The Elms was the summer home of Mr. and Mrs. Edward Julius Berwind of Philadelphia and New York. Modeled after the mid-18th century French Chateau d'Asnieres, the home was completed in 1901 and reportedly cost $1.4 million to build.

The interior includes collections of Renaissance ceramics, 18th-century French and Venetian paintings and Oriental jades. The garden grounds include marble and bronze sculptures, trees, marble pavilions, fountains, a sunken garden, a carriage house and a garage.

The Preservation Society of Newport County purchased The Elms in 1962 to open the home to the public and it was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1996.