‘The Lost & Forgotten Gilded Age Mansions of Fifth Avenue’ Webinar
Where: No Location
Via livestream
Price: $10
Buy tickets/get more info now
See other events in these categories:
Beginning with the first residence erected on the still unpaved street in 1834, Fifth Avenue became the home of Manhattan’s wealthiest citizens — but as the decades progressed, the seemingly endless row of lavish brownstone, marble, and limestone mansions began to be replaced one-by-one by office buildings. This is the story of those long-forgotten mansions and prominent families that once defined New York’s most famous avenue.
Join New York Adventure Club for a digital walk up 19th-century Fifth Avenue, to discover the remarkable homes that once lined the avenue from Washington Square to 53rd Street.
Led by historian Tom Miller, our virtual lecture and showcase of these mostly-forgotten treasures and their captivating stories will include:
- A historical overview of Fifth Avenue and how it became the most exclusive residential thoroughfare in the city
- A deep dive into the incredible stories surrounding Fifth Avenue’s most famous residences, including the Henry Brevoort mansion (the avenue’s first home, which set the tone of the street for more than a century to come), the picturesque country estate of Waddell Castle, and free-standing Madam Ann Restell mansion (which was shunned by society because of her scandalous profession)
- Popular photographs and paintings of many of these iconic Fifth avenue homes
Afterward, we’ll have a Q&A with Tom — any and all questions about the mansions of 19th-century Fifth Avenue are welcomed and encouraged!
Can’t make it live? Don’t worry, you’ll have access to the full replay for one week!
See you there, virtually!
*Immediately upon registering, you will receive a separate, automated email containing the link to join this webinar
**For the best possible viewing experience, please ensure you’re using the latest version of your internet browser — Google Chrome is the most compatible. Exact technical requirements and a webinar user guide will be shared in the automated confirmation email upon registration.
***A full replay of the experience will be available to all registered guests for up to a week
About Tom Miller
Architectural and social historian Tom Miller is the author of Seeking New York, Seeking Chicago, as well as the popular blog “Daytonian in Manhattan.” Since 2009 Tom has published a blog post on a different Manhattan location every day — now totaling more than 3,000.
His research and reporting focus as much on the social histories of the buildings — the tragedies and sorrows, triumphs and scandals of the people who built and lived in the houses — as on their architecture and styles. Tom Miller’s retelling of these stories make the buildings come alive; and suddenly they are more than brick, marble, and limestone, but the histories of real people.
Testimonials
“The subject is in my area of interest. I have never been to NY. It was informative, educational, and interesting!” -Amy
“The content was very interesting. The author was knowledgable about the subject matter. The webinar worked well and the chat room was moderated so questions/issues were addressed immediately.” -Molly
“I learned a great deal & enjoyed the presentation.” -Barbara
“I leaned so much…thought I sort of knew this topic but I really didn’t!” –Stacy “I loved seeing the images while Tom told us the stories of them and their inhabitants.” –Diana
“It was so well organized. His stories of the people made the buildings come alive. The photos of then & now & the photos of the interiors. It was terrific” -Joan
“Content was well-chosen and good in-depth presentation. Excellent talk, easy to follow.” –Charles
“Fascinating look at the old mansions, terrific stories about the people. Very engaging” -Stacy
“The speaker was incredibly knowledgeable and provided juicy anecdotes to spice up the presentation” -Shlomo
“Tom is INCREDIBLE. He is a great speaker; very engaging and easy to listen to. His knowledge is staggering. A very humble and talented man. Would love to hear him again. Thank you!” -Carina
“The detail of knowledge, the snippets of these characters’ lives. it was all so fascinating!” -Jocelyn
“Tom, the narrator, was knowledgeable and interesting. The photos beautifully illustrated his points. The pace and length were perfect.” -Mollyann
“The presenter was AMAZING! Easy to follow and kept audience engaged.” -Natalie
“I liked how the presenter was knowledgable and expanded upon the architecture by including insight into the building owners and the habits of the elite at the time. I learned much.” -Joel
“I liked the historical information not just about the mansions, the architectural details and relative location in New York City but the rich derails of those who lived in the Gilded Age.” -Yvonne
“Edge of your seat storytelling!” -Michelle
“The speaker is very knowledgeable and provided a great deal of information. The information was not just about the mansions, with beautiful photographs to show details, but also about the stories of the people who lived in them. The event was fascinating.
” -Ellen
“Fantastic presenter – well organized and knowledgeable. Great teacher. I was born in NYC and have read lots of historical novels about the city. Learning about these buildings and people filled in lots of holes.” -Virginia
“I particularly like learning cultural sentiments of the era; what drives people to react in certain ways. It was nice to hear that some of the beautiful rooms were preserved in museums.” -Barbara
“The talk was well organized, very informative and the presenter and photos were excellent” -Gwen
“Tom Miller is an outstanding presenter of such interesting information about the owners of these mansions as well as about the mansions and the era they were built. thoroughly enjoyed the lecture. He definitely knows how to hold one’s attention, give excellent information, and have visuals that he also talks about in detail. He is easy to understand and never boring. I would like to take more of his Webinars.” -Nancy
“I liked everything! The narration, photos, history! Tom did a great job!” -Maria
“So informative and comprehensive. Tom made the family history come alive” -Patty
“The presenter was astoundingly knowledgeable and knows how to present that in an engaging way; detailed but focused. He came across as extremely well prepared.” -Canice
“I learned much about people and their houses, that I had not heard of before. Loved seeing inside mansions” -Betty
“Pictures were brought to life by our host. Wonderful stories to enjoy even though I don’t live in NY, or really have a grasp of New York City geography. Very entertaining, hated seeing it come to an end!” -Eileen
“Coverage of “lesser known” mansions. As he said, Vanderbilt, Schwab, Frick, Astor, Morgan, etc. mansions are frequently photographed and discussed. Brevoort, Jones, Huntington, etc. are much less known, but interesting components of New York history. The properties and families were very well researched and presented. Excellent photographs, especially since most were over 100 years old!” -Pe
“I liked everything! The narrator, photographs, stories, information etc. want more!” -Lisa
“Tom was a wonderful storyteller. His information was interesting and, sometimes, personal.” -Barbara
Buy tickets/get more info now