Donald Trump’s famous home Mar-a-Lago, where he will take in the 2024 US election results, has a history as stored as the ex-President himself.
Believe it or not there was life in Mar-al-Lago before Donald Trump moved there.
Long before it was the 45th President’s lavish home base, the Mar-a-Lago estate was a shining example of Palm Beach’s glitzy, old-money charm.
This stunning Florida mansion on South Ocean Boulevard, where Trump will watch on as the election results roll in on November 5, began as the dream of cereal heiress Marjorie Merriweather Post, once the richest woman in America.
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Donald Trump speaks during a press conference at his Mar-a-Lago estate on August 8, 2024, in Palm Beach, Florida. Picture: Getty
According to the New York Post, After inheriting her family’s fortune in 1914 — an eye-popping $20 million at the time (some $615 million today), thanks to the iconic Post cereal empire — Post embarked on an epic hunt for the perfect location to build her own luxurious sanctuary, finally landing on a prime spot between the Atlantic Ocean and Lake Worth.
In the early 1920s, with architect Marion Sims Wyeth at the helm, Post and her then-husband, financier E.F. Hutton, launched the construction of the Mediterranean-inspired estate that would become Mar-a-Lago, meaning “Sea to Lake” in Spanish.
Between 1924 and 1927, the estate sprang to life on what was once swampland. Sprawling over 20 acres, Mar-a-Lago showcased architectural marvels and exquisite details sourced from Italy, Spain, France and Cuba.
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Multi-millionairess businesswoman Marjorie Merriweather Post during 1920s.
The 114-room mansion was an oasis of art and design, featuring a 36,000-tile display of Spanish artistry, including tiles dating back to the 15th century. The main hall glowed with a ceiling that nodded to Venice’s Thousand-Wing Ceiling, while chandeliers and intricate furniture lit up the grand living spaces.
Post, who only spent part of the year at Mar-a-Lago, decorated each room with pieces as luxurious as they were rare.
“The architecture, sculpture, planning and craftsmanship that went into this magnificent estate could not be duplicated today,” notes the estate’s website.
Outside, arches crafted from Dorian stone (flecked with Italian seashells and fossils) gave the property a standout look. The exterior also boasted a hurricane-resistant design — no small feat in Palm Beach — anchored into coral reef for protection.
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This Mediterranean-style estate, with its 114 rooms and architectural splendour, hosted some of the most glamorous events of its time. Picture: Getty
Following Marjorie Merriweather Post’s death in 1973, the mansion briefly became government property, intended as a presidential retreat, before high maintenance costs returned it to the Post Foundation. Picture: Getty
The exterior of Mar-a-Lago. Picture: Getty
The home was built to be hurricane-resistant, with concrete and steel anchors grounding it into a coral reef. Picture: Getty
Post adored entertaining and was famous for hosting swanky events, from grand charity balls to intimate dinners. She even added a dance floor in 1961, indulging her lifelong love for square dancing. And for meals, her dining room dazzled with black-and-white tiles sourced from a Cuban castle and could seat up to 30 at a table carved from semiprecious stones.
One room even housed her collection of Venetian glass and mirrors, glistening like a scene from a Renaissance palace.
When Post died in 1973, Mar-a-Lago was briefly handed over to the US government, intended as a retreat for American presidents.
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The Mediterranean style villa was designed by architect Marion Sims Wyeth. Picture: Getty
However, maintaining the property proved too costly, and it was returned to the Post Foundation a decade later.
Some treasures from the estate, including 18th-century French artwork and dining room pieces, were moved to Post’s Hillwood Estate in Washington, DC.
In 1985, Donald Trump stepped in and bought Mar-a-Lago, transforming it into a members-only club a decade later — complete with beach access, a pool, spa and tennis courts.
“It is the last remaining Palm Beach estate still containing its buildings and land in almost identical form as its original conception,” according to the property’s website.
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A U.S. Secret Service agent keeps watch at one of the gates of Republican presidential nominee, former President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago Club. Picture: Getty
A press conference in the ballroom of the Mar-a-Lago Club. Picture: Getty
Former President Donald Trump arrives at his Mar-a-Lago Club. Pictgure: Getty
Trump modernised parts of the estate, restoring it to reflect Post’s original vision while adding his own touches, including a refreshed ballroom and a revitalised golf course.
Today, Mar-a-Lago stands as a storied Palm Beach landmark, even becoming the centre of controversy.
In 2022, the FBI raided the estate, seizing classified documents and sparking legal battles over the handling of government materials.
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Trump will spend election night at Mar-a-Lago. Picture: Getty
Sunny Florida. Picture: Getty
More recently, security descended on the area due to a second assassination attempt against Trump — this time near his West Palm Beach golf club, just a short drive from Mar-a-Lago.
Part of this article originally appeared in the New York Post and are republished here with permission.
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