Chateau-sur-Mer facts for kids
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Chateau-sur-Mer
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U.S. National Historic Landmark District
Contributing Property |
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Chateau-sur-Mer, Newport, Rhode Island.
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 Location in Rhode Island
Location in the United States
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| Location | 474 Bellevue Avenue, Newport, Rhode Island |
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| Area | 17 acres (69,000 m2) |
| Built | 1851 |
| Architect | Seth C. Bradford (construction) Richard Morris Hunt (renovations) Ogden Codman, Jr. (design) |
| Architectural style | Mid 19th Century Revival |
| Part of | Bellevue Avenue Historic District (ID72000023) |
| NRHP reference No. | 68000002 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | November 8, 1968 |
| Designated NHL | February 17, 2006 |
| Designated NHLDCP | December 8, 1972 |
Chateau-sur-Mer is a very large and fancy house in Newport, Rhode Island. It was one of the first grand mansions built on Bellevue Avenue during a time called the Gilded Age. This was a period in the late 1800s when many wealthy families built huge, beautiful homes.
Chateau-sur-Mer is located at 474 Bellevue Avenue. Today, the Preservation Society of Newport County owns it. You can visit it as a museum and see how people lived in these amazing houses long ago. It was the most impressive house in Newport until the Vanderbilt family built their own grand homes in the 1890s. In 2006, Chateau-sur-Mer was named a National Historic Landmark, which means it's a very important historical place.
Contents
Building a Grand Home
Chateau-sur-Mer was finished in 1852. It was built for William Shepard Wetmore, a rich merchant who traded goods with China. The house was designed in the Italianate style, which was popular at the time. The architect and builder was Seth C. Bradford. The house is made from strong Fall River Granite. It is known for its beautiful Victorian style, including its furniture, wallpapers, and decorations.
Changes Over Time
William Shepard Wetmore passed away in 1862. His son, George Peabody Wetmore, inherited the house. George married Edith Keteltas in 1869. In the 1870s, the Wetmores traveled to Europe. While they were away, they hired a famous architect named Richard Morris Hunt to update their home.
Hunt changed the house to the French Second Empire style. This means Chateau-sur-Mer shows many different design trends from the late 1800s. Hunt made the house much bigger. He added a new three-story section and a grand entrance for carriages. He also added a tall, four-story tower with a special roof. The building where carriages were kept was also made larger to match the house. Hunt even designed the main gate, which looks like ancient Egyptian obelisks.
Inside the Mansion
The most impressive part of the house inside is the great hall. It's a huge room that is three stories tall, with a ceiling about 45-foot (14 m) high. It has wide balconies that look down into the hall.
- Billiard Room: This room is in the Eastlake style. It has oak wood beams on the ceiling that cross each other. The floor has a special pattern called herringbone.
- Library: The library has an Italianate design. It was actually built in Italy, then taken apart, shipped to Newport, and put back together inside the house.
- Marble Hallway: This hallway was once the main entrance to the house. It's decorated with many different colors of marble. In 1920, the main door was replaced with a bay window, closing off this entrance.
- Green Room: This room was a special place for ladies to meet. It was designed in 1900 by Ogden Codman, Jr. in the fancy Louis XV style.
- Ballroom: The ballroom has beautiful crystal chandeliers and fine plaster decorations. It's one of the few rooms that Richard Morris Hunt didn't change much.
- Dining Room: This room is in the Renaissance Revival style and was also built in Italy.
A Home for All Seasons
Chateau-sur-Mer was special because it was one of the few Newport "cottages" (which were actually huge mansions) built to be lived in all year round. Most other mansions in Newport were only used during the summer. The Wetmore family was from New England and made Newport their permanent home.
George Wetmore was very involved in politics in Rhode Island. He was a member of the Republican Party. He helped choose the president in 1880 and 1884. He was elected Governor of Rhode Island in 1885 and again in 1886. Later, in 1894, he was elected to the United States Senate, where he served until 1913.
Chateau-sur-Mer Today
The house was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1968. The Preservation Society of Newport County bought it in 1969. As mentioned, it was named a National Historic Landmark in 2006. The old carriage house and stables that belonged to Chateau-sur-Mer are now owned by Salve Regina University. They are being updated to become a center for art and preservation.
See also
In Spanish: Chateau-sur-Mer para niños
- List of Gilded Age mansions
- List of National Historic Landmarks in Rhode Island
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Newport County, Rhode Island
Images for kids
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The monkey seat and Moon Gate at Chateau-Sur-Mer
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Weeping European Beech at Chateau-Sur-Mer
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Turkey Oak at Chateau-Sur-Mer
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Chateau Sur Mer
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Chateau sur Mer
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Chateau-sur-Mer front
