NEW DATE! GILDED FIFTH AVENUE

Let's try it again!

“The Gilded Age”: Mark Twain coined the term for the era of newly minted millionaires created by the Civil War. Join us on our hunt for the last vestiges of this age of railroad tycoons, costume balls, and conspicuous consumption during the years 1870-1915, when huge fortunes were spent lavishly on the Queen of Avenues. More than most of our tours, this one focuses on memorable women: notorious Madame Restell; society suffragist Alva Belmont; “Dollar Princess” Consuelo Vanderbilt, mistress-turned-art-collector Arabella Huntington, and shrewd Mary Mason Jones, the pioneering builder that anticipated the amazing growth of Fifth Avenue with only“Dagger John” Hughes preceding her, in his vision of a brand-new Gothic cathedral to give all the wealthy Protestant churches in New York a run for their money. Learn how Roosevelts and Rockefellers, orphans and art smugglers all made their mark in this most envied location of a gilded and gossip-laden bygone era.

Where to meet: in the courtyard of the New York Palace Hotel, at 455 Madison Avenue, between 50 and 51 streets, directly in back of St. Patrick's Cathedral. Take the 6 train to "51 Street" or E to "5 Avenue/53 Street". Check MTA Weekender for any updates before heading out: http://web.mta.info/weekender.html

When to meet: 4:45 pm for a 5 pm start. I will be holding a sign that says "Gilded Fifth Avenue".

Fee: $20 cash, $15 for seniors 65 + with proof of age; exact change appreciated! Please bring bills, not coins. Sorry, please do not bring dogs or minor children age 17 or below on the tours. No audio taping or video taping allowed.

The tour will be approximately 2.5 hours long. For sunny days, be sure to bring a hat and a bottle of water. Check the weather reports on the day of the tour; if there is a chance of rain, please bring your own umbrella. While Friendly Native tours usually do take place on the date and at the time they are scheduled, on occasion they will be postponed in cases of high temperatures or high probability of rain, and an email sent out to that effect to all who have registered for the event.

The nearest restrooms to this location are inside the New York Palace Hotel. Enter from Madison Avenue, and take the staircase on the left. Please be sure to "take care of things" before the start of the tour!