The Marble House

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The Cliff Walk

The Cliff Walk, which passes by The Marble House, is a National Recreation Trail which runs along the shoreline in Newport, Rhode Island. Ocean views abound throughout the 3.5 mile walk. The trail passes by many of Newport’s famous gilded age mansions.

Hurricane Sandy washed away The Cliff Walk in 2012. After $5 million in restorations, Newport reopened the trail in 2014. There are still some unpaved, rough sections.

The Marble House

Alva and William Vanderbilt built the Marble House as a summer home in 1892. Alva divorced William in 1895 and took ownership of the 50-room mansion. She remarried and moved up the street to her new husband’s house.

She later reopened Marble House and added the Chinese Tea House on the seaside cliff. There, she hosted rallies for women’s suffrage. Eventually, she sold Marble House to the Prince family who left the house, with most of its original furnishings, to the historical society.

Newport Area Posts


Location: 596 Bellevue Ave, Newport, RI 02840
Designation: National Historic Landmark
Date designated/established: February 17, 2006
Date of my visit: October 3, 2021

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