MORE ABOUT THE BOOK, Gilded Age Entrepeneur (Cornell University Press):
Simon Cordery's Gilded Age Entrepreneur illuminates the fascinating and chaotic business world of Albert Pullman. The influential but little-known older brother of George Pullman and the craftsman of the family, Albert designed the first luxurious Pullman railroad cars and hosted promotional trips to show them off. In those heady early days, he met national business and political leaders and hired the first Pullman porters.
Albert and George made a formidable team, but as the Pullman Company grew, Albert's role shrank. He turned to his own investment portfolio, often with disastrous results. Beginning with the industrial laundry that cleaned sleeping-car linens, Albert appeared before the Supreme Court after a catastrophic insurance investment, ran afoul of federal banking regulations, and failed in an attempt to corner wheat futures. With evermore unsuccessful speculations, Albert was tempted by extralegal land sales and entered the silver-mining game. Finally, his own family in crisis and his relationship with George shattered, Albert Pullman launched into one last round of adventurous investments with mixed results.
Gilded Age Entrepreneur demonstrates that Albert Pullman embodied the small-time investors who were legion after the Civil War. From banking and insurance to manufacturing and mining, a host of hopeful dreamers like Albert Pullman fueled the circulation of capital by forging political connections, creating and losing businesses, issuing shares, and longing for profit.
MORE ABOUT THE LEARNING CENTER OF SENIOR CITIZEN’S INC: TLC is Savannah’s center for lifelong learning. The Learning Center welcomes members to the Center for Successful Aging in midtown Savannah and to their satellite campus at Skidaway Island for in-person programs. Programs on a vast variety of topics are offered seasonally both to TLC members and the public, and most are also available online and on-demand. Learn more HERE about upcoming fall talks, classes, and membership benefits. *Ample FREE PARKING on Jasper Street beside the easily accessible entrance to TLC’s event facility.