Fairlawn fits perfectly into the Gilded Age aesthetic of Newport. Like many other of the picturesque mansions that adorn the northeastern coast, the Estate provides a history that reflects the modern evolution of culture from Gilded Age to present day.
Wallace Hall is currently owned by Salve Regina University and is used as a residence hall. It was built in 1875 and used as the carriage house and stables for a Guilded Age mansion, Fairholme Estate. Fairholme Estate was built for Fairman Rogers and was designed by architect Frank Furness. The carriage house and stables were acquired by Salve Regina University in 1991.
Located on the corner of Ruggles Avenue and Lawrence Street, Founders Hall used to be the residence of Philadelphia lawyer, John Thompson Spencer. His villa was designed by Peabody & Stearn Company. The building's architecture resulted from a combination of Georgian architecture, Colonial details, and postmodern features.
Although this old home is now referenced as "Ochre Lodge" it was originally called the Julia B. Eldridge house. This cottage and a carriage house were built for Mrs. Eldridge in 1882. She was a widow to Thomas P. Eldridge, a dry-goods merchant from New York who passed at age 45. Ochre lodge is one of the several historic estates that have become a part of Salve Regina University's expanding campus.
Wetmore and Ochre Court Stables, today known as Antone Academic Center on the campus of Salve Regina University, were constructed in the mid-nineteenth century by Seth Bradford and Richard Morris Hunt, respectively. The two stables, purchased by the university in the 1960s, originally served at the stables and carriage house for the famous mansions Chateau-sur-Mer (Wetmore) and Ochre Court (Ochre). The architectural style of the building encompasses a variety of different elements, including a mansard roof, gable dormers, Belgian block, and Herringbone brick floor patterns, and cast iron embellishments. The restored buildings, now connected to one another, still retain many of the qualities of the original stables, including wide arched doorways and the brick design in the flooring that allowed for drainage. The stables were renovated by Salve Regina University in 2010, after having served as athletics storage for several years. The buildings were connected to create Antone Academic Center, named after Sister Mary Therese Antone, the previous president of the university.
Built in 1884 by Dudley Newton and Charles Kempe, Wakehurst, or what used to be the Van Alen Mansion, is a Gothic Revival style building located in Newport, Rhode Island. It is almost an exact replica of Wakehurst Place in England with similar architecture and gardens. The building contains beautiful stained glass windows and chandeliers. It was requested to be built by James J. Van Alen to distract him of his grief after the death of his wife. The former mansion is now owned by Salve Regina University and used as a center for students.
Vinland Estate is a Romanesque Revival "summer cottage" on the Cliff Walk. This Gilded Age house was completed in 1884 by the architecture firm Peabody & Stearns for wealthy tobacco heiress Catharine Lorillard Wolfe.
Ochre Court was commissioned by Ogden Goelet, who was a wealthy New York banker and developer. It was designed by Richard Morris Hunt and was constructed from 1888-1891. In 1947 Robert, Ogden’s son, donated Ochre Court to Salve Regina University. Today Salve Regina uses Ochre Court to house their administrative offices.
This Tour is a Walking Tour.
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This tour takes you through the wonderful Gilded-Age buildings that compose the Salve Regina University Campus. The entries are all created by students as part of our Cultural and Historic Preservation classes. The tour is a work in progress and will be continually expanded and improved.
