After the Civil War, America grew rapidly. Leading this charge were America’s most influential financial and corporate executives. Cornelius Vanderbilt built a railroad empire spanning the Northeast and the Midwest. John D. Rockefeller dominated the world’s largest oil refining industry. Andrew Carnegie and Henry Frick built the world’s largest and most profitable steel enterprise. Andrew Mellon led the world in the production of aluminum. J.P. Morgan was the country’s leading financial executive, facilitating deals that forged General Electric and U.S. Steel. While they had their critics, America’s titans left behind an unprecedented economy and an enduring standard for philanthropy.