Wealth. Power. Class.
The Gilded Age (1865–1912) was a time of rapid economic growth, industrialization, and stark class divisions in America. In Fairfield and nearby Bridgeport, wealth shaped the landscape—Fairfield became a retreat for the wealthy, while Bridgeport thrived on immigrant labor and industry. Lavish estates lined the Connecticut shoreline, offering summer escapes for the rich, while the middle class enjoyed resorts and the working class had few leisure options. Though marked by opulence, the era's prosperity was built on the labor of those who had the least. The museum needed signage to tell this story while exhibiting pieces from it’s collection
