The Gilded Age on Connecticut's Gold Coast: Transforming Greenwich, Stamford and Darien

When the railroad came through in 1848, it transformed Connecticut's Gold Coast, luring wealthy upper-crust New Yorkers to retreat from the urban crush. The cosmopolitan gentility built their magnificent mansions and suburban paradises in Greenwich, Stamford and Darien. Ornate hotels along the water welcomed American royalty, and resorts beckoned business tycoons for luxurious country weekends. Much of the Gilded Age opulence remains today in areas like Belle Haven, Wallacks Point, Shippan a…