Chateau-sur-Mer

Chateau-sur-Mer is a three-story granite residence on Bellevue Avenue in Newport, Rhode Island, with wide balconies and a large hall spanning multiple floors. The estate includes rooms in different styles, among them a study, a library and a billiard room with detailed woodwork and carvings on ceilings and walls.

The house was built in the mid-19th century for a merchant who gained wealth through trade with China. In the following decades the estate underwent several renovations that accompanied the transformation of Newport into a summer retreat for wealthy families.

The rooms and halls in the estate still carry traces of daily life for a wealthy 19th-century family, with furniture, wall coverings and decorative objects showing how people lived at that time. The chambers offer a window into the habits and taste of an era when European influences and American entrepreneurship met under one roof.

The tour takes visitors through several rooms and hallways, with staff members answering questions and printed materials available for guidance. Plan some time to look at the details in the different rooms, as there is much to discover.

A stone gate in Chinese style, found in the outdoor area, recalls the trade routes and business connections of the first owner to the Far East. This feature was rather rare in American residences at the time and shows the global reach of trade in that era.

Location: Rhode Island

Inception: 1851

Architects: Seth C. Bradford

GPS coordinates: 41.47120,-71.30530

Latest update: December 20, 2025 15:08