Summer Cottages; Newport, RI

Newport dates back to 1639 and became a prosperous seaport early on.  After the revolutionary war it became the country's first resort, attracting artists, writers and wealthy industrialists.  In the 1800s many wealthy folks built summer cottages along the waterfront.  Everybody who was anybody had a summer place here - or knew someone who did.  It was the place to be and the thing to do - and that continued for quite some time.  JFK had a home here.

The Breakers, above and below.

Nowadays, the cottages are mostly museums.  Trish toured The Breakers, the largest of the bunch, built in 1893 by Cornelius Vanderbilt II.  It has 70 rooms, was designed as a 16th century Italian palazzo.

Another cottage.

The Cliff Walk, which fronts some of the cottages.

This is the admin building for Salve Regina University.  Not sure if it was built for that purpose or was once one of the cottages.  It's a couple doors down from The Breakers.

After viewing the mansions, we went down to the harbor, strolled around, had lunch of clam chowder/ fish and chips.  Newport has a great setting and scads of vintage buildings.  Neat place!