Let's Visit "The Breakers" In The Gilded Age Quiz

Answer: Vanderbilts

Cornelius II, grandson of "Commodore" Cornelius Vanderbilt, was worth more than $70 million when the mansion was completed in 1895. "The Breakers", designed as a "cottage" was built in Newport, Rhode Island, in only two years and involved hundreds of workers putting up the walls stone by stone. No wood was used in construction as Vanderbilt was wary of fires. Designed by famed architect Richard Morris Hunt, the core of the building was stone and brick with steel beams. The fabulous home perched on a cliff overlooking the crashing waves of the Atlantic.

When the housewarming, combined with a coming-out party for 20 year old Gertrude Vanderbilt, was held in 1895, "The Breakers" made a spectacular setting. Even for the over-the-top Gilded Age, the home was held in awe and esteem by locals and visitors.

Answer: Italian Renaissance

The room rises 45 feet (13.7 m) high and is filled with details like marble columns, gilded surfaces, and a ceiling that is painted with artwork to embody the feeling of being outdoors. It is designed in the style of Italian Renaissance, inspired by grand European palaces. The symbol of oak leaves and an acorn are found throughout the area, which is the family crest and symbolizes strength and growth.

Beyond its stunning beauty, the Great Hall was also functional. It served as the main central gathering place and reception area. Guests were welcomed here before going into the rest of the home. The massive scale of it also made it an ideal place to throw open the doors to the patio and lawns leading to the sea and host a fabulous ball or party. During our tour, we also learned that the Vanderbilt children used to slide down the giant staircase on platters as if they were sledding.

Answer: Butler

The dining room is where the family hosted formal evening dinners, following Gilded Age etiquette. This opulent room features massive twin chandeliers made with Baccaret crystal, columns of alabaster, and gold leaf walls. A painting on the ceiling depicts Aurora bringing in the dawn. Besides the hosts and dinner guests, there is also a full team "behind the scenes" to aid.

A hidden butler pantry just off the room is where the butler oversaw each detail of the service. He checked that each course (up to 10 or 12 courses) was ready. He ensured that the proper plates, silver, and glasses were used. He directed a team of footmen, acting like a conductor to make sure the evening came off as a smashing success.

Answer: Billiards

The game room was designed by the architect to look like an ancient Roman room. There are hundreds of hand-placed mosaics that display ocean scenes. Waves, scallops, and dolphins (a symbol of hospitality) abound. The walls are composed of giant single slabs of marble. A huge fireplace dominates one wall and the furniture is centered around a billiard table and scoring rack.

During the Gilded Age, billiards was a very popular activity, especially amongst wealthy men. It was seen as a sign of refinement as well as a social activity. Men gathered after dinner to relax, talk business, and enjoy the game. Playing it required skill and patience.

Answer: Platinum

The morning room was a more intimate space than others in the lower floor of The Breakers. It was designed in an elegant French Louis XV style, with lighter colors and delicate furniture. It features panels around the walls that depict the Greek Muses. This room was often used by the women of the house and their visitors for quiet conversation, reading, or daytime socializing.

Originally, people in charge of the house restoration assumed the shimmering leaf on the walls was silver. However, it was noted the leaf never tarnished! After careful tests, it was determined that it was actually composed of platinum. Even in the Gilded Age, platinum was very rare and more expensive than gold. This showed that no expense was spared in the decoration of the home. (Plus it will never tarnish).

Answer: False

When "The Breakers" was completed in 1895, it was fully equipped with electricity, which was still a very new technology at the time. Many homes in the area were still using gas lighting or candles, but this house had electric lighting throughout, allowing for brighter, cleaner, and safer illumination. This made evening events (like a ball or formal dinner) very striking.

Because the technology was cutting edge, the family had "backup" options on many appliances or fixtures where they could turn on gas in case of an electricity problem. Interestingly, many original electrical system pieces were restored and put on display such as in the attached photo.

Answer: Embossed leather

The library at "The Breakers" was a place for informal gatherings, with an area specifically set aside for card playing. Numerous books filled the shelves and the windows opened to capture fresh breezes. A giant fireplace from a 400 year old French chateau dominated one side of the room to heat up cold winter days.

The lower part of the walls were made of walnut from the Russian region of the world and gold leaf was hand tooled throughout the wood. The top of the walls featured dark green Spanish leather that was pressed with more intricate patterns. Beyond their sheer beauty, leather wall coverings also helped absorb sound, making the room quieter and more intimate.

Answer: In a French workshop

The mirrors and massive amounts of crystal in the music room are designed to give it a large, airy feeling. The ceiling is covered with lavish writing depicting French musical terms. The family living here during the Gilded Age often did private "family only" concerts. They also moved aside the furniture at times and hosted weddings or balls.

The room itself was completely designed and built in a workshop in France. This included the furniture, the window hangings, the upholstery, the lighting, and the wall coverings. All of this, once approved, was then shipped to America and installed in the new "cottage" in New Jersey.

Answer: Salt water

In a time when many summer houses had only one bathroom, "The Breakers" boasted twenty different bathrooms. The one you see pictured is located off the master suite. Marble covers most of the room. The tub itself is designed as a giant marble Roman sarcophagus. It was said it was so thick that hot water had to be poured and drained multiple times for it be warm.

The bathrooms had running water and four faucets. Two were hot and cold fresh water. The other two were hot and cold salt water. During the Gilded Age, saltwater baths were widely believed to have medicinal properties. High-society families felt that bathing in seawater helped with skin conditions, improved circulation, and provided healing for the pores. Having it piped directly into the home meant they could enjoy the benefits of the ocean without having to leave the mansion or deal with the public beach.

Answer: The boiler house

The original "Breakers" (a wooden structure) burned to the ground in 1892. When Richard Morris Hunt, the architect, designed the current stone mansion, he made it as fireproof as possible. By placing the massive coal-fired boilers in a separate building (the boiler house) far from the home, the risk of a boiler explosion or coal fire destroying the mansion was eliminated.

Moving the coal and ash through a tunnel also kept the soot, dust, and smell of the heating system away from the pristine white marble and velvet interiors of the main house. The tunnel was also used for areas to store champagne, rooms of yard equipment, and maintenance stations.