Chasing the Gold: A Gilded Age Tour Up Manhattan

Some tour guides and historians have said that to understand the early history of New York, just follow the population's migration up the island of Manhattan during the 19th century.  

On today's show, historian and tour guide Keith Taillon takes us on a virtual tour and discusses how wealthy neighborhoods like Washington Square, Gramercy Park, Madison Square and of course the "gold coast" of Fifth Avenue developed, and what factors contributed to how it grew the way it did.  

Along the way, Keith discusses many well known figures such as Astors and Vanderbilts as well as some lesser known but important trendsetters, such as the outrageous Mamie Fish and  groundbreaking (literally) Mary Mason Jones.  

After this show, you'll never look at Manhattan or the Gilded Age in quite the same way again.