The Witch of Wall Street: Hetty Green's Story

She bailed out the entire city of New York. Multiple times. But Hetty Green wasn't a philanthropist—she was a ruthless financier who lived in a cheap Hoboken apartment while controlling millions. In the late 1800s, when women weren't even supposed to understand money, she dominated Wall Street so completely that the city itself came to her when it ran out of cash.

Born into New Bedford's whaling elite in 1834, Hetty Green grew up in counting houses instead of drawing rooms. She fought courtroom battles for her inheritance, outlasted railroad magnates in feuds, and built a fortune while wearing the same black dress for years. The press called her the "Witch of Wall Street" and the "world's greatest miser," but the truth is far more complicated than the caricature.

This is the story of America's first female tycoon—a woman who lived life entirely on her own terms when that was considered a crime in itself. Discover the forgotten financial genius who proved everyone wrong and never apologized for it.

New episodes of Hometown History drop every week. Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts to never miss a story about America's fascinating forgotten past.

In This Episode:

• How Hetty Green personally bailed out New York City when it ran out of money
• The New Bedford whaling fortune that launched a financial empire
• Why being called a "witch" was actually a business advantage
• The courtroom battles that shaped her ruthless reputation
• What really happened to her massive fortune after 1916
• The surprising warmth hidden behind the "world's greatest miser"

Key Figures:

• Hetty Green (1834-1916) - America's first female financial tycoon
• Edward Mott Robinson - Hetty's father and whaling company heir
• Sylvia Howland - Hetty's aunt at center of inheritance battle
• Charles Slack - Author of "Hetty: The Genius and Madness of America's First Female Tycoon"

Timeline:

• 1834: Hetty Green born in New Bedford, Massachusetts
• Late 1800s: Dominates Wall Street finance in male-dominated industry
• Multiple occasions: Personally loans money to bail out New York City
• 1916: Hetty Green dies, leaving fortune to son and daughter
• 1950: Fortune distributed to colleges, libraries, and charities

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/hometownhistory/exclusive-content

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy