The Canada/New England Cruise Part 2

The next stop on the cruise was Newport, Rhode Island. We didn’t go on an excursion here because we had been there before and had seen most of the touristy sites. Here are some places I would recommend to see there (especially if you like architecture):

• The Breakers. The Breakers is the largest of the summer “cottages” in Newport and is a symbol of the Vanderbilt family’s social and financial preeminence in turn of the century America. Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt established the family fortune in steamships and later in the New York Central Railroad. The Commodore’s grandson, Cornelius Vanderbilt II purchased a wooden house called the Breakers in Newport in 1885. In 1893, he hired an architect to design a villa to replace the earlier house which was destroyed by a fire in 1892. The architect hired an international team of craftsmen and artisans to create a 70 room Italian Renaissance-style mansion inspired by 16th century palaces in the cities of Genoa and Turin. The Vanderbilt’s youngest daughter, Gladys, inherited the house in 1934. She was a big supporter of the Preservation Society of Newport County and opened The Breakers in 1948 to raise funds for the Society. In 1972, the Preservation Society purchased the house from her heirs and today the house is designated a National Historic Landmark.

• The Elms. The Elms was the summer home of Mr. and Mrs. Edward Julius Berwind of Philadelphia and New York. Mr. Berwind made his fortune in the Pennsylvania coal industry. In 1898, the Berwinds hired a Philadelphia architect to design a mansion modeled after the mid-18th century French chateau d’Asnieres outside Paris. The construction of the Elms was completed in 1901 at a cost of approximately $1.4 million. The interiors and furnishings were designed by Allard and Sons of Paris and were the setting for the Berwinds’ collection of Renaissance ceramics, 19th century French and Venetian paintings, and Oriental jades. The elaborate gardens on the grounds were developed between 1907 and 1914. They include terraces displaying marble and bronze sculptures, a park of trees, and a lower garden featuring marble pavilions, fountains, a sunken garden, and a carriage house. The Preservation Society of Newport County purchased the Elms in 1962 and opened the house to the public. The Elms was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1996.

Click Here if you’re interested in visiting any of these mansions.

The Breakers

The Elms

Next stop-Boston. It was a cold, windy day when we were in Boston and we took a bus tour. To be honest, I wasn’t overly impressed with Boston. It reminded me a lot of Philadelphia. Much like Philadelphia, Boston has a strong cultural history. Boston, Massachusetts was first incorporated as a town in 1630, and as a city in 1822, and is one of America’s oldest cities. What began as a homesteading community gradually evolved into a center for social and political change. Boston has since become the economic and cultural hub of New England.

One of the most popular spots in Boston is Boston Common. Boston Common is nearly 50 acres in size and is the oldest park in the country. The “Common” has been used for may different purposes throughout its history. Until 1830, cattle grazed the Common, and until 1817, public hangings took place there. British troops camped on Boston Common prior to the Revolution and left from here to face colonial resistance at Lexington and Concord in April, 1775. Today, Boston Common is the anchor for the Emerald Necklace, a system of connected parks that winds through many neighborhoods in Boston

Savannah Part 2

So I’ve discussed the tours to take and the food to eat but what about the places to see? Well you have plenty of options. First, I’d like to talk about the picture at the top of my blog. This statue is known as The Waving Girl of Savannah. The Waving Girl statue overlooks the Savannah River from the bluff at the eastern end of River Street. It was created by the famous sculptor Felix De Weldon, who also created the United States Marine Corps Memorial in Arlington, Virginia. The Waving Girl Statue honors the  life of Florence Martus, Savannah’s legendary waving girl. Florence, who was known far and wide, welcomed more than 50,000 ships to Savannah throughout her lifetime.

The Waving Girl of Savannah

One of the more popular things to do when you’re in Savannah is to take tours of historic homes. Savannah has PLENTY of them for anyone who enjoys architecture and history. I toured two of these homes while in Savannah. One being the Mercer Williams House and the other being the Owens-Thomas House. The Mercer Williams House is probably one of the most toured homes in Savannah. It was designed in 1860 for Hugh W. Mercer, Johnny Mercer’s great-grandfather. The construction was interrupted by the Civil War, and the house was not completed until 1868. The house’s most famous owner, Jim Williams, a preservation and restoration expert, as well as a lavish host became famous as the central figure in the book turned movie Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. Jim Williams was accused of killing Danny Hansford in the study of the mansion in May of 1981. Williams was found not guilty of the murder after his fourth murder trial, but died of pneumonia just six months later at the age of 59. The movie Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, starring Kevin Spacey features scenes filmed in the house. Jim’s sister now owns the property and has turned the mansion into a museum with daily-guided tours.

The Mercer Williams House

The Owens-Thomas House was built by William Jay in 1816 and is considered the nations finest example of English Regency architecture. The house takes up a whole block and features a columned entrance portico, handsome cast iron balcony, winding double stairway, and arched second story windows. The interior has a gorgeous stairway of mahogany, cast iron, brass and elegant furnishings. The foundation of the home and garden walls are built of tabby, a regional material made of sand, shells and lime. One of the most famous guests of the house was the Revolutionary War hero, Marquis de Lafayette who visited Savannah in 1825. It is said that he reviewed Savannah’s militia from the south balcony of the house and addressed the thousands of cheering citizens who gathered below. It is currently owned by Savannah’s art museum, the Telfair Academy of Arts and Sciences and is a National Historic Landmark.

Another must-see is the Savannah History Museum. The Savannah History Museum is located in the old Central of Georgia Railway passenger shed, which is a Natural Historic landmark built in the 1850s. The museum has more than 10,000 artifacts, including the famous bench from the movie Forest Gump. The famous bench scene was actually filmed in Savannah.

The Famous Bench

 

That is about it for Savannah. I hope you enjoyed my Savannah blogs. I will updating with places I’ve been, places I’d like to go, and the latest travel deals.