Weekend With Shades - Saturday - May 9

THE YEAR WAS
BY SHERI FENLEY
A Monthly - Weekend With Shades - Column

OVERVIEW - 1878 was the beginning of the “Gilded Age” in United States history. Great fortunes were made during this time and the opulent way of life this wealth supported lent to its name.

Fortunes were made by the likes of Leland Stanford, Collis P. Huntington, Mark Hopkins, and Charles Crocker - collectively known as “The Big Four.” They were the Nouveau Riche, the West Coast’s own version of royalty.

The Big Four