The photos below capture The Forty Steps, a dramatic stone staircase that drops down the side of the cliff to a balcony over the sea along Newport's famous Cliff Walk.
The history of this spot is interesting. In the early 1800s, Irish immigrants started coming to this corner of Rhode Island in large numbers to work the coal mines in nearby Portsmouth. During the Gilded Age, Emerald Isle immigrants began to settle in this area known as the "Fifth Ward" a working-class neighborhood sandwiched between Newport’s commercial waterfront and the opulent oceanside mansions of the rich and famous.
The Forty Steps were a gathering place for the servants and workers from the nearby mansions.
The Irish sang songs they brought with them from across the sea, danced away summer nights, and embraced Newport as their own. Oh, if those steps could talk - the interesting stories we would hear.
Picture perfect weather. Breathtaking views. Interesting history.
It was one of those days I felt blessed to experience a little piece of heaven on earth!