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(Newport, RI)—
Authentic 19th century coaches drawn by
matched and highly-trained teams of horses will
return to Newport from August 20-23, 2009, in the
triennial renewal of a Weekend of Coaching, hosted
by The Preservation Society of Newport County. The
public will enjoy free viewing of the colorful and
historic coaches every day, as they drive through
the streets of Newport and the grounds of the
Newport Mansions, celebrating and preserving a
century-old sporting tradition. Approximately a
dozen coaching teams will come to Newport from
around the country
The routes of the daily drives will be
published in the local press and the Preservation
Society's website (www.NewportMansions.org),
along with suggested viewing spots. In addition,
there will be a free-to-the-public driving
exhibition on the grounds of The Elms starting at
10:30 a.m. on Saturday morning, August 22. The
weekend will culminate with a formal Coaching Dinner
Dance at The Breakers on Saturday evening.
The tradition of coaching grew out of
the 18th and 19th century mail
runs in England, which later made their way across
the Atlantic to the United States. The horse-drawn
mail coaches were eventually replaced by railroads,
but nostalgia led to the development of coaching as
a sport. The Coaching Club of New York was formed
in the latter part of the 19th century,
eventually becoming part of the social fabric of
Newport in the summer. The Wetmores, the Bells, the
Vanderbilts and the Belmonts were all active
members, bringing their coaches together to go to
the races, the polo games, and the Casino.
The two types of open-air vehicles used
in the sport of coaching—a Road Coach and the
slightly smaller Park Drag—employ a team of four
horses. All seating is outside, with the driver,
known as a "whip," sitting in the slightly elevated
right front seat, and the whip’s wife or female
relative taking
up the “box seat” on the left. The rear bench of
the coach holds at least two specialized footmen called grooms. Two center
benches can hold up to 10 passengers.
The public will be able to view the
coaches as they drive around Newport. The planned
driving routes and schedule are available online at
www.NewportMansions.org. Tickets for the
dinner-dance at The Breakers are $400 per person,
and reservations are required. For more information
and to purchase tickets, visit
www.NewportMansions.org, email
Events@NewportMansions.org, or call
(401) 847-1000.
The Preservation
Society of Newport County, Rhode Island is a
non-profit educational organization accredited by
the American Association of Museums and dedicated to
preserving and interpreting the area’s historic
architecture, landscapes and decorative arts. Its
11 historic properties—seven
of them National Historic Landmarks—span more than
250 years of American architectural and
social development.
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