The Gilded Age refers to a period of American history between the end of the Civil War or the post-Reconstruction era and the Great Depression. Because of the vast economic growth caused by the industrial revolution, the Gilded Age was characterized by extreme wealth and prosperity.

As a result the Gilded Age produced America's first millionaire society and included such prominent families as the Vanderbilts, Flaglers, Astors, and Whitneys. Great estates soon started to take shape across the country as these gilded age barons began to erect testaments to their wealth. George Vanderbilt built the Vanderbilt estate in the mountains of North Carolina, Edward Stotesbury, constructed WhiteMarsh Hall and Peter Widener, Lynnwood Hall both in rural Pennsylvania. Railroad tycoon Henry Flagler created Whitehall on the shores of Palm Beach. The late 1800's and early 1900s were responsible for the most opulent and impressive homes in American history.

"Well it's been called kind of American Royalty. You know, we were the common man and we didn't have royalty," says Miami historian Arva Moore Parks. "These people had so much wealth. They wanted to build homes that looked like castles and palaces for kings and queens, which is what many of them looked like. And so you go around the country and you see like Newport has many of them. Of course Palm Beach does."

In 1910 industrialist James Deering started making plans to build his dream palace in a primeval jungle of the pioneer area of Miami. A wealthy bachelor of rich and refined taste he dedicated the rest of his life to creating one of the greatest estates in America, Vizcaya.