This talk, presented by Fred Zilian, will examine the first 275 years of Newport’s history, with emphasis on its founding, its 18^th century Golden Age, and its 19^th century Gilded Age, When we arrive at its Gilded Age, we shall look at the lifestyles of the rich and then consider the four women who essentially led Newport high society during the two months of the “summer colony”. These women—because of their pedigree, their personalities, or the plenty of their wealth—stood above the rest of society in their influence & impact. They spent and spent on their mansions in NYC and “cottages” in Newport, their clothes, their dinners, parties and balls, their platoons of servants, and their expensive hobbies.

After a 21-year career as an infantry officer in the Army, Fred Zilian was an educator at Portsmouth Abbey School, 1992-2015, where he taught history, ethics, and German. He was an adjunct professor (history and politics) at Salve Regina University, 2016-2022. He now lectures on a wide variety of subjects and offers tours of Newport and of the Battle of Rhode Island (1778). He is the author of numerous articles, essays, and book reviews on history, American society, Germany, religion, music, education, climate change, and globalization in numerous publications from the Wall Street Journal to the Newport Daily News. 

Registration is not required for this program, but you are welcome to sign up below to receive an email reminder of the event.

[Scan by NYPL, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons]