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Newport Rhode Island- A
Romantic Voyage Back In Time
By: Norm Goldman
Artist: Lily-Azerad Goldman
NEWPORT’S CLAIM TO FAME
 Newport Rhode Island is a town of Colonial charm,
Victorian architecture,
Gilded Age mansions, inns,
jazz festivals,
tennis, a picturesque harbor, marvelous restaurants, narrow old streets,
and “la bonne vie”- the good life.
However, not widely known, is that it is blessed with
an unusual past, as evidenced by the many firsts this town can boast.
The White House Tavern located on Marlborough Street,
is the oldest tavern building in continuous use in the USA.
On Touro Street you will find the first synagogue in
the USA, the
Touro Synagogue, built in 1759.
Did you know that the first gas illuminated
streetlights (1803), and the first photograph taken by an electric light all
took place in Newport?
The oldest newspaper in continuous operation in the
USA,
The Newport Mercury, started its publishing days here in 1758 by the
Franklyn Family.
A leisurely stroll along the elegant Bellevue Avenue
will lead you to the oldest lending library in the USA,
Redwood Library, built around 1745.
The Quakers can claim that its first settlement in
North America was Newport.
In 1895 Newport had been host to the first open golf
tournament.
And the list goes on and on, far too numerous to
mention them all.
It is also where Jacqueline Bouvier grew up and married
Jack Kennedy on the 12th of September 1953 at St Mary’s Church, the oldest
Roman Catholic Parish in Rhode Island, located at 70 Church Street.
BRIEF HISTORY
 English settlers first began arriving in Rhode Island
in 1636, when an English clergyman, Roger Williams, and his small army of
followers were practically drummed out of Massachusetts for their liberal
religious views challenging the foundations of Puritanism.
Providence was the first settlement to be established
in 1636, to be followed by Newport, in 1639.
Among Williams’ followers were Ann Hutchinson along
with her spouse William, and William Coddington.
Eventually these three found their way to the southern
tip of Aquidneck Island, and Coddington purchased from Native Americans,
called the Narrangansetts, a tract of land, later to be renamed Newport.
What is momentous about these early settlers is that
there was a concerted effort to cast off the restraints imposed by the
political intervention in religious life, and to separate the church from
the state.
For this reason, Newport has often been described as
the birthplace of democracy, and provided a refuge for Jews and Quakers who
were constantly escaping religious intolerance.
ROMANTIC NEWPORT
A visit to Newport is a romantic voyage back in time.
It seems that everything in this historic town are reminders of its past.
To appreciate historic Newport, and a good starting
point, is to hop on the narrated Scenic Overview Tour, offered by
Viking Tours of Newport that will take you along the 9.5 mile Ocean
Drive overlooking the rugged Atlantic Ocean.
The tour will remind you of Newport’s seafaring past,
as it was one of the leading ports in colonial America, along with Boston,
New York, Philadelphia and Charleston.
Bustling with activity in the 1700s the waterfront was
the scene of 150 separate wharves and hundreds of shops.
Today, these old wharfs,
Bannister's Wharf and
Bowen's Wharf, have undergone a most impressive restoration housing
charming restaurants and shops.
The tour will also point out some of the grandiose
mansions lining Bellevue Avenue, where the Vanderbilt’s, Astors, and their
friends spent their summers having a grand time partying. Mansions they
referred to as their “cottages.”
Or, if you prefer, why not jump aboard the Spirit of
Newport where you will enjoy a one- hour narrated cruise of the harbor. The
sightseeing boat departs behind the Newport Harbor Hotel and Marina.
A visit to Newport would not be complete without taking
a leisurely stroll along Bellevue Avenue. It is here where you will be able
to enter some of Newport’s castle like
mansions that have been preserved by
the Preservation Society of Newport County, and are open to the public.
Incidentally, the Rosecliff Mansion has recently been
the setting for such films as The Great Gatsby and True Lies.
If you are brave and energetic, try the scenic
Cliff Walk, a 3˝ -mile public park that winds its way between the backs
of the Bellevue Avenue mansions and the ocean.
In 1975 it was designated as a
National Recreation Trail. It is one of the best ways to see the city.
ACCOMMODATIONS
To capture Newport’s colonial charm, discriminating
travelers will insist on well-appointed amenities, and no less than
perfection when it comes to service.
Without doubt, the legendary
Hotel Viking, ideally located within the fashionable neighborhood of
Bellevue Avenue’s graceful mansions satisfies these requirements.
Stepping into this charming hotel is a step back in
time circa 1920s.
Originally built in 1926 at a cost of $500, 000.00, the
hotel’s primary’s objective was to accommodate out-of-town guests of the
famous
Newport "400."
This prestigious list comprised 213 families and
individuals, whose lineage could be traced back at least three generations.
It is the only hotel in Newport to be listed in the
prestigious
National Register of Historic Places, and it is also a member of
the Historic Hotels of America, as well as the
Noble House Hotels and Resorts collection.
Over the years the hotel has been host to President and
Mrs. John F. Kennedy, the Astors and the Vanderbilts, many international
dignitaries, Tennis Hall of Fame players and Newport Film and Jazz Festivals
attendees.
Guests who appreciate Queen Anne and Chippendale-style
furnishings will relish settling in one of the 237 newly renovated guest
rooms offering an authentic romantic Newport experience.
Among the amenities offered are a health club and
sauna, state-of-the-art workout facilities, indoor pool (presently
undergoing renovation), and two restaurants.
Newport lends itself to walking, and many visitors find
this mode of transportation to be the most convenient way to explore the
city’s highlights.
The Viking’s adjacent parking lot makes it easy to
forget about fighting traffic or parking spots. Once you check into the
hotel and park your car, you are free to go on you way without any sweat.
Just about all of Newport’s attractions, restaurants,
antique stores, and boutiques are within an easy stroll from the hotel’s
front door. You will find many of them on Thames Street and Spring Street in
the heart of Newport.
ROMANTIC DINING
Newport, no doubt, is endowed with great history and
culture; however, it also overflows with many fine-dining establishments.
Le Bistro a Yankee Magazine Travel Guide “Editor’s Pick
Award” located on
Bowen's Wharf specializing in French country cuisine for the past twenty
nine years is a favorite choice of visitors and locals alike.
This charming and intimate restaurant has a wonderful
view of Newport’s harbor, making it somewhat difficult to concentrate on the
menu. After soaking in the beautiful scenery, turn your attention to the
innovative menu. It will not disappoint you.
Recent diner selections included baked stuffed lobster,
broiled local scrod, seafood linguini, roasted duck, steamed native lobster,
New York Sirloin Steak, fresh sea scallops, grilled salmon, rack of lamb,
shrimp sauté, chicken sauté.
One caveat, the portions are humongous! We hardly had
enough room to savor the finale, the delectable deserts, such as the apple
tart and the amaretto cheesecake.
The casual atmosphere of the restaurant with its simple
décor makes you feel at ease, creating an ideal setting for a pleasant
romantic rendezvous.
In fact, the couple seated beside us was celebrating
their tenth anniversary, and from what I gathered from our extremely helpful
and courteous waiter, many an anniversary had been celebrated here.
Try arriving early in order to be seated near the
window.
To learn more about Newport:
KEY ATTRACTIONS
The Hotel Viking
One Bellevue Avenue
Newport, RI
Tel: 800-556-7126
401-847-3300
Fax: 401-849-0749
Email:
reservations@hotelviking.com
Le Bistro
Bowen’s Wharf
Tel: 401-849-7778
Newport County Convention & Visitor's Bureau
23 American’s Cup Avenue
Newport, RI
Tel: 800-976-5122
401-849-8048
Fax: 401-849-0291
Email:
jbailey@GoNewport.com
Norm and Lily Azerad-Goldman are a unique husband and
wife team, writer and water colorist, who write and paint about romantic
destinations.
Basically, they meld art and words in order to create
an unusual travel story, which generates interest, particularly because of
the fact that each painting appears to have been ‘custom-made’ for the
story-original story and original art.
They can be contacted at:
l.goldman@sympatico.ca
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