Servant Life Tour

Recent research has revealed new details about life behind the scenes in the great houses of Newport. These include the stories of The Elms butler, Ernest Birch; his wife, cook Grace Rhodes; and one of the maids, Nellie Lynch Regoli. The tour also delves into the realities of immigration, employment and labor disputes in the early 20th century.

You’ll climb 120 stairs throughout the tour, including the back staircase from the basement servant entrance up to the third-floor staff quarters, where you’ll see exhibits and photographs about the individual men and women who lived and worked here. Weather permitting, your tour will take you out onto the roof for a spectacular view of the 10-acre estate and Newport Harbor beyond. Then, head back down the stairs to the basement kitchens, coal cellar, boiler room and laundry rooms.