The Upper Class In The Cities

ASU HST 200 (Historical Themes) The Growing Pains of Urbanization, 1870-1900 The Upper Class In The Cities Unlike their working-class counterparts, the American financial elite did not have to swarm into cities in order to find employment. However, individuals who worked in the business sector wanted to be near the activity since urban areas were essential corporate hubs where daily multimillion-dollar financial deals were conducted. Though they were able to afford considerable amounts of luxury, comfort, and convenience for themselves, the wealthy also made the decision to live in the middle of the mayhem in the cities. Rich people rarely went to what they saw as working-class people's crude amusement. Urban elites favored fine art collections, social events with their peers, and classical music performances over amusement parks and baseball games as more sophisticated hobbies that demonstrated their familiarity with art and culture. Andrew Carnegie constructed Carnegie Hall in New York in 1891, and it soon rose to prominence as the nation's hub for classical music events. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, which is nearby, has one of the greatest collections of fine art in the world, having opened its doors in 1872. As other cities adopted similar practices, the upper class used them as a means of reassuring themselves of their superior status in the midst of the grim urban environment. Wealthier Americans looked for novel methods to further distinguish themselves in society while middle-class prospects, such as more convenient means of transportation, challenged the austerity of upper-class residents. These included more lavish travels, such trips to balmy Florida for the winter, trips to Newport, Rhode Island, and numerous steamer cruises around Europe. The yearly Social Register served as the only source of relief for people who did not belong to the esteemed "old money" and had instead become wealthy via economic endeavors. The register, which was first released in 1886 in New York City by Louis Keller, eventually developed into a list of the affluent socialites who lived there. Every year, Keller would update it, and people would watch to see their names printed in print, varied in degrees of anxiousness or complacency. The register, often known as the Blue Book, played a crucial role in organizing balls, society dinners, and other social gatherings. For the more recent wealthy, solace came from the knowledge that their money was visible to others as well as themselves when their names were included in the register. The working class faced pressure to travel to cities in search of employment possibilities, but the American financial elite of the late 19th century was not subject to the same constraints. However, the thriving commercial activity that metropolitan centers afforded was a major factor in the decision of many members of this wealthy class to live in cities. Cities were desirable places for people in the business sector since they were vital sites for corporate negotiations and multimillion dollar financial transactions. The rich chose to dwell in the middle of the mayhem of the city even though they could afford comforts and pleasures. The urban elite favored sophisticated activities like fine art collections, social gatherings with their peers, and classical music concerts over what they saw as the vulgar entertainments of the working class. In addition to providing locations for these cultural events, Andrew Carnegie's building of Carnegie Hall in 1891 and the founding of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1872 both served as emblems of sophistication and refinement. The upper class used these cultural rituals to demonstrate and reassert their social rank in the harsh urban environment as cities throughout the country adopted similar customs. The rich engaged in lavish leisure activities to further set themselves apart from the middle class, who were threatening their supremacy with innovations like more accessible transit alternatives. These included opulent winter getaways to warm climates like Florida, trips to affluent communities like Newport, Rhode Island, and sumptuous steamer voyages around Europe. Included in the Social Register gave a sense of recognition and belonging to those who were not from traditional "old money" families, but had instead just become wealthy via business ventures. The Social Register, which Louis Keller first published in New York City in 1886, became into a coveted list of wealthy socialites that the nouveau riche anxiously anticipated. Every year, Keller updated the record, and people eagerly anticipated seeing their names appear, signifying their admittance into the upper echelons of society. Known as the "Blue Book," this registry was essential to the planning of social events like dances and banquets for high society. Adding one's name to the Social Register was a way to publicly demonstrate one's riches and rank to others as well as to validate oneself. The nouveau riche sought comfort in the knowledge that existing elites acknowledged and welcomed their newfound fortune. Amid the challenges of urbanization and shifting dynamics of class structure, the urban upper class of the late 19th century sought to solidify their position at the top of society through engagement in cultural and social events, as well as the prestigious recognition provided by the Social Register.