The social-climbers , scandalmongers and suffragettes who made it a time to remember in New England ’ s favorite oceanfront enclave .
AH , THE GILDED AGE : that bygone era of lavish parties and larger-than-life mansions , when no expense was too great for interior decorating and money was practically poured into the sea . Before inventions like the income tax recaptured a little cash for the rest of us , society ’ s finest indulged with abandon , and Newport was their undisputed playground , with everyone from shopkeepers to shoemakers riding high on the extravagant spending of the elite . So why has this era so utterly captured our imagination ? Its nineteenth century mansions remain the jewel of Newport , and HBO ’ s hit show “ The Gilded Age ” replays their occupants ’ every move for our imaginations ( with season two due out this year !). Perhaps it ’ s the pull of wealth , the dream that someday we could find ourselves in this luxurious lifestyle ; or maybe we prefer to read about their tumultuous lives and laugh a little at the occaasional faux pas . Either way , the Gilded Age offers up no shortage of daydream material , and we took a dive into what life was really like during Newport ’ s famous era . So buckle up , grab a glass of Dom Pérignon , and take a ride with us down Bellevue Avenue ( carriages and limousines acceptable ).
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The social-climbers , scandalmongers and suffragettes who made it a time to remember in New England ’ s favorite oceanfront enclave .
EDITED BY LAUREN CLEM
Contributions by Jamie Coelho and Kaitlyn Murray
AH , THE GILDED AGE : that bygone era of lavish parties and larger-than-life mansions , when no expense was too great for interior decorating and money was practically poured into the sea . Before inventions like the income tax recaptured a little cash for the rest of us , society ’ s finest indulged with abandon , and Newport was their undisputed playground , with everyone from shopkeepers to shoemakers riding high on the extravagant spending of the elite . So why has this era so utterly captured our imagination ? Its nineteenth century mansions remain the jewel of Newport , and HBO ’ s hit show “ The Gilded Age ” replays their occupants ’ every move for our imaginations ( with season two due out this year !). Perhaps it ’ s the pull of wealth , the dream that someday we could find ourselves in this luxurious lifestyle ; or maybe we prefer to read about their tumultuous lives and laugh a little at the occaasional faux pas . Either way , the Gilded Age offers up no shortage of daydream material , and we took a dive into what life was really like during Newport ’ s famous era . So buckle up , grab a glass of Dom Pérignon , and take a ride with us down Bellevue Avenue ( carriages and limousines acceptable ).
52 RHODE ISLAND MONTHLY l JUNE 2023