Historic Estate Venue  ·  Newport, New Hampshire  ·  Est. 1790

Sugar River
Estate

Weddings  ·  Corporate Retreats  ·  Private Celebrations  ·  Luxury Stays

1 / 6
7Bedrooms
7Bathrooms
7,674Square Feet
12Acres
1790Year Built
14+Max Guests
The Estate

A historic venue for
extraordinary gatherings

"A barrel-ceiling entrance takes one back in time. Step inside, and history breathes through every room."

The Sugar River Estate is one of Newport's most distinguished private estates — a landmark venue and retreat — a stately 1790 Colonial set behind iron gates on 12 acres of rolling New Hampshire countryside, including land across the street with direct Sugar River access. Classic elegance meets generous, easy living across 7,674 square feet of beautifully preserved and updated interiors.

From the main foyer, step into a grand living room with its massive original 1900s granite fireplace, two-story windows, and richly paneled oak walls. Flow into the grand studio room with wood stove, or gather in the dining room around its own fireplace. The commercial kitchen anchors daily life — and event catering — with a Viking 6-burner range with griddle and grill, True commercial refrigerator, deep freezer, two farm sinks, granite islands, and a bar pass-through to the family room.

Five bedrooms on the second floor, including a master suite with fireplace, walk-through closet, ensuite bath, and private sun deck. A third-floor bonus retreat adds two more bedrooms — perfect for wedding weekends, corporate retreats, milestone celebrations, or an extended countryside stay.

An estate made for
extraordinary occasions

Weddings & Receptions

Exchange vows on 12 acres of manicured grounds backed by Sugar River, then celebrate in grand rooms with soaring ceilings, oak paneling, and a massive granite fireplace. The full estate sleeps 14+ overnight — your wedding party never has to leave.

Ceremony grounds · Grand reception rooms · Bridal suite · Full catering kitchen · Overnight accommodations

Corporate Retreats

A gated 12-acre campus with no distractions. The double-height studio room hosts presentations, the library and living rooms break out into working sessions, and the chef's kitchen handles catered meals. Reconnect your team somewhere worth remembering.

Presentation space · Breakout rooms · Full kitchen for catering · Gated privacy · 7 bedrooms

Private Celebrations

Milestone birthdays, family reunions, anniversary weekends, holiday gatherings — the estate is built for the celebrations that matter most. Pool, hot tub, fire pit, and seven bedrooms mean everyone stays together under one roof.

Pool & hot tub · Fire pit patio · Full estate access · 14+ guests · Multi-day stays

Intimate Gatherings

Host a seated dinner in the formal dining room with its own fireplace. Open the french doors to the garden for a summer cocktail party. Settle into the library for an evening by the fire. Some of the best gatherings are the quietest ones.

Formal dining room · Garden & patio · Library · 4 fireplaces · Full bar setup

Three centuries,
three extraordinary families

1790

The House is Built

The original farmhouse is raised on this parcel of Newport land in 1790, in the earliest years of the new republic. For nearly a century it anchors a working New Hampshire farm along the banks of the Sugar River — until Newport's most famous son returns home to transform it.

1880s

Austin Corbin Returns to Newport

Austin Corbin (1827–1896) was one of the great Gilded Age figures of American life — founder of the Long Island Rail Road, developer of Manhattan Beach, pioneer banker who helped establish the national banking system. He hosted Theodore Roosevelt, Cornelius Vanderbilt, Rudyard Kipling, and the Prince of Wales at his Newport estate. His nearby 25,000-acre Corbin Park, stocked with 160 American bison, played a documented role in saving the species from extinction — a story told in Ken Burns' The American Buffalo.

In the late 1880s, Corbin returned to his Newport roots and began dramatically expanding the family estate — adding the grand great rooms, soaring two-story windows, the library with its massive granite fireplace, and the spacious studio room that anchors the rear of the house.

1878

A French Dynasty Arrives

Austin Corbin's daughter Mary Corbin married René Chéronnet-Champollion of Paris in 1878 — grandson of Jean-François Champollion, the French philologist who in 1822 deciphered the Egyptian hieroglyphs of the Rosetta Stone, one of the most consequential intellectual achievements in history. The Champollion name had become synonymous with unlocking the ancient world. René and Mary settled in Newport and had one son, André, born in Paris in 1880. René died in Newport in 1886.

1900–1915

The Painter of Newport — André Chéronnet-Champollion

Orphaned young and raised by his grandfather Austin Corbin at this estate, André Chéronnet-Champollion grew up between Newport and New York. He graduated Harvard in 1902 and devoted himself entirely to painting — traveling India and Tibet to document its temples, priests, and sacred animals in vivid oil on canvas. Inspired by the war artist Vereshchagin, his work bridged the ethnographic and the artistic.

André married Adelaide Knox in 1908 and made this Newport estate his home and his studio. The grand double-height room with the wood stove was André's painting studio — its tall walls and generous north light ideal for large-format canvases.

His paintings are held at the Smithsonian Institution's Archives of American Art, Harvard University's Peabody Museum, and the Newport Historical Society, which maintains a dedicated gallery of his oils. In 1915, André went to fight for France in World War I. He was killed in action on March 23, 1915 at Bois-le-Prête, aged 34 — the last of his Newport line. He is buried in France.

André was the great-grandson of Jean-François Champollion — the man who gave humanity the ability to read the language of the pharaohs. The grand studio room where you gather today was where he painted.
Amenities

Everything you could
possibly need

🏠
Grand Living Room
Soaring two-story windows, oak paneling, original 1900s granite fireplace
🍳
Commercial Kitchen
Viking 6-burner with griddle & grill, True commercial fridge, deep freezer, 2 farm sinks, granite islands
🪵
Grand Studio Room
Soaring double-height space with wood stove — once André Champollion's painting studio
🏊
Inground Pool
16×40 inground mineral system pool — no harsh chemicals, soft on skin
♨️
7-Person Hot Tub
Private heated spa on back patio — year-round comfort for up to 7
🔥
Fire Pit Patio
Stone patio with wood-burning firepit for evening gatherings
🚗
3-Car Heated Garage
Auto-open, heated + separate carriage house for storage
🌿
Gardens & Grounds
Formal gardens, stone walls, field/pasture, 1,296 ft road frontage
🛏️
Master Suite
Fireplace, walk-through closet, ensuite bath, private sun deck
🔐
Gated Entry
Iron entry gates with stone pillars and lantern posts
🏡
Covered Front Porch
Classic New England porch overlooking the estate grounds
Tesla Powerwalls
Whole-home battery backup — seamless power, no outages ever
🧺
Dual Laundry
Full washer/dryer on both 1st and 2nd floors
🏰
3rd Floor Retreat
Bonus level with two bedrooms and full bath
🌳
Carriage House
Separate structure for vehicles, equipment, or event overflow
🚿
7 Bathrooms
4 full, 3 half baths throughout
🌊
Natural Pond
Scenic water feature visible from the rear gardens and patio

By the numbers

Interior

Total Living Area7,674 sq ft
Bedrooms7
Full Baths4
½ Baths3
Fireplaces4 wood-burning
Floors2.5 + bonus 3rd
FlooringHardwood, Ceramic

Property

Lot Size12 Acres (incl. across street)
Road Frontage1,296 ft
Garage3-Car Heated, Auto
OutbuildingsCarriage House
EntryAuto Iron Gates
Parking6+ vehicles on-site
OutdoorPool, Patio, Porch, Fire Pit, Hot Tub

Systems

Year Built1790
StyleColonial
FoundationConcrete & Granite
HeatingPropane, Oil, Baseboard, Mini-splits
CoolingMini-splits (every room)
Backup PowerTesla Powerwalls
WaterArtesian Well & Purification
SpaHeated Hot Tub
SewerPrivate
Location

Newport, New Hampshire
— heart of the Upper Valley

Set along the Sugar River corridor in Newport, NH, the estate spans 12 acres including land across the street with direct access to the Sugar River, offering private fishing, kayaking, and waterside walks right from your door.

30 minutes to Hanover & Dartmouth College. Convenient to Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center. Under an hour to Manchester–Boston Regional Airport. 90 minutes to Boston.

Mount Sunapee Ski Resort, Lake Sunapee, the Connecticut River wine trail, hiking, kayaking, and legendary fall foliage are all within easy reach — making this an extraordinary four-season retreat for families, groups, and events.

9 Camel Hump Road · Newport, NH 03773

Your occasion, our estate

Host Your Event

From weddings on the grounds to corporate offsites in the grand rooms — the Sugar River Estate is your private canvas. Tell us about your occasion and we'll help you plan something extraordinary.

Or simply enjoy a private stay at one of New Hampshire's most storied estates — 7 bedrooms, 12 acres, and two centuries of history, all to yourselves.

Book Now