In the early 19th century New York, five men would emerge as the financial titans of the City. Referred to as “The Five,” Astor, Lenox, Coster, Whitney, and Prime were among the first multi-millionaires in the country. Equivalent to today’s mega-billionaires, these five men rebuilt New York and the surrounding world in an image of 19th-century tranquility. Explore the lost and extant architecture and landscapes that defined the world of the Five, from grand Fifth Avenue mansions to country houses on the Hudson and summer cottages in Newport.

Architectural Conservator TR Hamilton will explore existing and now-lost 19th-century architecture created for The Five by some of the most notable architects, landscape architects, and designers of 19th-century America. Among the highlights are the First Presbyterian Church and the now-lost Lenox mansions, which once dominated Fifth Avenue just outside the front door of the Salmagundi Club.