Built for Mrs Hermann Oelrichs, an heiress of the Comstock Lode silver treasure, Rosecliff was designed by Stanford White to look like the Grand Trianon at Versailles, and its palatial ballroom (Newport's largest) and landscaped grounds quickly became the setting for some truly enormous parties. Houdini entertained at one. Today it's managed by the Preservation Society of Newport County, which offers discounted tickets for visits to other mansions in its custodianship.
If the building seems oddly familiar during your visit, that might be because it has appeared in films such as the 1974 Great Gatsby, Amistad and High Society. In June the Newport Flower Show is held here.
