ASC 4184: Rich in America Web Sites
General Web Sites
- The Life of a City: Early Films of New York, 1898-1906
A collection of film, sounds, and photographs from turn of the century New York City. There is also an excellent brief essay entitled, America at the Turn-of-The Century on this page.
- The Wall Street Crash
This is a link to the BBC take on the Crash of 1929. This site was designed for use in schools and gives an interesting non-American take on events. Site includes: footage, photos, first hands accounts, recommended links and books.
- Looking back at the Crash of 29
A collection of newspaper accounts from the NY Times archives. Supplied by the NYT Library, this is a one-stop collection of how the Crash was report in the press.
- The Crash of 1929
This is a link to the PSB American Experience special on the Crash of 1929. This site includes: footage, photos, first hands accounts, recommended links and books.
- The Causes of the 1929 Stock Market Crash: A Speculative Orgy Or a New Era? by Harold Bierman. (1929)
A contemporary account of what was thought to have causes the Crash. A very interesting account, indeed!
- Historic Oakdale
This digital collection from the Dowling College Library provides images of vintage postcards and photograhs documenting the history of Oakdale, Long Island from the late 1800s to the mid-20th century.
- Touring the Turn of the Century: Images from 1880-1920
The Library of Congress collect ion of a variety of images from the Gilded Age. Images may be searched by Subject, Keyword, or Geographic Location.x
- Riis, Jacob - How the Other Half Lived
The hypertext of Riis work.
Biographies
- The Mount Restoration Project
The Mount, Edith Whartons home is being restored. Site has any interesting contemporary photographs.
- The Architect of Desire
The Architect of Desire, Stanford White, designer of elegant Long Island houses for the Gilded Age is an article from Long Island: Our Story.
- Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney
AskArt offers both biographical information and information on Gertrude’s works.
- “Hail, Michael W. “”The Art of Landscaping”“ Messenger (Winter 1993)”
An article about the current status of one of Marian Cruger Coffins gardens at the Univ. of Delaware.
- Stanford White Murder
The murder of Stanford White by Harry Thaw was considered the scandal of the Gilded Age. This is a detailed account of the murder from the Crime Library.
- The Richest Man in the World: Andrew Carnegie
Information from the PBS special about Carnegie and his era.
- Marian Cruger Coffin
A very brief biography on Marian Cruger Coffin.
- Edith Wharton Society
Home of the Edith Wharton Review and many other scholarly avenues to pursue.
- Newport Notables
Wonderful site for biographic and bibliographic information about the famous and infamous of Newport. Site is created by Redwood Library & Athenaeum, Newport R.I.
- Isabella Gardner: Her Life & Memoirs
Isabella Stewart Gardiner Museum has loaded information about its patron. Isabella built this museum to display her many treasures.
Entertainments
- An Aeolian Organ Archive - Sights and Sounds
During the Gilded Age, owning an aeolian organ was a status symbol. Not only did it provide entertainment for your house guests, but you had to own a house large enough to fit one inside.
- The Aeolian-Skinner Archives
This page chronicles the evolution of the Aeolian-Skinner style organ through stop lists, pictures, and first-hand memoirs.
- Mrs. Twomblys Aeolian Organ
The story of Mrs. Twombly’s organ. Mrs. Twombly was William K Vanderbilt, I’s sister. Her mansion, Florham, is now the home of Fairleigh Dickinson University.
- Rules of Card Games - Whist
Whist was a popular form of entertainment during the Gilded Age.
- Origins of Mass Entertainments in the Gilded Age
A good discussion of the beginnings of mass entertainment in the Gilded Age, such as opera houses, orchestras and Chautauquas. Courtesy of San Francisco State University.
- Inventing Entertainment
This site lets you experience the motion pictures and sound recordings of the Edison Companies. Courtesy of the American Memory Project of the Library of Congress.
- American Variety Stage
This collection from the Library of Congress illustrates the vibrant and diverse forms of popular entertainment, especially vaudeville, that thrived from 1870–1920.
- Music during the Gilded Age
Links to gilded age music sites from San Francisco State University.
- Rules of Card Games - Bridge
Bridge is based on the game of Boston Whist. Harold Sterling Vanderbilt codified the rules for this game.
Etiquette
- Dutties Just Victorian
From the street to childrens room, each room in THIS Victorian mansion explains exactly what is expected from you. An absolute delight to visit! (Hint: tune on your speakers while at this site.)
- Glenna Jo’s & Bill’s Presentations and Works-In-Progress
At the VERY bottom of this page are the etiquette links divided by gender and social occasion. Check out the “Etiquette Language and Bibliography” link.
- Manners Culture and Dress of the Best American Society (1893)
Two chapters from an etiquette handbook by Richard A. Wells - 1. The Marriage Ceremony, and 2. Dancing Etiquette
- Back Stairs at Brucemore: Life as Servants in Early 20th-Century America. Teaching with Historic Places.
This is a 50-page teachers guide for working with children in understanding servant life in the early 1900. While it is very basic, it is also very complete. It is also available through the ERIC database as ED475999.
- Curiosity served: Biltmore opens servants’ quarters
This is an interesting article about the servants quarters at the Biltmore. This may be a good jumping off place for further exploration.
Fashion
- Worth Collection 1860-1918
View the gowns then read the history of Worth fashions from the Worth Collection in the Museum of the City of New York.
- Costume Gallery
Fashion sense from the 1850s to the 1910s. A wonderfully detailed look at fashion from petticoat to bustle!
- Victoriana
The ultimate site for fashion in the nineteenth century. Check out the “Study Center” with modern scholarly articles of general interest and contemporary reprints fromHarpers Bazaar.
- Costume Page
A collection of links about historic dress and costumes.
- Vincent Collection
A wonderful collection of original grown, dresses, and hats from 1860 to 1940. The collections are mostly daily wear and not evening wear. (NOTE: to view collections, click on collection image.)
Gangs of New York
- Tenement Museum
Absolutely wonderful site! Go to “History” and explore “Research” or “Collections”. You will also find many useful links off of “History.”
- Herbertasbury.com
Site dedicated to Herbert Asbury, the reporter who chronicled the “Gangs of New York” story. Site was produced by a descendant of Asbury.
- Urbanography - Where “the Gangs” Lived
”A compendium of news articles from and commentary about mid-19th century New York, researched, compiled and written by Gregory J. Christiano.
- “Gangs, the Five Points, and the American Public”
Excellent article from Paul A. Gilje, professor, University of Oklahoma, and author of Road to Mobocracy: Popular Disorder in New York City, 1763–1834.
- Five Points Site
A historian and archaeologist overview of the “Five Points” neighborhood in light of recent digs in the area. Site sponsored by U.S. General Services Administration Public Buildings Service, New York.
- Big Apple History - Children in NYC
While this site is designed FOR children, it also focuses ON children. Clicking on 1870 will led to a series of articles and photos of childrens lives in NYC tenements.
- The Tenement as History and Housing
This site is produce by PBS of New York. It explores two apartments in the tenement district. There is background about the residents, artifacts found, and what the living space probably looked like. This is a good companion to the Tenement Museum.
- Tenement Life in New York City
This is a section of the History Box.. This site collects first hand documents about a variety of subjects. This particular link is for New York tenements.
Homes of Financiers and Bankers
- “Bechtel Mansion, East Berlin, PA”
Bechtel Mansion was built for William G. Leas, a wealthy banker, in 1897.
- Jewish Banking Houses in America
This is a for fee site. Minimum is $18.00/month. It contains very useful info. It is up to you if you want to register for the site.
- “Whitemarsh Hall, Philadelphia, PA”
Whitemarsh Hall was built for Edward Townsend Stotesbury, an international banker. It was constructed by the George A. Fuller Company between 1916 & 1920. This is a VERY complete site for information about the house, and the man.
- “Dark Harbor House, Islesboro, ME”
Dark Harbor was built for George Philler, a Philadelphia banker, in 1896.
Homes of the Rich and Famous
- Biltmore Estate Pathfinder
A wonderful collection of links put together by the University of North Carolina.
- Breakers
The Breakers in Newport, RI has been preserved and is open for tours. It was built in 1893 when Cornelius Vanderbilt II and his wife Alice Claypoole Gwynne Vanderbilt commissioned architect Richard Morris Hunt to design this grand summer cottage.
- Biltmore Estate
This is a good site for external pictures of the architecture.
- Biltmore Estate
This is an online article from Resource Library an online publication of Traditional Fine Arts Organization. Please be sure to click the many embedded links to other articles about the Biltmore and the North Carolina Vanderbilts.
- Belcourt Castle
This Newport, RI estate was constructed between 1891 and 1894 by the architect Richard Morris Hunt, for Oliver Hazard Perry Belmont. The estate is now open for tours. In 1896, Oliver H.P. Belmont married Alva Erskine Smith Vanderbilt, the ex-wife of Oliver’s best friend and business partner, William Kissam Vanderbilt. Alva and her son, Harold Sterling Vanderbilt, lived here for many years, preferring this Castle to Marble House. See also: Idle Hour and Marble House.
- Newport Mansions
Links to the homes maintained by the Preservation Society of Newport.
- “Jorstadt Castle Thousand Islands, NY”
Jorstadt Castle was built for Frederic Bourne. It was built between 1896 and 1904. The castle is also known as “Dark Towers” and “Singer Castle.”
- “Hearst Castle, San Simeon, CA”
”La Cuesta” or “the Hearst Castle” is the former home of William Randolph Hearst. It was built between 1922 & 1927 by Julia Morgan.
- “Singer Castle, Thousand Islands, NY”
Singer Castle was built for Frederic Bourne. It was built between 1896 and 1904. The castle is also known as “Dark Towers” and “Jorstadt Castle”
- “Whitehall/Flagler Museum, West Palm Beach, FL”
Whitehall is the former home of Henry Morrison Flagler. It was built in 1901 by John Carrere and Thomas Hastings.
House and Garden Movement
- “Ellen Biddle Shipman, Landscape Architect - Images of Gardens”
From the Library of Congress American Memory Collection, images of landscape design projects of E.B.S. including the estate of Samuel A. Salvage of Glen Head, NY
- “Annette Hoyt Flanders, Landscape Architect”
Biography from the Annette Hoyt Flanders Papers, Sophia Smith Collection, Smith College, Northampton, MA
- Gardens of Ellen Biddle Shipman
While Ellen Biddle Shipman designed many Long Island estate gardens during the early 20th century, few exist today. This website provides enduring examples of her style in gardens located in Texas, North Carolina, Louisiana and Ohio.
- “Ellen Biddle Shipman, Landscape Architect”
Article written by Judith B. Tankard,author andeditor of the Journal of New England Garden History Society, and lecturer at Radcliffe College and Arnold Arboretum.
- “Annette Hoyt Flanders, Landscape Architect - Morven Gardens, Univ. of Virginia”
Details of the garden restoration by Annette Hoyt Flanders
- “Beatrix Jones Farrand, Landscape Architect- The Edith Wharton Connection”
Through her prominent cousin, writer Edith Wharton, Beatrix Jones Farrand gained access to the rich and famous of the Guilded Age.
- “Beatrix Jones Farrand, Landscape Architect - Images of Work”
From the Library of Congress American Memory Collection, images of B.J.F. landscapes including two of the Straight Estate in Old Westbury, Long Island, NY
- Garden Gate
Advice on recreating a Victorian garden.
- Victorian Gardening
Basic information about the flowers in a Victorian garden. Links to articles about Victorian gardening.
- Women and Landscape Design
Materials and essays from the 1996 Conference “Women & Landscape Design: The Relationship Between Women and the Land 1876 1996.”
Interior Decorators & Decorations
- “New England Artisans Guild: Arts & Crafts Movement Furniture, Craft & Design”
Look at the wares of modern artisans who are copying the designs of bygone eras.
- Founders Of The Arts & Crafts Movement 1870 1900
A collection of contemporary writings on interior design.
- Bibliography of Victorian Arts & Crafts movement Interior Design & Architecture
An excellent place to begin your research into this topic.
- Victorian Resources
Links to site for obtain original and reproductions of just about everything from sink knobs to grills for Victorian homes.
- Booknotes
Articles on various aspects of interior decoration from the flooring to lace curtains.
Sports
- Long Island Motor Parkway- Vanderbilt Cup Race Page
Very complete site about the Long Island Motor Parkway and Vanderbilt Cup Race. Site has many photographs.
- Road to the Triple Crown
A brief history of the Belmont Race with a chronology of the winners with stats.
- History of Golf - Part Five: America and Golf
The history of golf according to the Golf Channel. Part V of this article covers the Gilded Age and Shinnecock Hills.
- Frederick Vanderbilt saloon
Article about the restoration of Frederick Vanderbilt’s Yacht, Vedette (1923).
- Long Island Golf News
This is the official site of the publication. Click on “history” for “The Golden Age” article. At the VERY bottom of this page are the etiquette links divided by gender and social occasion. Check out the “Etiquette Language and Bibliography” link.
- Vanderbilt Cup Races 1904-1910
Sites lists annual participant info for the years 1904–1910, but the site is still “under construction.”
- Nineteenth Century Baseball
This site is dedicated to images and information from the very beginning of baseball.
- American Cup Hall of Fame 1851-2004
Sites has history and Hall of Fame. Many Gilded Age personalities are in the Hall of Fame.
- Golf in the Gilded Age
A history of golf and the Robber Barons who played the game.
Titantic
- White Star Liners: Olympic and Titanic
Everything one might ever want to know about the White Star Line and the construction of the Titanic. This site includes deck by deck blue prints.
- Titanic-Titanic.com
Everything one might ever want to know about the White Star Line and the Titanic. I recommend going to the “Site Map” link on the side bar for locating your interest.
- Titanic Reading Room
This site is an extensive bibliography of fiction and non-fiction works in print and on the web.
Transportation
- Railroad Extra
Everything one might ever want to know about railroad history and much, much more!
- Transportation in the Gilded Era (1869-1900)
This is a digital exhibition of photographs and document primarily about railroads in the Gilded Age produced by the Online Archive of California.
- Railroad Barons
This site is an in-depth look at the “Railroad Barons” (Vanderbilt, Gould, etc.) and “the building and consolidation of the Nation’s transportation network.”
Vanderbilt Homes
- Hyde Park
This Hyde Park, NY estate is now part of the National Park Service and is known as the Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site. It was built for Frederick William Vanderbilt and his wife Louise Vanderbilt in 1899 by the architects McKim, Mead & White. See also: Rough Point.
- Woodlea
This Scarborough, NY estate is now a country club. (Private, not open to the public.) It was designed by the architects McKim, Mead & White in 1894 for Elliot Fitch Shepard and his wife, Margaret Vanderbilt Shepard. To view more estate pictures go to the Sleepy Hollow Wedding Gallery.
- Rough Point
This Newport, RI estate was completed in 1891 and designed by the architects Peabody & Stearns. It was a summer cottage for Frederick William Vanderbilt and his wife Louise Vanderbilt. See also: Hyde Park.
- Shelburne House
This working farm and estate in Shelburne, VT was designed by the architect Robert H. Robertson from 1888 to 1899. It was the country home of William Seward Webb, and Eliza (Lila) Vanderbilt Webb.
- Florham
This Convent Station, NJ estate is now home to Fairleigh Dickinson University. Hamilton McKown Twombly and his wife, Florence Vanderbilt Twombly commissioned the architects McKim, Mead & White to design this country house in 1897. See also: Vinland.
- Marble House
This Newport, RI estate has been preserved and is open for tours. William K. Vanderbilt and his wife, Alva Vanderbilt commissioned Richard Morris Hunt to design and build the “finest cottage money can buy”. See also: Idle Hour and Belcourt Castle.
- Biltmore Estate Pathfinder
A wonderful collection of links put together by the University of North Carolina.
- Breakers
The Breakers in Newport, RI has been preserved and is open for tours. It was built in 1893 when Cornelius Vanderbilt II and his wife Alice Claypoole Gwynne Vanderbilt commissioned architect Richard Morris Hunt to design this grand summer cottage.
- Biltmore Estate
This is a good site for external pictures of the architecture.
- Biltmore Estate
This is an online article from Resource Library an online publication of Traditional Fine Arts Organization. Please be sure to click the many embedded links to other articles about the Biltmore and the North Carolina Vanderbilts.
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