Part 9/11:
The sale marked the beginning of the estate’s decline. As the Great Depression loomed, Shoreham changed hands multiple times, each owner less invested than the last. The mansion’s grandeur faded, and by the 1940s, it was demolished. Large sections of the estate were deliberately pushed off the cliffs, with remnants and architectural fragments washing ashore for decades afterward.
Today, Shoreham exists only in photographs, historical records, and the memories of Long Island’s past. Its story captures the fleeting nature of wealth, power, and architectural ambition—yet also exemplifies the lasting influence of the media empire that the Smith family built.