The Gilded Age, a period of great prosperity and excess in America, was a time of opulence and grandeur in New York City. At the center of this glittering world were two prominent figures: Ward McAllister and Mrs. Astor. These two individuals were not only prominent members of New York’s elite, but also close friends, who together helped shape the social scene of the Gilded Age.
About Ward McAllister
Ward McAllister was a prominent lawyer and societal figure. New York knew him as the “King of New York Society.” He was a close friend of Cornelius Vanderbilt and other wealthy industrialists and was often invited to lavish parties and events.