Shopping in the Gilded Age Walking Tour

In her new book The Gilded Age in New York, Esther Crain, the voice behind the popular blog Ephemeral New York, tells the metamorphic story of New York during the Gilded Age. Crain pairs stunning prose with amazing, rarely seen imagery – of daily life for the rich and poor, the influx of immigrants who quadrupled the city’s population in just 40 years, new leisure sites like Coney Island and Central Park, and much more. The Ladies’ Mile and NoHo commercial districts of this time were true products of the Gilded Age – the modern department store was born in this era, as innovations in both technology and society changed the retail landscape. Ladies Mile emerged as a fashionable place for merchants to market and sell their wares with opulence, and the larger loft buildings of the neighborhood allowed ample space for commercial floors and warehousing. On this walking tour, Crain will explore the real-life sites and subjects of The Gilded Age. A walk through Ladies’ Mile and the NoHo Historic District will include stops at sites including A.T. Stewart’s department store at Broadway and 9th and the famed Fleischmann’s Model Vienna Bakery, operating next to Grace Church until 1905. After the tour, enjoy the beautiful sanctuary of Grace Church for a short reception and book signing with Esther.