Newport, Rhode Island: The Breakers

The railroad industry sure isn't what it used to be.

Back in the 1890s, Cornelius Vanderbilt was the custodian of a large financial empire. His grandfather had been very successful in steamships, and then led the New York Central railroad. Cornelius had owned some property in a prime spot of Newport's shore line, but it burned to the ground in 1892.

Vanderbilt opted to try again, bigger and better than ever. This is the resulting mansion. It's called "The Breakers" because this is where the ocean water breaks. The building was passed down through the family and eventually sold to a Preservation Society. Cornelius, by the way, died in 1899 - so he didn't get to enjoy the place for long.

They don't built them, or furnish them, like this any more. There are fewer rooms than you'd think in the first two floors, which are the ones open to the public. OK, there are still quite a few by the standards of most people. Still, the rooms are big, really big.

The photograph shows the main entrance area to the mansion "The Great Hall." I guess you could call it the living room, and it was often the center of activities during the frequent parties that went on there each summer. (The Vanderbilts were just about at the top of the social register in those Gilded Age days.) Visitors are handed a headset with an audio tour of the facility. It covers the basics nicely, and also has some extra sections for those who want additional information on a particular subject along the way.

Head outside, and you'll the see the magnificent grounds. There are great views of the ocean, of course, but there's enough land to spread out a bit. The landscaping, as you'd suspect, is also most impressive.

It's all done in a classy, dignified manner. Some will go through the place and think that maybe the workers could have used a raise of two cents an hour instead of the owner building yet another mansion like this. But there's no rewriting history, and it's still fascinating to see this.

There are other mansions around Newport from that era, and they are open to the public as well. They certainly have some unique qualities that are worth seeing. But the Breakers is the biggest and the best of them. If you have time to see only one mansion while in Newport, this is the one to see.

Here's a look on video:

 

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