Part 10/12:
Eleanor’s Resilience and the Mansion’s Later Years
Despite the grief, Eleanor Widenner pressed on to complete Miramar, overseeing its furnishing and interior decoration in her husband's memory. She later remarried Dr. Alexander Hamilton Raines Jr., a Harvard explorer, and continued summering at the estate. Over the years, Miramar remained a symbol of their aristocratic lifestyle.
In 1956, the mansion was sold for a mere $118,000—less than 1% of its initial construction cost—reflecting the shifting fortunes and tastes of post-war America. Large estates like Miramar were increasingly seen as obsolete relics of a bygone era, and many such properties faced neglect or demolition.