I began the day by going on the "Servant Life Tour" at The Elms. It was amazing!!! If you are at all curious about the people behind-the-scenes who kept the house running (aka the real life Anna and Bates types from Downton Abbey), go on this tour!
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| A few of the male servants |
We saw where the servants lived, worked, and learned about several specific servants that worked at The Elms. We explored every nook and cranny of the house including where the coal was delivered, the laundry room, etc.. We also went on the roof, where the servants would spend their downtime, and saw fantastic views of Newport Harbor.
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| Glass floor in the servants' quarters so light can filter through the skylights to the family spaces |
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| One of the "skylights" with light filtered through the various floors of the house |
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| Bell system for the servants |
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| Photographs of and a letter from servants that worked at The Elms |
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| A servant's bedroom |
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| The servants' bathroom |
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| Rooftop (where to servants would hang out) |
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| View of the harbor and the backyard from the roof |
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| Servants' staircase |
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| Trunk for the family's silver (they took it with them from home to home) |
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| Coal shoot |
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| The family's luggage |
After the "Servant Life Tour", I explored The Elms. The house is beautiful, although not as ornate at The Breakers (realistically what is?). There is a noticeable difference between the public and private room decorations in all of the mansions, but in The Elms the private rooms were particularly simple. Also, this mansion has a fantastic back yard.
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| Front entrance to The Elms |
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| Study |
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| Solarium |
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| Sitting Room |
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| Sitting room ceiling |
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| Ballroom |
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| Dining room with Venetian murals (the most outside of Venice) |
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| The family back from a hunt |
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| Linen closet |
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| Sewing room |
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| Butler's pantry |
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| Kitchen |
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| Back of The Elms |
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| Covered delivery area |
After touring The Elms, I was supposed to go on cruise through Newport Harbor; however, it was canceled. I was disappointed so I indulged in some retail therapy, lol. I went shopping on Thames Street and the various Harbors that line it. In this part of town, there are tacky tourist stores, hip boutiques, and rich older lady stores all next to each other. Something for everyone I suppose, lol.
Parking tips: the Newport Mansions offer free parking for visitors. Also, I parked in the Island Pursuit Public Parking Lot on the corner of Thames Street and Ann Street when I went shopping. It's within walking distance of downtown and is only $10 a day.
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