So, I have come to the conclusion that the reason these are called death marches isn’t just because we hike for miles and miles, but because our esteemed Professor Richard Guy Wilson, heads straight out without a care in the world. There are thirty of us, and watching him step off the sidewalk into traffic, knowing full well the seas will part, and then 30 of us holding up traffic like “damn stupid tourists” has become rather common.
So, now it is Sunday and once again we have done another long march. I will try to do my best to share. Our first stop was the William Watts Sherman House designed by H. H. Richardson (1874-1876). It was built for New York Financier Sherman and his first wife Annie Wetmore.
The house was added to the National Register of Historic Places and designated a National Historic Landmark in 1970. Salve Regina acquired the property, in 1982.
So, what made me go wow? The green room, inspired by The Peacock Room at the Freer, who is to know, but still…
There are William Morris style painted windows on the second floor. This building is now a sophomore dormitory for Salve Regina, it has suffered pretty badly, but fortunately the green room and these windows have survived.
Professor Richard Guy Wilson atop the Moon Gate at Chateau-Sur-Mer
Chateau-sur-Merwas built as an Italianate-style villa for China trade merchant William Shepard Wetmore. Mr. Wetmore died in 1862, leaving the bulk of his fortune to his son, George Peabody Wetmore.
George married Edith Keteltas in 1869. During the 1870s, the young couple took a 10 year trip to Europe, leaving architect Richard Morris Hunt to remodel and redecorate the house in the Second Empire French style. This remodel resulted in the fact that Chateau-sur-Mer displays most of the major design trends of the last half of the 19th century.
I will, again just hit the things that made me go WOW.
This is called the Tree of Life, and I remember this from when Michael, Joyce and I toured this house years and years ago. I have discovered in the last two days that everyone appreciates how fabulous these things are, but they have absolutely no idea who did the work. For me, you can imagine, how completely frustrating this is. I hope that at some point in the future, I can work on bringing you this information, but for now, I need to just get my notes down at the end of our ridiculous days before I forget.
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These two beauties are lamps at the top of the stairs as you enter the house. I see so much sculpture, but these girls called to me. Alas, there is no information. AGAIN! Frustrating!
After another Lobster Roll at La Forge Casino – not as good as yesterday, but now number two – we hit the United Congregational Church. In horrific shape, but my OMG moment was the painting behind the alter. Again, no one knows who the painters were, but WOW. The Church was built in 1855 and the architect was Joseph C. Wells. However, the interior was designed by John La Farge. This educational group is in love with LaFarge. No judgements, he is amazing, but I am truly disappointed in the fact that only the “biggies” are known. The unknown craftsman continues to be a fact.
A Louis Comfort Tiffany lamp speaks of a longtime rivalry against LaFarge (I promise that story will be brought to you in the next few days) the only reason I am showing it is because, well frankly, it is interesting.
This is a panel on the ceiling, the panels were copied from an existing carpet. Here are the notes from the National Park Service regarding the interiors of the church:
United Congregational Church: Executive Summary
- The United Congregational Church is nationally significant for the interior remodeling by American artist John La Farge. The murals and opalescent and stained glass windows of United Congregational Church (later, Newport Congregational Church), executed by La Farge between 1880 and 1881, are the only comprehensive interior designed by the artist, and the most complete synthesis of La Farge’s mastery of media and design.
- The murals are based upon archeologically correct Near Eastern prototypes, while the twenty stained glass windows feature an inventive use of handmade opalescent glass designed to complement the paintings. One of six major ecclesiastical commissions by La Farge, the Congregational Church survives as the only example of the artist’s comprehensive decorative scheme for the interior of a church.
It is important to understand that the reason I did not include pictures of the stained glass windows is because at this point they are a mish-mash of various works. The church suffered very badly during a freak hailstorm in 1894 which riddled the windows on the North side of the church. The records show what a mess was created by hiring low-budget contractors, due to lack of funds. The results are sad and hopefully can be rectified in the future when funds become available.
Kingscote – So where do you begin. In 1839 Southern planter George Noble Jones commissioned Richard Upjohn to design this “summer cottage”. An incredible brick covered building with Horizontal Flush Board and then painted grey with sand in hopes of mimicking stone.
At the outbreak of the Civil War, the Jones family left Newport for good, and the house was sold in 1864 to China Trade merchant William Henry King. His nephew David took over the house in 1876, and several years later decided to enlarge the home. David King hired McKim, Mead and White to make the renovations, including the new dining room.
Opalescent glass bricks by Louis Comfort Tiffany, as well as, cork ceiling and wall panels were installed in the dining room during the remodel.
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The house remained in the King family until 1972, when the last descendant left it to the Preservation Society, along with the original family collections. Today, Kingscote is a National Historic Landmark.
The next house was a private home that we were so privileged to visit. The Charles H. Baldwin House was built in 1877-78, by the architectural firm of William Appleton Potter and Robert Anderson Robertson.
The dining room was the unique portion of this home.
We finished with a party at the Isaac Bell House. The house was done by McKim, Mead and White between 1881 and 83 for cotton broker and investor Isaac Bell. After passing through a succession of owners, the Isaac Bell House was purchased by the Preservation Society in 1996,
It is listed as a “shingle style”, though architects would have labeled it is as modernized colonial. With double gables, it has Japanese, French and Italian influences. There are several shingle styles on the exterior. These include the fish scale and wave, the fish scale being the classic style, but the wave playing into the “modern” concept.
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You have got to love the entryway.
Notice the pink mortar, the quoins are intentionally irregular.
This is a caned wall. I was in LOVE!
A cast plaster basket weave – seriously amazing. Can you imagine the sanding work it takes to get that depth?
I can not say enough about how our days are so long, but we literally walking back to our rooms, bent over with sore feet, back aches and heads that are so completely filled with information that facts are found dripping out of our ears, lining the sidewalks as we drag ourselves home.
I hope that I have shown you the amazing things we have seen visually, even if I can not iterate with words the thousands upon thousands of facts we are learning as we go along.
