Stanford White designed Rosecliff to look like the Grand Trianon at Versailles, and its palatial ballroom (Newport's largest) and landscaped grounds quickly became the setting for some truly enormous parties. Houdini entertained at one. Rosecliff was built for Mrs Hermann Oelrichs, an heiress of the Comstock Lode silver treasure.
If the building seems oddly familiar during your visit, that might be because it has appeared in films such as the 1974 Great Gatsby , Amistad and High Society . In June the Newport Flower Festival is held here.
