wharves for firewood during the brutally cold winter. However, Newport was rediscovered in the 1800's by the country's wealthy citizens as the ideal location to spend their summers. Suddenly, elaborate mansions and villas sprung up along Bellevue Avenue and Ocean Drive--each more ornate and luxurious than the one next door. These "summer cottages" provided the perfect backdrop for 'The 400', an elite group of the very rich. This extravagant era officially opened the door to America's first resort.
We stopped for b'fast at "Newport Creamery Cafe". The foods was ok!:-). After bought tickets (mansions tour) from "The Information Centre" office, we continued to drive to Ocean Drive to see the mansions.
Rosecliff
Rosecliff was completed in 1902 by architect Stanford White as a party pavilion for the flamboyant Theresa "Tessie" Fair Oelrichs, a Nevada silver heiress and one of Newport's leading society hostesses. Her father, James Graham Fair, was an Irish immigrant who made an enormous fortune from Nevada's Comstock silver lode, one of the richest silver finds in history. Inspired by the 17th century Grand Trianon at Versailles, the house was conceived as a stage set for the dinners, balls and costume parties that made up the social whirl of Newport during the Gilded Age. |
