Photos Search Record
Images
Additional Images [4]
Metadata
Catalog Number |
1976.1.P043.012a-017b |
Title |
Blithewold II: Wooden Album, pages 012 to 017 |
Date |
1910 ca |
Description |
This section of text pages from the Blithewold Wooden Album describes the history of the property from the Wampanoag Indians to the purchase by Augustus Van Wickle. The first page and the last two pages of the section are blank. The text reads: 012a:Blank 012b: That part of Bristol extending from the ferry road to the waters of the harbor and comprising the estate of Blithewold has for centuries been chosen as a dwelling place by man. There lived the Wampanoag Indian until the death of King Philip in 1680 when the land passed into possession of the white man. 013a:The road which forms the eastern boundary of Blithewold was formerly the only highway between Newport and the interior and has long been known as 'Ferry Road'. The British passed down this road after the burning of the town and Washington journeyed thither from his conference at Newport with Rochambeau in 1781. 013b:This tract of land was confiscated during the Revolution from the original white settlers. It was then purchased by two brothers Captains Charles and John DeWolf. John later bought out his brother's share and at his death the property was divided between his grandsons and the part now known as Blithewold 014a: came to Dr. John James DeWolf. The first house was built before the Revolution and barely escaped destruction when the British burned the town in 1778. DeWolf planted the great Linden on the East lawn, the silver maples bordering the lane and the old apple trees. 014b:John Roger Gardner Esquire a banker of New York bought the estate from Dr. DeWolf in the late '40's. He enlarged the dwelling which has since been known as the Gardner House. Mr. Gardner laid out the enclosed garden with its protecting circle of larches, spruces and English oaks. The Gardner estate was sold 015a:to Samuel Pomeroy Colt Esquire who in turn sold it to Augustus S. van Wickle Esquire in September 1894. Mr. van Wickle began to develope [sic] the estate under the direction of John DeWolf of Bristol the landscape architect. In 1896 the Gardner house was moved to its present location on Ferry Road 015b:south of the lane on that part of the property bought of the Gardner heirs. A new house was built near the old site and the estate was named 'Blithewold'. In improving the property the plan was to create a park with distinctive features using the house as a centre. The house was burned in 1906. A new 016a:and larger residence was completed on the site of the former one. The new house was built on the lines of the English manor of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. The situation is well chosen. From the west front the great lawn slopes gently to the bay, the eastern side faces a smaller lawn broken 016b:here and there by stately trees and everywhere natures bounteous gifts have served under man's skillful guidance to create an estate in which new beauties are constantly revealed and the perfect accord between Architecture and grounds is ever apparent. 017a and b:Blank |
Condition |
Fair |
Caption |
Blank page |
Associated with |
Bessie Pardee Van Wickle McKee Dean, Samuel Van Wickle, Augustus Stout DeWolf, John |
Search Terms |
Photograph Blithewold II Album, Photograph Native American Revolution Exterior East Lawn Great Lawn Tree |
Number of images |
10 |
Object Name |
Album, Photograph |