Rosecliff Mansion in Newport, Rhode Island is a classic Gilded Age era mansion, and a wonderful one to see while visiting the seaside town. The white terra-cotta house is a must-see attraction if you are visiting Newport. Nowadays, Rosecliff gets thousands of visitors each year. The outside of the mansion is one of my favorite entrances of all the mansions. Newport has become one of my favorite places to visit in the summertime. Every time I visit, I will always stop in one of the mansions for a visit.
It all started with Theresa Fair Oelrichs
Theresa Fair Oelrich was an American socialite married to Hermann Oelrichs. Theresa came from a very wealthy family and had two brothers and a sister Virginia. And, when Theresa’s father died her brothers had already died. So, Theresa and her sister Virginia received all their father’s wealth. Virginia went on to marry into the Vanderbilt family. On their own, both women were as wealthy as their husbands.
The Construction of Rosecliff
Theresa commissioned the building of Rosecliff in 1898, and it was finally completed in 1902. She hired the architect Stanford White. It was designed to look like the Grand Trianon which was a retreat for King Louis XIV of France at the Palace of Versailles. The house takes the shape of an H. Many modern amenities were built into the house. White installed plumbing into the home and an electrical system. The house was made of steel beam construction.
Life at Rosecliff
Theresa, like other wealthy families, wanted to have a summer cottage in Newport. She had many balls and dinners at Rosecliff. Theresa loved the arts and had ballets and operas for her guests. The ballroom at Rosecliff is said to be the biggest out of all the Newport mansions.
Rosecliff’s Later Years
Theresa and her husband only had one son named Herman, who sold it in 1941. Then, after Rosecliff was owned by two other families. In 1971 the owners of the time Mr & Mrs. J. Edgar Monroe gave Rosecliff (and all the items inside) to The Preservation Society of Newport County.
Weddings at Rosecliff in Newport
Rosecliff is a big wedding venue. During the summer several weddings are held on the estate. It does make a beautiful location for a wedding. The ballroom is where receptions are held. And, many couples have the actual wedding ceremony outside with a beautiful view of the sea. On the day of my visit they were setting up for a wedding that was going to be held the next day. The whole mansion has a romantic feel to it, so I can see why it is such a popular place to hold a wedding.