Harry & Arabella Huntington and the Gilded Age in Los Angeles

Henry and Arabella Huntington were among the wealthiest couples in the United States in the early 20th century, yet are among the least well-known of the great Gilded Age collectors. She is the inspiration behind the character Mrs. Chamberlain on the TV series, The Gilded Age – the spectacularly wealthy woman of somewhat dubious origins, who struggles to break into New York high society. The Huntingtons lived in one of the largest houses on Fifth Avenue but Arabella  preferred the sprawling chateaux outside of Paris. Flush with railroad money, the Huntingtons—like many of their generation and status—were initially focused on collecting European art and aspiring to live like European aristocrats. However, they began amassing great treasures of American history, from rare copies of the Declaration of Independence to the earliest books printed in British North America, and portraits and sculptures to accompany their growing literary collection.

This talk will survey the Huntingtons in their time, their extraordinary civic and cultural contributions to the city of Los Angeles, and their significant legacy as Gilded Age collectors.