Beans and Brahmins: Boston in the Gilded Age

The Gilded Age was not limited to New York. Other cities developed differently during the 19th century and responded uniquely to this period of great technological and economic growth.  Boston, Massachusetts, the heart of New England, had a very different story than that of New York. Boston had wealth and a sharp social divide; the Boston elite, known as the "Brahmins," were quite different from the Astors and Vanderbilts of New York.  Boston channeled its money into education, social reform, and cultural expansion. Indeed, during the 19th century, the city was a center for abolitionists and the women's suffrage movement.  Boston's story includes not only the Brahmins but also waves of immigrants from Europe, a Black population with longstanding roots in New England, and those arriving from the South. Author and historian R. Tripp Evans (last heard on the Bachelor Pad episode) returns to the Gilded Gentleman Podcast to chat about Boston's fascinating 19th-century cultural life and history.This show was produced and edited by Kieran Gannon. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.