Newport Notables History Driving Tour

Socialites, presidents, and famous artists have all called Newport home. This introduction to the city and its history will follow their lives– and those of ordinary people who did the extraordinary. As we weave the stories of these remarkable people together, we'll uncover the city's history and see many of its most famous sites. Along the harbor, we'll trace Ida Lewis's life as one of the country's most prominent lighthouse keepers. Down historic Bellevue Avenue, we'll follow in the footsteps of dressmaker Mary H. Dickerson and suffragette-socialite Alva Vanderbilt, learning how different women lived in Newport's Gilded Age. On the city's southern coast, the words of Henry James and Edith Wharton will come alive as we consider the natural beauty that has drawn visitors to Newport for centuries.

- Starting at the harbor or another predetermined location, we'll consider the lives of both famous and little-known colonial residents - We'll explore Newport's early religious history through the lives of Isaac Touro and Aaron Lopez, founders of Touro Synagogue - Pulitzer Prize winner Maud Howe Elliot will be our guide through the lesser-known Kay-Catherine-Old Beach neighborhood, where we'll learn about Newport's early days as a fashionable resort - On Bellevue Avenue, we'll explore how both halves lived during the Gilded Age as we hear about the lives of the famous socialites, artists, and politicians, as well as the people who made their lifestyles possible - Lighthouse keeper Ida Lewis will light our way as we explore Newport's connection to the sea in the working-class Fifth Ward neighborhood - We'll end our day at Island Cemetery, where many famous residents now rest, and consider the extraordinary Newports we're rediscovering today * Itinerary can be customized. Feel free to send me a message.