How did Widener make his money?

He then diversified into railroads, helped organize U.S. Steel and the American Tobacco Company, and invested heavily in Standard Oil. By the time of his death in 1915, P.A.B. Widener was worth over $100 million dollars (equivalent to nearly 2 billion dollars today).

How did the widener family make their money?

They were loaded, flush, rolling in it, and then some. During the Civil War, Peter A.B. Widener, a brickmaker's son who became a butcher, laid the foundation for the family fortune by selling meat to Union troops.

What did Peter Widener do?

Financier, politician, and philanthropist Peter Arrell Brown Widener (1834–1915) made his fortune through multiple entrepreneurial enterprises, including investments in trolley cars and public transit systems in his native Philadelphia and elsewhere.

Who owns Lynnewood Hall?

On June 27, 2023, the mansion's sale was completed for $9 million, and ownership passed to the nonprofit Lynnewood Hall Preservation Foundation.

How much is the widener family worth?

Founded by Peter Arrell Browne Widener (1834–1915) and his wife, Hannah Josephine Dunton (1836–1896), it was once one of the wealthiest families in the United States. Widener was ranked #29 on the American Heritage list of the forty richest Americans in history, with a net worth at death of $23 billion to $25 billion.

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What happened to the Widener mansion?

Lynnewood Hall has finally found its savior. The Lynnewood Hall Preservation Foundation (LHPF) now holds title to Peter A.B. Widener's grand mansion in Elkins Park.

What is the largest privately owned mansion in the United States?

The Biltmore Estate is the largest privately owned home in the United States. Built near Asheville, North Carolina, it is still owned by the descendants of one of America's richest families, the Vanderbilts.

Where is the largest abandoned mansion in America?

The turn-of-the-century estate in Philadelphia was built between 1897 and 1900 for American tycoon and prolific art collector Peter Arrell Browne Widener. Today, the property is among the largest historic houses in America and has been described as "the last American Versailles" due to its architectural beauty.

Why is Lynnewood Hall abandoned?

Since 1996, however, this Gilded Age mansion has been owned by a Korean church, says Kent. Unfortunately, “they could not afford to maintain the property, so they quietly vacated Lynnewood Hall several years ago.” Kent adds that Dr.

Who was widener on the Titanic?

First-class Titanic passenger Harry Elkins Widener, a 27-year-old Philadelphia businessman and book collector who had graduated from Harvard College in 1907, perished in the boat's sinking along with his father, George D. Widener. His mother, Eleanor Elkins Widener, survived, floating to safety aboard lifeboat No. 4.

Can you buy Lynnewood Hall?

After almost a decade on the market, Lynnewood Hall in Elkins Park has been sold — and saved. A preservation-minded nonprofit that's been working to buy the property for years finally pulled it off.

What happened to Eleanor Widener?

Eleanor married Dr. Alexander Hamilton Rice in 1915, an explorer and geographer. She joined Rice on many trips to South America, Europe, and Asia. Eleanor died on July 13, 1937, in Paris, France, at the age of 76.

How much did the Lynnewood mansion cost?

After all, Lynnewood Hall was built for $8 million in the 1890s, roughly $295 million in today's currency.

How much did it cost to build Lynnewood Hall?

It took two years and $8 million to build Lynnewood Hall in 1899. It's taken five decades of neglect, harsh winters, and plundering to bring the 110-room mansion to the brink of despair.

Did George Widener survive the Titanic?

RMS Titanic

After the ship struck an iceberg, Widener placed his wife and her maid Amalie Gieger in a lifeboat. The women were rescued by the steamship RMS Carpathia, but Widener and his son Harry and their valet Edwin Keeping perished on the Titanic. The bodies of the father and son, if recovered, were not identified.

Who owns the 295 million dollar mansion?

The buyer of the Bel-Air mega mansion dubbed 'The One' has been revealed to be none other than Fashion Nova CEO Richard Saghian days after the estate sold well below its asking price at auction.

Who bought the 126 million dollar mansion?

Fashion Nova founder and CEO Richard Saghian bought The One Bel Air, a 105,000-square-foot megamansion in Los Angeles, in 2022 for $126 million.

Who has the biggest mansion on earth?

Istana Nurul Iman Palace, the official residence of the Sultan of Brunei, Hassanal Bolkiah, is the largest house in the world, spread over 2.15 million square feet.

Which celebrity owns the biggest house?

Bill Gates' mega-mansion "Xanadu 2.0," which took seven years to build, tops the list at a staggering $125 million. This house was built with no expense spared; it features imported golden sand from a Caribbean island, famous artwork, a salmon-filled man-made stream, and a trampoline room.

Does anyone live in the Biltmore Estate?

Though the family stopped living in the mansion in the 1950s, it is still owned and run as a tourist attraction by the fourth generation of Vanderbilt descendants.

Can you tour Lynnewood Hall?

You'll get six-hour tour with exclusive access to all areas of the main building that are safe for visitors. You'll also be given lunch with the Lynnewood Hall staff, a framed 11×14 photo of your tour group taken on the steps of the Great Hall, and 12 souvenir Lynnewood Hall hard hats to show off to your friends.

Will Lynnewood Hall be restored?

-- The Lynnewood Hall Preservation Foundation recently acquired the building and is planning on restoring the hall to its former glory. They recently started a fundraising campaign to get enough money to remediate the asbestos throughout the mansion.

Who has the largest home in the United States?

A Marvel of Elegance and Charm

Experience America's Largest Home®, as magnificent today as it was more than a century ago. Your self-guided house visit spans three floors and the basement of the luxurious family home of George and Edith Vanderbilt.