Marjorie Merriweather Post being accused of pulling off an art heist is ridiculous! She saved and rescued great works of art for posterity, using her money wisely to facilitate the process. Miss Post is to be commended as a patroness extraordinaire of the arts and not condemned as an art thief by those who are obviously not so well informed. We shall not dwell on your faux pas. I still like watching your videos of interesting houses. Do continue.
I enjoyed the video and your research, but am aghast at your portrayal of her as a thief. MMP fed millions of Russians that were starving at the time. The Russian Government at the time was destroying or selling all the historical items that belonged to the Romanov Dynasty. The WORLD ought to THANK HER for SAVING all those art treasures and for taking them to America where they would be saved and restored. Yes, she probably obtained some items that had been stolen, but all of the Russian artifacts had been stolen from the Romanov Family. Stalin and his government hated the Romanov Dynasty and wanted all traces of them removed. I for one am Thankful that a Billionaire saved some of the finest treasures of Russia.
Even Queen Mary took a little advantage of the Russian branch of the family when push came to shove, and gained many fine pieces of Romanov jewelry in exchange for the safe passage of some who fled. MMP saw an opportunity and went for it.
She was a remarkable woman. Philanthropist, art collector, business woman & socialite. She was not as successful in her personal relationships. She was Barbara Hutton’s aunt by marriage & mother of actress Dina Merrill. My favorite house of hers is Hillwood. The art she collected was purchased at a fair price from current owners. Provenance may have been questionable due to revolutions but she did not do anything illegal or out of the ordinary for the time.
CW Post didn't 'technically' leave it all to Marjorie. She had to fight the board of the company and win in court in order to take over. But she was tenacious, and proved up to the task.
I stayed two nights at the Post estate in the Adirondacks. She was known to have fresh flowers flown in from the California once a week when she stayed there. She made sure to have the dear fed with hay and other grains in the depth of winter. The estate at that time I was there, was in the hands of the State of NY which was given to them from M.Post estate.
I’ve been to Hillwood in DC. it’s a beautiful home still configured as the home it was at the height of Marjorie’s living there among ALL her museum pieces in every room. How the home is showcased is not for the making of the museum, but how the home actually looked then…..and has stayed that way. It’s a beautiful property.
I've been too!! I didn't realize how close I lived to her home. I lived on 16th Street NW when visited. I don't recall seeing any major landmarks from her home. As far as historical homes go Biltmore estate in NC is still my number one!
This is an outstanding property! It has the most comprehensive collection of Russian Imperial Art outside of the Kremlin. It also has an important collection of 18th century French art, including Marie Antoinette’s writing desk. The grounds are beautiful, and I like how her mini-cottages that represent her other magnificent estates are authentically replicated and botanically linked throughout the property. The on site restaurant serves a tasty lunch.😃
Love your channel! This episode was especially intriguing! The history and the pictures captivated my interest and left me wanting MORE!! Thank you, This House❤
I actually met Marjorie’s daughter Eleanor in the late 1990’s. I remember her stories, the best one was how when she was a child, the Post’s yacht Sea Cloud was fitted with one of the world’s first refrigeration systems in order to have Thanksgiving dinner while half way around the world. Refrigeration system provided by Clarence Birdseye himself. Also worked for General Foods and your research is spot on.
So Cool, I only learned a few years back, reading an old Life Magazine from 1960, that Ms. Post was born in Springfield Illinois, I too was born in Springfield Il., in 1963, and still live there, Also I did not know until recently that actress Dina Merrill was her Daughter., Really neat to know that..
If you ever visit Hillwood, they tell how the Czarist artifacts purchased by Ms Post were in fact thrown out to be broken down and destroyed. She purchased the items (DID NOT STEAL) that were available and they are all on display as museum pieces for the public to enjoy. For those of us who love history, but will never be able to afford to go to Russia to visit their Armory, it is exhilarating to see.
@@williamadams5695 I guess you'd be happy if the 'stolen' art had been destroyed in lieu of its preservation. Life isn't always fair nor black or white, there is a lot of grey.
Loved this video Ken! Go Marjorie! Loved the history of her and how she came to her glory and a woman who knew what she wanted, at least in the moment she knew what she wanted and then it changed particularly her marriage Adventures. I love the ending of the story that she wanted that house not sold off but wanted it to be open to the public and donated her art to the Smithsonian. Great story thank you. I like the last house the best, and I love the story of the penthouse and how that came about
@@kartos. 1st husband was a mistake of youth. 2nd was a womanizer. 3rd tried to cheat her out of a fortune. 4th turned out to be gay and thought that at their age she wouldn't want sex (He was wrong.)
During the Gilded Age, a few men invested in America's burgeoning industrialization - the railroad and large ships among others. These men fought each other, but also willingly (or involuntarily) merged companies to create behemoths, generating fabulous wealth. Then, Marjorie and her numerous husbands did largely the same. She lived, she married, but she built an empire with her restless ambition all along the way. Today, practically everything we eat and use (aside from computer-related) had its start in one of these little companies without which our lives would be more meager. It's fascinating!
You didn't tell the entire story of her collecting and also left out a home she purchased in Washington DC before Hillwood years. BTW!, The Smithsonian returned Hillwood to the family because it couldn't maintain the estate according to the directives of Mr. Post. Her daughter, Dina Merrill established a foundation that successfully maintains and operates the estate.
Museum bureaucrats notoriously hate following donor instructions and as soon as the benefactors are safely dead start looking for ways to weasel out of them.
I grew up across from Mar-A-Lago in the 80s when it was shuttered in mystery and even came out to myself on the seawall with the sun coming up over the tower. I would be very lucky to visit multiple times in the late 1990s and it was actually a very intimate space even though it had just been converted to a club. You never felt overwhelmed. I even went to the local sales of discarded items from the estate including the original torch bearer's lanterns. It was truly a magical space. Sadly Mrs. Post's (for some reason I always call her Mrs. Post) Adirondack NY Camp Topridge property was left out of the video. It is an amazing property. So is the Sea Cloud. Wonderful video as always.
@Christian B. Poirier As a native Miamian, I agree with your choices! The Rusty Pelican has the best views of Miami. Their menu has changed from a Polynesian/South Pacific/ fisherman’s wharf decor and menu to a minimalist, upscale pseudo haute-cuisine menu with the requisite astronomical prices. There is no more cheese bread, but the outside fire pits and tiki lamps are still there.
Do you remember the yearly gigantic Christmas Trees in Hypoluxo, Palm Beach at the headquarters of The National Enquirer? It was the largest one in the United States. We would drive up every December from Miami and then devour a Wendy’s Frosty afterwards in the “cold” weather. As kids, we thought that was the bomb!
@@carolm4545 it's really a shame when they can't leave an iconic older than you looking the way it used to look and they try to make it chic by making it minimalist . I'll bet you it would have drawn bigger crowds if it had stayed true to its original identity and allowed to be a true landmark .
Yes!!! I was looking forward to hearing/seeing Camp Topridge. I grew up in the Adirondacks and some of those great camps are amazing... I even had the privilege of living at Camp Uncas and Camp Sagamore quite a few summers as a teenager.
I had the pleasure of visiting Hillwood. It not only is an amazing home but the reflection of a magnificent Lady whose collections displayed there enthrall the visitor. The Docents are extremely professional and your groups are small in order to provide enjoyment and learning. The grounds are magnificent. And lunch is a delight. Be sure to place this on your wish list!!!
My Aunt was a good friend of Marjorie and I was told that Marjorie was never happy with her relationships because all the men she married did not have as much money as she and viewed the men as gold diggers. Hell, so few men in the world have the kind of money she had!
My mother and I both grew up in Washington, D. C., not far from Mrs. Merriweather Post's house, which is proprerly called Tregaron. One day, she came around the corner in her chauffer-driven "block long" limousine. She looked through her lorgnette at my father, who was mowing the lawn clad only in shorts and shoes. But we lived higher up on the hill than she did, so we "looked down on her".
I live in Battle Creek where Post and Kelloggs were both founded. Post here was not changed to General foods. We used to be called Cereal City. Kelloggs brothers story is very interesting also. The Kellogg Foundation took one of the homes from Kelloggs and moved it downtown, restored it and uses it for Residents who come to work at the Foundation. This was not John Harvey Kellogg but his brother who was a Dr who started the Foundation. There is a beautiful home at Gull Lake that was also preserved. Maybe you could do the Kellogg Brothers homes 🏡 Thanks for the vidoe
Been to the Post plant at ton of times in the late 1990’s. If I recall the story, there was a “health” clinic in Battle Creek, CW invented “Postum” cereal which was used at the institution. I believe there is a whole move about that institution, can’t remember the name. Then came “Grape Nuts”. Both in the late 1890’s. Can’t remember who got to the extruded flake technology, Post or Kellogg, nor can I remember whether or not they were together then split, I don’t think so. But once both companies were established, Battle Creek was the capital of the cereal world for decades and decades. The plants are right next to each other, there was a Ralston Purina cereal plant just down the street, so they were all there for years.
Great segment, as are they all! Just to add - she also had the original Hillwood Estate in Brookville, Long Island, New York, now C.W. Post College. And also, Topridge, which was her "camp" on Saranac Lake in the Adirondacks upstate New York. What a life!
A daughter to Marjorie and EF Hutton was Dina Merrill, the beautiful and popular actress of the fifties and early sixties. I must say one aspect of this story I’m not certain to be accurate. I worked at the hospital in West Palm Beach where Marjorie was brought during her final illness. When she passed it was well known within the hospital but for her privacy’s sake the information regarding the circumstances were not available immediately available for public consumption. This was not an uncommon practice at the time as one’s privacy was respected. Within the hospital everyone was aware when Dina Merrill was with her mother in the hospital. The hospital was St. Mary’s.
Janice Browning. I painted four of her grandchildren for her. She wasn’t easy to deal with, but her son was really who I worked with. When I finished the twins, I received a call from her, “Anne, do you think they are large enough?…I should have reminded her that the paintings could easily be cut down in size by restretching them, but you couldn’t add to them . I painted the last two stretched smaller. Whatever.😊
Fascinating story and well done! General Foods was located in White Plains, NY. My grandfather worked there starting as a janitor then ultimately becoming facilities manager. He retired the year I was born in 1970. And now I also see why there’s the Merriweather Post Pavilion in MD as I’m presuming that was built when she lived in DC. I wondered who that was named after. I’ve been there for a few concerts. 😁
@@rhuephus So...a person wouldn't know people who predated them? Doesn't that leave out an awful lot of people? :) Maybe this series will help nonreaders learn about them.
Thanks for the very compelling bio of this dynamic woman. You may want to consider changing your audio recording method as the sound has so much echo that your narration isn't very clear.
Topridge is owned by Harlan Crow, who is worth $3.1 Billion. He has infamously hosted U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, worth $32 Million, at Topridge or ( whatever it is called now) several times.
Wow, this is fabulous! If it wasn't for you, I never would've heard of any of this. Thank you! Now I just need to inherit $530 million & find one husband.
Marjorie Merrieweather Post was one of the last real Barron's who knew what it was like to earn wealth and how to spend it! America's Castles has a great history on how she worked side by side with her father to create the Postum Cereal Company which she later incorporated into General Foods. ❤️🙏
America's Castles had some cool stories and tours. I recorded (vcr) a bunch of the episodes. I bet you'd like the power plant in Hammond, Indiana. I imagine somebody has put a UA-cam video out.
The Communist Party after murdering Czar Nicholas II and his family were anxious to sell Antiques to anyone that could pay the price. That she was one person who bought some of the items only marks the fact that these Antiques would probably not exist today had she not bought many of the items legally. Mar-O- Lago is by far the beautiful Estate she ever built.
I don't think that she stole the art from the Soviets. They were more than willing to sell, using those monies to help modernise the new Soviet Union. There wasn't a lot of sentimental feeling for the Romanovs, so, the paintings and jewels and tapestries were willingly sold. Marjorie was lucky as hell to get her dollar dusted hands on them. Probably saved a lot of the objects from being destroyed. I will say she was more like a benign black widow spider...after she got what she wanted from those rich and influential men, she divorced them. No tears, one of her daughters was actress/socialite Dina Merrill...they all lived well, members of the American Royalty.
C. W. Post did more than pass away: he shot himself! Her first husband Edwin Close would become the grandfather of Glenn Close by the son he had with his 2nd wife. Marjorie wanted GF to but out Clarence Birdseye for $2 million. E.F. Hutton shot down the idea; when the company did buy Birdseye a few years later, it was for$56,000,000 (should have listened to her). She sailed her yacht to the Soviet Union without bothering to get visas for the crew. Herbert May was from the May Department Stores family. She had the same, but different, problem with him that she had had with E.F. Hutton: Hutton couldn't keep his hands off any pretty girl he saw - May couldn't keep his hands off any handsome boy he saw (at least according to her biography "Heiress"). Whoa!!!! How could you forget Camp Topside her enormous Adirondacks estate? That's camp as in the Breakers is a cottage.
We plan to do a follow up video about some of her other homes and dive more deeply into the (scandalous) lives of some of her husbands. There really is a lot more to this story. Cheers!
@@ThisHouse Good Job Ken!! You do such a good job keeping them curios and asking for more! I'm so happy I found your YT Channel Ken I'm having so much fun learning history and the people who made it. "Blessing to you and your family" Linda from Michigan
Marjorie had many beautiful homes. Her penthouse and her last home were absolutely beautiful. The gardens, and the art collection were amazing. I wish that I had the chance to visit her last Estate.
Earlier today I just watched an episode about this lady your talking about. The show is called food that build America. It was interesting. All the episodes about different companies are interesting that started in the early 1900’s or late 1800’s
If you are exploring penthouse mansions, there is one that rises above all others (and, in my opinion, is one of the most mysterious and beautiful of all penthouses ever) the grand "chateau in the sky" that sits atop the Pierre Hotel in NYC. It is literally a Beaux Arts three story chateau overlooking Central Park. Please tell this story. I am fascinated by this penthouse. Please tell it's story.
I've been there. It was originally the hotel's ballroom for big events. So it has an unbelievably large "living room" but the bedrooms and other rooms are small. It has small terraces but at that height it's too windy to stand out there to enjoy the view, all the way up the Hudson River.
@@theoriginalbridgetconnors That's the trouble with "fictionalized" history. It gives the author license to make up any origin story to fit the circumstances and history once again evolves from conjecture to legend in the public consciousness .
Can you spotlight The Oceanside in Magnolia, MA and associated buildings? The Magnolia Historical Society could be of great help. The Hesperus was also another fine hotel in Magnolia of that era. Love your channel!
Marjorie Merriweather Post being accused of pulling off an art heist is ridiculous! She saved and rescued great works of art for posterity, using her money wisely to facilitate the process. Miss Post is to be commended as a patroness extraordinaire of the arts and not condemned as an art thief by those who are obviously not so well informed. We shall not dwell on your faux pas. I still like watching your videos of interesting houses. Do continue.
Thomas Crown affair
I enjoyed the video and your research, but am aghast at your portrayal of her as a thief. MMP fed millions of Russians that were starving at the time. The Russian Government at the time was destroying or selling all the historical items that belonged to the Romanov Dynasty. The WORLD ought to THANK HER for SAVING all those art treasures and for taking them to America where they would be saved and restored. Yes, she probably obtained some items that had been stolen, but all of the Russian artifacts had been stolen from the Romanov Family. Stalin and his government hated the Romanov Dynasty and wanted all traces of them removed. I for one am Thankful that a Billionaire saved some of the finest treasures of Russia.
Thank you for posting that. I was going to post something similar before I saw it.
Even Queen Mary took a little advantage of the Russian branch of the family when push came to shove, and gained many fine pieces of Romanov jewelry in exchange for the safe passage of some who fled. MMP saw an opportunity and went for it.
@Chris Allen agree completely.
I agree
💖Have you seen the Miniseries:"Jewels"?....Though it is ,partly , Fictional,it depicts some of what you're saying😁
She was a remarkable woman. Philanthropist, art collector, business woman & socialite. She was not as successful in her personal relationships. She was Barbara Hutton’s aunt by marriage & mother of actress Dina Merrill. My favorite house of hers is Hillwood. The art she collected was purchased at a fair price from current owners. Provenance may have been questionable due to revolutions but she did not do anything illegal or out of the ordinary for the time.
CW Post didn't 'technically' leave it all to Marjorie. She had to fight the board of the company and win in court in order to take over. But she was tenacious, and proved up to the task.
I stayed two nights at the Post estate in the Adirondacks. She was known to have fresh flowers flown in from the California once a week when she stayed there.
She made sure to have the dear fed with hay and other grains in the depth of winter. The estate at that time I was there, was in the hands of the State of NY which was given to them from M.Post estate.
I’ve been to Hillwood in DC. it’s a beautiful home still configured as the home it was at the height of Marjorie’s living there among ALL her museum pieces in every room. How the home is showcased is not for the making of the museum, but how the home actually looked then…..and has stayed that way. It’s a beautiful property.
I've been too!! I didn't realize how close I lived to her home. I lived on 16th Street NW when visited. I don't recall seeing any major landmarks from her home. As far as historical homes go Biltmore estate in NC is still my number one!
This is an outstanding property! It has the most comprehensive collection of Russian Imperial Art outside of the Kremlin. It also has an important collection of 18th century French art, including Marie Antoinette’s writing desk. The grounds are beautiful, and I like how her mini-cottages that represent her other magnificent estates are authentically replicated and botanically linked throughout the property. The on site restaurant serves a tasty lunch.😃
Must be awesome!
I went today it was beautiful
@@theehappyhousewife3346 that’s so awesome! I even bought the Hillwood book. Lol. Wanted to take the mansion home with me!
Love your channel! This episode was especially intriguing! The history and the pictures captivated my interest and left me wanting MORE!! Thank you, This House❤
I actually met Marjorie’s daughter Eleanor in the late 1990’s. I remember her stories, the best one was how when she was a child, the Post’s yacht Sea Cloud was fitted with one of the world’s first refrigeration systems in order to have Thanksgiving dinner while half way around the world. Refrigeration system provided by Clarence Birdseye himself. Also worked for General Foods and your research is spot on.
Thank you for sharing!
Now, I'm curious about Clarence Birdseye
Very interesting!!
@@noxirs7059 I believe he started "Birdseye" frozen foods -- thus the refrigeration.
@@noxirs7059, he created the method for flash freezing to keep food fresh without losing its texture and taste.
So Cool, I only learned a few years back, reading an old Life Magazine from 1960, that Ms. Post was born in Springfield Illinois, I too was born in Springfield Il., in 1963, and still live there, Also I did not know until recently that actress Dina Merrill was her Daughter., Really neat to know that..
"Art Heist" "Individual in 1985" very charged choice of words.
If you ever visit Hillwood, they tell how the Czarist artifacts purchased by Ms Post were in fact thrown out to be broken down and destroyed. She purchased the items (DID NOT STEAL) that were available and they are all on display as museum pieces for the public to enjoy. For those of us who love history, but will never be able to afford to go to Russia to visit their Armory, it is exhilarating to see.
So she bought looted art from the murdered Romano’s!
@@williamadams5695 so she saved looted art from destruction. Kudos to her.
@@jeanfrost5452 ... You can twist it anyway you want but she bought stolen art!
@@williamadams5695 I guess you'd be happy if the 'stolen' art had been destroyed in lieu of its preservation. Life isn't always fair nor black or white, there is a lot of grey.
@@jeanfrost5452 ... Typical Karen!!! You'd argue with a stop sign wouldn't you??
Loved this video Ken! Go Marjorie! Loved the history of her and how she came to her glory and a woman who knew what she wanted, at least in the moment she knew what she wanted and then it changed particularly her marriage Adventures. I love the ending of the story that she wanted that house not sold off but wanted it to be open to the public and donated her art to the Smithsonian. Great story thank you. I like the last house the best, and I love the story of the penthouse and how that came about
Sounds more like she didn't know what she wanted since she kept moving and divorcing!
Those rich don't know what the hell they want!!!!
@@kartos. 1st husband was a mistake of youth. 2nd was a womanizer. 3rd tried to cheat her out of a fortune. 4th turned out to be gay and thought that at their age she wouldn't want sex (He was wrong.)
Cathy Stark What a tragic waste of money and a tragic waste of a life. Money, power and greed. It all goes with being American.
During the Gilded Age, a few men invested in America's burgeoning industrialization - the railroad and large ships among others. These men fought each other, but also willingly (or involuntarily) merged companies to create behemoths, generating fabulous wealth. Then, Marjorie and her numerous husbands did largely the same. She lived, she married, but she built an empire with her restless ambition all along the way. Today, practically everything we eat and use (aside from computer-related) had its start in one of these little companies without which our lives would be more meager. It's fascinating!
Thank you getting on with it and telling the story, Too many bloggers stretch it out. Again thank you
I love the info on these houses …it’s so interesting and informative…thanks.
A room to store her “fresh flowers” and a addition 19 (individual) rooms for her servants! Holy moly!
yep ... being rich in those days was very expensive
You didn't tell the entire story of her collecting and also left out a home she purchased in Washington DC before Hillwood years. BTW!, The Smithsonian returned Hillwood to the family because it couldn't maintain the estate according to the directives of Mr. Post. Her daughter, Dina Merrill established a foundation that successfully maintains and operates the estate.
For all those who say "old" building should be kept--ignoring the cost (in perpetuity) of upkeep, maintenance, staff, conservation, etc..
Museum bureaucrats notoriously hate following donor instructions and as soon as the benefactors are safely dead start looking for ways to weasel out of them.
Thanks for another great video. Your voice is so soothing & I'm crazy about houses! Really glad I found your channel!
Wow great video. History and architecture in one video. Love it.
I grew up across from Mar-A-Lago in the 80s when it was shuttered in mystery and even came out to myself on the seawall with the sun coming up over the tower. I would be very lucky to visit multiple times in the late 1990s and it was actually a very intimate space even though it had just been converted to a club. You never felt overwhelmed. I even went to the local sales of discarded items from the estate including the original torch bearer's lanterns. It was truly a magical space. Sadly Mrs. Post's (for some reason I always call her Mrs. Post) Adirondack NY Camp Topridge property was left out of the video. It is an amazing property. So is the Sea Cloud. Wonderful video as always.
@Christian B. Poirier As a native Miamian, I agree with your choices! The Rusty Pelican has the best views of Miami. Their menu has changed from a Polynesian/South Pacific/ fisherman’s wharf decor and menu to a minimalist, upscale pseudo haute-cuisine menu with the requisite astronomical prices. There is no more cheese bread, but the outside fire pits and tiki lamps are still there.
Do you remember the yearly gigantic Christmas Trees in Hypoluxo, Palm Beach at the headquarters of The National Enquirer? It was the largest one in the United States. We would drive up every December from Miami and then devour a Wendy’s Frosty afterwards in the “cold” weather. As kids, we thought that was the bomb!
Everyone called her Mrs. Post!
@@carolm4545 it's really a shame when they can't leave an iconic older than you looking the way it used to look and they try to make it chic by making it minimalist .
I'll bet you it would have drawn bigger crowds if it had stayed true to its original identity and allowed to be a true landmark .
Yes!!! I was looking forward to hearing/seeing Camp Topridge. I grew up in the Adirondacks and some of those great camps are amazing... I even had the privilege of living at Camp Uncas and Camp Sagamore quite a few summers as a teenager.
She also donated much of the land that is Rock Creek Park, located in the center of NW Washington.
I had the pleasure of visiting Hillwood. It not only is an amazing home but the reflection of a magnificent Lady whose collections displayed there enthrall the visitor. The Docents are extremely professional and your groups are small in order to provide enjoyment and learning. The grounds are magnificent. And lunch is a delight. Be sure to place this on your wish list!!!
My Aunt was a good friend of Marjorie and I was told that Marjorie was never happy with her relationships because all the men she married did not have as much money as she and viewed the men as gold diggers. Hell, so few men in the world have the kind of money she had!
My mother and I both grew up in Washington, D. C., not far from Mrs. Merriweather Post's house, which is proprerly called Tregaron. One day, she came around the corner in her chauffer-driven "block long" limousine. She looked through her lorgnette at my father, who was mowing the lawn clad only in shorts and shoes. But we lived higher up on the hill than she did, so we "looked down on her".
Juliet😄😄😄
My Granddad was Vice President of manufacturing for General Mills! He was also from Springfield, Il
Ill-gotten Art? Plundered? I wouldn’t go that far.
What about her home on Long Island where C.W. Post College is now located? Hers was one among the many beautiful homes on LI's Gold Coast.
Thank you so much for all the hard work!
I really appreciate it!
There is no house like Mar a Lago. Paradise on earth.
ABSOLUTELY MY FRIEND ❣️
TRUMP 2024 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
I live in Battle Creek where Post and Kelloggs were both founded. Post here was not changed to General foods. We used to be called Cereal City.
Kelloggs brothers story is very interesting also. The Kellogg Foundation took one of the homes from Kelloggs and moved it downtown, restored it and uses it for Residents who come to work at the Foundation. This was not John Harvey Kellogg but his brother who was a Dr who started the Foundation. There is a beautiful home at Gull Lake that was also preserved.
Maybe you could do the Kellogg Brothers homes 🏡
Thanks for the vidoe
Great idea.
Been to the Post plant at ton of times in the late 1990’s. If I recall the story, there was a “health” clinic in Battle Creek, CW invented “Postum” cereal which was used at the institution. I believe there is a whole move about that institution, can’t remember the name. Then came “Grape Nuts”. Both in the late 1890’s. Can’t remember who got to the extruded flake technology, Post or Kellogg, nor can I remember whether or not they were together then split, I don’t think so. But once both companies were established, Battle Creek was the capital of the cereal world for decades and decades. The plants are right next to each other, there was a Ralston Purina cereal plant just down the street, so they were all there for years.
I too grew up in Battle Creek Cereal City
Ken you do a wonderful job bringing these long lost treasures to our attention and to life!👍👍❤️
Fascinating woman and story 👏👏👏 I'd love to know more about her and her family
Great segment, as are they all! Just to add - she also had the original Hillwood Estate in Brookville, Long Island, New York, now C.W. Post College. And also, Topridge, which was her "camp" on Saranac Lake in the Adirondacks upstate New York. What a life!
CW Post College has been around for more than 40 yrs
Perfect for my lunch today😋 Thank you this house!!!
Great story! She lived big!
A daughter to Marjorie and EF Hutton was Dina Merrill, the beautiful and popular actress of the fifties and early sixties. I must say one aspect of this story I’m not certain to be accurate. I worked at the hospital in West Palm Beach where Marjorie was brought during her final illness. When she passed it was well known within the hospital but for her privacy’s sake the information regarding the circumstances were not available immediately available for public consumption. This was not an uncommon practice at the time as one’s privacy was respected. Within the hospital everyone was aware when Dina Merrill was with her mother in the hospital. The hospital was St. Mary’s.
Janice Browning. I painted four of her grandchildren for her. She wasn’t easy to deal with, but her son was really who I worked with. When I finished the twins, I received a call from her, “Anne, do you think they are large enough?…I should have reminded her that the paintings could easily be cut down in size by restretching them, but you couldn’t add to them . I painted the last two stretched smaller. Whatever.😊
Dina Merrill was once married to the actor Cliff Robertson.
Fascinating story and well done! General Foods was located in White Plains, NY. My grandfather worked there starting as a janitor then ultimately becoming facilities manager. He retired the year I was born in 1970. And now I also see why there’s the Merriweather Post Pavilion in MD as I’m presuming that was built when she lived in DC. I wondered who that was named after. I’ve been there for a few concerts. 😁
I’m going to that pavilion in August for a concert.
Fascinating story of Marjorie Post & her mansions & husbands!!! I especially like the penthouse mansion!!! 👍🙂
wow, luxury lifestyle. Lots of money. She was intelligent too. Thanks for your video. : )
I had never even HEARD of her! Thanks so much for your channel to bring me all these wonderful homes and the crazy people behind them.
There is a new historical fiction novel “The Magnificent Lives of Marjorie Post” by Allison Pataki. My book club loved it! Lots of discussion.
You may have heard of her daughter Dina Merrill. She was an actress and looked so much like her mom.
@@yogachica117 Dina Merrill was the epitome of elegance
probably before your time
@@rhuephus So...a person wouldn't know people who predated them? Doesn't that leave out an awful lot of people? :) Maybe this series will help nonreaders learn about them.
Thanks for the very compelling bio of this dynamic woman. You may want to consider changing your audio recording method as the sound has so much echo that your narration isn't very clear.
Thank you for the feedback, cheers!
How about Camp Topridge in the Adirondacks? That’s an awesome place she had too!
Topridge is owned by Harlan Crow, who is worth $3.1 Billion. He has infamously hosted U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, worth $32 Million, at Topridge or ( whatever it is called now) several times.
I love this stuff 💕👵🌺
Great history about Ms. Post. She was a smart but 15 years goes fast. My favourite is the DC Estate. Thank you!
Wow, this is fabulous! If it wasn't for you, I never would've heard of any of this. Thank you! Now I just need to inherit $530 million & find one husband.
if you have that much money, just rent one when you need one. Too expensive to maintain 24x7 .... eh ??. That way you could have any size you wanted
lol 😂. I married for love. We’re in the richer or POORER stage!!!
love these videos
I like your channel very much! I just subscribed!
Thank you!
Thank you so much for using someone without a British accent to narrate this video!!😀
This episode is so exciting!!!
Thank you for the tour of this gorgeous mansion!💝😊 First one is my favorite. 😁💝
I thought the mansion on top of apartment complex was an example of thinking out of the box. She must have been an extraordinary woman.
Marjorie Merrieweather Post was one of the last real Barron's who knew what it was like to earn wealth and how to spend it! America's Castles has a great history on how she worked side by side with her father to create the Postum Cereal Company which she later incorporated into General Foods. ❤️🙏
America's Castles had some cool stories and tours. I recorded (vcr) a bunch of the episodes. I bet you'd like the power plant in Hammond, Indiana. I imagine somebody has put a UA-cam video out.
Enjoyed your video, the history and information behind it. Next time I did I DC, I will be sure to visit the site.
Fun fact; Post's Grand daughter, Ellen Charles, races her horses in Maryland, under the name, Hillwood stable
Excellent presentation well done Marjory Post had an incredible life filled with privilege & was a good example of money being able to buy taste
Love learning new and exciting history. She had such beautiful taste.
I've always heard that at Mar a Lago, she was stingy about cocktails and made everyone square dance.
The Communist Party after murdering Czar Nicholas II and his family were anxious to sell Antiques to anyone that could pay the price. That she was one person who bought some of the items only marks the fact that these Antiques would probably not exist today had she not bought many of the items legally. Mar-O- Lago is by far the beautiful Estate she ever built.
Thanks for this amazing video.
Great vid, thanks.
Her last home was my favorite! I love big mansions with large gardens. It is a stunner!
Imagine being so rich that your house inherits $10M
Beautiful video.
Thank you.
I have enjoyed watching your videos!
I subbed love your content ❤️❤️
I’ve been to the Hillwood Estate in DC many times and love it there. This video was very informative.
Enjoyed this. Thanks!
I don't think that she stole the art from the Soviets. They were more than willing to sell, using those monies to help modernise the new Soviet Union. There wasn't a lot of sentimental feeling for the Romanovs, so, the paintings and jewels and tapestries were willingly sold. Marjorie was lucky as hell to get her dollar dusted hands on them. Probably saved a lot of the objects from being destroyed. I will say she was more like a benign black widow spider...after she got what she wanted from those rich and influential men, she divorced them. No tears, one of her daughters was actress/socialite Dina Merrill...they all lived well, members of the American Royalty.
Her homes are the most beautiful I have seen from your videos !
Hillwood and Manhattan penthouse I would love the architecture drawings and ideas to implement if possible in this day and age !
Thank you for sharing your research
C. W. Post did more than pass away: he shot himself!
Her first husband Edwin Close would become the grandfather of Glenn Close by the son he had with his 2nd wife.
Marjorie wanted GF to but out Clarence Birdseye for $2 million. E.F. Hutton shot down the idea; when the company did buy Birdseye a few years later, it was for$56,000,000 (should have listened to her).
She sailed her yacht to the Soviet Union without bothering to get visas for the crew.
Herbert May was from the May Department Stores family. She had the same, but different, problem with him that she had had with E.F. Hutton: Hutton couldn't keep his hands off any pretty girl he saw - May couldn't keep his hands off any handsome boy he saw (at least according to her biography "Heiress").
Whoa!!!! How could you forget Camp Topside her enormous Adirondacks estate? That's camp as in the Breakers is a cottage.
We plan to do a follow up video about some of her other homes and dive more deeply into the (scandalous) lives of some of her husbands. There really is a lot more to this story. Cheers!
@@ThisHouse Good Job Ken!! You do such a good job keeping them curios and asking for more! I'm so happy I found your YT Channel Ken I'm having so much fun learning history and the people who made it. "Blessing to you and your family" Linda from Michigan
@@ThisHouse Even I almost forgot about the one that became C W Post College.
ha ha ... he was still DEAD, so who cares
@@rhuephus Pretty much anyone who had a loved relative die by suicide.
Appreciate the video
Marjorie had many beautiful homes. Her penthouse and her last home were absolutely beautiful. The gardens, and the art collection were amazing. I wish that I had the chance to visit her last Estate.
You left out my favorite, Camp Top Ridge in the Adirondacks. She had fun building in different styles on that property.
Earlier today I just watched an episode about this lady your talking about. The show is called food that build America. It was interesting. All the episodes about different companies are interesting that started in the early 1900’s or late 1800’s
Thanks!
Marjorie was married to Edward Close for 14 years. I wouldn’t call that a brief marriage.
Very interesting video. Thank you.
What about her camp in the Adirondacks? Known as Camp Topridge.
The thumb nail photo looks like the school i used to go to. It was an old mansion of the Storrow family in Boston area. Maybe it was a common design?
If you are exploring penthouse mansions, there is one that rises above all others (and, in my opinion, is one of the most mysterious and beautiful of all penthouses ever) the grand "chateau in the sky" that sits atop the Pierre Hotel in NYC. It is literally a Beaux Arts three story chateau overlooking Central Park. Please tell this story. I am fascinated by this penthouse. Please tell it's story.
I've been there. It was originally the hotel's ballroom for big events. So it has an unbelievably large "living room" but the bedrooms and other rooms are small. It has small terraces but at that height it's too windy to stand out there to enjoy the view, all the way up the Hudson River.
Thanks for this very informative video
Excellent!
Awesome video! I love the Mar-a-lago Estate and I know who bought it in 1985.
When E. F. Hutton talks, people listen.
Great video, new sub! Thank you!
Actually, you didn’t include a photo of her first house in D.C., Tregaraon.
Actress Dina Merrill was one of her daughters and was considered the wealthiest actor ($5 billion).
Dina Merrill was a class act ✨
@@Italy55 So was her mother, and you can see where Dina's beauty came from.
There is a new historical fiction novel “The Magnificent Lives of Marjorie Post” by Allison Pataki. My book club loved it! Lots of discussion.
how do you know it was "fiction" ???
@@rhuephus It's a fictional autobiography. It was written as if Marjorie had written it.
I recently read the book too. I found it quite interesting.
@@theoriginalbridgetconnors That's the trouble with "fictionalized" history. It gives the author license to make up any origin story to fit the circumstances and history once again evolves from conjecture to legend in the public consciousness .
The Sea Cloud still exists as a cruise ship.
I really enjoyed this vlog. I wonder what became of her home in the Adirondack’s ?
Topridge is owned by the infamous Harlan Crow, who hosted the also infamous Supreme Court Justice Clarence there at Topridge several times.
They're all beautiful
I am reading a book about her. It's pretty true of her life.😊
Can you post the title and author? Sounds intriguing
Wonderful video sir!
I thought she also had a very posh camp at Saranac Lake, NY
I've toured Hillwood, was fabulous!
What about the house in Greenwich?
Can you spotlight The Oceanside in Magnolia, MA and associated buildings? The Magnolia Historical Society could be of great help. The Hesperus was also another fine hotel in Magnolia of that era. Love your channel!