13: Misfits in History, Part 5: Hetty Green - The Witch of Wall Street

Step into the financial fray of the Gilded Age with the fifth installment of our Misfits in History series, featuring the formidable Hetty Green. Dubbed the "Witch of Wall Street," Hetty was not only an American businesswoman par excellence but also an emblem of wealth and eccentric frugality. Recognized posthumously by the Guinness Book of World Records as the "greatest miser," Hetty's contradictory nature saw her amassing a fortune while pinching pennies with notorious zeal.

In this episode, we dive into the life of the richest woman in America during the late 19th century. A figure of both admiration and notoriety, Hetty's investment savvy made her a force to be reckoned with on Wall Street, defying the gender norms of her time. Her paradoxical lifestyle, which mingled immense wealth with extreme thriftiness, paints a complex portrait of a woman whose life was as much defined by her financial prowess as it was by her reputation for miserliness.

We're also thrilled to feature an interview with author Charles Slack, whose detailed exploration of Hetty's life sheds light on the inner workings of this enigmatic figure. For those eager to learn more, Slack's insightful book on Hetty Green can be found at charlesslackauthor.com.

Discover more about Hetty Green's intriguing legacy and get an insider's perspective by visiting itshometownhistory.com. Don't forget to subscribe and join the conversation about this remarkable woman whose life story stands at the intersection of wealth, wisdom, and willful frugality.

Join us as we uncover the layers behind Hetty Green's mystique and what her story reveals about the complexities of wealth and social norms. Share your views and let's dissect the life of one of the most fascinating misfits in American financial history, right here on Hometown History.