UPDATE: The RIDEM has rescheduled the demolition for February 5th.
The Bells is coming down!
Formerly one of Newport’s most magnificent estates, The Bells now stands in a state of disrepair at Brenton Point State Park on The Ocean Drive in Newport, RI.
Originally known as The Reefs, this residence was constructed in 1876 for copper magnate Theodore Davis. Following Davis’s death in 1915, the Budlong family acquired the property. However, in 1928, the Budlongs’ divorce turned the home into a focal point of their legal dispute, and it was left unoccupied thereafter.
During World War II, the house served as quarters for gunnery personnel responsible for manning anti-aircraft gun emplacements. Tragically, in 1961, the home was set ablaze and subsequently demolished in 1963.
These photos and video capture the remaining stables on the property, which are currently undergoing demolition. The decision to tear them down was prompted by a severe injury sustained by a 16-year-old boy in May 2023.
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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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