The Breakers was the summer estate of Cornelius Vanderbilt located in Newport, Rhode Island. It was designed in the Italian Renaissance style and took three years to construct between 1893 and 1895. The lavish home featured 70 rooms across five levels and was meant to showcase the immense wealth of the Vanderbilt family through its grand design and ornate furnishings. It served as both a summer residence for the family and a place to entertain guests.

1. The Breakers
Newport, Rhode Island
Photo Source: https://www.antiquesjournal.com/pages04/Monthly_pages/july06/july06_images/breakers.jpg

2. Background
• Summer home of Cornelius Vanderbilt (1843-
1899)
– Member of prominent American Cornelius family
• Located in prestigious summer house area
– Considered social capital of America at the time
• When property was originally purchased in 1855,
an 1877 wooden house was present on the land
• This house burned down in 1892 and Vanderbilt
decided to build the Breakers in its place
• Open to the public and can be visited daily

3. The Estate
• 13 acre parcel of land overlooking Atlantic Ocean
• Italian Renaissance design
– Designed by famous architect Richard Morris Hunt
– Construction began in 1893; finished in 1895
• Approximately 250 ft by 150 ft and contain approximately
70 rooms
– 5 levels: three main stories along with an attic and a basement
• House contained electric power, with gas power as a
backup system
– Symbolized importance and emergence of technology during
the time period
– Additional symbol of wealth because of large costs of new
technology

4. Exterior of the House
• Foundation of the house made out of brick,
concrete, and Indiana limestone
– No wood was used in the construction of the
house to make it as fireproof as possible per Mr.
Vanderbilt’s request
• Limestone walls
• Terra Cotta Red Tile roof
• Marbles plaques
• Wrought iron gates and fences

5. Modern Aerial View
Photo Source: http://stjamesusa.blogspot.com/2011/07/breakers.html

6. Side Aerial View
Photo Source:http://stjamesusa.blogspot.com/2011/07/breakers.html

7. Side Close Up View of House
Photo Source: http://stjamesusa.blogspot.com/2011/07/breakers.html

8. View from Rear of House
Photo Source: http://stjamesusa.blogspot.com/2011/07/breakers.html

9. Interior of the House
• 5 levels:
– Basement
– First Floor
– Second Floor
– Third Floor
– Attic
• Very lavish and extravagant attention to detail within
the home portrayed through furniture and décor of the
home
– Ex. Motifs on doors in the Great Hall include Galileo,
Dante, Apollo, Mercury, Richard Morris Hunt, and Karl
Bitter; each served a different meaning

10. First Level
• Rooms on first floor include:
– Entrance Foyer, Gentlemen’s Reception Room, Ladies’
Reception Room, the Great Hall, Arcade, Library, Music
Room, Morning Room, various porches, Billiard Room,
Dining Room, Breakfast Room, Pantry, and Kitchen
• Very luxurious, mostly public rooms used for
entertaining the family and guests who were invited to
the estate
• Rooms on this floor, being public areas of the house,
were used to display infinite wealth through elaborate
furnishings, decorations, and designs
– Ex. 33 ft stained-glass window in Grand Foyer

11. First Floor Plan
Photo Source: http://robindegroot.ca/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/The-Breakers-main-floor-plan.jpg

12. Formal Dining Room
Photo Source: http://stjamesusa.blogspot.com/2011/07/breakers.html

13. Grand Foyer
Photo Source: http://stjamesusa.blogspot.com/2011/07/breakers.html

14. Second, Third, and Attic Floors
• These levels of the house were used primarily
for bedrooms and servant quarters, as well as
storage areas.
– Mr. and Mrs. Vanderbilt’s bedrooms were located
on the second floor

15. Uses of the Property
• The Breakers was used by the Vanderbilt family as
a summer home due to the milder summer
temperatures in the northeastern United States
as compared to the south
• Grand design and multitude of public rooms on
the ground floor suggest the home was also used
for entertainment and housing of guests
– Possibly dinner parties, political functions, or visits
from influential figures in society

16. What We Can Learn from the Home
• Due to the elegant and over the top design of the house, we can
obviously assume (and already know from prior knowledge) that
the Vanderbilt family is extremely wealthy. Additionally, we can
assume that this house was meant to be a status symbol and a
symbol of the immense wealth that the family has accumulated.
Additionally, although there is an entire floor of public rooms, it is
evident through the design of the house that the public and private
spheres of the house were meant to remain separate and privacy
was important to the Vanderbilt family. The majority of the
entertainment was done on the main floor, therefore restricting
non-overnight guests to that floor. The only guests who would have
ventured to other parts of the house would have been those who
were spending the night there. The outward appearance was very
important to the Vanderbilt family and their secondary, summer
residence clearly indicates that.

17. Carriage Used By Vanderbilt Family
Photo Source: http://www.newportmansions.org/explore/the-breakers

18. Explanation of Carriage
• Located a short distance from the home on
the property of the Breakers was a carriage
house, where carriages such as the one shown
on the previous slide were kept for the use of
the family. The family could send for a carriage
at any time and it would be brought to the
house to take the family wherever it was they
would like to go. These carriages were drawn
by horses, which were kept in a stable located
within the carriage house.
Source: http://www.newportmansions.org/explore/the-breakers

19. Works Cited
• United States Department of the Interior,
National Park Service
– National Historic Landmark Nomination form
(gave complete details of the home and the rooms
within, PDF file)