Historical Overview

The Gilded Age, a transition time from the late 19th century to the beginnings of the 20th century, witnessed rapid growth in American industry and finance, and an increase of great wealth in a select few privileged families. There was, for this brief time, no universal income tax as we know it today.

Emigration from middle and Eastern Europe to the United States was widespread. This flood of new arrivals led to far-reaching consequences in metropolitan areas like Boston and New York. Bit by bit, trend and fashion, partly influenced by changes in cities, dictated summer homes or cottages out of urban heat and congestion.

Travel out of the U.S., although never out of vogue for the very wealthy, developed into routine practice because of more available wealth. The resulting proliferation and design of European and Asian garden components was as much a status symbol as a visual souvenir of these travels.

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