We're thinking that the eastern seashores are definitely the vacation spots of the rich and famous since the United States began. We stayed in Wakefield, RI, which was about 30 minutes from Newport, RI. The ships and the shores...beautiful scenery.
Do you suppose the house on the rock in the middle of a yacht bay is the answer to "The best of both worlds?"
We had an opportunity to see the Eisenhower "summer home." Most homes we viewed had a minimum of 10 bedrooms...looked more like a lodge or hotel than a "summer cottage" to be used only 2-6 weeks out of the year.
We caught a picture of Jackie "Bouvier" Kennedy's house - where their wedding reception took place. And the church...and the plaque stating their date of marriage.
Our tour of Newport took us past the "Mansions of the 1800's". We did not take the time to tour them, but could only imagine the room size, etc. as we took pics from the gate. The most interesting fact about these mansions is that most of them are no longer single family dwellings. The tax imposition of 1913 made it almost impossible for the "rich and famous" to keep up with the taxes on these homes and properties - so they were sold to become "bed and breakfast" type lodges...or larger ones, even hotels. Those who could not find an appropriate sale, donated their houses and lands to the state for museums, or educational facilities for the tax write-off.
Brick fences reminded me of the Hadrian's wall area between England and Scotland. Homes that were on the coast tended to be foggy...and the view into the Atlantic was rough.
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| New York Yacht Club |
The Mast in the yard of the "New York Yacht" Club was from the American Yacht - winner of the yacht race which became the beginning standard of the America Cup competition each year
The Jean-Baptiste Donatier de Vimeur, the French lieutenant who joined forces with George Washington, and defeated the English in the battle at Yorktown, ending the revolutionary war. He and his 7000 men camped at Newport for nearly a year, waiting to be called in to assist in the effort.
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