Norfolk's rise as a premier seaport brought with it an increase in power, wealth and industry in the nineteenth century. Local prominent families lived in exquisitely crafted homes and owned flourishing local businesses. Cobblestone lined the Freemason District and downtown streets. The area's elite participated in numerous social clubs, religious groups and philanthropic organizations. One family, the Hunters, lived so luxuriously that they became one of the most fashionable families in the city. Join author Jaclyn Spainhour as she explores Norfolk's social customs, cosmopolitan soirées and more that truly embodied the Gilded Age.
Jaclyn Spainhour is a native of Hampton Roads, where she fell in love with Norfolk and its past. She currently holds both an MA and BA in history from Old Dominion University, where she is now a history instructor. Additionally, Jaclyn serves as a history instructor for Tidewater Community College and as the assistant director of the Hunter House Victorian Museum.