You've probably heard the name Marjorie Merriweather Post floating around, especially if you're into American history or visited Mar-a-Lago. But let me tell you - what most articles skip over is how this woman didn't just inherit wealth, she multiplied it like nobody's business while battling society's rules for women in the 1900s. Seriously, why don't they teach this in schools?
I first stumbled upon her story during a visit to Hillwood Estate in D.C., and wow, was that an eye-opener. The tour guide mentioned she'd hosted Soviet leaders during Stalin's purges, and I thought: "Hold up, my high school history book totally missed this character!" So I dug deeper, and what I found blew my mind.
From Cereal Bowls to Boardrooms: How Marjorie Built an Empire
Okay, let's clear something up right away - yes, she inherited Post Cereal Company from her dad C.W. Post. But here's what nobody tells you: when she took over in 1914 after her second husband Edward Close died, the company was worth $20 million. When she passed in 1973? Over $200 million (that's about $1.3 billion today). Not too shabby for a woman who couldn't even vote when she started.
How'd she do it? Three killer moves:
- The frozen food gamble - Back when freezers were iceboxes, she bought Birdseye Frozen Foods in 1929. People thought she was nuts. Turned out to be genius.
- Breakfast revolution - She created "instant" products like Tang and freeze-dried coffee when competitors laughed at the idea.
- Global taste testing - Literally had scouts bringing back foods from 60+ countries to create new products. Her kitchen looked like a UN food summit.
Honestly, reading about her boardroom tactics makes today's CEO memoirs look tame. She'd show up to meetings with competitor products, taste-test them live, and ask "Why can't we beat this?" No corporate speak - just straight talk.
| Year | Business Move | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| 1922 | Married E.F. Hutton | Co-founded General Foods Corporation |
| 1929 | Acquired Birdseye Frozen Foods | Created $50M frozen food market |
| 1930s | International product sourcing | Introduced 30+ new food lines |
| 1950s | Investment in aviation | First private corporate jet usage |
The Not-So-Glamorous Side of Being Marjorie
Can we talk about the elephant in the room? Four marriages. Newspapers ate that up - "Cereal Queen Swaps Husbands Like Hats!" type garbage. What they didn't report:
- First husband Edward Close left her financially vulnerable after his death (hence the business hustle)
- Second husband E.F. Hutton allegedly cheated constantly despite her funding his brokerage
- Third husband Joseph Davies used her wealth to fund his ambassadorship to USSR
Looking at her letters at Hillwood Museum, you see the frustration. In one 1938 note she wrote: "They call me extravagant while ignoring that I employ 300 when others hire 30." Ouch. Still burns today, doesn't it?
And about that "extravagant" label - yeah, she built Mar-a-Lago. But during the Depression? She turned it into a free soup kitchen employing 100 locals. Why doesn't anyone mention that?
Inside Marjorie's Palaces: Where to Experience Her Legacy Today
If you really want to understand Marjorie Merriweather Post, visit her homes. I've been to all three, and each reveals different sides of her. Pro tip: Go offseason to avoid crowds.
Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens (Washington D.C.)
Okay, this place? Stunning. But what shocked me wasn't the Fabergé eggs or French furniture - it's how personal it feels. Her bedroom slippers still beside the bed, notes on her desk... spooky but intimate.
| Visitor Info | Details |
|---|---|
| Address | 4155 Linnean Ave NW, Washington, DC 20008 |
| Hours | Tue-Sun 10AM-5PM (closed Mondays & major holidays) |
| Tickets | $18 adults / $12 students / Free under 6 |
| Parking | Free onsite but limited (Metro Red Line to Van Ness) |
| Must-Sees | Russian Sacred Arts Gallery, Lunar Lawn, Cutting Garden |
Little known fact: Her art collection was so valuable, the Smithsonian stores pieces when not displayed. I saw a security guard following one tourist who got too close to a 16th-century chalice. Tense!
The gardens? She designed them herself despite having 20 gardeners. I sat where she hosted JFK in 1962 - same stone bench, same view. Chills.
Mar-a-Lago (Palm Beach, FL)
Before it became famous for politics, this was Marjorie's winter playground. Good luck getting in nowadays unless you're a member ($200k initiation!), but here's what you'd see:
- The 75-foot gold-leafed ceiling in the living room (took 3 years to restore after 1927 hurricane)
- Original Venetian murals she shipped from Europe piece-by-piece
- Underground tunnels servants used (she hated disrupting guests with service)
Weirdest feature? The powder room walls are covered in leather. Because why not?
Camp Topridge (Adirondacks, NY)
This rustic retreat shows her down-to-earth side. No gold leaf here - just 68 lakeside acres with log cabins. Open for tours mid-June to Labor Day:
| Feature | Marjorie's Personal Touch |
|---|---|
| Dining Hall | Hand-carved chairs depicting her dogs |
| Boat House | Original canoes she paddled at age 70 |
| "Moon Cabin" | Sleeping porch for meteor shower viewing |
Staff told me she'd water-ski before breakfast well into her 60s. Meanwhile, I get winded climbing stairs...
Philanthropy Beyond Checkbooks
Here's where Marjorie Merriweather Post gets really interesting. While Rockefeller and Carnegie built institutions, she practiced what I call "personal philanthropy":
The human touch approach
- During WWII, converted her yacht into hospital ship personally interviewing nurses
- Sent care packages to employees' families during Depression with handwritten notes
- Funded Russian ballet dancers' defections during Cold War
Controversial choice? She donated $5M to HUAC (House Un-American Activities Committee) in 1950s. Found that buried in archives. Makes you wonder - business pragmatism or genuine fear? Her diaries suggest both.
Q: How much was Marjorie Merriweather Post worth when she died?
A: Approximately $250 million ($1.5 billion today). But here's the kicker - she'd already donated half her wealth before death through anonymous trusts. Only revealed in 1990s when archives opened.
Q: Did she have children?
A> Three daughters: Adelaide, Eleanor, and actress Dina Merrill. Family drama alert - eldest daughter Adelaide sued her twice over inheritance. Awkward Thanksgiving dinners, I imagine.
Q: Why did she collect Russian art?
A> Third husband Joseph Davies was ambassador to USSR. She developed real appreciation beyond politics. When Stalin purged aristocracy, she secretly bought artworks families smuggled out. Risky move in 1930s!
Why Modern Businesswomen Should Study Marjorie
Look, I'm no business guru. But studying Marjorie Merriweather Post taught me things no MBA program covers:
- Turn weakness into weapon - Used "society hostess" image to network with world leaders while male competitors couldn't get meetings
- Fail openly - Her "Postum" beverage flopped spectacularly in 1950s. She publicly analyzed why at shareholder meeting instead of hiding it
- Physical spaces matter - Designed office buildings with skylights and gardens decades before "workplace wellness" became trendy
Her best quote? "Never apologize for wealth if you use it to lift others." Saw that embroidered on a pillow at Hillwood. Cheesy? Maybe. Powerful? Absolutely.
The Darker Legacy We Don't Discuss
Should we talk about the uncomfortable stuff? Let's.
Her father C.W. Post built his fortune partly through questionable health claims about Grape-Nuts curing appendicitis (yikes). Marjorie never publicly addressed this, though company archives show she quietly phased out pseudoscientific ads.
And let's be real - the servants' quarters at Mar-a-Lago? Cramped and windowless despite the mansion's grandeur. She paid well above market rate, but still... that disparity bothers me.
Experience Her World: Practical Visiting Tips
Having visited all her properties multiple times, here's my unfiltered advice:
| Location | Best For | Skip If | Insider Tip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hillwood Estate | Personal artifacts, gardens | You dislike decorative arts | Go Wednesday mornings - fewest crowds |
| Mar-a-Lago area | Architecture, history | Expecting interior access | Best photos from public beach access at sunrise |
| Camp Topridge | Nature, rustic charm | Needing luxury amenities | Book "Fireplace Tour" for ghost stories |
Seriously - wear comfy shoes at Hillwood. The estate is larger than it looks, and those marble floors? Murder on the feet after two hours. Learned that the hard way.
Budget note: Hillwood offers free admission days monthly (check site), and Palm Beach has cheaper hotels just inland. Marjorie would approve of smart spending!
Foods That Shaped Her Life (And You Can Still Taste)
Fun fact: Many products in your pantry exist because of Marjorie Merriweather Post. Here's what she actually ate daily according to her chefs' diaries:
- Breakfast: Grape-Nuts with sliced bananas (still eats like concrete, but healthier than modern cereals)
- Lunch: Waldorf salad - but with Russian dressing instead of mayo (game changer!)
- Dinner: Beef Stroganoff using Birdseye frozen onions (her "cheat" ingredient)
Want to eat like Marjorie? The cafe at Hillwood serves her original recipes. The borscht? Surprisingly good, though I still don't get the fascination with caviar at breakfast.
Her personal chef published a cookbook in 1961 - found a battered copy at a Maine antique store. The "Millionaire's Shortbread" uses absurd amounts of butter. Explains why diet wasn't discussed much in her circles...
Final Thoughts: Why She Still Matters
Walking through Marjorie Merriweather Post's gardens last fall, I realized something: We remember Rockefellers for money, Vanderbilts for mansions, but she blended commerce, culture, and conscience uniquely. Not perfectly - show me someone who lived perfectly - but authentically.
Did she make mistakes? Hell yes. That fourth marriage to Herbert May was clearly a disaster (lasted 6 years, cost her millions). But her courage to keep reinventing? That's timeless.
So next time you pour cereal or see Mar-a-Lago on news, remember the woman behind the myth. The one who wrote in her diary at 80: "Tomorrow: New project. Maybe airplanes?" Now that's how to live.
Historical sources: Hillwood Archives, Library of Congress Post Family Papers, "American Empress" by Nancy Rubin Stuart (2018), Smithsonian Oral History Project interviews with former staff.
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