History Bytes: Costume Parties

October 29, 2014

After the gloom and austerity of the Civil War years, Newporters were ready to party again. Costume and masquerade balls were quite popular. The Newport Historical Society is fortunate to have rare images from Mr. and Mrs. John N. A. Griswold’s party of September 1866, held in their new Richard Morris Hunt-designed mansion on Bellevue Avenue. John Griswold (1822-1909) of New York made a fortune in the China Trade, railroads and land speculation. His wife Jane Louise Emmett was the daughter of a renowned chemistry professor at the University of Virginia. Their home is now the Newport Art Museum.

P1794

Miss Jane Stuart as ‘Mrs Briggs’ at Mrs. Griswold’s ‘Charades’ Sep 13th 1866, from the NHS collection.

An early 20th century photographic postcard of the Griswold House from the NHS collection.

An early 20th century photographic postcard of the Griswold House from the NHS collection.