History Highlights

The Meservey Photographic Survey


In the late 1940s the Preservation Society of Newport County commissioned Robert Meservey to capture images of Newport's Colonial to Edwardian architectural heritage.  These photographs were to accompany the ground breaking study by Antoinette Downing and Vincent Scully, The Architectural Heritage of Newport Rhode Island:  1640 - 1915.  Many of these photographs were not included in the 1952 publication. 


See the Meservey photos




The Lost Houses of Newport



This collection of photographs highlights the perils facing Newport's architectural heritage in the years between 1945 and 1973, when more than 30 estates of national historical significance vanished in favor of residential and commercial subdivision. 

Learn more about the Lost Houses of Newport






Portrait of a Newport Lady:  The Fashionable Woman in 1900
The Story of Gwendolen King Armstrong of Kingscote

What's a traditional Victorian mother to do when her precocious little girl grows into a young woman with modern ideas?  Find out in this engaging exploration of the relationship between Gwendolen King Armstrong and her mother in an exhibition of fashions, accessories and letters.

Learn more about the Portrait of a Newport Lady





The Ernst Studio Photographs

The Preservation Society has acquired a rich collection of photographs produced by the Ernst Studio during the first half of the 20th century, depicting Newport's buildings, scenery and citizens. 

Learn more about the Ernst Studio and see some of the photographs





NEWPORT MANSIONS is a registered trademark of The Preservation Society of Newport County. Our tickets should not be presented at any other mansion in Newport except The Breakers, Chateau-sur-Mer, Chepstow, The Elms, Green Animals Topiary Garden, Hunter House, Isaac Bell House, Kingscote, Marble House, and Rosecliff.