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Wayne County in the Gilded Age: Wealth, Work, and the Price of Progress This exhibit explores a transformative period in local history, when Richmond and Wayne County emerged as a center of innovation, manufacturing, and remarkable economic growth in the decades following the Civil War. As part of the broader Industrial Revolution, this era saw the rise of prominent local industrialists and entrepreneurs whose enterprises helped shape the region’s identity and prosperity.
Through immersive displays of period furnishings, fashion, decorative arts, and artifacts from both home and workplace, the exhibit brings to life the elegance and ambition that defined the era’s outward appearance. Visitors will encounter the stories of well-known local families and businesses alongside the retail environments, social customs, and material culture that reflected newfound wealth and status.
At the same time, the exhibit offers a balanced and thoughtful interpretation of the forces that made such prosperity possible. In an age before income and inheritance taxes, labor protections, and workplace safety regulations, the rapid accumulation of wealth often stood in stark contrast to the realities faced by workers, including long hours, unsafe conditions, and child labor. By examining both the brilliance and the burdens of the period, the exhibit reveals the meaning behind the term “gilded”—a shining surface layered over more complexand often challenging truths.
By connecting national themes to the lived experiences of Wayne County residents, this exhibit will provide visitors with a deeper understanding of how this pivotal era shaped the community we know today, offering both inspiration and reflection on the enduring relationship between progress, prosperity, and equity.
The exhibition opens May 2, 2026 and will be on display through March 31, 2027.
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Event Venue
1150 N A St, Richmond, IN, United States, Indiana 47374
Tickets
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