“Queer In The Gilded Age”

The Queer in the Gilded Age (QitGA) is a research project funded by the New York State Department of Parks and Recreation (NYSPR). Its goal is to create a house museum tour that connects LGBT+ history with the history of a mansion from the Gilded Age. The project used the Staatsburg State Historic Site as a test location and identified key links between the site’s history and the primary Queer in the Gilded Age research. This approach allows for a flexible tour development model that can be applied to many historic sites and cultural institutions. 

“Architecture on the inside is not always what it seems on the outside. It can be codified and secretive and only revealed to those in the know, similar to the codification of the more cautious homosexual community that existed during the Gilded Age.”

Once inside the Mansion, visitors immediately notice its quirkiness and odd layout. The split-leveled floors, abrupt up and down hallways, unexpected staircases, and oddly dark corners all contrast with the symmetrical perfection of the exterior facade.

“During the Gilded Age, homosexuality was often concealed and not openly acknowledged. People and things were not always as they seemed on the surface. There is more to a person or a Gilded Age mansion than meets the eye. Let’s attempt to uncover, analyze, and experience this house from an unconventional perspective.”

This project is being funded through the

New York State Department of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation.