The Fortunes and Philanthropy That Forged America

Where it began. I grew up in Bellevue, Ohio, and discovered that my hometown was once home to the Flagler and Harkness families — whose ties began there before they helped build Standard Oil.

Two dynasties. Henry Flagler went on to build modern Florida with his railroad and grand hotels, while the Harknesses shaped New York, Connecticut, and some of America's greatest philanthropy.

The Southern Gilded. Now living in Bluffton, South Carolina, I found the story's southern chapter — the Lowcountry winter retreats where Gilded Age fortunes came to rest.