An open terrace at The Breakers mansion in Newport, R.I., faces the Atlantic Ocean. (Juan King/Stars and Stripes)
Stroll through the Gilded Age at The Breakers, an architectural masterpiece built for a railroad mogul and his family more than a century ago in seaside Newport, R.I.
Between 1893 and 1895, Cornelius Vanderbilt II, president of the New York Central Railroad, and his wife, Alice, built this grandiose structure that covers one acre as their summer cottage. It’s considered the grandest of the cottages built in the area by other industrial barons of the era.
The Vanderbilts chose Richard Morris Hunt, a leading architect of the time, to design the cottage. It has more than 70 rooms, with more than 40 reserved for family and staff. It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1994.
The Breakers mansion in Newport, R.I., has more than 70 rooms, 40 of which were reserved for the Vanderbilt family and staff. (Juan King/Stars and Stripes)
The Vanderbilts occupied the mansion until 2018. Gladys Vanderbilt, the great-granddaughter of Cornelius, leased the property in 1972 to the nonprofit Preservation Society of Newport County. Her daughter sold the mansion to the society outright but continued to live there until 2018. The late fashion designer Gloria Vanderbilt and her son, CNN anchor Anderson Cooper, are descendants of the family.
The preservation society maintains the mansion and the 13-acre property.
Stepping through the front entrance, my family was greeted and handed a layout to guide us through the building. Roped-off routes steer thousands of visitors each year through the central Great Hall, with its 50-foot-high ceiling, and deeper into the mansion.
The rooms – their interiors influenced by classical Roman designs – gracefully flowed into one another. For a history lover like me, walking in and out of the elaborate rooms evoked a vision of life in the mansion’s heyday.
The Breakers mansion in Newport, R.I., has more than 70 rooms, 40 of which were reserved for the Vanderbilt family and staff. (Juan King/Stars and Stripes)
Descriptions inside each room gave insight into their design and function, along with audio tours available through a QR code in the ticket area.
A sea breeze off Easton Bay accented the ocean view from a wide-open, second-floor terrace. Viewing the living quarters on that floor, with their well-maintained 19th century décor, provided a glimpse into the daily life and tastes of the long-gone affluent.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, a trip down a wooden stairway off the Great Hall brought us to a large kitchen, marked by a center island full of copper pots and divided into separate sections for baking, butchering and dishwashing. The Breakers’ servants kept the place running, including feeding and entertaining guests, which included presidents and royalty.
The Breakers mansion in Newport, R.I., is an architectural masterpiece built for a railroad mogul and his family more than a century ago. (Juan King/Stars and Stripes)
Behind the mansion, a large lawn gives contemporary visitors plenty of space for a picnic or to take photos.
Many types of trees and flowers, some with identifying labels, encircle the spacious grounds. Just beyond a high iron fence, the ocean stretches into the endless horizon.
The Breakers may be the grandest cottage in Newport, but it’s not the only one. The area was popular with other Gilded Age moguls who built their own summer getaways here.
A walk or drive down the streets near the mansion features many others, including the Marble House, The Elms and Rosecliff.
On the QT
Directions: 44 Ochre Point Ave., Newport, RI, 02840
Times: Open daily, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Costs: Admission $29 for non-member adults; $10 for ages 6-12; includes entrance to house and grounds.
Food: The Breakers Cafe serves a variety of dishes, and picnicking is allowed on the grounds.
Information: Online: newportmansions.org; downloadable self-guided audio tour and a self-guided family audio tour are available on the website.
