The Elks Club / Parkgate / Atlantic House (Newport, Rhode Island)

 hotel, navy, club, place with historical importance, Elks (fraternity), interesting place

Parkgate, designed by Newport architect George Champlin Mason for Seth B. Stitt of Philadelphia and constructed in 1879. It was purchased by Newport Lodge #104 of the Benevolent and Protective Order of the Elks in 1920.

Prior to Parkgate, this was the location of The Atlantic House Hotel. Mr. William T. Potter purchased this land in 1844 and built the Atlantic House Hotel. The Atlantic house was home to the U.S. Naval Academy during the Civil War (1861-1865) when it was moved here to protect it from attack by the confederate forces at its location in Annapolis, MD. After the war, the Navy returned to Newport to establish three major facilities--the United States Naval Torpedo Station, the Naval Training Station a nd the Naval War Collge. The War College is still the Navy's senior educational facility for the study of warfare, international law and statemanship. The Torpedo Station has become the present Naval Underwater Warfare Command, which conducts scientific and technological research. This connection between Newport and the Navy dates back to the colonial period.

The hotel was demolished in 1877 to make way for the current building.