Seaview Terrace

A Brief History: The Seaview Terrace, also known as the Carey Mansion, is located at 205 Ruggles Avenue in Newport, Rhode Island and is one of the largest privately owned ‘Summer Cottage's’ of the Gilded Age. It is the fifth largest of the Newport mansions at approximately 40,000 square feet. The majority of the house was originally built by Edson Bradley in 1907 in DuPont Circle in Washington, D.C. with many rooms being shipped to D.C. from France. The house was known as Aladdin’s Palace due to its size and grandiose nature and occupied an entire city block. The Bradley’s moved to Newport, Rhode Island in February of 1923 and had the house dismantled and shipped to the new location over the next 2 years. The mansion had over 60 rooms and featured a chapel, art gallery, a whisper room, an Estey organ and Dutch sixteenth century stained glass, ornamented with Renaissance armorial design. In January of 1930 the house was deeded to the Bradley’s daughter, Julie Fay Bradley Shipman but due to issues with back taxes the City of Newport took the title on July 24^th, 1942, and the house served as army officer’s quarters during World War II. The property was bought in 1949 by Edward Dunn and he transferred the title to Mrs. George Waldo Emerson Sr., who in turn leased the property to Lloyd Hatch. During the fall and spring semesters from 1951-1961 it served as a headquarters for The Hatch School and was also rented to The Newport School for Girls who enjoyed their summers there until the early 1970’s. Martin and Millicent Carey purchased the mansion in 1974 and soon commenced renovations to the exterior and interior of the estate. With a great passion and appreciation for the arts, architecture and history the Carey Family now continues their vision of restoring the property to its original grandeur.

Haunted History: Seaview Terrace is considered one of the most haunted places in Rhode Island. The most prominent spirit in the home is the original owner’s wife, Julia Williams Bradley. Her funeral was held in the mansion’s chapel in 1929, and some people say her ghost was seen playing the chapel’s organ almost immediately after. Some people have reported seeing ghosts drifting through the walls of the mansion and phantom footsteps have been heard by visitors. Others report hearing disembodied voices and random banging. While filming for ‘Dark Shadows’, the cult classic TV show which ran from 1966-1971 a number of supernatural events are said to have taken place in the house on the show. The mansion was also featured on Ghost Hunters and in 2011 The Atlantic Paranormal Society claimed to have found ample evidence of paranormal activity.