The Elms at Christmas–Newport Mansions

The Newport mansions in Rhode Island are always beautiful, but that is especially true around Christmas.

A few weeks ago, my daughter and I took a mother-daughter trip to see the mansions. We last visited in early June, but with college graduation approaching, my daughter said, “Mom, we HAVE to see the mansions at Christmas!” I had a little money saved, and besides, how lucky am I that she wants to go on a trip with her mom? Let’s just say she didn’t have to twist my arm too hard. I said yes.

The Newport Harbor Hotel and Marina

For our accommodations in Newport, we returned to the Newport Harbor Hotel and Marina. This time we got a room with a harbor view. The rooms aren’t as soundproof as they should be, but what a view! We thoroughly enjoyed it day and night. And the location on Bowen’s Wharf can’t be beat.

Now on to The Elms . . .

The Elms

The Elms was built as a summer “cottage” for Mr. Edward Berwind and Mrs. Herminie Berwind in 1901. They spent nearly every summer there hosting parties and entertaining guests in this French-inspired mansion. They never spent Christmas here. Luckily for us tourists however, visitors can see the mansion elaborately decorated for Christmas. Volunteers from the Preservation Society of Newport spend about six weeks decorating the mansion. I think the Berwinds would have approved of what they do with the place!

Saved from Destruction

The Berwind’s daughter, Julia, inherited the mansion after the death of first her mother, and later, her father. When Julia died in 1961, the nephew who inherited the mansion sold it. Everything was auctioned off except for a few permanently-installed wall paintings. A marble table that had been sold was (luckily) too heavy to move. With one week to go before the wrecking ball came, the Preservation Society of Newport rushed in and saved the house. This was the second mansion they saved after buying Hunter House in 1945.

Nearly all of the art, fixtures, and furniture currently in the Elms has been donated or repurchased by the Preservation Society. The society has worked hard to refurnish the Elms to look as it did back in the early 1900’s. Some of the pieces are original to the house and others are original to the time period.

In fact, a docent told me that there are 600 pieces, original to the house, that are currently held in private homes or museums. She said, the Preservation Society knows where each and every piece is. They have been bidding on them for sixty years in an ongoing recovery effort.

The Elms looks and feels amazing. Here are a few more photos I’d like to share with you.

Photo Tour

If you go:

The Elms is not wheelchair accessible. The only food available is at the Breaker’s Cafe and Marble House tea house, but you should check to make sure they are actually open (especially at Marble House). You can not picnic on the grounds. There are restrooms and clean tap water available but no drinking fountains. Also, there are no coat checks. I carried a big shoulder bag for our jackets. Photography is allowed, but no flash, and no tripods.

The Elms is open from February 15 thru November 2nd, 9 am to 4 pm. Note that they do not let you into the mansion past 3:30. The Elms Christmas season runs from November 22 thru January 1, 9 am to 4 pm. Check the website as the mansions have different operating seasons which vary each year.

You can buy tickets to see one, two, or three mansions. It is cheaper to see more than one mansion. I bought an annual membership because it cost me only a few dollars more and enabled me to see four mansions during this two-day visit. Membership also gave me a gift store and cafe discount.

Please see the Newport Mansions website for more information.

Stay tuned for another Christmas-mansion blog. And if you haven’t read it, here is a blog about The Elms gardens.