Cliff Walk Trail Marker #10

Beechwood 
Built: 1852-1853 

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Beechwood, located at 580 Bellevue Avenue in Newport, was designed by Calvert Vaux and Andrew Jackson Downing; created in the Italianate style between the years of 1852 and 1853.
 
The original structure burned down in 1856 but was completely rebuilt by the original architects. Daniel Parish, a New York City dry-goods merchant, originally owned the property selling it to the William Backhouse Astor Jr. family in 1881.
 
The Astor’s hired Richard Morris Hunt to add a ballroom to the establishment, which was used for lavish dinner parties. After John Jacob Astor IV passed away in 1912 his wife Madeleine continued to live there until her death.
 
Beechwood was then converted into Newport’s only living history museum. In 2010 the property was sold for $10.5 million to Larry Ellison, the co-founder and CEO of Oracle Corporation. The structure is currently being renovated to transform the building into the Beechwood Art Museum and gardens.