Kingscote

Tour this Gothic Revival mansion in Newport, Rhode Island.

The Kingscote mansion was built in 1839 along a farm path called Bellevue Avenue as a summer "cottage." Richard Upjohn was the architect who designed this Gothic Revival-style home. It features gables, chimneys, and elaborate Gothic detailing. When it was built, it had a beige-colored paint mixed with sand, so it was textured, appearing almost like sandstone. Kingscote was constructed for George Noble Jones, owner of the El Destino and Chemonie cotton plantations in Florida.

When the Civil War began, the Jones family left Newport, and the house was sold to a China trade merchant named William Henry King in 1864. King's nephew David owned the house in 1876 and, after several years, decided to make renovations and enlarge the mansion. The architect who made the renovations was George Champlin Mason. Some of the changes included a new dining room made of innovative materials such as cork tiles on the walls and ceiling and opalescent glass bricks. A new service wing was added, and the entire interior was redecorated. The King family kept the home until 1972, and it has since been under the care of the Preservation Society.

Kingscote is a National Historic Landmark containing original family collections. Sheck out the clock collection, built-in dining hutch, scenic grounds, and carriage house during your visit. The mansion is packed from wall to wall and floor to ceiling with furniture, decorations, sculptures, paintings, prints, art, and ceramics. Each room is a mini-museum with historical artifacts belonging to the families that once lived in the mansion. A vast majority of all the furnishings are original. Guided tours are offered daily from 10:30 am to 4:30 pm; each tour lasts about an hour. If you're into historic landmarks, be sure to stop by Kingscote in Newport, Rhode Island.