THEophilus North

The last of Thornton Wilder’s works published during his lifetime, Theophilus North is part autobiographical and part the imagined adventure of Wilder’s twin brother who died at birth.

Setting out to see the world in the summer of 1926, Theophilus North gets as far as Newport, Rhode Island, before his care breaks down. To support himself, Theophilus takes jobs in the elegant mansions along Ocean Drive, just as Wilder himself did in the same decade. Soon the young man finds himself playing the roles of tutor, tennis coach, spy, confidant, lover, friend and enemy as he becomes entangled in adventure and intrigue in Newport’s fabulous addresses, as well as in its local boarding houses, restaurants, dives and army barracks.

Tappan Wilder introduces us to his uncle's final novel, Theophilus North.

TAPPAN WILDER TALKS THEOPHILUS NORTH

Join Tappan Wilder in conversation with the Newport Historical Society about his uncle’s last novel, Theophilus North.

A Virtual Tour of Theophilus North’s Newport

By Daniel Titus

In celebration of the release of the new edition of the book, Daniel Titus of Salve Regina University, has created this tour of Newport as seen through the eyes of a young Thornton Wilder in the early 1920’s. This is the Newport that became the setting for his last novel Theophilus North.

Broadway foot of Ayrault. Ca. 1913
This is the road that Theophilus would have driven down arriving to town.

Broadway at Spring/Bull (City Hall Square) C. 1916.
This is in front of City Hall, looking north up Broadway. Note the wonderful elm trees which use to be so common in Newport.

Another view north up Broadway from City Hall, c. 1920.

City Hall after redesigned and rebuilt from fire damage. Theophilus would have seen this building being finished in 1926. In 1919 he would have seen this building with a very different roofline.

Broadway looking down Marlborough Street from City Hall, sometime after 1911.

North up Broadway. Mino

“At the bottom of Broadway, at a corner of Washington Square, and across the street from the Old Colony House, there stood a store I visited daily. It sold newspapers, magazines, picture postcards, maps for tourists, toys for children, and even Butterick Patterns.

You can see the Materas store directly beyond the Army & Navy YMCA. The Materas were Italians who lived above the store. This was a store until the 1980’s.

Another, somewhat older, photo of the store. c. 1890’s

Lower Broadway, looking north-east from in front of the Army-Navy YMCA, c. WW1.

Much of this streetscape is still there.

Looking east up Washington Square at the Colony House, designed and built by Richard Munday, 1740-41. This is directly across the street from the Army & Navy YMCA.

View of the Court House, which was being built in 1926 when Theophilus rides into town in 1926. While stationed in Newport in 1919, there would have been a large 1835 “mansion”, the Levi Gale, designed by Russell Warren. This house was moved in 1925/26 to make way for the court.

An older view looking west down Washington Square (c. 1880’s) from the foot of the Colony House. Although some of the buildings would have been there in 1919 when Theophilus was in Newport, much had changed by 1926 in this largely business area.

Another view looking west down Washington Square (c. early 1900). The buildings have changed and the street car is now seen in the picture.

This view on Washington Square, looking north shows the old Odd Fellow’s Hall which stood until 1930. To the left on the other side of Charles Street, is a 3-story store which, in 1925, would be torn down to make way for a bank. Theophilus would have seen this building being constructed.

The Savings Bank of Newport, which was under construction when Theophilus rode into town.

Washington Square looking east, early 1920’s. The 4-story building on left will become the Savings Bank building in a few short years.

In the chapter Alice, this is where the trolley would have deposited them. The Opera House is directly in front of us, and the telegraph office close by. There were also two other movie houses within one block of Washington Square (and another one on the Square). They took the trolley in from the “Mile Corner” (should be 2-mile corner location of Anne’s Kitchen and military housing).

Thames Street at Washington Square looking north. Although a little early, it would have looked just like this in Theophilus’ time in Newport.

Thames Street looking north in front of the Colonial Theater. Washington Square is 5 buildings up in this photo. The heart, like Washington Square, of the 9th city.

“Finally there was, and is, and long will be the NINTH CITY, the American middle-class town, buying and selling, raising its children and burying its dead, with little attention to spare for the eight cities so close to it.”

After Theophilus went down Broadway to Washington Square, turned left on Thames, he went one street down and turned left on Mary Street to find the YMCA (not the Army & Navy YMCA). This building, constructed with funds given by Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt in 1908, was dedicated to his father Cornelius Vanderbilt II. Alfred would perish in the sinking of the Lusitania in 1915.

In the heart of the 9th city. On Thames Street looking north at the head of Commercial Wharf. All the buildings on the left would be removed by “redevelopment” in the 1960’s and early 1970’s, ripping the heart of the commercial 9th city open for a highway. Thornton would have been witness to this while writing the book.

Everything on the left of this photo is now destroyed.

Thames Street looking north from Pelham Street. Although a little earlier (c. 190x), the city retained this view until the 1970’s. Note the clock face on the right-hand side of the photo, 6 buildings up.

Thames Street at foot of Mill Street looking north. In this photo from the late 1970’s, most everything we see to the left of the clock was “redevelop” land. In the far distance we can see J.T. O’Connell’s lumber yard on Long Wharf (now the Marriott). Note the clock face in this photo. It was visible on the previous slide.

This image show Battery Reilly, Fort Adams, a 10” Disappearing rifle being fired. Although Thornton did not service the batteries at Fort Adams, he would have been quite familiar with the area. This emplacement still exists, sans ordnance.

This image shows “Castle Hill”, the house of naturalist, oceanographer, and zoologist Alexander Agassiz of Harvard University – built in 1875, and the Castle Hill light (1890). Castle Hill light and the Agassiz house is mentioned a number of times in the book.

“And drew up to the seawall before the Budlong House. The wind in my face, I gazed across the sea towards Portugal.”

T.M. Davis-Budlong Estate "The Reef“

The Reef was built between 1876 and 1883 by Theodore M. Davis, copper magnate, author, collector, and renowned Egyptologist. Sturgis & Brigham created an elegant shingle and stone clad Queen Anne villa destined to house Davis’ collection of old master paintings, largely bought through the art consultant Bernard Berenson, and later bequeathed to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. A landscape gardening enthusiast, M. Davis also created some of the most beautiful and extensive formal gardens in Newport.

In 1915, following Davis’ death, the eighteen-acre estate was purchased by Mr. and Mrs. Milton J. Budlong of Providence. The Budlongs divorced in 1928, and the property was placed in contention. The house, never again lived in by the family, passed to Miss Frances Budlong.

During WW II, anti-aircraft gun emplacements were set up around the house, which housed gunnery personnel.

Vandalized throughout the 1950s, the villa was set on fire in 1961 and demolished on May 25, 1963.

The site is now a state park with a restored Davis-era service bungalow and carriage house/stable built by the architect Theodore Davis Boal of Washington.

Bailey's Beach. It was stated (a couple of times) that all the trash from the passing ships would wash up directly on the shores of this beach! c.1927

Looking north up Bellevue Avenue from in front of the Ocean House (now Stop & Shop) property. On the right is the Audrain Building, King Block, and Newport Casino where Theophilus taught tennis.

Across from the King Block, on the corner of Jones Avenue and Bellevue Avenue was this small Candy Shop/Tea Room. Theophilus brings one of his students to a Tea Room close to the Casino, which is one building down on the opposite side of the street.

The original grass tennis court of the Newport Casino in a c. late 1890’s.

Tennis match in Newport early 1900’s

Bellevue Avenue looking north from Bath Road (now Memorial Boulevard), about 1907.

Bellevue Avenue looking south from just north of Bath Road (now Memorial Boulevard). The left side of the street, just beyond the trolley coming from the beach still looks the same.

The Hotel Viking, which replaced the “Hill Top” hotel. This building would have been under construction when Theophilus arrived in April 1926. Across Bellevue, and down one building from the Viking is the MK (Muenchinger-King).

Across Church Street from the Viking, and directly across Bellevue Avenue from the MK (Muenchinger-King), is the Newport Reading Room. This is still a private, exclusive club for members of the 6th city.

The MK (Muenchinger-King), was in its day an exclusive hotel, restaurant, and bar. In the book, Theophilus meet a few people here for a drink.

This shows a 1920’s image of Newport Beach (Easton’s or 1st), and extent of development by the time of Theophilus’ visit in 1926. In one chapter he meet the Baron here.