15. Little Edie Sold Grey Gardens In 1979
Little Edie remained living at Grey Gardens for roughly two years after her mother’s death in 1977, from pneumonia. In 1979, Little Edie sold the home to private buyers Ben Bradlee and Sally Quinn. The buyers paid $220,000, which is well over $800,000 today, despite the horrifying condition of the home. Bradlee and Quinn had to completely renovate the house to restore it to a safe and habitable condition.
They reported many unsafe and disgusting conditions, including dead cats and walls that collapsed at a touch.
After selling the home, Little Edie attempted to follow in her mother’s footsteps by embarking on a singing career. She performed in several New York City cabarets. The journalist Gail Sheehy reported that Edie called her before her move to New York and “sounded 19 again” talking about her newfound freedom from her prison in Grey Gardens.
Little Edie eventually settled down in Florida. She lived the rest of her life on the proceeds of the sale of Grey Gardens. Little Edie reportedly swam daily and greatly enjoyed her time in Florida. She died on January 14, 2002, in Florida at the age of 84. Her death was caused by either a heart attack or stroke, as she suffered from a hardening of the arteries known as arteriosclerosis.