Staatsburgh & The Gilded Age

As the stewards of a site that interprets the Gilded Age, we were very excited to see an entire television series dedicated to the era.  We were especially interested because the show was created by Downton Abbey mastermind, Julian Fellowes who is known for the efforts he puts into the historical details and accuracy of his shows and movies.  The first season of HBO's The Gilded Age depicted 1882 New York and aired from January - March 2022; a second season is forthcoming.  The show brought the era to life with magnificent costuming, sets, and a dramatization of the clash between old and new monied elites.  In addition to this central clash of values, the show also depicted the life of the black elite in Brooklyn, the plight of servants, and the ways new technology was about to revolutionize the country.  Although the main characters were fictional, there were several real historical figures mixed in such as Mrs. Astor, Ward McAllister, and Mrs. Fish among others.  

Photo: HBO

Although the show did not film at Staatsburgh, scenes filmed at several other Gilded Age mansions that are open for public tours including Tarrytown's Lyndhurst, and Newport's The Breakers and Marble House.  In addition, many scenes were filmed in Troy, NY, which is just about 70 miles north of Staatsburgh.  Many scenes were filmed on built sets and not on location, but this article gives an overview of even more of the locations that were used in the series.   

The Lyndhurst art gallery was utilized as the setting for a Red Cross meeting at Aurora Fane's home.
Photo by Alison Cohen Rosa / HBO

There were, however, several intersections between the show and Staatsburgh.  Imagine our excitement to hear the Mills family mentioned in two different episodes!  In this essay we will explore a few of the direct connections between Staatsburgh and the show beginning with architect Stanford White who designed Staatsburgh's remodel in 1895.

Stanford White by George Cox circa 1892

Stanford White appears in the very first episode of the show overseeing the finishing touches of the new palatial Fifth Avenue home he designed for the Russell family.  He makes a point to tell George Russell that he is not fashionable, and his name will not open societal doors for the Russell family. This was quite true, as the firm of McKim, Mead & White had just formed three years prior in 1879, and the prevailing architect of the day for society’s upper crust was Richard Morris Hunt. Stanford White would eventually become fashionable and was partially helped by his marriage in 1884 to Bessie Smith who hailed from a socially prominent Long Island family. When Hunt passed away in 1895, McKim, Mead & White took over the mantle of society’s premiere architects and continued to amass many wealthy and powerful clients. The firm, with White at the helm, designed the enlargement and remodel of Staatsburgh’s mansion in the by-then reigning Beaux-Arts style, which was completed in 1896. By the time he was hired to remodel Staatsburgh, White’s reputation as a skilled architect was intact so the Mills family was not taking a risk by employing his services.

Actor John Sanders portrayed Stanford White on The Gilded Age
Photo: Instagram @thisjohnsanders

Another close connection involves a contemporary individual who played a played a role on the show both onscreen and offscreen.  One of Staatsburgh's collaborators, Dr. Christopher Brellochs, the Dean of Music at SUNY Schenectady, has been studying Gilded Age Music for many years.  He has organized local performances in several historic homes and we had planned a performance at Staatsburgh that was unfortunately cancelled due to the pandemic.  We hope to reschedule the performance, but in the interim, you can read an essay Dr. Brellochs wrote for our blog about Gilded Age music.

This video from November 2021 is an example of one of Dr. Brellochs' Music of the Gilded Age performances.

On the show, he helped to advise production on the historical accuracy of the music and instruments and you can spot him at the end of Episode 4 conducting the orchestra at the Academy of Music.  He portrayed John Knowles Paine, a real life figure, who was the conductor of the Boston Symphony Orchestra.  On the show, Paine and the Boston symphony were in New York to give  a charity concert to raise funds for the Red Cross.  To learn more about Brelloch's time on the show, this article and this second article provides some of his insights.

Dr. Christopher Brellochs in his Gilded age inspired finest.
 Photo: Elizabeth Gerbi

Finally, we want to talk about the specific times that the Mills family was mentioned on the show.  The show took place during the late summer / early fall of 1882.  This was a pivotal year in Ruth and Ogden's life because they got married in April.  This marriage joined a long established and respected family with a family that had just made millions in the prior two decades.  Their marriage bridged the divide of old and new money, which was a theme continually depicted on the show.  It was only fitting that their marriage was then used as an example in the penultimate episode when Mrs. Astor was questioned by her daughter about the fact that she still receives Mrs. Ogden Mills.  Her exact words were, "Carrie, Mrs. Mills was born a Livingston.  He family have been landowners for two centuries or more.  Is not my fault she married an upstart.  Besides, her mother asked me not to punish her for it.  And I won't."  Ruth's mother, Ruth Baylies Livingston (1827-1918), was most certainly part of the old guard in New York and she was a contemporary of Mrs. Astor (1830-1908).  While we do not know the real Mrs. Astor's private thoughts about Ruth Mills, the perspective on the show is based on the historic circumstances and known attitudes about both the Livingston and Mills families.

Ogden and Ruth Mills, circa 1900

To cap off the series, the final episode depicts a ball at the Russell home, which turns out to be a great success.  The ball includes live music, and lots of dancing including a quadrille performed by the young people.  As guests entered the Russell home, the Russell's butler announced each arrival.  Mr. & Mrs. Ogden Mills were announced, but they were not shown onscreen.  In addition, the butler announced Mrs. Cavendish-Bentinck who was Ruth's twin sister!  Speaking as one of the Staatsburgh staff, we felt it was a great honor that they were included and accurately represented!  Perhaps they will show up again in Season 2 - we can only hope!