If you've been following us on our historical tour of the Bluff, we've looked at the meaning behind the names of Steedman Street, Lithic Street, Astbury Street, Shell Crescent, and Trout Hole Road.

Our next stop is Gilded Street.

Located in the West Wilson neighborhood of Palmetto Bluff, Gilded Street is named for the late 19th-century era of enormous wealth and extravagant entertaining referred to as the “Gilded Age,” a term coined by Mark Twain and Charles Warner in their book, The Gilded Age.

The Wilson family achieved fantastic financial and social success during the period and they became one of the richest families in America. Their “Gilded Age” continued at Palmetto Bluff where Richard T. Wilson, Jr. built an opulent mansion for entertaining.