Warwick’s most magnificent mansion, the Aldrich Estate, located on lovely Warwick Neck, was the scene of many outstanding events in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. These include meetings with some of the countries most influential senators as well as a visit from President Theodore Roosevelt. It was the location for the lavish wedding of Abbey Aldrich and John D. Rockefeller Jr. Then it was a very private estate where Senator Nelson Aldrich determined who would be allowed on the premises and who would not.

Today, it is still the scene of some magnificent weddings, lavish parties, community celebrations and even the background for a Hollywood movie, Meet Joe Black. Would Senator Aldrich be appalled at the sight of so many tradesmen on his very private grounds? At one point he would not even let deliveries and any other necessities be brought to the mansion but had them delivered to an outbuilding and then transported to the main house via a tunnel. Even President Roosevelt, coming to Warwick Neck in the presidential yacht, had to adhere to Aldrich’s wishes to limit his entourage that accompanied him on the grounds. While the elegance of the mansion is unchanged, there is a much different atmosphere there today.

Would Senator Aldrich, a stern despot in many ways and owner of a fabulous art collection, have allowed entertainers such as Anthony Hopkins and Brad Pitt use the mansion for a Hollywood movie? To appreciate the changes of the late 20th and early 21st centuries, we have to look back to Senator Aldrich and his beautiful late 19th century estate.

<*C>Aldrich Estate circa 1984

@T_Basic:One of the most magnificent and historically significant estates to be found anywhere in New England is located in Warwick. It has been known as the “Aldrich Estate” or “Indian Oaks.” In 1984 it was called “Our Lady of Providence Center, Warwick Neck” and its ownership is under the corporate name of the Roman Catholic Bishop of Providence.

In the late 1890s and early 1900s, Indian Oaks was a skillful blending of art and nature on 250 acres bordering the eastern shore of Warwick Neck. It was the summer residence of Senator Nelson Aldrich, Rhode Island’s most famous lawmaker, who justly earned the title “General Manager of the United States.” It was in this beautiful setting that some of the most significant and far-reaching decisions were made in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Millionaires, senators, governors and even presidents met here with Senator Aldrich to discuss matters of state and finance and to formulate policy with worldwide implications.

The story of the Aldrich Mansion circa 1984 will be continued.