When Doris Duke Went to Hawaii for Christmas, What Happened at her Newport Mansion?

Doris Duke loved and summered at Rough Point, her breathtaking seaside mansion in Newport. But when it got cold and the holiday season approached, Miss Duke typically was Hawaii-bound.

In the early 20th century, Bellevue Avenue was a dark and quiet place as the owners of the stately mansions that run the gilded promenade found warmer places to spend the holidays.

But they left behind busy caretakers who took the opportunity to clean thousands of individual crystals in all those chandeliers and buff and wax miles of woodwork and furniture, among other tasks put off when Miss Duke was present.

Today, visitors to the mansion this Decemeber can get a unique glimpse into the life of Rough Point in the winter months and during the holiday season.

It’s called UnDecked Halls at Rough Point and it features a 45 minute tour through the first floor of the 39,000 square foot English Manorial-style home. The tour focuses on the winter holiday and caretaking traditions that took place at Rough Point while Miss Duke celebrated the holidays at Shangri La, her Honolulu estate.

From the cleaning of each individual crystal on the nine first floor chandeliers to the buffing and waxing of the woodwork and wooden chairs, hear about the lives and chores of the servants who kept the house running all year. Guests will also be treated to a slide show featuring rare photos of Miss Duke during her Hawaiian holidays while enjoying Hawaiian Christmas music.

After viewing the formal section of Rough Point, guests will be invited to the staff dining room, not normally open to the public. The room will be festively decorated for the season (circa 1970s), as it was when the winter caretakers were in residence. Attendees will enjoy refreshments and receive holiday recipes from Miss Duke’s personal archives.

UnDecked Halls will be held Saturdays, December 6, 13, 20 and 27 from 10am to 3pm, with tours offered every half hour. Tours are $10, $8 for children ages 5 to 12, and free for those under five, with tickets available online and at the door. For more information, contact Liz Spoden at liz@newportrestoration.org or 401.846.4152 x. 122.

Rough Point was bequeathed to the Newport Restoration Foundation by Doris Duke upon her death in 1993, complete with all of its contents. It was her express wish that it be opened to the public as a house museum. Founded by Miss Duke in 1968, the Newport Restoration Foundation, a non-profit institution, was formed with the express purpose of preserving, interpreting, and maintaining landscape and objects reflecting Aquidneck Island’s 18th- and 19th-century architectural culture.