The shipping-and-railroad dynasty that ruled the Gilded Age — and built some of America's grandest houses.
Cornelius “Commodore” Vanderbilt rose from a Staten Island ferry operator to a shipping and railroad magnate, becoming one of the richest Americans of the 19th century.
His descendants defined Gilded Age society, building opulent mansions like The Breakers and Biltmore and endowing Vanderbilt University. Though much of the fortune was later dispersed, the name endures — the journalist Anderson Cooper is a descendant.
The Vanderbilts became the very image of Gilded Age wealth and grandeur, and their philanthropy founded Vanderbilt University. Their mansions are now celebrated landmarks and museums.
The family's rise and decline is a classic American saga of fortune.
The Vanderbilt family is based in New York. An iconic Gilded Age dynasty whose name still marks universities and mansions
1810s.
Cornelius “Commodore” Vanderbilt — shipping and railroad magnate
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