Margaret Van Alen Bruguiére
| Margaret Van Alen Bruguiére | |
|---|---|
| Born |
Margaret Post Van Alen July 15, 1876 Newport, Rhode Island |
| Died | January 20, 1969 (aged 92) Newport, Rhode Island |
| Residence | Newport, Rhode Island, Palm Beach, Florida, Washington, District of Columbia |
| Occupation | Socialite, Art Collector, Philanthropist |
| Net worth | $47 million |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) |
James Laurens Van Alen (m. 1900; his death 1927) Louis Bruguiére (m. 1948; his death 1952) |
| Children | James Henry Van Alen II |
Margaret Post Van Alen Bruguiére (July 15, 1876 – January 20, 1969), was a Newport, Rhode Island socialite, art collector and the niece of Frederick Vanderbilt. The leader of Newport's social scene from the 1940s till her death in the 1960s.
Margaret Post Van Alen was born in Newport, Rhode Island on July 15, 1876, to William Post (1848–1900) and Rosalie DeWolf Anthony (1844–1929), a descendant of the early settlers of Rhode Island. Her maternal aunt, Louise (née Anthony) Vanderbilt (1844–1926) was married to Frederick Vanderbilt, grandson of Cornelius Vanderbilt. Her younger brother was William Post (1878–1951).
She spent her summers at the Post residence in Newport, 'Rosetta', and winters at her uncle Frederick Vanderbilt's Hudson Valley estate Hyde Park. Later, she moved into the Van Alen family's Newport estate, Wakehurst, an exact replica of Wakehurst Place in England, which would serve as Daisy's home for more than seventy years.
Mrs. Bruguiére was known for supporting a number of causes, including the Red Cross and Newport Hospital, in addition to a number of local charities in Newport and Washington. When her son Jimmy Van Alen purchased the Newport Casino and began restoring it, she donated $10,000 towards the restoration.
She gave $10,000 for the landscaping and renaming of Washington Square Park in Newport in honor of her friend, President Dwight D. Eisenhower. She was also a prominent support of the Republican Party, and was known for hosting political fundraisers at her various homes in Newport and Washington.
Every summer Daisy Van Alen would spend in Newport, at her home Wakehurst (which had been legally deeded to her in 1927), where she would host the most fashionable entertainments. By the 1940s, Mrs. Van Alen had become known as the new leader of Newport's 'High Society', the Newport winter season officially starting with her annual Christmas party. One was not considered an "insider" unless having received TWO invitations to Mrs. Van Alen's castle. The first, most likely for tea and crackers, was for Mrs. Van Alen to have a chance to survey the potential candidate. Only if a second invitation was received, for dinner, was acceptance assured. By the 1960s, many of Newport's grand marble mansions that lined Bellevue Avenue had been turned into public museums or schools. "Wakehurst is the last 'properly run' [estate] left in Newport."
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