Jay Gould
Thornhurst Township, Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania
Marker Inscription
The first business venture of the noted speculator and railroad manipulator was in this village, then called Gouldsboro. Here, 1856-61, he owned a large tannery with Zaddock Pratt. The tannery profits became the basis of his fortune.
Erected by Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission
The Story
Long before he became one of the Gilded Age's most feared financiers, Jay Gould got his start in this quiet Pocono village—then named Gouldsboro in his honor. Between 1856 and 1861 he partnered with the wealthy leather magnate Zaddock Pratt to run a large tannery here, converting the hemlock forests of northeastern Pennsylvania into the tanbark that cured hides on an industrial scale. The profits Gould pulled from this remote operation gave him the capital he would later parlay into control of railroads, gold, and Wall Street itself.
Why it matters
This modest tannery site marks the launching point of a career that came to symbolize both the raw opportunity and the ruthless speculation of America's Gilded Age.
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Related people
- · Jay Gould
- · Zaddock Pratt
Themes & tags
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