A Modern Gilded Age
As HBO Max’s The Gilded Age Season 3 premieres on June 22, discover the Manhattan mansion where the era’s legacy still lives on.
The late 19th century in the United States was a time of contrasts: towering ambition, sudden wealth, and a constant reinvention of what society could look like. It’s the world HBO Max’s The Gilded Age brings to life onscreen, and one that heiress Charlotte Goodridge moved through in real time. In 1856, she built a mansion on 250 Fifth Avenue, and after many evolutions, it still stands today as our home, The Fifth Avenue Hotel.
Courtesy of HBO Max.
With The Gilded Age Season 3 release date (June 22) just around the corner, curiosity about the era is rising once again. The new season picks up where the last one left off, diving deeper into the social shifts and architectural splendor that defined the Gilded Age time period from the 1870s to the early 1900s. Much of the original cast returns, including Carrie Coon, Christine Baranski, Denée Benton, Audra McDonald, Louisa Jacobson, and Cynthia Nixon, to explore a world shaped by old money and new ambition, polished appearances and private stakes, and the constant push between legacy and change.
Behind our doors at The Fifth Avenue Hotel, in the heart of NoMad, Manhattan, is one of the few surviving Gilded Age mansions where the opulent past still lives in the details. Below, a few things you might not know about Mrs. Charlotte Goodridge and the building she left behind, now one of the city’s most remarkable Gilded Age hotels.
1. Charlotte Goodridge was the wife of Frederic Goodridge, a prominent importer and businessman.
Together, they moved in well-established circles of New York society, and Frederic amassed his wealth through international trade. Charlotte remained independent at their Fifth Avenue mansion after his death in 1897.
2. Her soirées and salons were the talk of the town.
Charlotte Goodridge “owned” Thursday evenings and was known for hosting extravagant soirées and salon-style gatherings. Flowing drinks, live music, and intriguing conversation filled the rooms of her Fifth Avenue mansion. Artists, intellectuals, and high society regulars came to be seen, connect, and exchange ideas.
3. Charlotte Goodridge’s architect had famous roots.
The architect that Charlotte selected was a protégé of Richard Morris Hunt, the architect who created iconic structures like the Biltmore Estate and the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s façade. The end result was a house with elaborate plasterwork, wrought-iron balconies, gilded interiors, and a marble façade that evoked European grandeur.
4. The mansion’s interiors were filled with objects from around the world.
Charlotte Goodridge had a collector’s eye and a traveler’s curiosity. Much like our own Cabinet of Curiosities, her home featured imported furnishings, artworks, silk textiles, porcelain vases, and decorative details gathered from years of travel.
5. Charlotte Goodridge was among the last private residents to remain on Fifth Avenue.
By the early 1900s, Fifth Avenue was changing. The mansions were disappearing, replaced by banks and office buildings. Many of Charlotte’s neighbors moved uptown. She didn’t. She remained in her residence at the corner of 28th Street and was one of the last private residents to do so. Not long after Charlotte’s death, her mansion was reimagined. In its place, the Second National Bank commissioned a new building in 1908, designed by McKim, Mead & White, which was the renowned firm behind the Morgan Library, the Brooklyn Museum, and the original Penn Station.
As you tune into The Gilded Age Season 3, remember that the spirit of the era isn’t just on HBO Max. It’s alive and well, right here at The Fifth Avenue Hotel.
