NRF promotes and invests in the architectural heritage of the Newport community, the traditional building trades, and Doris Duke’s fine and decorative arts collections, for the enjoyment, education and inspiration of all.
As a leader in the preservation of early American architecture, NRF supports research and education in areas directly related to its collections and issues of critical concern to the field of historic preservation.
Visit Doris Duke’s art-filled mansion and enjoy panoramic ocean views from the extensive grounds. Open late March to November.
The Vernon House is a site for expansive story-telling, contemporary dialogue, and preservation trades skill-building.
Newport Restoration Foundation holds one of the largest collections of period architecture owned by a single organization anywhere in the United States.
Celebrate excellence in historic preservation efforts within the City of Newport, Rhode Island.
Live amidst history by renting one of our many historic properties.
The Newport Restoration Foundation (NRF) is announcing its inaugural Preservation Trades Specialist Training Program. Through the organization’s Historic Trades Initiative, local contractors can nominate members of their workforce for the initial 12-week program. Upon completion, the participants will receive a Preservation Trades Specialist Certification from NRF.
The Preservation Trades Specialist Training Program was developed through conversations with local craftspeople about their workforce needs. More than 50% of Newport properties are considered historic and require specialized maintenance or restoration, and the preservation community is experiencing a sharp decline in the number of skilled tradespeople. “This premiere training program is a culmination of research and planning with our local and national partners over the last 18 months,” said Kris Turgeon, NRF’s Historic Trades Manager. “We are excited to offer this unique learning opportunity for our local community.” NRF partnered with The Campaign for Historic Trades to develop 60 hours of curriculum for this program, a combination of lessons and activities inside and outside of the classroom. The Campaign, a dynamic national workforce development initiative powered by Preservation Maryland in partnership with the National Park Service, has a broader mission to produce open education resources for trades training to expand and strengthen career opportunities in the historic trades.
The subject matter for the program covers a variety of topics, ranging from historic preservation fundamentals to brick and stone masonry. Participating organizations include Kirby Perkins Construction, Crocker Architectural, Heritage Restoration, and Joseph Gnazzo Company, Inc. The International Yacht Restoration School (IYRS) has partnered with NRF to use the school’s facilities as a classroom. The first cohort of the Preservation Trades Specialist Training Program will begin in November, with a second iteration of the program planned for spring 2023.
The Preservation Trades Specialist Training Program has been made possible through the generous support of the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, the 1772 Foundation, and the Historic Preservation Education Foundation. “NRF is extremely grateful to our funders, who have made this next phase of the Historic Trades Initiative possible,” said Alyssa Lozupone, Director of Preservation at NRF. “As NRF continues to advocate for the development of the historic trades workforce, we look forward to the skills these participants will learn during the 12-week program.” Organizations or individuals interested in participating in the Preservation Trades Specialist Training Program should contact kris@newportrestoration.org or apply directly at newportrestoration.org/preservation.
The Historic Trades Initiative was launched in 2021 to increase interest and expertise in the preservation trades. The Initiative recently completed an internship program with two students from IYRS in Newport, RI, and the North Bennet Street School in Boston, MA, giving the students to opportunity to work in NRF’s mill and in the field with the preservation carpentry crew. In July, the Initiative also partnered with FabNewport on their summer youth program to enable local students to learn about preservation and historic sites, with experiential learning at Prescott Farm in Middletown, RI and Rough Point Museum in Newport, RI.
About the Newport Restoration Foundation
The Newport Restoration Foundation (NRF) is a non-profit organization established by philanthropist Doris Duke in 1968 to preserve the architectural and cultural heritage of 18th and 19th century Newport. NRF promotes economic and community restoration through historic preservation initiatives like Keeping History Above Water, which addresses the impact of sea-level rise on the built environment in the wake of climate change, and the Historic Trades Initiative, which harnesses the knowledge of local specialists to train the next generation of preservation craftspeople. In addition to a collection of more than 70 colonial houses, now rented to tenant stewards, NRF operates properties that are open to the public —including Rough Point, the Newport home of Doris Duke, and The Vernon House, a site of expansive storytelling, contemporary dialogue, and preservation trades skill-building. NRF is on Facebook /NPTRestoration and Instagram @NPTRestoration. Visit newportrestoration.org for more information.
