Beacon Rock (1887-91) (Newport, Rhode Island)

USA / Rhode Island / Newport / Newport, Rhode Island / Harrison Avenue, 147
 place with historical importance, estate (manor / mansion land), interesting place
An exceptional oceanfront estate of approximately eight acres with two thousand feet of frontage on Brenton Cove. Beacon Rock is built into a dramatic rocky bluff off the "Ocean Drive" near Fort Adams State Park, overlooking Newport Harbor and the Newport Bridge. The mansion has 48 monolithic columns and open porches of solid marble. The residence offers a 40 foot deepwater dock, waterviews from nearly all of its sixteen principal rooms, fourteen fireplaces, hardwood floors, roof terrace and a full attic.

From the first, they called Beacon Rock the Acropolis of Newport. Commodore Edwin D. Morgan in 1887, commissioned architect, Stanford White, of the renowned architectural firm of McKim, Mead & White in New York, to design this residence on the plan of the ancient Athenian Stoa of Attalos and the Agora adjoining it. The resulting ionic marble colonades and the balanced, matching temple-like facades took over 3 years to complete. The mansion was ready for occupancy in 1891.

Its owner for 3 decades, Edwin Morgan, cousin of J.P. Morgan, served as commodore at the New York Yacht Club and personally owned several of the America's Cup defenders, which he kept at Beacon Rock.
www.herreshoff.org/achof/edwin_dennison_morgan.html

By 1921, Captain Marion Eppley took possession of the Estate. The Eppley's spent 20 odd seasons there at the Harbor side.
foundationcenter.org/grantmaker/eppley/ and wikimapia.org/6621981/Captain-Marion-Eppley-House-1790

In 1951, the property was purchased by Felix De Weldon, a world renowned artist, who is most famous for his stirring bronze sculpture of the U.S. Marine flag raising on Mount Suribachi during the Battle of Iwo Jima in World War II. The landscaped grounds, originally designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, include a winding drive over a triple arched bridge, tall hedges and stone walls protecting the perimeter of the property, ornamental ironwork gates and an entrance courtyard featuring a boxwood hedge maze.
www.beaconrocknewport.com/newport.html

binged.it/HyYbj1

Robert Yarnall Richie aerial photo ca.1932-1934 - digitalcollections.smu.edu/u?/ryr,389
Wikipedia article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McKim,_Mead_&_White
Nearby cities:
Coordinates:   41°28'14"N   71°20'2"W

Comments

  • http://www.beaconrocknewport.com/history.html Currently, Beacon Rock is owned by Attorney Brian R. Cunha, who acquired “Beacon Rock” in 1996 and has fully renovated and restored the property.
  • So glad it is still there and maintained.
This article was last modified 9 years ago