Beechwood (Astor mansion) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Beechwood |
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The front of Beechwood in 2008
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| Alternative names | Daniel Parish House |
| General information | |
| Architectural style | Italianate |
| Town or city | Newport, Rhode Island |
| Country | United States |
| Coordinates | 41°27′48″N 71°18′18″W / 41.4634°N 71.3051°W |
| Completed | 1853, rebuilt in 1856 |
| Client | Daniel Parish |
| Owner | Larry Ellison (since 2010) |
| Technical details | |
| Size | 16,400 square feet (1,520 m2) |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect |
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Beechwood is a famous old mansion in Newport, Rhode Island. It's known for being owned by the wealthy Astor family. This beautiful house was built between 1852 and 1853. It was designed in the Italianate style by Andrew Jackson Downing and Calvert Vaux. After a fire in 1855, Vaux rebuilt the house. Later, in 1881, Richard Morris Hunt updated the mansion. This happened after William Backhouse Astor, Jr. bought it.
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History of Beechwood Mansion
Beechwood was first built for Daniel Parish. He was a clothing merchant from New York. Daniel Parish hired Andrew Jackson Downing and Calvert Vaux to design his new home. Sadly, Downing died in a steamboat accident in 1852. Vaux finished the house in 1853.
In 1855, a fire damaged the mansion. Vaux rebuilt it in 1856, making some changes to the original plans.
The Astor Family at Beechwood
In 1880, William Backhouse Astor Jr. bought Beechwood. He paid over $190,000 for it. His wife was Caroline Webster Schermerhorn. She was very famous and known as "the Mrs. Astor."
Between 1888 and 1890, Mrs. Astor hired architect Richard Morris Hunt. He added many new parts to the house. One big addition was a ballroom. This room was large enough to fit her famous guest list, called "Four Hundred." The house also had a library, a dining room, and a music room. Its wallpaper came all the way from Paris. Beechwood became the place for Mrs. Astor's grand dinner parties.
When Mrs. Astor passed away in 1908, Beechwood went to her son, John Jacob Astor IV. In 1911, he married his second wife, Madeleine, right in the mansion's ballroom. John Jacob Astor IV died on the Titanic in 1912. After his death, the house went to his son, Vincent Astor. Vincent later rented the home to Robert R. Young, a New York financier.
In 1940, Allene Tew and her husband, Count Pavel de Kotzebue, bought Beechwood. For the next 40 years, the house had several different owners. These included James Cameron Clark, Gurnee Dyer, William W. Carey, John Page-Blair, and Richard Merrill.
Paul Madden's Ownership (1981–2010)
In 1981, Paul M. Madden bought Beechwood. He had just finished film school in the United Kingdom. He worked hard to fix up the mansion. He even added a new main entrance on Bellevue Avenue.
Paul Madden started the "Beechwood Theatre Company." This group worked with the University of Rhode Island. They offered live theater tours of the mansion. Over a million people visited and enjoyed these tours. In 1981, Paul Madden reopened the house with 20 actors in costumes. These actors pretended to be servants and other people from a Victorian household. They stayed in character during the tours.
The tours showed visitors what daily life was like in the mansion. They saw how the Astor family lived and how the servants worked. The estate was called "Astors' Beechwood Mansion" during this time.
During the cooler months (February to May), the actors played "servants" of the Astors. They gave tours as if it were 1891. Visitors could pretend they were applying for summer jobs on Mrs. Astor's staff. They could "apply" for jobs like gardener, butler, chef, or housemaid. In the summer, when the pretend "Astor family" lived in the mansion, the actors played Astor family members. They gave tours to guests, acting as if it were 1891.
The tour showed two parts of the house. First, there was the family's side where the Astors lived. Second, there was the servants' side. This included kitchens and servants' rooms. It also had a special area for the children. Astor children lived with the servants until they were 17. At that age, they were considered adults. They were then ready for social events. Children of the family often married around age 18.
In the 1980s, Paul Madden hosted many important social events at Beechwood. These included a party that recreated Mrs. Astor's "400 Ball." There was also a dinner for Vice President and Mrs. George Bush. Other events honored Prince and Princess Michael of Kent. A dinner dance was held for the Duke of Marlborough.
In 1983, the British America's Cup Challenge Ball was held for Prince Andrew. It was a very fancy event. One thousand guests enjoyed dinner. The Regimental Band of Her Majesty's Irish Guards performed. Peter Duchin's band also played music.
Larry Ellison's Ownership (2010–Present)
In January 2010, the Beechwood estate was sold. Oracle Corporation co-founder Larry Ellison bought it for $10.5 million. Ellison was in Newport in 2009 for sailing training. He bought the 39-room mansion.
Reports say Ellison spent over $100 million restoring the mansion. He wanted to make it look like it did in 1881. This was when Richard Morris Hunt had renovated it.
As of 2012, Ellison plans to turn the mansion's first floor into the "Beechwood Art Museum." He wants to show his collection of 18th and 19th-century art there. In 2019, it was reported that Ellison bought another home nearby. This means he now owns all four properties between Rosecliff and Marble House. This reunites the original 9-acre estate that William B. Astor Jr. created in 1881.
See also
In Spanish: Beechwood (mansión Astor) para niños
