Elegance and Excess: The Friendship of Ward McAllister and Mrs. Astor in New York City’s Gilded Age

<p>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&rsquo;s elite, but also close friends, who together helped shape the social scene of the Gilded Age.</p> <p><img alt="Elegance and Excess: The Friendship of Ward McAllister and Mrs. Astor in New York City’s Gilded Age" src="https://miro.medium.com/v2/resize:fit:770/0*anYkehaBkYIE5KJH" style="height:507px; width:700px" /></p> <h1>About Ward McAllister</h1> <p>Ward McAllister was a prominent lawyer and societal figure. New York knew him as the &ldquo;King of New York Society.&rdquo; He was a close friend of Cornelius Vanderbilt and other wealthy industrialists and was often invited to lavish parties and events.&nbsp;</p> <p><a href="https://medium.com/@mggoepp/elegance-and-excess-the-friendship-of-ward-mcallister-and-mrs-astor-in-new-york-citys-gilded-age-47dd1d412627"><strong>Learn More</strong></a></p>