Inside a Gilded Age Mansion Designed to Hide Its Servants | Inside History

Architectural Digest explores The Elms, a spectacular 60,000-square-foot Gilded Age mansion in Newport, Rhode Island. Built in 1901 for Edward and Herminie Berwind, this lavish summer home features imported marble, gilt bronze, historic artwork, and architecture designed to conceal the labor behind its luxury. Discover hidden servant staircases, secret passageways, a two-story butler’s pantry, concealed living quarters, and an underground coal tunnel that kept this extraordinary mansion running seamlessly behind the scenes.