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Beechwood is a Gilded Age estate located on Bellevue Avenue in Newport, Rhode Island.

• 1History

History[edit]

Newport Casino Rhode Island

The casino theatre A visual masterpiece, the Casino Theatre served as both a 500-capacity removable seat theatre and as a ballroom for dances. The interior was gold-trimmed ivory with a sky blue ceiling, decorated with golden stars. Newport This Week is at Casino Theatre. December 16, 2019 at 11:00 AM Newport, RI Along with lit lanterns, snow-covered cobblestones, decorated storefront windows and carolers, the most intimate sign of Christmas may be the signing of participants of the James L. Maher Center during the 31st annual In-Sign holiday performance on Dec.

Beechwood was built in 1851 for New York merchant Daniel Parrish by architects Andrew Jackson Downing and Calvert Vaux. In 1855 it was destroyed by fire. In 1857, it was rebuilt by Andrew Jackson Downing for Daniel Parrish. In 1880, it was purchased by William Backhouse Astor, Jr. for $190,941.50. He had married Caroline Webster Schermerhorn in 1853, who would later be known as 'theMrs. Astor'.^[1]

Between 1888-1890, Mrs. Astor hired architect Richard Morris Hunt to do many renovations, including the addition of a ballroom to fit the famous 'Four Hundred'. Beechwood became the show place for many of Mrs. Astor's dinner parties.^[2] Beechwood also boasts a library, dining room and a music room with wallpaper imported from Paris. When Mrs. Astor died in 1908, Beechwood was left to her son John Jacob Astor IV, who married his second wife Madeleine in its ballroom in 1911.^[3]

After John's death on the Titanic in 1912, it passed to his son Vincent, by his first wife Ava. Vincent later rented out the home to Mr. and Mrs. Robert R. Young, a New York financier.^[4] In 1940, Countess Allene T. de Kotzebue purchased Beechwood from Vincent Astor.^[5] Between 1940 and 1980 it was owned in succession by: James Cameron Clark, Gurnee Dyer, William W. Carey, John Page-Blair and Richard Merrill.^[6]

Beechwood Theatre Company[edit]

In 1981 it was purchased by Paul M. Madden, from Beverly Farms, Massachusetts, who was a recent graduate of The National Film and Television School of England. He undertook extensive renovation, including a new main entrance onto Bellevue Avenue.

White stripes black jack davey vinyl. Together with the University of Rhode Island History and Drama Departments, he started the Beechwood Theatre Company, which conducted live theatrical tours to over a million mansion visitors.^[1] In 1981, Paul Madden re-opened the renovated mansion with 20 costumed actors who were trained to remain in-character as they played all the roles of a Victorian mansion, including butlers, footmen, maids and doormen.^[7] The tour featured actors portraying the daily lives of those who inhabited, ran, and cared for the estate. While run as a tourist attraction, the estate was marketed as Astors' Beechwood Mansion.^[8]

During off-season months (February to May), servants of the Astor family provided tours of the estate as if they were still living in 1891. Visitors were considered to be 'applicants' for a summer job on Mrs. Astor's staff, and 'applied' for any job they wished. Positions included: gardener, footman, butler, chef, housemaid, and many others. During the summer months while the Astor family was living in the mansion, Astor family members gave tours to guests. Everyone living and working in the mansion acted as though it was 1891 and acted in character throughout the tour.^[9]

The tour included two sides of the house: first, the family's side where the Astors lived, and second, the servants' side, which included kitchens and servants' quarters, as well as an area for the children to live. Children of the family lived with the servants until the age of 17, when they were considered adults and fully prepared for social functions. Children of the family were quickly wed at the age of 18, or as soon as possible after reaching 18.

In the 1980s, Paul Madden hosted many of Newport's best social events at Beechwood, including a recreation of Mrs. Astor's '400 Ball' with Honorary Chairman Mary Jaqueline Astor,^[10] a dinner dance for Vice President and Mrs. George Bush on August 14, 1981, a dinner in honor of Prince and Princess Michael of Kent for the British America's Cup Team, and a dinner dance for the Duke of Marlborough for the English Speaking Union. The British America's Cup Challenge Ball in 1983 was held in honor of HRH Prince Andrew; and was the most lavish event of that America's Cup with a dinner served for one thousand guests and entertainment that included The Regimental Band of Her Majesty's Irish Guards and Peter Duchin's Band^[11]

Beechwood Art Museum[edit]

In January 2010 the Beechwood Theatre Company was reorganized under the umbrella of the 501(c)(3) non-profit Beechwood Foundation as the Marley Bridges Theatre Company,^[12] and the property was sold for $10.5 million to Oracle Corporation founder Larry Ellison.^[13] Ellison, who was in Newport during the summer of 2009 for training with his BMW/Oracle Racing, is linked to a deed filed at City Hall that documents the $10.5 million sale of the 39-room estate.^[14] Over the next three years, Ellison purchased the properties to the north and south of Beechwood.^[15]

As of 2012, Ellison plans to convert the mansion's first floor into Beechwood Art Museum, displaying his collection of 18th and 19th century art.^[16] In December 2017, Beechwood was issued a permanent certificate of occupancy. In February 2019, it was reported that Ellison purchased the Seacliff home at 562 Bellevue Avenue (for $11 million), 'thus giving him ownership of all four properties between Rosecliff and Marble House' which reunited the original 9-acre estate that Astor created in 1881.^[15][17]

In popular culture[edit]

Beechwood was featured in a season two episode of Ghost Hunters in which the TAPS team investigated claims of paranormal activity.^[18][19]

References[edit]

1. ^ ^ab'The Astor's Beechwood' BY Susan Rocheleau 1982
2. ^'MRS. WILLIAM ASTOR ENTERTAINS.; Reception at Beechwood, Newport, for Her Granddaughter, Miss Van Alen'(PDF). The New York Times. 15 August 1896. Retrieved 14 November 2019.
3. ^Times, Special to The New York (3 July 1914). 'TAKES ASTOR ESTATE.; Mrs. W. K. Vanderbilt, Jr., Leases Beechwood, Newport, for Summer'. The New York Times. Retrieved 14 November 2019.
4. ^TIMES, Special to THE NEW YORK (8 August 1937). 'ROBERT R. YOUNGS HOSTS IN NEWPORT; New Yorkers Give One of Most Elaborate Parties of This Season at Beechwood'(PDF). The New York Times. Retrieved 14 November 2019.
5. ^TIMES, Special to THE NEW YORK (27 September 1941). 'PAUL DE KOTZEBUES HOSTS AT NEWPORT; Count and Countess Entertain at Beechwood -- Mrs. John R. Bradley Week-End Guest'(PDF). The New York Times. Retrieved 14 November 2019.
6. ^Schonberg, Harold C. (3 July 1978). 'Opera: Newport Festival Opens'. The New York Times. Retrieved 14 November 2019.
7. ^The Providence Journal May 29, 1981
8. ^Silverman, Jeff (26 November 2000). 'A Gilded Age Holiday'. The New York Times. Retrieved 14 November 2019.
9. ^'Archived copy'. Archived from the original on 2008-02-25. Retrieved 2009-04-05.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
10. ^People Magazine July 26, 1982
11. ^People Magazine August 1, 1983
12. ^'The Marley Bridges Theatre Company'. Newport Murder Mystery. Retrieved 2013-01-01.
13. ^'Astors Beechwood mansion in Newport may be sold for $10.5 million'. The Providence Journal. 2010-01-01. Retrieved 2010-12-27.
14. ^'Deed links Oracle founder to Astors' Beechwood sale'. The Providence Journal. 2010-01-07. Archived from the original on 2011-07-24. Retrieved 2010-12-27.
15. ^ ^abFlynn, Sean (February 12, 2019). 'Tech tycoon Larry Ellison buys another Newport estate'. Providence Journal. Retrieved 14 November 2019.
16. ^'Beechwood's owner has museum plan'. Newport Daily News. 2012-01-05. Retrieved 2014-05-24.
17. ^Leskin, Paige (June 1, 2019). 'Oracle billionaire Larry Ellison has an incredible real estate portfolio — take a look at his properties in Silicon Valley, Japan, Hawaii, and more'. Business Insider. Retrieved 14 November 2019.
18. ^'Ghost Hunters (TV series)'. SciFi Channel. Season 2. Episode 208. 2005-09-14.
19. ^Hawes, Jason; Wilson, Grant; Friedman, Michael Jan (2007). 'The Haunted Mansion May 2005'. Ghost Hunting: True Stories of Unexplained Phenomena from The Atlantic Paranormal Society. New York: Pocket Books. pp. 184–188. ISBN978-1-4165-4113-4. LCCN2007016062.

The Newport Casino is an athletic complex and recreation center located at 186–202 Bellevue Avenue, Newport, Rhode Island, United States. Built in 1880, it was designated a National Historic Landmark on February 27, 1987, in recognition for its architectural significance as one of the nation's finest Shingle style buildings, and for its importance in the history of tennis in the United States. The complex now houses the International Tennis Hall of Fame, and was the site of the earliest US Opens.

1879 – 1900[edit]

The complex was commissioned in 1880 by James Gordon Bennett, Jr. Legend states that Bennett placed a bet with his guest British Cavalry Officer, Captain Henry Augustus 'Sugar' Candy that Candy would not ride his horse up onto the front porch of Newport's most exclusive men's club – The Newport Reading Room. Candy won the bet, but the Governors of the Reading Room were not amused. Bennett and his infamous short temper did not take this kindly, and soon set about creating his own retreat, what would eventually become The Newport Casino.

Soon after deciding to create his own social club, Bennett purchased the Sidney Brooks estate, 'Stone Villa'. Directly across the street was a vacant lot, suitable for construction of the Casino. Bennett hired Charles McKim (soon to be of the firm McKim, Mead, and White) to design the Casino. By January 1880, Nathan Barker of Newport was contracted to begin construction.

The interior of the Casino, while generally outlined by McKim, was entrusted to Stanford White. Taking many elements and cues from the Japanese Pavilion at the 1876 Centennial International Exhibition in Philadelphia, White provided for a plan that was both secluded and open.

The Newport Casino opened to its first patrons in July 1880, and the general public got their first view in August 1880.

A theatre located at the rear of the property (extant) was completed in 1881. Its 500 seats were removable for dancing and the building was the scene of many social occasions for fashionable Summer visitors in the Gilded Age. One such attendee and early performer who lectured at the theatre in 1882^[3] was Oscar Wilde.

The United States Lawn Tennis Association held their first championships at the Casino in 1881, an event that would continue through 1914. By this time, tennis was firmly entrenched as the key attraction at the Casino.

1900 – 1954[edit]

The first half of the 20th century was unkind to the Newport Casino. The Gilded age drew to a close with the onset of the Depression, and the Newport fell by the wayside as a summer resort for the wealthy and powerful. The Casino struggled financially as a social club right from the start, and by the 1950s the Casino was in sad shape. Like many of the mansions, there was the very real possibility that it would be demolished to make way for more modern retail space.

The United States Lawn Tennis Association held their first championships at the Casino in 1881, an event that would continue through 1914. By this time, tennis was firmly entrenched as the key attraction at the Casino.

Candy and Jimmy Van Alen took over operating the club, and by 1954 had established the International Tennis Hall of Fame in the Newport Casino. The combination of prominent headliners at the tennis matches and the museum allowed the building to be saved.

It stands today as one of the finest examples of Victorian Shingle Style architecture in the world. The buildings are generally well preserved, and the Casino Theatre which was in a state of disrepair was recently restored and is currently leased to Salve Regina University. The theater occasionally still shows films, mostly during the Newport International Film Festival or charity events.

1955 - Present[edit]

The complex of buildings has undergone tremendous restoration during the modern era. The Real Tennis building was restored in 1980 and the National Tennis Club was formed to use and preserve this game, from which the modern game of tennis evolved. The USTA (United States Tennis Association) Galleries have been restored in a series of renovations, first in the 1970s and then again in the 2010s to make the second and third floors of the main building into a suitable repository for the exhibition and study of pieces in the Tennis Hall of Fame collection. The most recent renovation exposed many original McKim, Mead & White fireplaces that had long been hidden behind sheet-rock walls.

Newport Casino Theatre

The Casino Theatre, which had long been used primarily for storage, was restored in partnership with nearby Salve Regina University in 2010 to house their theater program during the school year and to be used for a variety of films, lectures, and other programming during the summer months. One important change in the Theater renovation is that temporary seating at on level of the original design was replaced with graded permanent seating, but the old chairs were accurately replicated right down to the top-hat storage underneath each chair.

Recently several large construction projects have helped reshape the campus. In 2014, a steel indoor tennis building and gas station were demolished and a 19th-century cottage was relocated to create space for a large new structure designed in the Shingle Style by Robert A.M. Stern to house three new indoor courts, a gymnasium, an enlarged pro shop and Hall of Fame office. Three new outdoor courts are enclosed by an inflatable bubble roof to double the number of year-round courts available on the campus. The stadium court and stands also underwent renovation on 2016 to replace old bleacher seating located on the South end of the courts with new individual seating modeled on the seating at Wimbledon. This renovation also modified the West Stands, which had originally been built as part of the coaching and riding ring of the original complex, which was converted into the showcase Stadium Court in the 1970s.

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Buildings[edit]

The complex includes:

• The Casino (shops, a restaurant, offices, and the International Tennis Hall of Fame)
• Horseshoe Piazza and Court
• Bill Talbert Stadium
• Court Tennis Building (The National Court Tennis Club)
• Theatre – restored and managed by Salve Regina University Department of Performing Arts
• Indoor tennis courts (Newport Casino Indoor Racquet Club)
• Various grass tennis courts(Newport Casino Lawn Tennis Club)

Sports[edit]

The Newport Casino was never a public gambling establishment. Originally, 'casino' meant a small villa built for pleasure. During the 19th century, the term casino came to include other buildings where social activities took place.

In its heyday during the Gilded Age, the Newport Casino offered a wide array of social diversions to the summer colony including archery, billiards, bowling, concerts, dancing, dining, horse shows, lawn bowling, reading, lawn tennis, tea parties, and theatricals. It was best known as the home of Americanlawn tennis; the Casino hosted the 1881–1914 National Championships, later called the U.S. Open. Between 1915 and 1967 it hosted the Newport Casino Invitational men's tennis tournament.

Today, there is still an active grass-court tennis club, as well as an indoor tennis club. The Newport Casino Croquet Club offers championship croquet play on Newport's grass courts.

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The Court Tennis Building is part of the original complex, built in 1880. It burned down in 1945, but was rebuilt in 1980. It is home to the National Tennis Club.

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See also[edit]

References[edit]

1. ^'National Register Information System'. National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. January 23, 2007.
2. ^'Newport Casino'. National Historic Landmark summary listing. National Park Service. Archived from the original on 2009-08-12. Retrieved 2008-06-29.
3. ^Cooper, John. 'Oscar Wilde in Newport'. Oscar Wilde in America. Retrieved 1 March 2018.

External links[edit]

• Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS) No. RI-331, 'Newport Casino, 186–202 Bellevue Avenue, Newport, Newport County, RI', 21 photos, 21 data pages, 1 photo caption page
• Description of the Casino Theatre
• Official site of the International Tennis Hall of Fame

Gallery[edit]

• Newport Casino original façade, 1880

• Postcard, North Wing of Newport Casino, taken from Horseshoe Courtyard, circa 1900

• Newport Casino, Bellevue Ave. façade, 1970

• Newport Casino, Horseshoe Court, 1970

• Newport Casino in 2009

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