season guide - the historical society of palm...

Historical society of Palm BeacH county

100-year anniversary of tHe Historic Palm BeacH county court House

Season Guide2016 - 2017

2 HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF PALM BEACH COUNTY

�e Richard and Pat Johnson Palm Beach County History Museum opened to the public in March 2008 within the historic 1916 Palm Beach County Court House at 300 North Dixie Highway in downtown West Palm Beach. �e countywide history museum enriches the lives of children and adults alike by making local history accessible, interesting, and meaningful. �e restored building also serves as the headquarters of the Historical Society of Palm Beach County.

�e museum contains two permanent galleries — �e People Gallery and �e Place Gallery — and the rotating Special Exhibit Gallery that changes annually.

�e People Gallery – A tribute to more than 100 individuals and families who have contributed to the development of Palm Beach County.

�e Place Gallery – Models and photographs explore Palm Beach County’s natural environment and the animals and ecology that make it unique, as well as the history of early architecture, the land boom and bust, our �rst railroads, the Barefoot Mailmen, and our cultural attractions from early pioneer days to local sport stars.

�e Richard and Pat Johnson Palm Beach County History Museum is located on the second �oor of the 1916 Courthouse.

To Visit300 N. Dixie Highway, downtown West Palm Beach

Mailing AddressP.O. Box 4364, West Palm Beach, FL 33402

HoursAdmission is FREEMonday through Friday – 10 am to 5 pmSaturday – 10 am to 4 pm

�e museum is closed on Sunday and major holidays.

A Handicap-accessible entrance is located on the east side of the building on the ground level (�rst �oor), where elevators lead to the second �oor museum level. A wheelchair is available for use by museum visitors. Please see docent or sta� upon arrival.

For more information: (561) 832-4164 ext. 2

Visit the MuseumSchedule a Tour

Cover photo by CJ Walker Photography

HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF PALM BEACH COUNTY 3

Table of Contents2016 – 2017 Special Exhibit

2016 – 2017 Courtroom Exhibits

Distinguished Lecture Series

Third Thursdays @ 3

Feature Story: 100th Anniversary

Archival Evening

Evening on Antique Row

Family Programs

History Tours

Calendar of Events

Photos from our Archives!

Membership Information

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The Historical Society of Palm Beach County presents a new exhibition, For the Love of the

Game: Baseball in the Palm Beaches, in the Special Exhibits Gallery at the Richard and Pat Johnson Palm Beach County History Museum. America’s national pastime is on glorious display from September 6, 2016, to July 1, 2017, at the museum within the 1916 Palm Beach County Court House in downtown West Palm Beach.

Baseball in the Palm Beaches brings to life 120 years of the sport locally, beginning with the early hotel leagues, Negro Leagues, and municipal leagues. Many visitors will be surprised to learn that Henry Flagler first initiated teams to entertain the guests in his elegant Palm Beach hotels. Locals took up the game and competed against other nearby communities. As the fervor grew, such notable people as Arthur C. Spalding, George E. Andrews, and Connie Mack provided the expertise and facilities to stimulate wider participation. Warm weather brought baseball greats Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron, Pete Rose, and Gary Carter to the area for spring training. The exhibit celebrates the modern Major League teams and players, minor leagues, Little Leagues, local players, and fans.

Using archival photographs and historical artifacts—some of them donations or loans from our community—Baseball offers a compelling learning opportunity, especially in the context of the Palm Beach County history told in the adjacent permanent galleries. From interesting anecdotes and artifacts to the science of a strike, Baseball in the Palm Beaches hits it out of the park. Come and discover how Palm Beach County has created champions and a legacy for the future, as we anticipate the Ballpark of the Palm Beaches now underway.20

16 –

2017


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Courtroom ExhibitsComing this season to the historic 1916 Courtroom

Selection of images available. View more on pages 22-23.

Phillips Point about 1957. Ship & Shore Motors sold both Chris Craft boats and Willys-Overland autos.

Henry Flagler’s first Palm Beach hotel, Hotel Royal Poinciana, about 1894.

Looking west on a thriving Clematis Street in the 1950s. Burdines eventually built their own building a block west and Belk’s Department Store moved into this building.

Looking south across the Lake Worth Inlet in 1940. The shoreline has been reshaped since then, and the area around Annie’s Dock on the south side of the inlet has been filled in.

September through December 2016Staff Favorites - Hidden Gems from the ArchivesThe vast majority of the nearly two million photographs housed within the Historical Society of Palm Beach County’s archives have been seen by few people. To remedy this, the staff chose 24 of their favorites that tell the story of the great changes our community experienced during

the twentieth century. The photographic story begins in 1894, when the Hotel Royal Poinciana first opened, and concludes in the early 1960s, when the post-World War II boom was still affecting growth.

These images and others are available for purchase. Please contact Nick Golubov at [email protected] or 561-832-4164 ext. 112 for more details.

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December 15, 2016 to February 28, 2017The Bill of Rights and YouThe year 2016 marks the 225th anniversary of the Bill of Rights, one of our nation’s early attempts to form “a more perfect union.” In honor of this milestone, the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) encourages the nation to engage in thoughtful debate and discussion of how our ancestors sought to create a more just society and how we do so today. Their Amending America exhibit highlights the remarkably American story of how we have amended, or attempted to amend, the Constitution in order to form a nation that more closely mirrors our ideals. Through their series of National Conversations on #RightsAndJustice, the NARA invites Americans to explore a range of contemporary issues, addressing the tension between individual rights and collective responsibilities, a process that began with the Bill of Rights.

Spotlighting one of the most remarkable periods in American history, the NARA’s traveling exhibit The Bill of Rights and You contains simple messages conveying the importance of the historic document, its history and implementation, and its impact today.

As the permanent home of the Bill of Rights, the NARA launched a groundbreaking national initiative to explore the power of the Bill of Rights and our enduring system of government. Part of this initiative is the traveling exhibit The Bill of Rights and You. The Johnson History Museum is proud to be one of 2,000 locations across all 50 states hosting this exhibit, which presents key information about the Bill of Rights and its impact.

April 2017

April 3 - May 13Magna CartaTo raise awareness about Magna Carta’s enduring legacy and to complement the Library’s onsite exhibition, the American Bar Association Standing Committee on the Law Library of Congress joined with the Law Library of Congress to develop the traveling exhibition Magna Carta: Enduring Legacy 1215–2015. The exhibition shares images of objects from Library of Congress collections that illustrate Magna Carta’s influence throughout the centuries and explain the document’s long history.

May 6 to May 31, 2017Digging the East Coast Canal and Shaping thePalm Beaches' FutureThis temporary exhibit explores the development of the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway through Florida and Palm Beach County. This is a story of Florida’s role in the nineteenth-century national canal movement and how the Florida East Coast Canal eventually connected St. Augustine and Key West via an inland waterway. Crucial in creating a safe and efficient passageway for Florida’s protection, industry, tourism, and a growing population, the Florida East Coast Canal brought physical and economic challenges while forever impacting the Palm Beaches’ future.

This courtroom exhibition is presented by eighth grade students of the Applied History and Museum Studies course at The Weiss School, a PK — 8th grade non-profit school for gifted and talented children in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.

June – July 2017The Art of Uncle MondayIn her book Uncle Monday and Other Florida Tales, Kristin G. Congdon gathered forty-nine folktales from a wide variety of sources, including many from Work Progress Administration materials in Florida's Department of State archives. The stories, many of them a century old, represent a sampling of Florida’s ethnic diversity, such as Native American, African American, Afro-Caribbean, and Hispanic. Kitty Kitson Petterson’s detailed pen-and-ink drawings illustrate each narrative, capturing how Florida has been shaped by its unique environment and inhabitants.

The Historical Society will host a traveling exhibit created by the Museum of Florida in Tallahassee containing 55 framed drawings and illustrations from the book. It is scheduled so as to be seen by the thousand-plus children in our summer camp program, many of whom are from multicultural families.

The Second Part of the Institutes of the Laws of England (1681)Rare Book and Special Collections Division, Library of Congress


Lecture SeriesDistinguished Lecture SeriesSecond Wednesday of the month (November, January through April)In the historic courtroom, Johnson History Museum, third floorTime: 7:00 pmFree for HSPBC members, $20.00 for non-membersLight reception and book signing (when applicable) follow each lecture.

November 9, 2016Ginger Pedersen and Janet DeVries The Historical Society invites you to a lecture by Janet DeVries and Dr. Ginger L. Pedersen on their latest book, Legendary Locals of West Palm Beach, about heroes, celebrities, and villains who have contributed to the mosaic of West Palm Beach.

From West Palm Beach’s beginnings as service town to Palm Beach—the resort village of Standard Oil tycoon Henry Morrison Flagler—the city has evolved into Palm Beach County’s largest and its county seat. Early settlers such as Marion Gruber, George Lainhart, and Max Greenberg helped guide the “Cottage City” of yesteryear into today’s metropolis.

A Palm Beach County resident since 1987, Janet DeVries is a researcher, and librarian and archivist at Palm Beach State College and the Delray Beach Historical Society. DeVries is author of Images of America: Sport Fishing in Palm Beach County and Vintage Postcard Series: Boynton Beach. She has also co-authored Images of America: Boynton Beach (with M. Randall Gill) and Vintage Postcard Series: Delray Beach (with Dorothy W. Patterson); Pioneering Palm Beach: The Deweys and the South Florida Frontier, and the Collected Works of Byrd Spilman Dewey with Ginger L. Pedersen.

Dr. Ginger L. Pedersen is a native Floridian whose love of history sparked by her grandparents’ theme park, Africa USA, a 1950s roadside attraction in Boca Raton. Pedersen is an administrator at Palm Beach State College in Lake Worth. She holds a doctoral degree in Educational Leadership from Florida Atlantic University in addition to master’s and bachelor’s degrees in psychology.

January 11, 2017Kevin McCarthy The Society invites you to join us as Dr. Kevin M. McCarthy discusses Ten Little-Known Facts About Baseball. McCarthy will highlight several aspects of Florida baseball: the Major Leagues from April through September in Miami and Tampa Bay, spring training games throughout central Florida in March, minor league ball in the spring and fall at over a dozen Florida sites, college baseball in the spring in dozens of towns, and high school and youth leagues all year long in hundreds of towns all over the state. He will cover early versions of the game, the evolution of spring training, and little known angles such as women’s leagues, the


Old Timers’ League, the development of Babe Ruth in Florida, why our colleges excel in the sport, and the role of Palm Beach County in that history.

Kevin McCarthy, a lifelong baseball fan, received his Ph.D. in Linguistics from North Carolina State University at Chapel Hill. He has taught in Turkey, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Vietnam, and Spain, and for 33 years at the University of Florida, which honored him as a Distinguished Alumni Professor. McCarthy has had 62 books published, including Thirty Florida Shipwrecks and Twenty Florida Pirates, and edited The Book Lover’s Guide to Florida. He continues to research and write nonfiction books.

February 8, 2017Tommy Hutton The Historical Society invites you to The Life of Thomas “Tommy” Hutton, a presentation of Hutton’s careers as professional baseball player and Major League broadcaster. Born in California, Tommy Hutton was signed by the Los Angeles Dodgers out of high school before being traded to the Philadelphia Phillies, which began his annual journeys to Florida for spring training. Hutton spent eleven years playing in the Major Leagues and made a name for himself for batting .320 against Hall of Famer Tom Seaver. He pursued a second baseball career as a broadcaster for the Montreal Expos, New York Yankees, and Toronto Blue Jays on CBC, ESPN, and the Miami Marlins on FoxSportsFlorida and CBSSports.

Hutton and his wife, Debby, have resided in Palm Beach County for over 30 years, where Hutton is a member of the Palm Beach County Hall of Fame.

March 8, 2017Join us in the historic courtroom while representatives from Major League Baseball teams discuss their world, our National Pastime.

April 12, 2017 Rick Gonzalez and Robin Lunsford Join us as Robin Lunsford and Rick Gonzalez help us celebrate the centennial of the historic 1916 Courthouse with Restoring Greatness to Glory: The Restoration of the 1916 Historic Palm Beach County Court House. After many individual and collective efforts, led by community preservationists and the Historical Society, to save this historic building from demolition, the Board of County Commissioners voted in April 2002 to preserve and share the structure with the public, and restore it to its original neoclassical grandeur. Rick Gonzalez of REG Architects and

Robin Lunsford of Hedrick Brothers Construction will share their stories of “unwrapping” the building and giving it a new life while maintaining its authenticity.

Robin Lunsford has been building high-profile projects with Hedrick Brothers since 1995. During 30-+ years in construction, he advanced from carpenter to senior project manager. He received the 2007 American Institute of Architects Palm Beach Chapter Craftsman of the Year Award for his role on the 1916 Courthouse renovation, and is a board member of the Florida Trust for Historic Preservation.

Rick Gonzalez, AIA opened REG Architects, Inc. with his father, Ricardo, in 1988. He holds two architectural degrees from the Catholic University of America in Washington, DC, and has received many honors, such as the 2014 AIA Best Small Project Award, the 2013 AIA Palm Beach Award, and the 2013 Florida Trust for Historic Preservation Award. For the 1916 Courthouse restoration, Gonzalez received the 2008 AIA Palm Beach Honor Design Award and another Florida Trust for Historic Preservation Award. Most recently, he served on an esteemed panel to judge the Best Urban Block in South Florida Contest sponsored by the Miami Herald.


Third Thursdays @ 3Third Thursday of the month (January through April)In the historic courtroom, Johnson History Museum, third floorTime: 3:00 pmFree for HSPBC members, $10.00 for non-members

January 19, 2017Susan GillisThe Society is pleased to present author and longtime archivist and curator at the Boca Raton Historical Society & Museum, Susan Gillis, discussing Boomtime Boca: Boca Raton in the 1920s. Using images from the BRHS & M collection, Ms. Gillis will share the Boca of pre- and post- Mizner era- what was planned, what was constructed, and the legacy of that thrilling time. Learn how little Boca Raton became a metaphor for the boom era and aspired to be the “greatest resort in the world” with the help of famed architect Addison Mizner.

Susan Gillis has served as curator at the Boca Raton Historical Society & Museum since 2002 and has authored seven books on Boca Raton and Fort Lauderdale history. She has received several awards for her published works including, the 2004 Cooper Kirk Memorial Award from the Broward County Historical Commission, the 2006 President’s Award from the Fort

Lauderdale Historical Society, and the 2006 Award of Merit from the American Association of State and Local History for the publication Fort Lauderdale: The Venice of America.

February 16, 2017George PoncyThe Society invites you to join us as George Poncy discusses his memoir Snow on the Palms, written as George Williams, the infamous Snowman, and other adventures.

For two decades in the seventies and eighties, local pilots ran marijuana, cocaine, and cash between Colombia, the Bahamas, and Florida, evading U.S. Customs, the DEA and FBI, Coast Guard, federal task forces, and local police. The center of the drug-running activity was the old Gardens Airport, at the time a remote location. I-95 was a local road between PGA and

Southern Boulevard, and two-lane Military Trail was at the edge of civilization. The airfield, owned by John MacArthur, was later plowed under to construct the PGA National Golf Club. At least one local flyboy based there ran cocaine for and under the protection of the CIA.

George Poncy is a motion picture producer, author, award-winning screenwriter, and actor, having appeared in several films, commercials, and television shows, including Live with Regis and Kathie Lee, and on National Public Radio. His last motion picture, UNCONSCIOUS, is a Universal Vivendi release. Poncy is a veteran public speaker, including presentations on major cruise lines, and author of ten published books and several articles. Snow on the Palms has been a bestseller in south Florida since its release in 2013 and is currently under option to a motion picture studio.


March 16, 2017Joshua LillerThe Society is pleased to present Florida historian Joshua Liller discussing The History of the Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse. Join us as he shares more than 150 years of history of the Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse, from the first requests for a lighthouse to present-day, including operations and military occupation.

Josh Liller serves as Jupiter’s representative to the Florida Lighthouse Association and is the historian and collections manager for the Loxahatchee River Historical Society, which operates the Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse and Museum. He holds a bachelor’s degree in history from Florida Atlantic University and is a lifelong history buff, with particular interest in lighthouses and the American Civil War.

April 20, 2017Sandra ThompsonThe Society is pleased to host a lecture by author and artist, Sandra Thompson, who will discuss Palm Beach: From the Other Side of the Lake, a memoir of her husband of 43 years, David Robinson Thompson.

Sandra Thompson came to know West Palm Beach and Palm Beach when she married a man who had come here in 1925. Her presentation will explore the history and culture of the Palm Beaches through the eyes of her late husband, from years when it cost a nickel to traverse the wooden bridge from West Palm to Palm Beach. It was a time when Henry Flagler’s Royal Poinciana Hotel hosted the world’s wealthiest, the gentry, the Old Guard. Pilot David Thompson was featured in the Historical Society's 2007 DVD Puddle

Jumpers of Lantana: the Civil Air Patrol's Coastal Patrol 3. SandraThompson will also discuss her several other works, including The Palm Beach Collection, and a coffee-table book, Palm Beach: a Retrospective, The Art of Sandra Thompson, published in 2011 to commemorate the Palm Beach centennial.

Sandra Thompson is an artist, historian, and author based in Palm Beach. She has published several works on Palm Beach over ten years, including Palm Beach and Bar Harbor, God’s Church, Flagler’s Legacy: The History of the Royal Poinciana Chapel, and Baudy the Animal Man. She is currently writing her memoir, sourced by 34 years of her daily journal.


On April 16, 2017, the Historical Society of Palm Beach County will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the 1916 Palm Beach County

Court House—misnamed, because that is the year that West Palm Beach Mayor W. A. Dutch declared the new building dedicated, and a rather ignominious beginning for an important and beautiful government building. The county and city governments had planned a much more impressive celebration for the new building that April, but world events upstaged such local doings. April 10 had been set aside for a grand party to properly inaugurate the new courthouse, but the United States declared war on Germany on April 6, 1917, making local celebrations seem unimportant, so Mayor Dutch declared the building dedicated as of April 16 in a very short article in the Palm Beach Post.

Building the courthouse had not been smooth sailing. Contractor Evert P. Maule first won the contract in 1913 and promised to have it completed in less than

a year. But numerous complaints and charges of mishandled bids slowed the progress for several years. The first official to take his place in the courthouse was County Tax Assessor James M. Owens, who moved in August 1916 with his secretary, Myrtle Miller. The county commission was not fully satisfied with the building and refused to accept it until they were. Most government offices were in place by the following April, with the county clerk the last to get settled.

At the time, the building held all government offices for the county, including the school board, sheriff, courts, tax assessor and collector—everyone—and they all thought the building would last for decades as it was built. But Palm Beach County underwent a real estate boom never before seen in Florida, and thousands relocated to this paradise after the Great War ended. By the mid-1920s, county government was in desperate need of more space officials built a mirror-image building to the east of the 1916 building and connected the two with corridors

100th Anniversary

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in 1927. The original courthouse was broken up into smaller courts and offices, and the main courtroom as relocated to the new east side building.

This tendency to mimic the county’s population growth and the resultant growth in governmental needs ensured that the courthouse complex would continue to be added to over the following decades. By the 1990s, the county had this central courthouse that stretched to the sidewalk, north and south county courthouses, a separate school board building, an administration building for the commission and other county officers, and office buildings for support services spread throughout the county. Unfortunately, the need for ever more courtrooms had grown with the population, and the county was still growing.

Fortunately for the citizens of Palm Beach County, the county commissioners voted to save this jewel from being razed and replaced with a newer model. Instead, in 1995 the county built the brand new central courthouse across the street from its predecessor and left the 1916 courthouse vacant. A grassroots movement encouraged removal of all the additions, taking it back to the 1916 structure. After a decade of discussion, a collective of public and private parties came to agreement and backed up their words with a total of twenty million dollars.

The Historical Society of Palm Beach County asked for permission to open a countywide history museum in the space that would not be used by government offices, which the commission granted. The Richard and Pat Johnson Palm Beach County History Museum was named for the couple who were determined to not just save the building, but assist the Historical Society in fulfilling its mission to collect, preserve, and share the county’s rich history.

Restoring the 1916 courthouse was not without its problems, although they were far different than during its initial construction. One redesign of the floor plans took nine months to complete and be accepted; then the hurricanes of 2004 and 2005 slowed progress for a time. But by the fall of 2007, the county departments that were to make their homes in the building started to take occupancy.

The Historical Society followed in January 2008 and opened the Richard and Pat Johnson Palm Beach County History Museum that March—the same day that the county executed a beautiful dedication ceremony. The grand 1916 Palm Beach County Court House finally had its proper dedication—it was just 92 years later than expected.

In the eight years since, those who visit or work in the historic courthouse have felt honored to be there, astounded that demolition was ever a serious consideration, and grateful to the Johnsons and all the others who had the vision and commitment to support a museum in the building. The museum’s docents have welcomed over 110,000 visitors, including tens of thousands of Palm Beach County school children; many of whom bring their parents to the museum. The Johnson History Museum is a cultural destination of quality, fostered by the keepers of our history, the Historical Society of Palm Beach County.

Stonework Statistics• Total number of new limestone pieces 2,878

• Overall volume of new limestone 5,406 cubic feet

• Overall weight of new limestone 810,000 pounds

• Overall column weight, including plinth block, 30,600 pounds

• Weight of plinth blocks north and south Portico columns 6,600 pounds each

• Weight of plinth blocks at west portico columns 5,960 pounds each

• Weight of single architrave piece 6,800 pounds (stone that spans column to column)

• Weight of eagle carving, 16,000 pounds, total five pieces

• Alabama granite was used for the base stone around the courthouse and the three portico stairs.


Historical Society’s Signature Fundraiser in its 15th YearAnnual Archival Evening Celebrates Richard and Pat Johnson

The Historical Society of Palm Beach County’s Archival Evening pays tribute to those whose achievements have substantially contributed to the unique character of the region, from its extraordinary natural beauty and magnificent architecture to its splendid social scene.

In celebration of the centennial of the historic 1916 courthouse that is the home of the Richard and Pat Johnson Palm Beach County History Museum, the Society will honor Richard and Pat Johnson. Because of their vision and extraordinary generosity, they were committed to opening the museum out of a desire to share the history of Palm Beach County with current and future generations. Pat (Seaton) Johnson, like her late husband, was born and raised in Palm Beach County, and continues to advocate for local educational and health-related organizations. Their children and spouses will help honor their parents as chairs for Archival Evening: Helene and Keith Austin, Cathy and Jack Flagg, Charlene and Richard Johnson, Kristy and Scott Johnson, and Patt and Bill Sned.

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Archival Evening is an elegant dinner dance where the Society proudly unveils a special exhibit highlighting its honorees. In past years, this group has included luminaries, legends, and philanthropists Frances G. Scaife; Addison Cairns Mizner; Henry Morrison Flagler; Alexander W. Dreyfoos; the “Four Fine Gentlemen of Palm Beach” E.R. Bradley, Walter S. Gubelmann, Charles A. Munn, and Eugene J. Ribakoff; actress and recording star Dame Celia Lipton Farris; photographers Slim Aarons and Betty Kuhner; architect John Volk; “The Late Great Grande Dames” Barton Gubelmann, Estee Lauder, Marjorie Merriweather Post, Mary Sanford, and Sue Whitmore; style icon Lilly Pulitzer; architect Maurice Fatio; and fashion designer and preservationist Philip Hulitar.

Funds raised from Archival Evening directly support delivery of education resources to Palm Beach County’s 30,000-plus school children, as well as preservation of the society’s archives and artifacts collection, a small portion of which is showcased within the Johnson History Museum.

The archives consist of nearly two million photographic images; 4,500 book titles; 105 linear feet of vertical research files; 440 linear feet of boxed research collections that contain letters and other types of correspondence, diaries and journals, news clippings, ephemera, manuscripts, legal documents, and scrapbooks; several hundred maps; thousands of architectural drawings; bound copies of local newspapers whose editions start in the 1890s and microfilm of local newspapers; oil, acrylic, and watercolor paintings and pencil drawings by local artists, some of which date to the 1870s; oral histories collected from 1962 to the present; and magazines and journals unique to Palm Beach County.

The Historical Society maintains an artifact collection of more than 4,000 items, including Palm Beach County material culture of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries; textiles of both a personal and household nature; hotel ceramics, linens, and other tourist memorabilia; household goods, including kitchen equipment and furniture; business office and farm tools and equipment; an extensive collection of Mizner Industries furniture, pottery, tiles, stained-glass, wrought-iron, molded-cement figures, and architectural pedimentia; and sports, medical, police, fire, and school tools and equipment. The collection also includes pre-historic lithics related to the history of Palm Beach County, including a cypress wooden figurine dating from AD 900-1200, and tools and ornaments made of shell and bone.

Richard & Pat Johnson: An Historic LegacyDate: Wednesday, December 13, 2016Time: 7:00 pmDress: Cocktail attire

By invitation only. For information, contact Holly Finch, Director of Advancement and Communications, at [email protected] or 561-832-4164 ext. 106. P

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Evening on Antique Row

The signature fundraising event by The Young Friends of the Historical Society of Palm Beach

County will be held Saturday, March 4, 2017, in partnership with the Antique Row Association. The event closes Dixie Highway between Southern Boulevard and Monroe Drive, allowing visitors to explore the area’s unique shops, which stay open late to tempt attendees with collections of seventeenth-to-twentieth-century antiques, decorative arts, fine art, and design services.

The street festival brings “the Row” to life with live music, games and other entertainment, cocktails, food trucks, luxe shopping, and much more. At the heart of the event is a desire to elevate and increase awareness of this historic commercial area, which is key to Palm Beach County’s reputation as a cultural, dining, and shopping destination.

March 4, 2017


Family Programs

Armed Forces DayMay 20, 2017 This event celebrates our nation’s military history and Palm Beach County’s veterans, and is designed to entertain and inform all ages. Visitors will learn about the county’s role in America’s war efforts, and local battles fought on native soil; interact with Seminole War, Civil War, World War II, and Vietnam War reenactors; witness a weapons demonstration; join in docent-led gallery tours, and more! Free, on the grounds of the historic 1916 courthouse.

Scarecrow Festival Contest October 22, 2016The family event is held at the Richard and Pat Johnson Palm Beach County History Museum at the historic 1916 courthouse on Saturday, October 22, and features kids’ activities, arts and crafts, live music, food, agriculture booths, and the renowned Scarecrow competition. New this year is the addition of WaterVentures, a 53-foot traveling science center with hands-on, state-of-the-art exhibits focused on Florida’s water resources.

The all-inclusive admission is $10 per person (children under three are free) and the proceeds support the free education programs and field trip transportation. The voting and judging for the Scarecrow Contest draws employees and families from businesses, schools, and community groups vying for cash prizes and trophies. Holding with tradition, the courthouse lawn will be filled with fall family activities such as mini-pumpkin decorating, a haystack hunt for treats, face painting, corn shucking, crafts tents, and guided tours of the new exhibition, For the Love of the Game: Baseball in the Palm Beaches. This year’s agriculture displays will be bigger and better than ever, and the bake sale assures delicious, classic and creative treats. For the competitive eaters out there, the pie-eating contest is a don’t-miss!

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History Tours

Sunset History CruiseApril 2017Let historians regale you with maritime tales while navigating the scenic Lake Worth Lagoon!

Join the Society for an intimate Sunset History Cruise to benefit education programs for local students aboard the Mariner III, a 122-foot classic motor yacht built in 1926.

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Walking ToursTake a step back in time on our Historical Walking Tours! The Historical Society of Palm Beach County hosts Downtown West Palm Beach History Strolls led by architect and historian Rick Gonzalez of REG Architects. The one-hour guided tour showcases the evolution of downtown West Palm Beach buildings and landmarks, including a historical urban design overview through recent area development. Tour groups meet inside the Dixie Highway entrance to the historic 1916 courthouse in West Palm Beach. Advance reservations are required.

Tours take place December through April. A $5 donation and reservations are suggested. For scheduled tour dates or to make a reservation, please call 561-832-4164 ext. 2.

Trolley ToursThe Downtown Development Authority and Historical Society of Palm Beach County have partnered to bring 45-minute History Trolley Tours to downtown! The tour takes place in the 1945 era just as World War II is ending, led by “Evelyn Chapman,” a character who is a West Palm Beach native engaged to a serviceman returning home from the war. She takes patrons on a journey through the Clematis District’s vibrant development and distinctive architectural styles, from the pioneering days of the early 1900s and the real estate boom of the 1920s, to the continued revitalization present today.

Tours are $5 per person and reservations are required.For details, please call the DDA at 561-833-8873.

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October 201622 Scarecrow Festival & Contest

The courthouse lawn will be filled with favorites like pumpkin decorating, craft tents, and more! The Scarecrow Contest will have schools, individuals, and community groups vying for cash prizes as they enter homemade scarecrows into the annual competition. Local agricultural displays and WaterVentures, a mobile learning lab, will educate visitors on the history of agriculture and the importance of conserving our natural resources.2:00 – 5:00 pm$10 per person, children under three are free

November 20169 Distinguished Lecture Series: Ginger Pedersen and Janet DeVries

Join local authors and historians Ginger Pedersen and Janet DeVries in the historic 1916 courthouse. A book signing and reception will follow the lecture.7:00 pmFree for HSPBC members, $20 for non-members

17 Opening Reception: For the Love of the Game: Baseball in the Palm Beaches5:30 – 7:30 pmBy Invitation Only

December 201613 Archival Evening

Join us for our premier annual benefit for the Historical Society. The evening pays tribute to those whose achievements have substantially contributed to the unique character of this region. 7:00 pmBy Invitation Only561.832.4164 Ext.106

January 201711 Distinguished Lecture Series: Dr. Kevin M. McCarthy

Join Kevin McCarthy for a lecture on ten little-known facts about baseball in the historic 1916 Courthouse. 7:00 pmFree for HSPBC members, $20 for non-members

19 Third Thursdays @ 3: Susan Gillis “Boomtime in Boca”

Using images from the collection of the Boca Raton Historical Society & Museum, Ms. Gillis will share the Boca of pre- and post- “Mizner era-” what was planned, what was constructed, and the legacy of that thrilling time.3:00 pmFree for HSPBC members, $10 for non-members

February 20178 Distinguished Lecture Series: Tommy Hutton

Join Tommy Hutton as he discusses his life as a professional baseball player and Major League broadcaster.7:00 pmFree for HSPBC members, $20 for non-members

16 Third Thursdays @ 3: George Poncy Snow on the Palms

For two decades in the seventies and eighties, local Palm Beach County pilots ran marijuana, cocaine, and cash between Colombia, the Bahamas, and Florida, evading U.S. Customs, the DEA, the FBI, the Coast Guard, Federal task forces, and local police.3:00 pmFree for HSPBC members, $10 for non-members

Calendar of Events


March 20174 Evening on Antique Row

Young Friends of the Historical Society and the Antique Row Association present the chicest street party in town. Watch Antique Row come to life with entertainment, food, and drink!6:00 – 9:00 pm (21+ event)$40 General admission, $100 VIP admission

8 Distinguished Lecture SeriesJoin us in the historic courtroom while representatives from Major League Baseball teams discuss their world, our National Pastime.7:00 pmFree for HSPBC members, $20 for non-members

16 Third Thursdays @ 3: Joshua Liller “History of the Jupiter Lighthouse”

Josh Liller serves as Jupiter’s representative to the Florida Lighthouse Association and is the historian and collections manager for the Loxahatchee River Historical Society, which operates the Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse and Museum.3:00 pmFree for HSPBC members, $10 for non-members

April 201712 Distinguished Lecture Series: Rick Gonzalez and Robin Lunsford

Join Rick Gonzalez and Robin Lunsford as they discuss the Resoration of the Historic 1916 Courthouse. 7:00 pmFree for HSPBC members: $20 for non-members

20 Third Thursdays @ 3: Sandra ThompsonAuthor and artist Sandra Thompson discusses her late husband David's memoir, Palm Beach From the Other Side of the Lake.3:00 pmFree for HSPBC members, $10 for non-members

25 Annual Member MeetingThe Annual Membership Meeting agenda includes the election and installation of new board members to the Historical Society, presentation of the Judge James R. Knott Historical Contribution Award and Fannie James Pioneer Achievement Award, and a cocktail reception.5:30 pm

TBA Sunset History CruiseJoin us for a cruise along the Lake Worth Lagoon with historical tales aboard the Mariner III.6:00 pm

May 201720 Armed Forces Day

This event celebrates our nation’s military history and Palm Beach County’s veterans. Visitors will learn about the county’s role in America’s war efforts, and local battles fought on native soil. Interact with reenactors, witness a weapons demonstration, and join in docent-led gallery tours.11:00 amFREE


Sampling of images for sale

Looking north over the island of Hypoluxo, which is divided into the towns of Hypoluxo and Manalapan, in the 1960s.

West Palm Beach skyline about 1927. Note the empty land in the distance.

Looking east up Worth Avenue in the 1960s. Mizner’s Villa tower is on the left.

West Palm Beach skyline as seen from the Hotel Royal Poinciana about 1895.

Little Bobby Yost stands on the back of his father’s car, advertising property for sale in West Boynton about 1926.

Delray Beach oceanfront in the area of Atlantic Avenue looked like a cottage colony in the 1910s.


West Boynton featured inexpensive lots and houses. The area was west of what is now Congress Avenue and the Boynton Mall. The 1928 hurricane smashed the dreams of the investors.

The Everglades Club and one of its maisonettes in 1920. The club continues as a private facility at the foot of Worth Avenue.

Bessemer Properties, Inc. built the 500’ Juno Beach Pier about 1950. The Town of Juno Beach incorporated in 1953.


Members receive regular notices of Historical Society activities and events. As a member, you will be invited to our Annual Meeting, Distinguished Lecture Series, special events, and family programs sponsored by the Historical Society of Palm Beach County. In addition you will receive free research sessions in our Archives and Library, a 10% discount in the Museum Bookstore, and a subscription to our newsletter, keeping you up-to-date on the exciting activities of the Society.

BENEFACTORS - $2,500The success of any organization rests with strong leadership commitments to its mission. As a Benefactor, you will receive all benefits of the Pioneer Circle level. In addition, Benefactors are invited to the annual Benefactor Reception in spring, held at a private Palm Beach residence. Our esteemed Benefactors are listed on the Society’s letterhead.

PIONEER CIRCLE - $1,000Early pioneers shaped a legacy that has inspired our shared civic pride as citizens of Palm Beach County. We honor the challenges of our forefathers through the Pioneer Circle. At this membership level, you will receive:

• A copy of The Tustenegee, the bi-annual journal of the Historical Society featuring articles on local history, transcripts of oral history interviews, images from the archives, and Society news

• A book by a distinguished author from the Museum Bookstore• An 11" x 14" print of a historic image of your choice from the Archives• Invitation to members-only opening receptions of all exhibitions• Complimentary admission and mailed invitation to the Distinguished Lecture Series and Third Thursdays @

3 Lecture Series (November – April)• 10% discount in the Museum Bookstore• Invitation to the Annual Meeting with HSPBC staff, board members, and donors• E-newsletter to keep you up-to-date on all the activities and events of the Society• Complimentary research sessions from the Archives and Reading Room with professional support• Name recognition on donor wall of Johnson History Museum

FLAGLER CIRCLE - $500 Henry Flagler was a visionary in his dream of developing this special community by the sea. Celebrate that vision through your support as a Flagler Circle member and receive:

• A book by a distinguished author from the Museum Bookstore• An 11" x 14" print of a historic image of your choice from the Archives• Invitation to members-only opening receptions of all exhibitions• Complimentary admission and mailed invitation to the Distinguished Lecture Series and Third Thursdays @

3 Lecture Series (November – April)• 10% discount in the Museum Bookstore• Invitation to the Annual Meeting with HSPBC staff, board members, and donors• E-newsletter to keep you up-to-date on all the activities and events of the Society• Complimentary research sessions from the Archives and Reading Room with professional support• Name recognition on donor wall of Johnson History Museum

MIZNER CIRCLE - $250 Addison Mizner changed the face of Palm Beach County and you can share his vision. As a Mizner Circle member, you will receive:

• An 11" x 14" print of a historic image of your choice from the Archives• Invitation to members-only opening receptions of all exhibitions• Complimentary admission and mailed invitation to the Distinguished Lecture Series and Third Thursdays @

Membership


3 Lecture Series (November – April)• 10% discount in the Museum Bookstore• Invitation to the Annual Meeting with HSPBC staff, board members, and donors• E-newsletter to keep you up-to-date on all the activities and events of the Society• Complimentary research sessions from the Archives and Reading Room with professional support • Name recognition on donor wall of Johnson History Museum

BAREFOOT MAILMAN - $125 Imagine trekking barefoot along the beach from Jupiter to Miami as the Barefoot Mailman. Help preserve our shared history as a Barefoot Mailman member.

• Invitation to members-only opening receptions of all exhibitions• Complimentary admission and mailed invitation to the Distinguished Lecture Series and Third Thursdays @

3 Lecture Series (November – April)• 10% discount in the Museum Bookstore• Invitation to the Annual Meeting with HSPBC staff, board members, and donors• E-newsletter to keep you up-to-date on all the activities and events of the Society• Complimentary research sessions from the Archives and Reading Room with professional support

FAMILY/DUAL - $75 Two adults in a household will receive all benefits of Individual Membership at this level.

INDIVIDUAL - $50• Complimentary admission and mailed invitation to the Distinguished Lecture Series and Third Thursdays @


YOUNG FRIEND OF THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY - $50 / DUAL $75• Invitation to the Young Friends Cocktails In Paradise Series (pre-season/post-season happy hour) • Complimentary admission and mailed invitation to the Distinguished Lecture Series and Third Thursdays @


EDUCATOR - $30In appreciation of your service, Educators receive all benefits of an Individual level membership at a reduced fee.

• Invitation to educators-only events and workshops • Complimentary admission and mailed invitation to the Distinguished Lecture Series and Third Thursdays @



HISTORICAL SOCIETY oƒ PALM BEACH COUNTY

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ALTERNATE ADDRESSDATES FOR OUT-OF-TOWN MAILINGS

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CITY

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SOCIETY MEMBERSHIP $

YOUNG FRIENDS MEMBERSHIP

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Enclosed is my check payable to:

HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF PALM BEACH COUNTY

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A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER

SERVICES BY CALLING TOLL-FREE (800-435-7352) WITHIN THE STATE. REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL, OR

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$

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STAFFPresident and CEO

Jeremy W. Johnson, CAEChief Curator Debi Murray

Director of Advancement and Communications Holly Finch

Director of Marketing and Special Events Jillian Markwith

Curator of Collections Benjamen Salata

Research Director Nick Golubov

Membership Coordinator Lise Steinhauer

Office Administrator Sharon Poss

Education Coordinator Rose Gualtieri

Outreach and Volunteer Coordinator Rhonda Gordon


SIGNATURE

PHysical address

300 North Dixie Highway Downtown West Palm Beach

561.832.4164

mailing address

P.O. Box 4364West Palm Beach, FL 33402

www.HsPBc.org

@HsPBc @HistoricalsocietyPBc @HsPBc


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