Formerly one of Newport’s grandest estates, The Bells sits in disrepair at Brenton Point State Park on The Ocean Drive here in Newport, RI.
Once know as The Reefs, the home was built in 1876 for copper magnate Theodore Davis. Upon his death in 1915 the home was purchased by the Budlong family. When the Budlongs divorced in 1928 the home became a focus of their divorce battle and it was never lived in again.
During WWII the home housed gunnery personnel who manned anti-aircraft gun emplacements. The home was set on fire in 1961 and demolished in 1963.
These photos are of the stables that remain on the property.
PS – This was never a place for us to party in high school. Nope, never! We never ever would have partied at a secluded, out of the way, be as loud as you want with no neighbors, old mansion. Never ever. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.
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