By Albert Vuoso | Arts & Entertainment Editor –
For Dorothy and Ed Madden, home is a very special place. Their son comes in from the back porch after a morning dip in the Newport Harbor, freshly baked scones sit on the kitchen table and a pot of coffee is brewing. But Dorothy, Ed and their son aren’t the only ones enjoying this meal. A news reporter from Moscow joins them at the table along with an elderly couple visiting Newport for the week. The Maddens aren’t your typical family living on Newport’s historic Point. They are a rare type, ones who open their home, the Stella Maris mansion, as a Bed & Breakfast.
The handsome mansion is located in one of Newport’s best-kept secrets, The Point, where American flags wave across the street from one another like the Fourth of July. With an emphasis placed on preservation, this neighborhood’s history dates back to the 1700’s and offers unparalleled views of the Newport Harbor. Made up of narrow roads and colonial style housing, The Point boasts New England charm and ideal coastal living. Originally a religious haven for expelled Jewish and Quaker settlers, The Point contributed to Newport’s rise as a prominent seaport during the eighteenth century. The neighborhood was utilized during the American Revolution and homes such as The Hunter House were occupied by British and French troops. The history of this neighborhood is kept preserved thanks to the work of Doris Duke who formed the Newport Restoration Foundation to ensure the antiquity of The Point during an increasingly industrialized time.
For Dorothy Madden though, The Point is just home. After moving from Boston to California with her husband, the Maddens moved to Rhode Island and quickly found themselves enchanted with Newport. Countless trips later the family was enthralled to what would soon become their own haven.
“Why are we doing this?” Madden wondered, “why don’t we just move out there?”
The family looked about Newport for the right home, and found one on The Point. Rich with history and a strong sense of community, the Maddens fell in love with their new coastal oasis. The neighborhood proved to be a good fit for the Maddens, where their love of history and serenity held hands. Indulging in the chance to live like true Newporters, the family contributed to the friendly disposition of this community. Yet, despite this love, Dorothy began an affair with another house on The Point, one that she found herself walking by again and again, one that was up for sale.
“I fell in love.” Madden says of the Stella Maris Mansion. “My husband said we were too old to buy this house, that we needed to travel, but he too fell in love with it.”
The Maddens, whose kids had all left home after college, put their energy into creating a unique travel destination. The Point would be an ideal place to start this adventure, somewhere for others to fall in love with.
“It’s peaceful, it’s quiet, and its friendly.” Madden says. “It’s off the beaten track yet close to town.”
A schedule of classes hang on their kitchen wall as the Maddens entertain their morning guests. Dorothy and her husband are studying Russian History at Salve Regina University as their insatiable love of knowledge is complimented through life on the point.
Dorothy races to grab the phone as the chirping sound fills the house. As the sun pours into the vintage home, Dorothy smiles and takes a picture with her guest. It’s another morning on The Point, another day to be happy.
