Mar-a-Lago, a 20-acre luxury private club and residence in central Palm Beach, Florida, was purchased by Donald Trump in 1985. We all know this man as an American statesman, politician, entrepreneur, and the 45th President of the United States from 2017 to 2021 from the Republican Party. He is the head of the construction conglomerate The Trump Organization and the owner of Trump Entertainment Resorts, which specializes in the gambling and hotel businesses. From 1996 to 2015, he owned the Miss Universe beauty pageant and appeared in cameo roles in several films and television series. In addition, Donald Trump is an executive producer, and he hosted NBC’s The Apprentice for fourteen seasons. Although Trump now owns the property, it has a fascinating, almost century-old history.
The history of Mar-a-Lago dates back to the 1920s when it was commissioned by cereal heiress Marjorie Merriweather Post, American businesswoman, socialite, and philanthropist. She was the daughter of C. W. Post and the owner of General Foods Corporation. For much of Marjorie Post’s life, she was known as the wealthiest woman in the United States.
Finding her first home in Florida was too small, Marjorie chose a 17-acre property in Palm Beach. Its location, on a barrier island sandwiched between a lagoon and the Atlantic Ocean, gave rise to the name «Mar-a-Lago», which means «from sea to lake» in Spanish.
Construction began in 1923 and took four years. The entire work cost Marjorie $7 million, equivalent to $120 million today.
Designed by Marion Sims Wyeth, a notable architect, and Joseph Urban, a renowned interior designer, the estate was completed in 1927. It epitomizes the luxurious lifestyle of the era, with its 58 bedrooms, 33 bathrooms, a 29-foot-long solid marble dining table, and elaborate decorations. Upon her death in 1973, Post willed the estate to the U.S. government, hoping it would serve as a Winter White House. However, due to the high maintenance costs, the government returned the estate to the Post Foundation by 1981.
Donald Trump purchased Mar-a-Lago in 1985 for a reported $10 million, which included the estate and its furnishings. Over the years, Trump transformed the private residence into a private club in 1995, opening membership to those who could afford its hefty initiation fee and annual dues, while still maintaining private living quarters for himself and his family within the estate. The club features a variety of luxury amenities, including a spa, tennis courts, a pool, and dining facilities.
Everything you need to know about the building of the residence.
The main building of Mar-a-Lago is an adaptation of the Spanish-Moorish style popular among Mediterranean villas. It is shaped like a crescent moon with an upper and lower cloister along the concave portion of the building that faces Lake Worth. There are family suites and service quarters in the lower utility wings. The house is topped by a seventy-five-pound tile-roofed tower containing bedrooms and bathrooms and an observation deck with stunning views of Palm Beach.
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