Gilded mansions

  Characterized by rapid industrialization, opulent luxuries, and accelerated wealth accumulation, the Gilded Age in America lasted from the 1870s to the 1890s. The term “gilded” implies a superficial layer of gold covering a less valuable material, perfectly illustrating that despite the era's surface-level prosperity and progress, there were significant underlying disparities and inequalities.
  Throughout the Gilded Age, several families amassed vast wealth and influence through their businesses, investments, and political connections. Many of these names are recognizable today – the Rockefellers, Vanderbilts, Carnegies, Astors, and Morgans, amongst others.
  The emphasis on wealth and status carried over into the architecture of the Gilded Age, as trends reflected a desire for grandeur, opulence, and ornamentation, as well as a fascination with historical styles and cultural heritage. The Gilded Age mansions of New York represent a monument to an era of contradictions – prosperity and poverty, innovation and inequity, and expansion and exclusion.
  As cultural and social tides shifted away from the extravagance of the time, many mansions were demolished or repurposed. In the early 20th century, wealthy families left the city for the quiet privacy of the suburbs. Some estates were left vacant and fell into disrepair, while others were repurposed for institutional use, such as schools or museums. When the Great Depression struck, mansions were torn down or sold due to financial strain. Urban development also fueled the demise of the Gilded Age mansions in the mid-20th century.
  However, there are Gilded Mansions still standing today – and they offer a vibrant look into the lifestyles of the wealthy in New York during the Gilded Age.