In the male-dominated world of the Gilded Age, one woman stood apart as one of its most formidable and feared financiers: Hetty Green. Nicknamed "The Witch of Wall Street" for her severe black attire and her legendary frugality, she was the richest woman in America, having built a massive fortune through shrewd investments in stocks and real estate. This episode resurrects the story of a forgotten financial genius who thrived in a world that was openly hostile to women in business.
We explore her unique investment philosophy, a deeply conservative strategy of buying low, holding for the long term, and avoiding debt at all costs. While her male counterparts engaged in risky speculation, Green quietly built an empire, becoming the lender of last resort for the city of New York during the Panic of 1907. However, her financial brilliance was often overshadowed by her extreme personal eccentricities. We investigate the stories of her legendary stinginess, from her refusal to use hot water to the infamous tale of her trying to treat her son's leg with home remedies to avoid paying a doctor's bill, a decision that eventually led to its amputation.
Hetty Green's story is a fascinating and complex portrait of a woman who broke all the rules of her time. She was a brilliant investor who beat the men of Wall Street at their own game, but her personal life remains a cautionary tale about the isolating and obsessive nature of wealth. She was a true American original, a titan of finance in a world that didn't know what to do with her.
