Kingscote (mansion): Difference between revisions

	Kingscote
	U.S. National Register of Historic Places
	U.S. National Historic Landmark
	U.S. National Historic Landmark District; Contributing Property
	View of house from southeast, 2018
Location	Bellevue Ave. and Bowery St., Newport, Rhode Island, USA
Coordinates	41°28′53.47″N 71°18′32.62″W / 41.4815194°N 71.3090611°W
Area	less than one acre
Built	1839
Architect	Richard Upjohn
Part of	Bellevue Avenue Historic District (ID72000023)
NRHP reference No.	73000058
Significant dates
Added to NRHP	May 17, 1973
Designated NHL	June 19, 1996
Designated NHLDCP	December 8, 1972

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Kingscote is a Gothic Revival mansion and house museum at Bowery Street and Bellevue Avenue in Newport, Rhode Island, designed by Richard Upjohn and built in 1839. As one of the first summer "cottages" constructed in Newport, it is now a National Historic Landmark. It was remodeled and extended by George Champlin Mason and later by Stanford White. It was owned by the King family from 1864 until 1972, when it was given to the Preservation Society of Newport County.

History

George Noble Jones owned the El Destino and Chemonie cotton plantations in Florida. He constructed this house along a farm path known as Bellevue Avenue. It was designed by Richard Upjohn and is an early example of the Gothic Revival style, with an irregular and busy roofline, with many gables and chimneys, and elaborate Gothic detailing. It is built of wood, although it was originally painted beige with sand mixed into the paint, giving it a textured appearance of sandstone.^[3]

The Jones family permanently left Newport at the outbreak of the American Civil War, and the house was sold to William Henry King in 1864, an Old China Trade merchant. King's nephew David leased the house in 1876 and embarked on a series of alterations. He hired Newport architect George Champlin Mason to build a larger dining room and to build a new service wing, and he had the interior redecorated by the New York firm of Leon Marcotte. He also introduced gas lighting to the premises.^[3]

In December 1880, David King hired Stanford White of McKim, Mead and White to design a new addition to the house, including new master bedrooms, a nursery, and a new dining room with opalescent glass bricks purchased from Louis Comfort Tiffany. These alterations greatly enlarged upon Upjohn's original design yet retained the fundamental Gothic Revival character of the building.^[3]

Kingscote is considered the building that started the fashion to build summer "cottages" in Newport.^[4] As more and more such dwellings were erected in Newport, they gradually became larger, and while Kingscote was considered the grandest building in Newport when it was built; compared to later ones, it is considered small.^[5]

The King family owned the house until 1972, when the last descendant bequeathed it to the Preservation Society. The bequest included all of the furnishings as of about 1880.^[3] Today, Kingscote is a National Historic Landmark (NHL) and a contributing property to the Bellevue Avenue Historic District, also an NHL.^[6]

Kingscote was featured in the second season of the HBO television series The Gilded Age to represent the earlier, smaller, era and to provide contrast to what "cottages" had become once the Gilded Age was in full swing: opulent palaces such as the Breakers, Marble House, and Rosecliff. As set designer Bob Shaw said, "Kingscote was once considered the grandest mansion in Newport in the 1850s, but by later standards, it’s actually rather small."^[5]

Gallery

Richard Upjohn's original 1839 watercolor of Kingscote, as seen from the southwest.
HABS photo of the front (southern) elevation.
The eastern elevation.
A detail of the front entrance.
The entrance hall.

References

^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
^ "Kingscote". National Historic Landmark summary listing. National Park Service. Archived from the original on August 12, 2009. Retrieved June 28, 2008.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d "NRHP nomination for Kingscote". National Park Service. Retrieved May 11, 2014.
^ https://www.newportmansions.org/mansions-and-gardens/kingscote/
^ ^a ^b https://decider.com/2023/11/06/the-gilded-age-season-2-laura-benanti-mrs-blane/
^ "The Preservation Society of Newport County – Online Ticket Center". Archived from the original on February 4, 2007. Retrieved January 5, 2008.

External links

Official website
Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS) No. RI-307, "Kingscote, Bellevue Avenue & Bowery Street, Newport, Newport County, RI", 20 photos, 6 measured drawings, 11 data pages, 2 photo caption pages

[nris-1] "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.

[nhlsum-2] "Kingscote". National Historic Landmark summary listing. National Park Service. Archived from the original on August 12, 2009. Retrieved June 28, 2008.

[NRHP-3] "NRHP nomination for Kingscote". National Park Service. Retrieved May 11, 2014.

[4] ttps://www.newportmansions.org/mansions-and-gardens/kingscote/

[shaw-5] ttps://decider.com/2023/11/06/the-gilded-age-season-2-laura-benanti-mrs-blane/

[6] "The Preservation Society of Newport County – Online Ticket Center". Archived from the original on February 4, 2007. Retrieved January 5, 2008.

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[2]

[3]

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[6]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+{{short description|Historic house in Rhode Island, United States}}
+{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}
 {{Infobox NRHP
-| name = Kingscote
+| name                  = Kingscote
-| nrhp_type = nhl
+| nrhp_type             = nhl
-| image = Kingscote, Newport, RI.jpg
+| image                 = Kingscote 2018-06-14.jpg
-| caption = View of house from southeast, 2008
+| caption               = View of house from southeast, 2018
+| coordinates           = {{coord|41|28|53.47|N|71|18|32.62|W|display=inline,title}}
-| lat_degrees =
+| locmapin              = Rhode Island#USA
-| lat_minutes =
+| location              = Bellevue Ave. and Bowery St., [[Newport, Rhode Island]], USA
-| lat_seconds =
+| built                 = 1839
-| lat_direction =
+| architect             = [[Richard Upjohn]]
-| long_degrees =
+| architecture          =
-| long_minutes =
+| designated_nrhp_type  = June 19, 1996<ref name="nhlsum">{{cite web|url=http://tps.cr.nps.gov/nhl/detail.cfm?ResourceId=1307&ResourceType=Building|title=Kingscote|access-date=2008-06-28|work=National Historic Landmark summary listing|publisher=National Park Service|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090812040017/http://tps.cr.nps.gov/nhl/detail.cfm?ResourceId=1307&ResourceType=Building|archive-date=2009-08-12}}</ref>
-| long_seconds =
+| added                 = May 17, 1973
-| long_direction =
+| area                  = less than one acre
-| location = Bellevue Ave. and Bowery St., [[Newport, Rhode Island]]
+| refnum                = 73000058<ref name="nris">{{NRISref|version=2010a}}</ref>
-| built = 1839
+| nrhp_type2            = nhldcp
-| architect = [[Richard Upjohn]]
+| nocat                 = yes
-| architecture =
+| designated_nrhp_type2 = December 8, 1972
-| designated_nrhp_type = June 19, 1996<ref name="nhlsum">{{cite web|url=http://tps.cr.nps.gov/nhl/detail.cfm?ResourceId=1307&ResourceType=Building|title=Kingscote |accessdate=2008-06-28|work=National Historic Landmark summary listing|publisher=National Park Service}}</ref>
+| partof                = [[Bellevue Avenue Historic District]]
-  | added = May 17, 1973
+| partof_refnum         = 72000023
-  | area = less than one acre
-  | refnum = 73000058<ref name="nris">{{NRISref|version=2010a}}</ref>
-| governing_body = [[Preservation Society of Newport County]]
 }}
-'''Kingscote''' is a [[Gothic Revival]] house museum in [[Newport, Rhode Island]] built in 1839. Kingscote was one of the first summer "cottages" constructed in Newport. The house is currently owned by the [[Preservation Society of Newport County]] and is open to the public.
+'''Kingscote''' is a [[Gothic Revival]] mansion and house museum at Bowery Street and [[Bellevue Avenue Historic District|Bellevue Avenue]] in [[Newport, Rhode Island]], designed by [[Richard Upjohn]] and built in 1839. As one of the first summer "cottages" constructed in Newport, it is now a [[National Historic Landmark]].  It was remodeled and extended by George Champlin Mason and later by [[Stanford White]].  It was owned by the King family from 1864 until 1972, when it was given to the [[Preservation Society of Newport County]].
 ==History==
+[[File:Kingscote, Bellevue Avenue and Bowery Street, Newport, Newport County, RI HABS RI,3-NEWP,61- (sheet 3 of 6).tif|thumb|left|Plan of the first floor]]
-[[George Noble Jones]], a southern plantation owner who owned the [[El Destino Plantation]] and [[Chemonie Plantation]], constructed this [[Gothic Revival]] style summer cottage along a farm path known as [[Bellevue Avenue]]. At the outbreak of the [[American Civil War]], the Jones family permanently left Newport, and the house was sold in 1864 to [[William Henry King]], an [[Old China Trade]] merchant. King's nephew David inherited and enlarged the house in 1878. In December 1880, he hired [[McKim, Mead and White]] to design a new addition to the house, including a new dining room with opalescent glass bricks purchased from [[Louis Comfort Tiffany]].  The King family owned the house until 1972, when the last descendant deeded it to the Preservation Society. Today, Kingscote is a [[National Historic Landmark]] (NHL) and a [[contributing property]] to the [[Bellevue Avenue Historic District]], also an NHL. The house is a rare survivor of a Gothic Revival house and landscape with original family furnishings still remaining.<ref>[http://tickets.newportmansions.org/mansion.aspx?id=1009 The Preservation Society of Newport County - Online Ticket Center<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
+[[George Noble Jones]] owned the [[El Destino Plantation|El Destino]] and [[Chemonie Plantation|Chemonie]] cotton plantations in Florida. He constructed this house along a farm path known as [[Bellevue Avenue]]. It was designed by [[Richard Upjohn]] and is an early example of the [[Gothic Revival]] style, with an irregular and busy roofline, with many gables and chimneys, and elaborate Gothic detailing. It is built of wood, although it was originally painted beige with sand mixed into the paint, giving it a textured appearance of sandstone.<ref name=NRHP>{{cite web|url={{NHLS url|id=73000058}}|title=NRHP nomination for Kingscote|publisher=National Park Service|access-date=2014-05-11}}</ref>
+The Jones family permanently left Newport at the outbreak of the [[American Civil War]], and the house was sold to William Henry King in 1864, an [[Old China Trade]] merchant. King's nephew David leased the house in 1876 and embarked on a series of alterations.  He hired Newport architect George Champlin Mason to build a larger dining room and to build a new service wing, and he had the interior redecorated by the New York firm of Leon Marcotte.  He also introduced gas lighting to the premises.<ref name=NRHP/>
+In December 1880, David King hired [[Stanford White]] of [[McKim, Mead and White]] to design a new addition to the house, including new master bedrooms, a nursery, and a new dining room with opalescent glass bricks purchased from [[Louis Comfort Tiffany]].  These alterations greatly enlarged upon Upjohn's original design yet retained the fundamental Gothic Revival character of the building.<ref name=NRHP/>
+Kingscote is considered the building that started the fashion to build summer "cottages" in Newport.<ref>https://www.newportmansions.org/mansions-and-gardens/kingscote/</ref> As more and more  such dwellings were erected in Newport, they gradually became larger, and while Kingscote was considered the grandest building in Newport when it was built; compared to later ones, it is considered small.<ref name="shaw"/>
+The King family owned the house until 1972, when the last descendant bequeathed it to the Preservation Society.  The bequest included all of the furnishings as of about 1880.<ref name=NRHP/>  Today, Kingscote is a [[National Historic Landmark]] (NHL) and a contributing property to the [[Bellevue Avenue Historic District]], also an NHL.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://tickets.newportmansions.org/mansion.aspx?id=1009 |title=The Preservation Society of Newport County – Online Ticket Center<!-- Bot generated title --> |access-date=2008-01-05 |archive-date=2007-02-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070204234952/http://tickets.newportmansions.org/mansion.aspx?id=1009 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
+Kingscote was featured in the second season of the HBO television series ''[[The Gilded Age (TV series)|The Gilded Age]]'' to represent the earlier, smaller, era and to provide contrast to what "cottages" had become once the [[Gilded Age]] was in full swing: opulent palaces such as [[the Breakers]], [[Marble House]], and [[Rosecliff]]. As set designer Bob Shaw said, "Kingscote was once considered the grandest mansion in Newport in the 1850s, but by later standards, it’s actually rather small."<ref name="shaw">https://decider.com/2023/11/06/the-gilded-age-season-2-laura-benanti-mrs-blane/</ref>
 ==Gallery==
-<center><gallery widths="150px" heights="150px" perrow="">
+<gallery class="center" widths="167px" heights="137px">
 Image:Kingscote 01.jpg|Richard Upjohn's original 1839 watercolor of Kingscote, as seen from the southwest.
 Image:Kingscote 02.jpg|[[Historic American Buildings Survey|HABS]] photo of the front (southern) elevation.
@@ Line 34: / Line 47: @@
 Image:Kingscote 05.jpg|A detail of the front entrance.
 Image:Kingscote 04.jpg|The entrance hall.
-</gallery></center>
+</gallery>
 ==See also==
 {{Portal|Rhode Island}}
-*[[List of National Historic Landmarks by state]]
+*[[List of National Historic Landmarks in Rhode Island]]
-*[[Preservation Society of Newport County]]
+*[[National Register of Historic Places listings in Newport County, Rhode Island]]
 ==References==
@@ Line 45: / Line 58: @@
 ==External links==
-{{Commons category|Kingscote}}
+{{Commons category|Kingscote (mansion)}}
-*[http://tickets.newportmansions.org/mansion.aspx?id=1009 Official Kingscote PSNC site]
+*{{Official website |http://www.newportmansions.org/explore/kingscote}}
+*{{HABS |survey=RI-307 |id=ri0060 |title=Kingscote, Bellevue Avenue & Bowery Street, Newport, Newport County, RI |photos=20 |dwgs=6 |data=11 |cap=2}}
-{{coord missing|Rhode Island}}
-{{National Register of Historic Places}}
 {{Newport Mansions}}
+{{National Register of Historic Places}}
 {{DEFAULTSORT:Kingscote (Mansion)}}
+[[Category:Historic house museums in Rhode Island]]
+[[Category:Museums in Newport, Rhode Island]]
+[[Category:Houses in Newport, Rhode Island]]
 [[Category:Houses on the National Register of Historic Places in Rhode Island]]
 [[Category:National Historic Landmarks in Rhode Island]]
-[[Category:Gothic Revival architecture in Rhode Island]]
 [[Category:Houses completed in 1839]]
+[[Category:Historic American Buildings Survey in Rhode Island]]
 [[Category:Richard Upjohn buildings]]
-[[Category:McKim, Mead, and White buildings]]
+[[Category:McKim, Mead & White buildings]]
-[[Category:Historic house museums in Rhode Island]]
+[[Category:Gothic Revival architecture in Rhode Island]]
-[[Category:Museums in Newport, Rhode Island]]
+[[Category:National Register of Historic Places in Newport, Rhode Island]]
-[[Category:Houses in Newport County, Rhode Island]]
+[[Category:Individually listed contributing properties to historic districts on the National Register in Rhode Island]]
+[[Category:Gilded Age mansions]]

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