Mark Twain was a liar or maybe he would prefer to be called a fabulist. He enjoyed weaving tales and was good at it. Twain wrote some of the greatest American fiction. His stories such as The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, A Connecticut Yankee in King's Arthur's Court, and The Prince and The Pauper captured the imagination of the late 19th Century. Twain, whose real name was Samuel Clemens, also coined the term "Gilded Age" which defined an epoch. The American public loved and celebrated Mark Twain. When Twain turned 70 years old, his publisher, George Harvey, threw him a party at New York City's most fashionable restaurant, Delmonico's.
New York Public Library Digital Collection
A little background on Delmonico's is needed. New York City is often called the center of the universe. However, in the early 1800s, it was far from the center. The city did not have an event space i.e. banquet hall to celebrate the Marquis de La Fayette's return to the city. (Yes, Hamilton fans, that LA-FAY-ETTE!) This was a major embarrassment for the young city and nation but there was hope ahead! In the 1820s, New York City experienced a series of firsts in the culinary world.
The aforementioned Delmonico's was NYC's first restaurant. It was the first to offer fine dining, an a la carte menu, French cuisine, wine lists, and a banquet hall. New Yorkers did not know such elegance and refinement could exist in our new country! Some other Delmonico's notables, their chefs invented the Baked Alaska, Lobster Newburg, and of course, the Delmonico steak. This restaurant set the standard for fine dining. According to their website, "Delmonico’s offered an unheard of luxury – the availability of private dining rooms (located on the third floor) where discriminate entertaining was the order of the day. The basement held the restauranteur’s treasure, the largest private wine cellar in the city, holding an impressive 1,000 bottles of the world’s finest wines".*
Delmonico's via Museum of the City of New York Digital Collection
Yes, Delmonico's was the epitome of class, and the wealthy flocked to its doors. Amanda Kludt via Eater New York wrote, "It was the grandest restaurant New York had ever seen. More than ever, they were able to cater to elite customers, as the city flooded with well-off foreigners and Americans amassing fortunes. They threw balls, held ceremonial dinners for the likes of Charles Dickens and Mark Twain, hosted cotillions and for the next 60 years held the reputation of being one of the finest restaurants in New York".**
So, the only place to hold the birthday party for the celebrated author, Mark Twain was none other than Delmonico's. It was held on December 5, 1905. One hundred and seventy guests attended. A few of the wealthy and famous invitees included industrialist Andrew Carnegie, etiquette writer Emily Post, the first Mrs. Woodward Wilson (Ellen), and illustrator Howard Pyle. This was a fabulous party with a 40-piece orchestra and each guest received a Plaster of Paris bust of Twain.*** The guests were photographed at their tables. Some of the photographs are below. Notice the notation for the table grouping in the lower left-hand corner of the photo.
To explore more photographs from Twain's birthday party, click on the link for The Museum of The City of New York in the section "What to know more? Here is a good place to start.
The Museum of the City of New York Digital Collection
What was unique about this celebration was that the New York Times and Harper's Weekly covered it extensively. Harper's Weekly published a supplementary issue chronicling the speeches of those in attendance. Mark Twain's speech and the menu were widely published. Twain, for his part, made a fantastic speech. In the closing lines of his oration, Twain said, "Your invitation honors me and pleases me because you still keep me in your remembrance, but I am seventy; seventy, and would nestle in the chimney-corner, and smoke my pipe, and read my book, and take my rest, wishing you well in all affection, and that when you in your return shall arrive at pier No. 70 you may step aboard your waiting ship with a reconciled spirit, and lay your course toward the sinking sun with a contented heart".
If only this magical evening could be recreated today.
New York Public Library Digital Collection
What to know more? Here is a good place to start:
Photographs of The Dinner In Honor of Mark Twains 70th birthday at Delmonico's Museum of the City of New York - Search Result (mcny.org)
Sources:
** Amanda Kludt via Eater New York Remembering Delmonico's, New York's Original Restaurant - Eater NY
Photographs:
Top photograph: The Museum of The City of New York Digital Collection
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