Rough Point facts for kids
Rough Point is a famous old house, or "mansion," in Newport, Rhode Island. It's now a museum that you can visit! This beautiful home was built in the English Manorial style. It was designed by the architects Peabody & Stearns for Frederick William Vanderbilt. Building the house, made of red sandstone and granite, started in 1887 and finished in 1892.
Rough Point is located on Bellevue Avenue. It sits right next to the Cliff Walk and has amazing views of the Atlantic Ocean. The first gardens around the house were planned by Frederick Law Olmsted's company. The last person to own Rough Point was Doris Duke. Today, the Newport Restoration Foundation takes care of it and runs it as a museum.
Contents
The Story of Rough Point
Early Owners and Changes
In 1894, the Vanderbilts started renting Rough Point to people who wanted to spend their summers there. A businessman named William Bateman Leeds Sr., also known as the 'Tinplate King', rented the house in 1904 and 1905. He was one of the owners of a large company that made tin plates.
Mr. Leeds bought the 10-acre estate in 1906. After he passed away in 1908, his wife, Nancy Leeds, hired architect John Russell Pope. He made some changes to the outside of the house. Nancy Leeds owned Rough Point until 1922.
The Duke Family Era
In 1922, James Buchanan Duke bought Rough Point with his second wife, Nanaline. James Duke was very wealthy. He made his money in electric power and tobacco. He also helped start Duke University. The Dukes hired architect Horace Trumbauer to help them update the house. Two new sections were added to the home. Nanaline also hired a design company called White Allom to make the dark rooms inside the house brighter.
James Duke passed away in 1925. He left his huge fortune and his homes, including Rough Point, to his only child, 12-year-old Doris Duke. Rough Point became one of Doris's most loved properties. She especially enjoyed its beautiful location by the rocky coast. Doris had her big coming-out party, called a debutante ball, at the estate in 1929.
Doris Duke continued to spend her summers at Rough Point. However, after a big storm called the New England Hurricane of 1938 hit Rhode Island, and with World War II starting, Doris Duke visited less often. In the early 1950s, Doris Duke moved to New York City. She even emptied Rough Point of all its furniture.
Bringing Rough Point Back to Life
By 1958, Doris Duke started visiting Newport often again. She decided to refurnish Rough Point. In 1958 and 1959, she began buying art and old furniture for the house. She mixed these new items with special family treasures. Rough Point became one of Doris Duke's favorite homes. She lived there from May through November most years. She also kept collecting items for the house during her many travels.
In 1966, a very sad accident happened at the estate. Doris Duke and her interior designer, Eduardo Tirella, were leaving Rough Point in a car. When Mr. Tirella got out to open the front gates, Doris Duke moved to the driver's seat. She wanted to pull the car forward and wait for him to close the gates. Sadly, she accidentally pressed the gas pedal. The car hit Mr. Tirella and he was tragically killed. This was recorded as an accident.
Unusual Guests and Grandeur
During Hurricane Bob in 1991, the house's sunroom became a safe place for Princess and Baby. These were Doris Duke's two pet Bactrian camels! The camels were gifts from a wealthy businessman. The camels would spend their summers in Newport when Doris Duke was there. She often bought them many peanut butter cookies as treats. Many people walking on the Cliff Walk were very surprised to see Princess and Baby walking around the grounds.
Rough Point has a special mix of grandness and a cozy, homey feeling. The house has stayed just as Doris Duke left it since she passed away in 1993. The way architect Horace Trumbauer was able to update and enlarge the original house so smoothly is very important. Doris Duke was one of the last wealthy women from the Gilded Age who still lived in Newport. While she owned the house, it was filled with hundreds of priceless old items. Yet, the curtains on her bed were bought from a regular store! Famous paintings by artists like Gainsborough, Van Dyck, and Renoir can be found in the home.
Gardens and Fresh Produce
When Doris Duke stayed at Rough Point, the staff would pick fresh vegetables every day for cooking. Vegetables and flowers were also sent from the greenhouses at Duke Farms in New Jersey each spring to be planted. A list of plants that grew at Rough Point includes artichoke, squash, cabbage, lettuce, onions, peppers, spinach, eggplant, beans, okra, and cucumbers. There was also a long list of herbs, such as basil, chamomile, chives, dill, fennel, marjoram, parsley, rosemary, sage, thyme, spearmint, tarragon, borage, and lovage.
Rough Point Today
The property remained with Doris Duke until her death in 1993. After some legal matters, it opened to the public as a museum in 2000. The Newport Restoration Foundation owns it now. Tours are available from April until November each year. Since 2003, there has been a special exhibit each year. These exhibits show things like clothing, jewelry, silver, or furniture from the house.
More to Explore
See also
In Spanish: Rough Point para niños
