Parks and Opera Houses

Cities aren't just the economic heart of the country, they are also the centers of cultural, literary, social and benevolent activities. Many contain expansive parks, opera houses, libraries and Masonic Temples, side by side.

The buildings housing these activities often exhibit the same grand style and scale as the finest hotels. Even libraries and insane asylums look like something out of a Victorian romance novel.

A few are built by government. The rest are privately funded, as a side benefit of local accumulated wealth. There seem to be plenty of wealthy industrialists eager to finance everything, all at once.
Urban living, 1890

  Cities Have it All
The Saltair Pavilion in Salt Lake City is just one example of the deep pockets that finance large structures during this period. It's jointly owned by the Mormon Church, and the Salt Lake and Los Angeles Railway, and is emblematic of a long period of conspicuous civic collaboration.

City parks, 1890

  Fresh Air
America already has lots of small city parks, but some are now being redesigned in a much grander style. New York's Central Park transforms nearly vacant land (top left) into America's showplace promenade (top right). Detroit's Belle Isle Park is even larger, making it the largest in America (lower left). A modest summer resort, originally built for Brooklyn residents on Long Island's south shore, is slowly transformed into America's first monster amusement park, called Coney Island (lower right).


Music halls and libraries, 1890

  Cultural Amenities
Music halls and opera houses are all the rage. Cincinnati has three, including a magnificent concert hall that still hosts performances today. In some cities, small existing libraries are consolidated into large new public libraries, with elaborate architecture.