The Elms (mansion)

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The Elms, viewed from its great lawn.
The Elms, viewed from its great lawn.

The Elms is a large mansion, or "summer cottage", located in Newport, Rhode Island. It is owned by the Preservation Society of Newport County and is open to the public. On June 19, 1996 it was designated a National Historic Landmark.

Located on Bellevue Avenue, The Elms was completed in 1901 for the coal baron Edward Julius Berwind, and is an exact copy of the Chateau d'Asnieres in Asnieres, France. Because Mr. Berwind was considered to be nouveau riche his neighbors on the avenue shunned him. Because of this, he ordered his face to be carved on the urns atop the wall surrounding it, forcing his neighbors to see his face every day. This same wall shut The Elms off from the public for almost two generations, and was brought back from the brink of destruction by the Preservation Society and re-opened to the public in 1962.

[edit] Reference

  • Hopf, John T. (1976). The Complete Book of Newport Mansions.


Mansions of Newport, RI
Preservation Society of Newport County

The Breakers | Chateau-sur-Mer | Chepstow | The Elms | Isaac Bell House | Kingscote | Marble House | Rosecliff


Not owned by the Preservation Society

The Astors' Beechwood | Belcourt Castle | Rough Point