“Rough Point”, Newport, Rhode Island
During our visit to Newport, Rhode Island, we decided to tour the former “summer home” of Doris Duke, daughter of James Buchanan Duke, a wealthy American electricity and tobacco industrialist. The construction of the original “Rough Point” was completed in 1892 and served as a “summer home” for Frederick William Vanderbilt. Two wings were added by Mr. Duke after he purchased the home in 1922. His wife wanted more light and wanted more room for entertaining.
Doris Duke died in 1993 and the home is now owned and managed by the Newport Restoration Foundation which opened the home for public tours in 2000.