Fred Zilian, local educator and writer, will present the history of Newport, from its founding through the Gilded Age, at the Tiverton Public Library on Tuesday, November 28th, at 6:30 pm. This program is free and open to the public and will be held at the library on 34 Roosevelt Avenue, in Tiverton, RI.
This talk examines the first 275 years of Newport’s history, with emphasis on its founding, its 18th-century Golden Age, and its 19th-century Gilded Age. When we arrive at its Gilded Age, we shall look at the lifestyles of the rich and then consider the four women who essentially led Newport high society during the 2 months of the “summer colony.” These women—because of their pedigree, personalities, or wealth—stood above the rest of society in their influence and impact.
After a 21-year career as an infantry officer in the Army, Fred Zilian was an educator at Portsmouth Abbey School and an adjunct professor at Salve Regina University. He now lectures on a wide variety of subjects and offers tours of Newport and of the Battle of Rhode Island. Zilian holds a Ph.D. in international relations/strategic studies from Johns Hopkins University. He is the author of numerous articles, essays, and book reviews on history, American society, Germany, religion, music, education, climate change, and globalization in numerous publications from the Wall Street Journal to the Newport Daily News. For 10 years, Zilian was a columnist for the Newport Daily News. He writes for The Hill, the History News Network, and the Online Review of Rhode Island History.
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