The Preservation Society of Newport County celebrates its 60th Anniversary in 2005 with a year-long series of special events, tours and exhibits, looking back at its accomplishments and looking ahead to future challenges as one of the nation's premier historic preservation organizations. The Newport Mansions, as the 11 historic properties maintained by the Preservation Society are collectively known, have hosted more than 25 million visitors in the last 25 years.

"When a dedicated and concerned group of Newporters led by Katherine and George Warren banded together in 1945 to purchase Hunter House to save it from demolition, it's unlikely that they realized they were creating an organization that just a few decades later would be recognized internationally as the steward of one of the finest collections of architecturally and socially significant houses in America," said CEO and Executive Director Trudy Coxe.

The Preservation Society of Newport County is a non-profit educational organization accredited by the American Association of Museums and dedicated to preserving and interpreting the area's historic architecture, landscapes and decorative arts.

The Society's collection of historic house museums includes Hunter House (c.1748), Kingscote (1841), Chateau-sur-Mer (1852), Green Animals Topiary Garden (c.1860), Chepstow (1861), Isaac Bell House (1883), Marble House (1892), The Breakers (1895), The Breakers Stable and Carriage House (1895), The Elms (1901) and Rosecliff (1902). The Society also maintains the Arnold Burying Ground (1675), Rovensky Park (1959), and its own headquarters building at 424 Bellevue Avenue (1888). Five of the properties—Hunter House, Kingscote, Isaac Bell House, The Breakers and The Elms—are National Historic Landmarks.

In addition, the Preservation Society was instrumental over the years in saving many other historic Newport places, including the Pitts Head Tavern, White Horse Tavern and Storer Park.

In 2004, the Preservation Society was awarded accreditation by the American Association of Museums, a mark of excellence achieved by only 750 of the nation's 16,000 museums.

The Preservation Society will commemorate its anniversary throughout 2005 with a series of special events and exhibits. Below is a brief description of the special exhibits planned.

EXHIBITS

Portrait of a Newport Lady: The Fashionable Woman in 1900

The Story of Gwendolen King Armstrong of Kingscote at Rosecliff, April 9 through November 10

What is 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. From her 1901 Parisian-made wedding trousseau, including ball gowns, riding costumes, finely embroidered linens and lingerie, to the more casual, department store fashions she favored just a few years later, Gwendolen King epitomized the changing tastes of American women at the beginning of the 20th century. Personal letters between mother and daughter reveal the later years of the Gilded Age as a complex, transitory period of American history. Ella King held fast to her 19th century tastes while obliging her daughter's new, modern ideas about dress and lifestyle. Attend the Preview Party on April 8

The Lost Houses of Newport

The Elms, June 11 through September 18

The exhibit will highlight the perils facing Newport's architectural heritage in the early years of the Society, when, between 1945 and 1973, more than 30 Newport estates of national historical significance vanished in favor of residential and commercial subdivision. Vintage photographs of the lost houses will be accompanied by short essays. The exhibit will focus on a selection of important houses built between 1850 and 1920, including Villa Rosa, Chetwode, Rockhurst, Bleak House, The Reef, Linden Gate and Castlewood. Attend the Preview Party on June 10

The Ernst Studio Research Project

424 Bellevue Avenue, June 11 through November 11 and Community Roundtables

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. A selection of these photographs will be on display in the Society's offices as the Society seeks the public's assistance in identifying the people and places depicted. In addition, Architectural Historian John Tschirch will hold a series of community meetings to display and discuss the photos with local residents.

Student Art Exhibit

The Elms Stable and Carriage House, May 20 through June 18

Elementary and high school students and faculty from Newport public schools will stage a mixed-media art exhibit inspired by the Newport Mansions.

For these and other Newport events, check our events calendar regularly.

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