Ochre Court

Ochre Court is a grand Châteauesque mansion located in Newport, Rhode Island, completed in 1892 for the prominent Goelet family. Commissioned by banker and real estate investor Ogden Goelet at a cost of $4.5 million, the estate stands as the second-largest mansion in Newport, surpassed only by the nearby Breakers. Renowned architect Richard Morris Hunt designed the structure, modeling it after the historic chateaux of France's Loire Valley in the Louis XIII style. The building features distinctive high roofs, turrets, tall chimneys, and elaborate dormers, while the interior boasts classical ceiling paintings, heraldry, carved emblems, and extensive stained glass. During its prime as a summer residence, the house required a massive staff of nearly fifty servants, coachmen, and gardeners to maintain operations during the social season.

The property holds significant historical value as a symbol of American Gilded Age wealth and the rise of the Goelet dynasty from humble trade origins to vast investment power. Following the marriage of the Goelet daughter into British aristropy and subsequent family succession, Robert Goelet IV donated the estate to the Sisters of Mercy in 1947. Today, Ochre Court serves as an administrative building and iconic landmark for Salve Regina University, remaining in excellent condition. Its architectural grandeur has also secured its place in popular culture, serving as a filming location for the opening sequence of the movie True Lies and representing Sidmouth Castle in the third season of the television series The Gilded Age.