The private third-floor living quarters of the Newport, RI Gilded Age Mansion The Breakers opens to the public for the first time in 129 years.
A Look Back In Time
The grand legacy of the Vanderbilt name is undeniable. Cornelius Vanderbilt and his descendants dominated the American economy and society from the Gilded Age through the Roaring Twenties. Among their grandiose estates was the summer cottage, fondly named The Breakers. Come summertime, generations of Vanderbilts escaped the heat of New York City to The Breakers estate in Newport, Rhode Island.
The End of Dynasty
By the end of the Second World War, the fortune of the Vanderbilts dwindled and Gladys Vanderbilt opened The Breakers for public tours to raise funds for the Preservation Society of Newport County. The Preservation Society eventually purchased the estate from Gladys’ daughter, Countess Sylvia Szápáry.
It was agreed that the Szápárys would continue to occupy the third-floor living quarters of The Breakers under this agreement. Recent statements from both the Preservation Society and the Szápárys reveal that the third floor will no longer house descendants of the Vanderbilts and will instead be opened to the public.
The preservation society’s website states that visitors touring the newly opened third floor will “witness preservation work in action, as the research, planning and physical work to restore these spaces is taking place right now” and they will “see floors and walls that have been restored and others that have been left untouched to show the effects of time and the elements.”
The Szápárys & Speculation
The sudden departure of the Szápárys from their long-time family estate was speculated to be the result of a disagreement with the Preservation Society. A local Newport paper reports that the Szápárys opposed The Breakers’ Welcome center and thought, “…that the welcome center should not be on the grounds of the historic landmark…” Other sources add that the Szápárys opposition to additional touring sites on the family estate contributed to this apparent cease of residency at The Breakers.
The Preservation Society disputed these claims and stated in Newport This Week, “The controversial decision to make the third floor available to the public was decided when water damage was discovered and the risk for future damage would be irreparable”.
Restoration Commences
The third floor was recovered by the Preservation Society and deemed as largely intact; traces of water damage and discolored walls or floors will otherwise be corrected. Tours of twenty bedrooms belonging to staff and an additional nine belonging to the Szápáry brothers will commence this summer. Other rooms for bathing or entertainment have also been made ready for touring – all intact from 130 years ago!
A Long Road Ahead
While the conditions of the aforementioned rooms are impressively maintained, the restoration process is a continuous affair. The original furnishings of the rooms moved out with the Szápárys, for example, and thus, period-accurate pieces must be recovered and installed. The task at hand is anything but simple. Notwithstanding, the Preservation Society strives for and achieves excellence and accuracy in recreating the grand rooms.
A Victory For History
This recent development is both a personal victory for Newport residents and historical victory for fascinated visitors. The grand opening of the third-floor living quarters of The Breakers marks a crucial development in the chronological narrative that is the Vanderbilt legacy. Visitors have the cooperation of the Szápárys and the dedication of the Preservation Society of Newport County to thank for this historical feat.
Featured Image credit: NewportMansions.org