Lizzie Borden Society Forum

Ladies leaving the hot city to the men and their business in the summer was an old Victorian practice which continued into the 1950's when airconditioning became affordable. Marion is a beautiful little town still and no wonder Lizzie was anxious to get away with her fishing pole. Very little has changed there over the years, the old music hall built in 1891 still has plays, little boats tie up to the fishing pier. The exclusive Tabor School caters to the elite, and the main street is lined with little boutiques and well-kept weathered-shingle houses. Dr. Handy's cottage has weathered a few renovations but looks ready for a fishing party any minute. The best time to visit is May- before the tourists.
Main Street

Fishing pier across from the Opera House

Band gazebo waterfront

Union soldier stands eternal watch on the lawn of the Music Hall.

Dr. Handy's cottage

1891 The Music Hall

Newport will take at least a week to see and appreciate from the mansions on Bellevue to the pounding surf on Ocean Drive. The city hosts the Victorian Society in America every summer, Coaching Days, Jazz Festival, and June classical music festival in the mansions to name a few of many events. The Covell house on Farewell street, porch where the famous apres-acquittal photo of Lizzie was taken behind a chair is in great shape, right next to the Mumford School. If you ask nicely, the lady who lives there will allow a photo on the porch-of course one seldom has a leg-o'-mutton jacket and a chair handy. The house is in the section known as The Point- about 3 blocks from the bay. Lovely gardens-on a quiet street. I was particularly interested in this house as Lizzie must have been watching my church being built that summer just 2 streets over, St. John the Evangelist on the waterfront on Washington Street in front of the lighthouse.

No wonder Lizzie loved it here!

The farm in Swansea was not as elegant as Newport or Marion-but probably cooler in the country. Ed Thibault, Debbie Shannon and Barb MacDonald are in the left corner, Len Rebello walking up to the house.

The Swansea Barn where maybe Lizzie's lines and pole were stored.

Hey Shelley,
That is a cool pic of the Swansea barn. Not too big of a house. Of course,
Andrew didn't want to spend more on a bigger one. El Cheapo . LOL

Is that on Gardener's Neck road?

Is the other house the one where Lizzie had here pic taken?

Andrew shared the duplex with the Almys.
And yes it's on Gardner's Neck Road.

Len said he had been inside- have you been inside, Shel?
The back of the farm pic and barn pic are cool!

I've collected some history on the farm property if anyone is interested.

Jeff @ Wed Nov 08, 2006 6:38 pm wrote:Hey Shelley,
That is a cool pic of the Swansea barn. Not too big of a house. Of course,
Andrew didn't want to spend more on a bigger one. El Cheapo . LOL
...

Economics is called the Dismal Science. You can forgo pleasure today to save money for tomorrow. But you may die before using your money. No matter what you do, there is a disadvantage to it.
Building a bigger barn will result in higher costs even if you don't use it.
Sort of like politics, whatever they do will be opposed by many people. Eventually the resentment builds up and you're out of office.

I have never been inside and I understand it is painted quite a different color scheme these days. I was intrigued with the wellhouse and the barn with its little shed alongside, but I would like to see inside. I picture poor Abby there getting a break from those girls.

I recall reading in an old newspaper that it was searched for a possible murder weapon concealed there.

Yes. Jeff- that is the one where Lizzie's famous chair photo was taken. There was a great mistake made about it for a long time, with the Washington Street Covell house being given as the locale. The people that own that one are members of my church which is just across the street and when the Covell deed was examined, Len found out Covells did not yet live at the Washington St house when Lizzie visited, but were still at the Farewell Street house- now THAT is a house I should love to see inside!

I guess no one is interested in the history of the farm.
Maybe everyone already read about it in The Hatchet , Feb/March 2006, Vol.3, No.1, page 9? I hope?

Hey, I am interested- was just waiting for a posting. I also wonder who owns it now.

Bless you!
I'm going to post it in the Privy, and some follow up info as well.

This is the charming peninsula of land in the background called Gardner's Neck in Swansea where the old Borden and Almy farms were located. It is an enchanted place, and with the breezes coming up off two rivers, it must have been pure heaven in the summer.