Tourico Vacations

Connect With Us!

Tourico Vacations FacebookTourico Vacations TwitterTourico Vacations PinterestTourico Vacations LinkedIn
  • Home
  • About
  • Contact
  • Members Only
  • Vacation Sweepstakes 2020

The Marble House of Rhode Island

Posted on 02.13.18

The Marble House of Rhode IslandThe Marble House of Rhode Island – The Vanderbilts owned a lot of the property in Newport, and their summer home, Marble House, is amongst some of Newport’s most incredible mansions. (Another Newport mansion, Rough Point, is just up the road.) The enormous estate was planned by Richard M. Hunt and the construction was finished in 1892. Hunt loved all things French, and his love for Versailles and the Petit Trianon inspired Marble House. Built entirely of French white marble, the entire construction cost about $11 million dollars. In fact, just the marble’s cost alone is said to have been $7 million dollars.

Construction began in 1888, and Marble House was intended to be the Vanderbilt’s summer cottage. But the term ‘cottage’ is not a grand enough term to describe this palatial mansion. This home was to become a social landmark, marking the architectural pace of Newport’s transformation from a community of modest wooden homes into the opulent resort town it is known as today.

William Vanderbilt’s grandfather was Cornelius Vanderbilt, a commodore on the high seas, who brought fortune to the family by means of his investments in both steamships and railroads. William’s oldest brother was named after their grandfather, and his infamous Newport home was The Breakers. William’s wife, Alva, was one of Newport’s leading socialites, and she considered Marble House to be her temple. In fact, it was built and given to her by William as a gift for her 39th birthday.

William and Alva had a daughter and two sons. Their daughter became a Duchess, their middle son a pioneer in auto racing, and their youngest, a yachtsman who won the American Cup three years in a row.

When William and Alva divorced, Alva remarried Oliver Belmont. She left Marble House and moved into the Belcourt mansion, also on this same street. When Oliver passed away, she moved back into Marble House and added a tea room overlooking the cliffs at which she was a hostess for women’s movements rallies. She eventually sold Marble House to Frederick Prince. Marble House was added to the National Historic Register in 2006.

Tourico Vacations News

  • Settling In in Scintillating Scandinavia with Tourico Vacations
  • Saratoga Springs for a Luxury New York Getaway with Tourico Vacations
  • Salzburg – The Culture Capital with Tourico Vacations
  • Eclectic Wines of the Western Cape with Tourico Vacations
  • Epic Roadtripping Through New England

Tourico Vacations Topics

  • Destinations

Tourico News by Month

  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • August 2019
  • January 2019
  • October 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • August 2017
  • April 2015
  • December 2014
  • Home
  • About
  • Contact
  • Members Only
  • Vacation Sweepstakes 2020

Designed by Ponder Consulting ®

Tourico Vacations, All Rights Reserved

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.Ok