The Newport Bristol Heritage Passage helps visitors find the sites that interest them most.
Colonial History
The East Bay region contains the nation's largest concentration of original colonial period homes offering visitors a rich look at America’s past.
Gilded Age
The turn of the nineteenth century saw unprecedented affluence in America's upper classes. This wealth created some of the nation's most beautiful homes designed by leading architects of the era. Many of these estates were surrounded by lush landscapes including the beautiful homes and summer "cottages" of the Vanderbilt, Berwind and Colt families.
Religious Freedom
Rhode Island was founded as a place of religious toleration. Newport and Aquidneck Island were home to several religious groups and movements seeking freedom from established prejudices in New England. Newport offers the first synagogue in America, one of the earliest Quaker meeting houses, the home of Unitarianism and many others.
Military History
Strategically significant, Newport and Narragansett Bay are crucial locations for the military in America. The Battle of Rhode Island, the largest New England land battle of the Revolutionary War, took place as the Americans and their French allies attempted to dislodge this British occupation of Newport. In the nineteenth century, a series of massive coastal fortifications were built to protect the entrances to the bay. Newport has been a major center of the U.S. Navy, the U.S. War College and Torpedo Station
since the nineteenth Century.
Gardens, Cemeteries & Landscapes
During the colonial era, Aquidneck Island and the surrounding area was described by travelers as "The Garden of America." From the agrarian landscapes of the colonial period, through the estates, formal gardens and cemeteries of the nineteenth and twentieth century, the area contains some of the most impressively designed landscapes in New England.
Maritime Heritage
Local history is inextricably linked to Narragansett Bay and the Atlantic Ocean. Coastal Trade in the colonies made early fortunes and Narragansett Bay captains helped establish the profitable China Trade. Later, the U.S. Navy created a strong military link to the sea. Recreational yachting continues its strong role in the area, highlighted by the America's Cup races in Newport.
Museums
The East Bay is home to museums sharing the fascinating stories of the area’s history, arts and cultures. Exhibits range from local Native American residents through European settlement, Gilded Age development, sports and everything in between.
For more information, visit www.NewportBristol.com, or email info@NewportBristol.com