Designed by McKim, Meade and White, particularly Stanford White, Rosecliff was built strictly as a summer residence for Tessie and Herman Oelrich, in Newport, Rhode Island. The money used to finance the construction of Rosecliff came from her father, James Graham Fair, one of three partners that owned the Comstock Silver Lode in Nevada. Stanford White's inspiration for Rosecliff was the Grand Trianon at Versailles. The brick walls were finished in off-white terra cotta tiles, creating a sense of lightness and grace.
