Astor and Italianate: Italian Opera and Italian Villa: "Beechwood"

Luigi Speranza

Beechwood is a Gilded Age estate located on Bellevue Avenue in Newport, Rhode Island.

Built in 1851 for New York merchant Daniel Parrish by architects Andrew Jackson Downing and Calvert Vaux, it became


in 1881

the summer estate of the Astor family.

Before moving in, J. J. Astor hired Architect

Richard Morris Hunt

to do many renovations including the addition of ballroom to fit the famous "400".

Beechwood became the show place for many of the Astor dinner parties.

Beechwood also boasts a library, dinning room and a music room with wall paper imported from Paris.

Once Mrs J. J. Astor passed away she left it to their son, J. J. Astor *IV*.

During the summer months while the Astor family is living in the mansion, Astor family members give tours to guests as though they are members of the family's social circle, "The 400".

In January of 2010 the

"Beechwood Theatre Company"

was disbanded and the property was sold for 10.5 million to an anonymous buyer.

Virtually no employees were informed of who this anonymous buyer was, leaving the actors of the former theatre company unemployed and other long-time employees in limbo.

Oracle Corp founder

Lawrence Ellison

-- a yachtsman described as the fourth richest man in the world, has apparently purchased the fabled mansion.

Ellison, who

was in Newport during the
summer of 2009 for
training with his BMW/Oracle Racing, is linked to a deed

filed at City Hall that documents the $10.5 million sale of the
39-room estate.

"Of all of Newport's mansions, Astors' Beechwood is the only living history museum."

3.^ "Astors Beechwood mansion in Newport may be sold for $10.5 million".
The Providence Journal. 2010-01-01. http://www.projo.com/news/content/ASTORS_BEECHWOOD_01-01-10_6CGT68D_v24.346000a.html. Retrieved 2010-12-27.

4.^ "Deed links Oracle founder to Astors' Beechwood sale". The Providence Journal. 2010-01-07. http://newsblog.projo.com/2010/01/deed-links-oracle-founder-to-a.html. Retrieved 2010-12-27.
[hide]v · d · eMansions of Newport, Rhode Island

"Preservation Society of Newport County" mansions
include:
Cornelius Vanderbilt II's "The Breakers"
Chateau-sur-Mer
Chepstow
The Elms
Isaac Bell House
Kingscote
J. K. Vanderbilt's "Marble House"
Rosecliff

Thus, "Beechwood" is NOT owned by the Preservation Society of Newport County, as neither is Belcourt Castle, The Carey Mansion, Hammersmith Farm (Jackie Onassis's villa), Miramar, Ochre Court, Doris Duke's (formerly R. Vanderbilt's) "Rough Point" or Vernon Court


Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beechwood_(mansion)"
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