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Abstract

After 1830, Newport evolved into a fashionable summer resort in which architectural style played a key role. Nowhere was this more evident than in new private residences that were typically called “cottages” (houses used just for the summer season of July and August) or “villas” (homes used year-round, often by retirees). The architectural styles prevalent for such Newport residences in the nineteenth century are often grouped under the heading “Victorian,” a term referential to the long reign of England’s Queen Victoria from 1837 to 1901. In reality, there were many distinctive European revivalist styles that were prevalent in succession and in tandem during these years. This capsule history of the main styles, illustrated solely with examples from the photographic collections of the Newport Historical Society, clarifies the architectural variety and subtlety of Newport’s maturing resort architecture.

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