Blithewold Mansion, Gardens and Arboretum Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids

U.S. National Register of Historic Places

Blithewold Mansion (west elevation)
Location	Bristol, Rhode Island
Built	1895
Architect	Dewolf, John; Kilham & Hopkins
Architectural style	Late 19th and 20th Century Revivals
NRHP reference No.	80000074
Added to NRHP	June 27, 1980

The Blithewold Mansion, Gardens and Arboretum is a beautiful estate in Bristol, Rhode Island. It's located right on Bristol Harbor, offering amazing views of Narragansett Bay. This special place is like a huge outdoor museum, with a grand mansion and a large garden filled with many different kinds of trees and plants.

The entire property covers about 33 acres. It includes a big lawn that's about 10 acres and an arboretum, which is a collection of over 300 types of woody plants. These plants come from both the local area and faraway places.

Blithewold was first created in the 1890s. A wealthy couple named Augustus and Bessie Van Wickle built it as their summer home. Augustus Van Wickle made a lot of money from coal mining in Hazleton, Pennsylvania. He was also known for donating the Van Wickle Gates at Brown University.

Exploring Blithewold Mansion
- The Mansion's Rebuilding
- A Family Home and Public Museum
Discovering Blithewold's Gardens and Trees
Images for kids
Gallery
See also

Exploring Blithewold Mansion

The Blithewold Mansion has a fascinating history. It was first built in 1895 in a style called Queen Anne, which was popular for its decorative details.

The Mansion's Rebuilding

Sadly, the first mansion was destroyed by a fire in 1906. The fire moved slowly, which allowed many of the family's belongings and furniture to be saved. After the fire, a new mansion, called Blithewold II, was built.

This second mansion was designed in an English Country Manor style by Walter Kilham. He was an architect from Boston.

A Family Home and Public Museum

In 1936, Marjorie Van Wickle Lyon, the daughter of Augustus and Bessie, inherited Blithewold. She lived there until she passed away in 1976 at the age of 93.

When Marjorie passed away, she left Blithewold to the Heritage Foundation of Rhode Island. This foundation later became known as the Heritage Trust of Rhode Island.

Since 1978, Blithewold has been open to the public as a museum. It has been carefully restored to look like it did around 1910. Visitors can see many of the Van Wickle family's original items. These include furniture, art, letters, and Marjorie's own watercolor paintings. There's also a collection of women's dresses and other clothing from that time.

Discovering Blithewold's Gardens and Trees

The beautiful gardens and grounds you see today were mostly designed by John DeWolf. His work on the estate took place between 1896 and 1913. In 1980, Blithewold was recognized as an important historical site and added to the National Register of Historic Places.

A World of Plants

Blithewold's grounds are home to plants from all over the world. You can find species from North America, Europe, China, and Japan.

Some of the amazing trees here include magnolias, linden trees, and Ginkgo trees. There are also Black Tupelos, Dawn Redwoods, and Franklinia trees. You'll also see different kinds of oaks and beeches.

Other special trees include a weeping Pagoda Tree, Hiba, Katsura, and Sugi. The grounds also feature English Yews and Eastern Junipers.

Giant Sequoia and Champion Trees

One of the most impressive trees at Blithewold is a Giant Sequoia. It's believed to be the largest one on the East Coast of the United States. This huge tree, which is about 100 feet tall, was planted around 1930.

Blithewold is also proud to have at least two Rhode Island Champion Trees. These are the largest known trees of their kind in the state. One is a Sargent’s Weeping Hemlock, planted around 1920. The other is a Silver Fir, planted around 1911.

The Bamboo Grove

You can also explore Blithewold's Bamboo Grove. This area is almost the size of a tennis court! It's filled with Yellow-groove bamboo, which can grow up to 33 feet tall.

Blithewold has had connections with the Arnold Arboretum since 1926. That year, botanists visited Blithewold to see a Chinese toon tree in flower. It was thought to be the first time this tree had bloomed in the United States.