▁$ 7 ▁million ▁($ 9 0 ▁million ▁today ) ▁and ▁it ▁was ▁finished ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 7 . ▁The ▁house ▁has ▁ 5 8 ▁bed rooms , ▁ 3 3 ▁bath rooms , ▁a ▁ ▁p iet ra ▁dur a ▁mar ble ▁top ▁d ining ▁table , ▁ 1 2 ▁fire p laces , ▁and ▁three ▁bomb ▁sh el ters . ▁Mar - a - L ago ▁was ▁declared ▁a ▁National ▁Historic ▁Land mark ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 0 . ▁On ▁April ▁ 1 8 , ▁ 2 0 1 2 , ▁the ▁American ▁Institute ▁of ▁Arch itect s ' ▁Florida ▁Chapter ▁ranked ▁Mar - a - L ago ▁fifth ▁on ▁its ▁list ▁of ▁Florida ▁Architecture : ▁ 1 0 0 ▁Years . ▁ 1 0 0 ▁Places . ▁ ▁Post , ▁who ▁died ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 3 , ▁w illed ▁the ▁ ▁estate ▁to ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁government ▁as ▁a ▁Winter ▁White ▁House ▁for ▁pres idents ▁and ▁visit ing ▁foreign ▁dign itar ies . ▁Richard ▁N ixon ▁preferred ▁the ▁Florida ▁White ▁House ▁in ▁Key ▁B isc ay ne , ▁however , ▁and ▁Jimmy ▁Carter ▁was ▁not ▁interested . ▁The ▁federal ▁government ▁soon ▁realized ▁the ▁immense ▁cost ▁of ▁maintenance , ▁and ▁the ▁difficulty ▁maintain ing ▁security ▁for ▁diplom ats , ▁and ▁returned ▁it ▁to ▁the ▁Post ▁Foundation ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 1 . ▁It ▁was ▁then ▁listed ▁for ▁sale ▁for ▁$ 2 0 ▁million . ▁D ina ▁M err ill ▁and ▁Post ' s ▁two ▁other ▁daughters