Florida Historical Markers Programs - Marker: Palm Beach

Palm Beach

BETHESDA MEMORIAL HOSPITAL

Location:2815 South Seacrest Boulevard
County: Palm Beach
City: Boynton Beach
Description: The area surrounding this site was first settled in the late 1890s. For six decades, a handful of doctors and midwives provided rudimentary medical care to area residents. With the nearest hospital located 18 miles away in West Palm Beach, critical patients were transported by horse and buggy or by fire engine, and sometimes died en route. In 1947, South Palm Beach County civic leaders and physicians formed the Gulfstream Hospital Association to establish a nonprofit acute care hospital to serve the county’s rapidly growing population. The association worked for almost a dozen years to create a special taxing district, raise needed capital, and acquire 10 acres of land needed to build and staff the hospital. The 70-bed Bethesda Memorial Hospital—named for the healing pool of Bethesda mentioned in the Bible—opened on February 9, 1959. The hospital was staffed by 32 doctors and six dentists. Bethesda Hospital’s first patient had an emergency appendectomy; its first birth took place about a week after it opened. The hospital, now Bethesda Hospital East, began expanding within six months of opening, and has grown to become a 401-bed, full-service medical facility with more than 550 physicians in over 40 specialties.
Sponsors: The Robert Neff Family, the Delray Beach Historical Society, and the Florida Department of State

SOUTH LAKE WORTH INLET

Location:6990 North Ocean Boulevard
County: Palm Beach
City: Ocean Ridge
Description: The South Lake Worth Inlet was constructed between 1925 and 1927 to improve water quality and circulation between the south end of Lake Worth and the Atlantic Ocean. The first inlet to Lake Worth was cut in the mid-19th century at the north end of the barrier island of Palm Beach, and was stabilized for navigation in 1917. Though not originally designed for navigation, the South Lake Worth Inlet has become a highly popular passage for fishing boats, pleasure boats, and other small craft. One of the first boats to navigate through the inlet was operated by Capt. Walter (Pop) Lyman, a commercial fisherman. During World War II, the Mar Lago Hotel, which overlooked the inlet, was used by the U.S. Coast Guard as a lookout post for enemy submarines. The hotel was torn down before Palm Beach County purchased the property in 1974 to construct Ocean Inlet Park. The jetties and seawalls surrounding the inlet were known as “Fish Haven,” and professional anglers, sports fishermen, and families came here to cast their lines into the water. The area has been a sight-seeing destination for both visitors and locals and used for family picnics, birthdays, graduation parties, and other celebrations and gatherings.
Sponsors: The Robert Neff Family, the Boynton Beach Historical Society, and the Florida Department of State

DELRAY BEACH HOTEL

Location:126 North Ocean Boulevard
County: Palm Beach
City: Delray Beach
Description: The Delray Beach Hotel was constructed on this site in 1939. Engineered by William Victor Peterson and built by Taylor Construction, the Mediterranean style hotel featured a Cuban tile roof, high ceilings with exposed beams, and large glass windows for ocean views. Peterson, born in 1882 of Swedish descent, had farmed pineapples in Hawaii. Delray's similar climate and pineapple-growing heritage brought him to the area, where he entered Florida’s tourism industry. The Delray Beach Hotel and other contemporary establishments catered to a winter colony of wealthy, creative people. Peterson operated the hotel with his wife Margaret and son Robert during the tourist season. The family also owned the Northern Pine Lodge in Park Rapids, Minnesota, which they operated in the summer when the Delray Hotel was closed. In 1944, the hotel was sold to MacNab Hotels Inc. A restaurant added to the southwest side of the building in 1953 was designed by prominent Delray Beach architect, Samuel Ogren Sr. Berkshire-By-The-Sea was built on the original site of the Delray Beach Hotel in the early 1980s.
Sponsors: William S. & Barbara Peterson, Delray Beach Historical Society

"RABBIT HILL"

Location:South Lake Trail
County: Palm Beach
City: Palm Beach
Description: One of the oldest houses standing in Palm Beach, built in 1891 by Dr. John H. Brelsford, who came here in 1881 with his brother E.M. Brelsford. Alligators, bear, wildcats - and rabbits - abounded. Seminole Indians in their dugout canoes brought deer meat across Lake Worth to trade for oranges and Billy Bowlegs visited here. H.M. Flagler bought the property in 1901 and it was sold to James Y. Arnold in 1944 to become the site of his famous orchid collection.
Sponsors: Florida Board of Parks and Historic Memorials in Cooperation with Palm Beach Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution

1913 BOYNTON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Location:129 E. Ocean Ave.
County: Palm Beach
City: Boynton Beach
Description: Boynton Elementary School, originally called Boynton School, was designed by West Palm Beach architect William Maughlin. It opened in 1913 and was Boynton’s only K-12 school for the next 14 years. It was used continuously as a public school until 1989. The masonry vernacular building has two floors, six classrooms and attic space leading to the belfry. The originally preserved staircase and all floors were built of Florida pine. Although it had indoor plumbing, electricity was not installed until the 1920’s. The schoolhouse was the community’s hub of activity, used for both education and social gatherings. In the early 1990’s city residents revived the downtown, with the old schoolhouse as the cornerstone. In March 1994, the City of Boynton Beach acquired the schoolhouse and had it listed in the National Register of Historic Places. It was restored in 1997. In 1998-99, with funding from the City of Boynton Beach and the Division of Historical Resources, the building underwent a $1.4 million renovation. In 2001 it re-opened as the Schoolhouse Children’s Museum whose mission is to encourage children and families to learn about city and county history through an array of hands-on and interactive exhibitions and programs.
Sponsors: THE BOYNTON CULTURAL CENTRE, INC.,THE CITY OF BOYNTON BEACH, AND THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF STATE

BOCA RATON TOWN HALL

Location:71 North Federal Highway.
County: Palm Beach
City: Boca Raton
Description: Designed in the Mediterranean Revival style by the architect Addison C. Mizner and completed by the architect William E. Alysmeyer, the Boca Raton Town Hall opened in April 1927 as the city's first municipal building, fire station and police department. The Cramer & Cramer Construction Company developed architectural plans with an elaborate front entrance, a gilded dome atop the bell tower and interior finishes with products of the Mizner Industries. The Woman's Club opened Boca Raton's first public library here in 1927 and the second floor served as a private residence of the fire chief for a number of years. In the early years, the Council Chamber/Court Room was the only public meeting room in Boca Raton and was used by numerous social groups, as well as providing a polling place for city voters. In 1975, the city declared that the building should become a museum and in 1976 the Boca Raton Historical Society located its office here. In recognition of its historic and architectural significance, the Boca Raton Town Hall was listed in the National Register of Historic Places as "Old City Hall" in 1980. Several municipal offices occupied the building until 1983 and the Town Hall was restored to its original architectural design by the Boca Raton Historical Society in 1984 for use as a local history museum and archives.
Sponsors: The Palm Beach Town Committee, National Society of Colonial Dames in Cooperation with the Florida Department of State

BOYNTON WOMAN'S CLUB

Location:1010 South Federal Highway
County: Palm Beach
City: Boynton Beach
Description: The Boynton Woman’s Club was designed in the Mediterranean Revival style by the famous Palm Beach architect Addison C. Mizner. The Woman’s Club is significant for both its architectural merit and contributions to the cultural development of Boynton Beach. The club was built in 1925 as a memorial to the founder of the town, Major Nathan S. Boynton. Along with providing a social and civic center for the community, it served as the town’s first public library and the first meeting place for several local churches and service organizations. The second floor features a grand ballroom and stage. The building was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.
Sponsors: THE PALM BEACH TOWN COMMITTEE OF THE NATIONAL SOCIETY OF THE COLONIAL DAMES OF AMERICA AND THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF STATE

COASTAL PATROL BASE NO. 3

Location:2633 Lantana Rd.
County: Palm Beach
City: Palm Beach
Description: Coastal Patrol Base No. 3 at Lantana Airport was one of three 90-day experimental bases established on the east coast of the United States to assist with anti-submarine patrols. Civilian aviators flew missions up to 60 miles out to sea between Palm Beach and Cape Canaveral, to search for German U-boats. In May 1942 near Cape Canaveral, Lantana CAP members Marshall E. Rinker and Tom Manning found a U-boat stranded on a sand bar and called for a military bomber, but the U-boat freed itself and escaped to deeper water before the plane arrived to destroy it. This incident led to the arming of the small civilian planes the CAP used. The experimental units were so successful that 18 more were established in the U.S., with four more bases in Florida. On August 31, 1943, the anti-submarine patrols were transferred to the military. During the unit’s 17 months of service it flew 18,712 hours, 1,546,500 miles, and made 14 attacks, dropping 20 bombs on suspected U-boats. They saved the lives of numerous mariners by attacking and driving off U-boats and directing rescue boats to burning and sinking ships. In 1948, 53 members of the unit received the U.S. military’s Air Medal. The CAP continues to operate at Lantana Airport.
Sponsors: THE PALM BEACH COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, PALM BEACH COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF AIRPORTS, THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF PALM BEACH COUNTY AND THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF STATE

CONNORS' TOLL HIGHWAY

Location:U.S. 98 near 3rd St.
County: Palm Beach
City: Canal Point
Description: Prior to 1923, travel into or out of the Lake Okeechobee Area was accomplished only by boat or canoe. In the early 1920's, W. J. Conners, a New York winter visitor bought 4000 acres of undeveloped muck land near this site. Development required that this property be accessible by land. Being a man with financial and executive ability, he was not long in achieving his desire. After obtaining approval from both houses of the State Legislature in the record time of 2 hours and 20 minutes, he set about building the W.J. Conners Toll Road. Although the terrain was unknown, Conners and his engineer, R.Y. Patterson, constructed the road using dredges. A temporary railroad installed on the roadbed hastened construction. First work began on October 16, 1924 and the highway was completed on June 25, 1925, 8 months later. The final cost of the 52 mile road was $1,800,000. The road was hailed as an engineering marvel of the time and contributed greatly to the growth of this area. Although the toll was only $.03 a mile, the average daily toll gathered was $2000. After Conners' death on October 5, 1929, the road ultimately was sold to the State of Florida for $660,000. This memorial is in tribute to his accomplishments.
Sponsors: sponsored by the glades historical society in cooperation with the department of state

DELRAY WRECK

Location:On the city's municipal beach, along A1A
County: Palm Beach
City: Delray Beach
Description: The old shipwreck known as the Delray Wreck rests at the bottom of the ocean in 25 feet of water about 150 yards offshore the south end of Delray's municipal beach. The wreck is broken and scattered into five sections and has long been one of the most popular diving spots in South Florida. The S.S. INCHULVA was grounded and wrecked by a fierce hurricane on September 11, 1903. Under the command of Captain G.W. Davis, the 386 foot steelhulled British steamship was bound for Newport New, Virginia from Galveston, Texas carrying wheat, cotton, lumber and a crew of 28 men. The storm struck about 5 p.m., tossing the ship and causing the cargo to shift. Steering became impossible, so Captain Davis put out both anchors, but to no avail. The anchors parted and the INCHULVA grounded and was ripped apart. Nine crew members were lost. Dawn revealed to the battered crew that land and a town were just a short distance away. by noon, all the men except Captain Davis and two mates had landed on shore in a small hastily-built raft. They found hot food and coffee at the Chapman House, a local hotel, where many of Delray's residents had taken shelter during the storm. The nine seamen who lost their lives were buried on the ridge overlooking the ocean where the ship had gone down. The surviving crew members were treated, paid and sent to New York. Before leaving for their homes, each crew member signed the guest register of the Chapman House. Under their names they wrote, "Shipwrecked in the S.S. INCHULVA, September 11, 1903, landed on a raft September 12th and received every kindness and attention at the hands of Mrs. Chapman." Captain Davis, his Chief Officer, a 2nd Officer and a seaman from the ship were brought before the Naval Court held at the British Vice Consulate at Jacksonville on September 19th. The Court exonerated the Captain and the crew from all blame.
Sponsors: The Historic Palm Beach County Preservation Board in Cooperation with the Florida Department of State

EL CID NEIGHBORHOOD

Location:207 Almeria Rd.
County: Palm Beach
City: Lake Worth
Description: In 1876, Benjamin Lanehart homesteaded land that is now the north end of El Cid. Soon afterward, Elizabeth Wilder Moore settled on the shores of Lake Worth, just south of Lanehart. Lanehart started the first commercial pineapple operation in the area, and this fruit soon dominated the local agriculture. But by the turn of the century, competition and pant diseases ruined the pineapple business. However, the population of West Palm Beach continued to grow. The El Cid Neighborhood was a product of the 1920’s Florida Land Boom era. Pittsburgh socialite John Phipps (1874-1958), the son of Andrew Carnegie’s partner in U.S. Steel, assembled these old pineapple fields to develop the district. Beginning in 1921, independent builders sold expensive Mediterranean Revival and Mission-style homes on most of he available lots. Its proximity to downtown and the shore of Lake Worth attracted affluent business, political, and social leaders who dominated the city’s development in the 1920’s and 1930’s. Phipps named his development El Cid after the celebrated medieval Spanish hero, Rodrigo Diaz de Vivar. His Moorish enemies called him Cid, an Arabic word meaning lord. The El Cid District is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Sponsors: EL CID HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION AND THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF STATE

EPISCOPAL CHURCH OF BETHESDA-BY-THE-SEA

Location:141 S. County Rd. On grounds of church.
County: Palm Beach
City: Palm Beach
Description: The original church constructed in 1889 on the eastern shore of Lake Worth was the first Protestant church building in southeast Florida. The present edifice, erected in 1926 as a monument to international friendship, has served all races, nations, and creeds. This plaque was placed by the Palm Beach County Historical Society to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the church, in recognition of the historic role of Bethesda-by-the- Sea in the life of the community.

EVERGREEN CEMETERY

Location:2825 N. Rosemary Ave.
County: Palm Beach
City: West Palm Beach
Description: In 1913, a group of seven men (M.J. Gildersleeve, Reverend R.W. Washington, Fred Austin, Robert Holland, Henry Meador, Sam Sharp, and Henry Rhodes) identified as trustees and owners, had the Evergreen Cemetery laid out. The site has originally been part of Gales Lake Worth Plat # 1. These men, joined by four others, formed the Evergreen Cemetery Association in 1916, with M.J. Gildersleeve serving as president. Prior to the creation of this cemetery blacks had been buried in what was identified only as the “colored cemetery” on South Dixie Highway. For over 85 years, Evergreen Cemetery has been the final resting place of some of the city’s most influential black citizens, as well as a cross section of many unnoted black citizens who contributed to the development of West Palm Beach. Among those buried in Evergreen Cemetery are Dr. T. Leroy Jefferson, the city’s first black physician; J.W. Mickens, an early educator; Henry Speed, a real estate investor; and Dr. J.R. Vickers, a physician. In 1981, the City Commission declared Evergreen Cemetery a site of local historical significance. The City acquired and assumed responsibility for Evergreen Cemetery in 1987.
Sponsors: THE CITY OF WEST PALM BEACH AND THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF STATE

F.E.C. RAILWAY DEPOT, BOCA RATON

Location:747 South Dixie Highway.
County: Palm Beach
City: Boca Raton
Description: Side 1: The rails of Henry Flagler's Florida East Coast Railway first reached Boca Raton in 1895 providing an essential link in the extension of the railroad system south to Miami and the Florida Keys, and fostering the tourism and agricultural development around which the community of Boca Raton was founded and grew to prosper. The 1930 railway depot on this site was not the first station in Boca Raton. While the F.E.C. was crucial to the opening of the area, it was during the era of the 1920s and 1930s that Boca Raton received its unique architectural character, due largely to the influence of the architect and developer Addison Mizner. In 1928, following the collapse of the explosive Boom Era in southeast Florida, Mizner lost his extensive holdings in Boca Raton. Clarence A. Geist, a self-made man who began his career as a brakeman in New Jersey and rose to become a utilities magnate in Philadelphia, bought the bankrupt development. Geist, too, had vision, and set out to build on Mizner's achievements. His plans included the construction of a passenger depot on the F.E.C. line to provide service for guests of the exclusive Boca Raton Club, the crown jewel of Mizner's plans for Boca, and to provide a gracious entrance to the showplace community. Side 2: In order to ensure the station would be designed in a style to complement the Club, Geist donated the necessary land and rights to the F.E.C. and is reputed to have made a considerable investment in the railway at the time. Built in 1930, the station was designed by F.E.C. architect Chester G. Henninger in the Mediterranean Revival style of architecture with a gently pitched gable roof, stuccoed walls and arched loggias with delicate spiral columns. This distinctive style, generally associated with the work of Mizner, contributed richly to the unique physical character of Boca Raton which remains visible today. The F.E.C. Railway Passenger Station in Boca Raton was operated until 1968 when passenger service along the line was discontinued. A living testament to the Boom Era in Florida history, the station was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980, and was restored in 1989 by the Boca Raton Historical Society with the generous assistance of the Count and Countess de Hoernle and the widespread support of the community.
Sponsors: Phi Alpha Theta, Xi Omega Chapter, Florida Atlantic University in Cooperation with the Florida Department of State

FLAGLER PARK

Location:North Flagler Drive
County: Palm Beach
City: West Palm Beach
Description: Flagler Park, formerly known as City Park, has been an important public space in West Palm Beach since the founding of the community. The town site for West Palm Beach was laid out in 1893 as a grid pattern of streets running north - south and east - west. The only variation was at the eastern end of Clematis Street, where two angled, short streets branched off to create a triangular, public common area. Over the years, the site has seen a variety of uses. Downtown merchants organized impromptu ball games on the park-like grounds when business was slow. In 1900, a two-story, frame building was donated for use as a reading room and transported across Lake Worth from Palm Beach. It was placed on the southeastern portion of the parcel. The Woman’s Christian Temperance Union dedicated a drinking fountain in the Park in 1907. In 1915, a Woman’s Club was placed on the parcel. Other amenities were also added to the park, including a shuffleboard court and a bandstand for outdoor concerts. As the City’s population expanded during the 1920’s, the facilities of the Reading Room were outgrown and a library was built in 1923. It opened in January 1924, as the Memorial Library, named to honor the dead of World War I. It too was outgrown and was replaced by another library in 1962. In 1994, the library was remodeled and the plaza in front of the library was redesigned, incorporating a triangular, in -ground fountain. This forecourt has become the center of downtown activities, continuing the traditional use of this important civic space
Sponsors: CITY OF WEST PALM BEACH AND THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF STATE

FLAMINGO PARK HISTORIC DISTRICT

Location:Intersection of Flamingo Dr. and Palm Beach Ave.
County: Palm Beach
City: West Palm Beach
Description: There are 501 contributing structures within the Flamingo Park subdivision, which was officially platted on May 17, 1921, with more than 76 building permits issued in 1923. Built on the highest of all coastal ridges between downtown West Palm Beach and Miami, with an ocean view, Flamingo Park was home to many of the most prominent citizens of the time. The Florida Land Boom era is represented here in a concentration of architecturally significant homes in Mission and Mediterranean Revival and Frame Vernacular styles, constructed between 1921 and the mid-1930s. Numerous Masonry Vernacular, Art Moderne, American Foursquare, Colonial Revival and Craftsmen/Bungalow residences are found here. The Alfred Comeau House at 701 Flamingo Drive was built in 1924. Comeau was a prominent businessman, who also built one of the first West Palm Beach skyscrapers in 1925. The Flamingo Park Historic District is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Sponsors: FLAMINGO PARK NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION AND THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF STATE

FLORIDA EAST COAST RAILWAY STATION

Location:200 NE First Street
County: Palm Beach
City: Delray Beach
Description: This 40' freight section is all that remains of the old railroad station constructedin 1896 by the Florida East Coast Railway Company. The station originally stood on the east side of the tracks, one block south of Atlantic Avenue. The original 100' long Stick style building contained ground level waiting rooms and a raised freight area. The station was expanded by 96 feet in the 1920s, and another addition was constructed in the 1940s. Passenger service was discontinued in the 1960s, and the station was scheduled for demolition. The passenger area was razed but public outcry to save the station stopped total destruction of the building. In 1968 the remaining freight section was split into two sections and moved. The 1920s portion was destroyed by fire in 1984, but the original 40' area of the 1896 station was moved and used for several years as an office and for storage at a nursery west of town. In 1994, this surviving section of the historic station was purchased by the Delray Beach Historical Society, which had the building moved to its present location and rehabilitated.
Sponsors: florida heritage sitesponsored by the national society of the colonial dames of america and florida department of statesandra b. mortham, secretary of state

GRANDVIEW HEIGHTS HISTORIC DISTRICT

Location:Intersection of Palm St. and Florida Ave
County: Palm Beach
City: West Palm Beach
Description: In response to the heavy influx of new residents into South Florida at the turn of the century and the introduction of the automobile, local developers and real estate agents purchased the less expensive land outside of the West Palm Beach downtown area and developed the first speculative suburbs. Platted in the 1910-1920s as three subdivisions, Grandview Heights is one of the earliest attempts at southwestern expansion of the city. Originally stretching from Okeechobee Boulevard to Park Place, the property was chosen because of its relatively steep topography for South Florida. It was considered a desirable place to live because it was less than a mile from downtown, within close proximity to the City Terminals, West Palm Beach Canal, the Turning Basin, and had a view of the Everglades. Built for working and middle class residents, the quickly constructed homes were well made but affordable. The neighborhood consists of primarily Bungalow type homes that reflect mainly the Craftsman and Mission styles, both widely popular during the 1920s Florida Land Boom Era.
Sponsors: THE GRANDVIEW HEIGHTS CITIZENS ASSOCIATION AND THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF STATE

HURRICANE OF 1928 MASS BURIAL SITE

Location:Corner of 25th St. and N. Tamarind Ave.
County: Palm Beach
City: Pahokee
Description: Early residents of Glades had to survive many harsh elements. Their goal to create a thriving farming community was often tested by storms, insects, and the lack of many comforts. In 1928 the Glades area was devastated by a powerful hurricane that threatened to destroy the entire area. Several thousand residents were killed and hundreds of homes were destroyed. Despite the death and damage, those residents that survived continued to develop the area. The Glades eventually became a major agricultural community because of their desire and vision. This memorial honors those residents who lost their lives in the 1928 hurricane.
Sponsors: CITY OF PAHOKEE AND THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF STATE

NORTH OCEAN BOULEVARD

Location:N. Ocean Blvd, between Pelican Rd. and Shore Rd.
County: Palm Beach
City: Gulf Stream
Description: In 1992 North Ocean Boulevard (State Road A1A) in the Town of Gulf Stream was designated as a State Historic Scenic Highway to preserve the last remaining Australian pine canopy and the original character and beauty of the 1920s A1A in Florida. State Road A1A through Gulf Stream is one of the earliest, most scenic and most important north-south highways in Palm Beach County and was officially opened in 1916 in this area. In the 1920s, Australian pines were planted on both sides of the road in South Florida, up to the freeze line, to act as a windbreak. Being a fast growing species, a canopy over A1A soon developed, adding greatly to the beauty, charm and character of the area. This canopy has been destroyed with the exception of that remaining in Gulf Stream. Ironically, Australian pines are now too prolific and are not as welcomed in some areas as they once were. Yet the Town has protected the canopy and has obtained authority from the State to restore it, which is gradually being accomplished.
Sponsors: THE TOWN OF GULF STREAM AND THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF STATE

OLD NORTHWOOD HISTORIC DISTRICT

Location:Spruce Ave, between 35 and 34th st.
County: Palm Beach
City: West Palm Beach
Description: In 1884, The Reverend Elbridge Gale retired to the area later to be known as Old Northwood. He was the first to build a cabin on the west side of Lake Worth. Gale grew mango trees and one of his trees became the first grafted Mangonia to bear fruit. The well-known Haden variety was developed from the seeds of this tree. Gale’s home was known as Mangonia. During the Florida Land Boom of the 1920s, the Pinewood Development Company led by David F. Dunkle purchased 400 acres and 173 contributing structures were built between 1921 and 1929 consisting of Frame Vernacular, Mission-style, and Mediterranean homes. Over 50 individual builders built at least one house in the area. Notable architects include John Volk, William Manley King, and T.B. Eissfeldt. One of the district’s most unique features is the network of alleys that allows access to garages and other services. Old Northwood remained a prestigious middle-class neighborhood into the 1960s. After two decades of blight, the Old Northwood Neighborhood Association was formed in 1987. Old Northwood became the first designated historic district in West Palm Beach in 1991 and was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1994.
Sponsors: THE OLD NORTHWOOD NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION AND THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF STATE

ORANGE GROVE HOUSE OF REFUGE NO. 3 - 1876-1927

Location:A1A (Ocean Blvd) between Thomas St. and E. Atlantic Ave.
County: Palm Beach
City: Delray Beach
Description: One of several built by Treasury Department between Cape Canaveral and Cape Florida for rescue and sustenance of shipwrecked. Named for wild sour orange grove nearby, H.D. Pierce, first keeper, arrived with family May 1876. Here August 15, 1876, was born the first white girl between Jupiter and Miami -- (Mrs.) Lillie Pierce Voss. Stephen N. Andrews was last keeper, from September 1877 to October 1, 1896. Area's first post office, Zion, was located in House from 1888 to 1892, Mrs. Annie E. Andrews postmaster. House burned March 2, 1927.
Sponsors: Jonathan Dickinson Chapter National Society, Daughters of the American Revolution in Cooperation with the Florida Historical Society and the Florida Board of Parks and Historic Memorials

PALM BEACH JUNIOR COLLEGE

Location:Storage
County: Palm Beach
City: West Palm Beach
Description: Side 1: This Mediterranean Revival style building housed Palm Beach Junior College, Florida's first public community college, when it was established here in 1933. The college outgrew these facilities after the Second World War and moved in 1948 to Morrison Field, a U.S. Army Air Base, renovated to accommodate the influx of students in peace time. In 1955 the college relocated to its present site in Lake Worth. Among the civic leaders responsible for promoting the concept of the junior college were Palm Beach County Superintendent of Schools Joseph A. Youngblood and Palm Beach High School Principal Howell L. Watkins. The college served as a model for the state-wide system of Junior Colleges. Three students were in the first graduating class of 1936. In 1936 John I. Leonard became the first president of the Palm Beach Junior College. Side 2: William Manly King (1886-1961), a noted West Palm Beach architect, designed this building in the Mediterranean Revival style so popular in Florida in the 1920's. The design complemented the adjacent Palm Beach High School campus and this building was occupied in 1927. As architect for the Palm Beach County Board of Public Instruction he designed numerous school buildings throughout Palm Beach County. Mr. King also designed hotels in West Palm Beach, the National Guard Armory (1939), the Hibiscus Garden Apartments (1926) and the seal for the City of West Palm Beach. In June, 1991 the building was listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The Mediterranean Revival classroom building continued to serve the needs of the School Board and in November, 1991 it was returned to Palm Beach Community College. The College Foundation undertook the challenge of restoring the building for the continuing education of citizens in our community. This historical marker is dedicated to commemorate the 60th Anniversary of Palm Beach Community College, 1933-1993.
Sponsors: The Palm Beach Community College Foundation in Cooperation with the Florida Department of State

PALM BEACH JUNIOR COLLEGE FLORIDA'S FIRST PUBLIC JUNIOR COLLEGE

Location:6th Ave. S. and Congress Ave. (SR 807) at at the administration building on the Palm Beach Community College campus.
County: Palm Beach
City: Lake Worth
Description: The earliest junior colleges in Florida were established under private auspices, beginning in 1907 with Palmer College at DeFuniak Springs. The first public junior college was instituted by the Palm Beach County school board during the Depression years to make college opportunities available to those local high school graduates unable to meet the expenses of attending school away from home. Palm Beach Junior College admitted its first students in 1933. Its first goal was to provide two years of acceptable college work. Soon it also offered career or vocational education for persons desiring to work after graduation and adult education programs. In 1939, state legislation provided legal status for the junior college program by authorizing county school boards to organize and maintain such institutions using county school funds. In 1947, Palm Beach Junior College began to receive state assistance under new legislation. Beginning in the 1950's the junior college program in florida began to expand, aided by the long-term plans of the Community College council created in 1955. The educational goals of Palm Beach Junior College served as a model for Florida's developing community college program.
Sponsors: sponsored by Palm Beach Junior College in cooperation with department of state

ROYAL POINCIANA HOTEL

Location:44 Cocoanut Row in front of the Palm Beach Towers
County: Palm Beach
City: Palm Beach
Description: The Royal Poinciana Hotel, built by Henry M. Flagler, was opened February 11, 1894. One of the largest wooden structures in the world at the time, the hotel cost over $1 million. Its rooms accommodated 2,000 quests and its dining room seated 1,600. The sprawling six story structure, painted yellow and white, faced Lake Worth and was surrounded by gardens. The hotel was in use until the 1929-1930 season. It was demolished in 1936.

SANDOWAY HOUSE AND NATURE CENTER

Location:142 South Ocean Boulevard
County: Palm Beach
City: Delray Beach
Description: Of state significance, The Sandoway House Nature Center was constructed in 1936 by early Delray Beach resident J.B. Evans. Located at 142 S. Ocean Blvd., this is one of the last remaining Resort Colonial houses in Delray Beach. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2002, the house is open to the public as a nature center in an historical setting. Significant Resort Colonial elements include the board-and-batten siding, the open second-story porch and original double-hung windows. Built during the Great Depression, the only ostentation is the cathedral window on the south side of the residence. The house faces the Atlantic Ocean with all native plants in front, forming a natural dune, and is surrounded by a hammock of native bushes and trees. Purchase and rehabilitation was made possible by public funds from Palm Beach County, the City of Delray Beach, the Florida Communities Trust and the State Division of Historical Resources. Also, many local private and corporate sponsors made the rehabilitation possible
Sponsors: THE CITY OF DELRAY BEACH AND THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF STATE

SAWFISH BAY

Location:1133 North Alternate A1A
County: Palm Beach
City: Jupiter
Description: The waterfront location of today’s Sawfish Bay Park played a major role in the pre-historic and historic settlement of the Jupiter area. First inhabited during the Archaic Period 5,000 years ago, this site provided access to an intricate transportation system within the Everglades region. Marine life sustained these early peoples until contact with European diseases devastated the local population in the 1700s. The earliest historic written record of human activity on the site was the Cabot Home, first settled by Frederick M. Cabot II in 1892. By 1894 this site became the center of commerce when a railroad spur, which is still evident, connected the river community of Jupiter to the northeastern United States. The wharves, general stores, depots, post office, granary, fish house and warehouses that followed shifted the town west from the southern banks of the Jupiter Inlet. The Jupiter School, built here in 1901 next to the home of the first mayor, John Ziegler, was used until 1910. The pioneer children were transported to school in a lifeboat from the battleship U.S.S. Maine, which exploded in Havana Harbor in 1898, igniting the Spanish American War. The large Cabot Oak tree on the property is over 200 years old.
Sponsors: THE TOWN OF JUPITER AND THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF STATE

SEA GULL COTTAGE - PALM BEACH'S OLDEST HOUSE

Location:Sea Gull Cottage, 60 Coconut Row
County: Palm Beach
City: Palm Beach
Description: Constructed in 1886 by R.R. McCormick, a Denver railroad developer, Sea Gull cottage was purchased by Henry Flagler in 1893 and became Flagler's first winter residence in Palm Beach. The Royal Poinciana, Flagler's first resort hotel in Palm Beach, was located next to Sea Gull. In 1984 Sea Gull was moved and restored by the Preservation Foundation of Palm Beach. It is now the Parish House of the Royal Poinciana Chapel.
Sponsors: The National Society of Colonial Dames of America in Cooperation with the Florida Department of State

SEABOARD AIR LINE STATION

Location:Tarmarind Ave. at Datura St., station courtyard
County: Palm Beach
City: West Palm Beach
Description: The Seaboard Air Line Railway Station has played an important role in the history of West Palm Beach and Palm Beach County. It is a unique example of early 20th century railroad architecture in the Mediterranean Revival style. The Station opened with the arrival of the Orange Blossom Special on January 25, 1925. It was the flagship station of the entire Seaboard line running from Coleman to Homestead. Harvey & Clarke, the largest architectural firm in Palm Beach County in the 1920s, created this new symbol for the City of West Palm Beach in the prevailing architectural style of the period. The Historic American Buildings Survey documented the station in 1971 and the station was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973. The AMTRAK System began passenger service here in May 1971 and the Tri-County Commuter Rail Organization began passenger service from here to Miami in January 1989. The Seaboard Station was restored with substantial funding by the Florida Department of State and rededicated in April 1991.
Sponsors: The Palm Beach Town Committee of The National Society of the Colonial Dames of America in Cooperation with the Florida Department of State

STUB CANAL TURNING BASIN

Location:Parker Ave. South of Okeechobee blvd.
County: Palm Beach
City: West Palm Beach
Description: The Stub Canal Turning Basin represents an important link between West Palm Beach and the agricultural communities adjacent to Lake Okeechobee. In the late 19th century, Florida began draining the Everglades/Lake Okeechobee basin to provide water transportation routes and to create farmland from swamps. When the Board of Drainage Commissioners authorized the construction of a canal network in 1905, a connection to West Palm Beach was not included. In 1911, local businessman George Currie, on behalf of the Chamber of Commerce, petitioned Governor Albert Waller Gilchrist (1858-1926) for a canal from Lake Okeechobee to Lake Worth. Known as the West Palm Beach Canal, the forty-mile channel was authorized in 1913, and completed in 1917. By 1918, an extension, or stub, was constructed to bring the canal directly into the West Palm Beach business district. The City built shipping facilities and this Turning Basin. The Stub Canal served as a dependable route for passenger travel and for the shipment of produce from, and provisions to, the western agricultural communities until 1925, when improved railroad and highway connections provided other means of transportation.
Sponsors: CITY OF WEST PALM BEACH AND THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF STATE

THE BAREFOOT MAILMAN

Location:At Spanish River Park, A1A
County: Palm Beach
City: Boca Raton
Description: Along this beach in the 1880's and early 1890's walked United States mailmen on their sixty-six mile journey between Palm Beach and Miami. The trip required three days each way and they passed this spot the second day. They walked barefoot at the wet surf line, the hardest surface, with their mail bags and shoes slung over their shoulders. One of them, James E. Hamilton, drowned trying to cross Hillsborough Inlet.
Sponsors: Estahakee Chapter National Society Daughters of the American Revolution in Cooperation with the Florida Historical Society and Department of State, Bureau of Historic Preservation

WORLD WAR II U.S. NAVAL HOUSING BUILDING

Location:500 Captain Armours Way
County: Palm Beach
City: Jupiter
Description: The U.S. Navy constructed this building (circa 1939) on land included in the Federal Jupiter Lighthouse Reservation established by President Franklin Pierce in 1854. Built as Married Men’s Quarters, the two-story wood-frame building had six two-bedroom apartments, each with brick fireplaces, and a continuous screened first-floor porch facing the Inlet. During World War II, Navy personnel lived in this building, and in the then adjacent Transmitter and Dormitory building and the Chief Petty Officers’ Quarters. These three buildings were part of the Direction Finding Station built on the reservation known as “Station J.” Developed to locate the German submarines torpedoing ships off the Florida coast, Station J also served as a navigational beacon for military ships and aircraft, and for communications during the war. Station J was closed in July 1945, and starting in 1958, most of the World War II military wood-frame structures including the two adjacent buildings, were demolished. In the 1960s, the Navy gave this portion of the Reservation, including this building, to the U.S. Coast Guard. In 2004, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management transferred ownership of this portion of the Reservation to the Town of Jupiter.
Sponsors: THE TOWN OF JUPITER AND THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF STATE

LAKE PARK TOWN HALL

Location:535 Park Avenue
County: Palm Beach
City: Lake Park
Description: Boston entrepreneur Harry S. Kelsey founded Kelsey City in 1921.He envisioned his town as a resort mecca and winter retreat for wealthy northeners.The Town Hall was designed by architect Bruce Kitchell in 1927 and was built by the Arnold Construction Company.Constructed of stuccoed brick and clay tile,this Mediterranean Revival jewel has stylistic features reflective of the late Italian Renaissance,including a rusticated frontispiece,decorative window surrounds and a water table supported by brackets.The Town Hall originally housed the Police and Fire Departments,Town Administration,Library,and Municipal Courtroom.The land boom collapse in the mid 1920s and the Hurricane of 1928,in which the Town Hall served as a shelter for residents,nearly devastated the city.Service organizations provided diversions for those who remained.The Fire Department sponsered dances here in the Mirror Ballroom on the second floor.The ballroom was used for many other social events,such as theatrical performances by the Palm Beach Junior College,which occupied the Town Hall in the 1950s.In 1939 the town changed its name to the Town of Lake Park.Lake Park Town Hall was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1981.
Sponsors: Town of Lake Park and FL Dept of State

FLAMINGO PARK

Location:South Dixie Highway, Flamingo Park
County: Palm Beach
City: West Palm Beach
Description: This site originally was the southeast corner of an eighty-acre parcel purchased by George L. Marsteller of Charleston, South Carolina, in 1884 for $100. Two blocks to the North between South Dixie Highway and South Olive Ave. the Lakeside Cemetery Association had Platted the Lakeside Cemetery in 1895. It operated as a racially integrated facility, unusual for the times. In 1902, the Association purchased these two acres from West Palm Beach to serve as a separate cemetery for African Americans. The Association platted 190 lots and interred approximately 100 people by 1913. The cemetery never had a official name: maps of the era simply called it “Colored Cemetery” The city’s efforts to repossess and resell the cemetery in 1916 were blocked by the Florida Supreme Court. By 1921, unable to maintain the cemetery, the Association donated it to the City without restrictions. No further burials took place. The City converted the cemetery to a public park known as Dixie playground and later renamed Flamingo Park. Citizens’ protests in 1966 and 1991 thwarted subsequent attempts to sell the park for commercial development.
Sponsors: City of West Palm Beach and the Florida Department of State

CLEMATIS STREET COMMERCIAL HISTORIC DISTRICT

Location:N. Clematis St.
County: Palm Beach
City: West Palm Beach
Description: For over 100 years, Clematis Street(named after the Clematis flower has been the primary retail street in West Palm Beach. It was a shell-topped road in 1893, when Henry Flagler(1830-1913) began to develop West Palm Beach as the commercial district for his resort community of Palm Beach. The face of Clematis Street was changed in 1904 with the paving and the installation of sidewalks and streetlights. The Eastern end of Clematis Street developed first, but by 1916, as the population grew, the business district began to expand to the West. During the real estate boom of the 1920's, new buildings were erected to house a variety of retail establishments in the 500 block of Clematis Street. Among the contributing buildings in the district are the Hotel Clematis and Gruner's department store at 512-516 Clematis Street; James Rooming House at 518-20 Clematis Street; Sewell's Hardware store at 528-30 Clematis Street; and Sirkin Building at 533 Clematis Street(designed by local architect's Harvey and Clark)all built between 1920 and 1928. The 500 block of Clematis has the highest concentration of historic buildings in the downtown retail area. In 1998 it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Sponsors: City of West Palm Beach, Florida Department of State

OLD FLORESTA HISTORIC DISTRICT

Location:Intersection of West Palmetto Park Rd and Cardinal Avenue
County: Palm Beach
City: Boca Raton
Description: In October 1925, architect Addison Mizner announced construction of houses for his company’s executives and his brother, the Reverend Henry Mizner, in the subdivision now known as Old Floresta. The Robinson Company, a New York contractor building the Cloister Inn in Boca Raton, won the contract for 29 Mizner-designed houses. With the end of the real estate boom in 1926, the Mizner Development Corporation collapsed before Robinson could complete the houses. The Chicago partners, headed by Hermann V. von Holst, from whom Mizner purchased the land for Old Floresta, held the mortgage and filed for foreclosure. Von Holst then supervised the completion of the unfinished houses, proposed new names for the streets, and suggested calling the subdivision Floresta, “a delightful rural place” in Spanish. Since the 1920s, Old Floresta, with its Spanish-style architecture of rough-finished stucco walls, wrought iron balconies, and barrel tile roofs, combined with the subdivision’s narrow tree-lined streets and lush landscaping, has remained one of Boca Raton’s most distinctive neighborhoods. In 1990, Old Floresta became Boca Raton’s first historic district.
Sponsors: The Boca Raton Historical Society and the Florida Department of State

POWELL'S BATTLE

Location:9060 W. Indiantown Rd at Riverbend Park
County: Palm Beach
City: Jupiter
Description: On January 15,1838,during the Second Seminole War.The Seminoles met and defeated U.S. forces in the first battle of the Loxahatchee River.Trying to end the war,Maj. Gen. Thomas Jesup brought several columns of troops to south Florida, including Waterborne Everglades Expeditionary Unit commanded by Navy Lt. Levin Powell. In search of the Seminoles, Powell's unit entered the southwest fork of the Loxahatchee river in small boats, led by a captured Seminole woman. Marching west, they saw smoke trails rise from a cypress swamp encampment and were suddenly met by hot musket fire from Seminole warriors. A running fire fight in the swamp led by Chiefs Tuskegee and Halleck Hadjo ended at dark with the Seminoles slowly gaining control. Powell's small force of 80 sailors and soldiers, overpowered by a much larger force of Seminole swamp fighters, barely escaped with severe casualities. Only the leadership of Joseph Johnston prevented what could have been the "Powell Massacre". With news of the Seminole victory, Gen. Jesup and his main column of more than 1500 men headed southeast to confront the Seminoles in the Second Battle of the Loxahatchee River on January 24, 1838.
Sponsors: Palm Beach County and Florida Dept. of State.

HISTORIC JUPITER SCHOOL

Location:200 S. Loxahatchee Dr
County: Palm Beach
City: Jupiter
Description: This building was constructed in 1927 to serve the town's approximately 100 white students from grades one through twelve.Prior to its construction,students were transported by boat to attend schools along the Loxahatchee River including the 1891 Octagon School,the 1895 west Jupiter School at Sawfish Bay and the 1911 Jupiter School on Town Hall Avenue.African-American students attended a seperate two-room schoolhouse in Limestone Creek through eighth grade until 1961,when Iris Hunter became the first black student at Jupiter School.Following the 1928 hurricane,both black and white area residents sought shelter in the school until they could safely return to their homes.Costing $150,000,the new school had modern amenities including a library,science lab and an auditorium complete with stage for the arts.The build whose architect was William Manley King,is an excellent example of Mediterranean Revival architecture,displaying many elements of the style including a low-pitch tile roof,stucco finish,arches and a Venetian Gothic arcade on twisted columns.The Jupiter School served as the town's primary educational facility until 1965 when the new Jupiter High School was opened on Toney Penna Drive.
Sponsors: School board of PBCO & FL Dept of State

MARINA HISTORIC DISTRICT

Location:Intersection of SE 7th Avenue and SE 2nd Street
County: Palm Beach
City: Delray Beach
Description: The Marina Historic District, a historically small-scale neighborhood, was primarily developed from 1922 to 1943 and showcases many irreplaceable architectural resources. Later development of the 1940s, 1950's, and beyond provides prime examples of South Florida architecture. A portion of the historic district contains what was once known as the “Mike Blank Nurseries”. Delray Beach pioneers, the Blank family left a legacy of large shade trees throughout the area, and built and lived in several structures alone SE 7th Avenue, some of which remain. The Christian Science Church, constructed in 1942, initially served as a chapel at the U.S. Army Air Force Base in Boca Raton and was relocated in 1949 to 200 SE 7th Avenue. Architect Sam Ogren, Sr., designed and executed the church’s facade and renovation in later years. Designed by architect John Volk, the circa 1937 “Fontaine Fox Cottages” are located in the 200 block on the west side of SE 7th Avenue and provide excellent examples of the Florida Cottage Style. Fontaine Fox, a famous cartoonist and creator of “Toonerville Trolley,” was a notable winter resident. The City of Delray Beach locally designated the Marina Historic District in 1988.
Sponsors: The City of Delray Beach, the Delray Beach Preservation Trust and the Florida Department of State

DEL-IDA PARK HISTORIC DISTRICT

Location:767 NE 2nd Avenue
County: Palm Beach
City: Delray Beach
Description: The Del-Ida Park subdivision was first recorded on September 18, 1923. Motivated by patriotic spirit and the optimism of Florida’s land boom, Del-Ida Park originally contained streets named after six U. S. Presidents. Mr. J. C. Secord of Miami organized the Ocean City Development Company and purchased the 58 acre tract containing 300 lots and three pie-shaped public parks. Within days of its recording, it was reported that “Del-Ida Park is growing fast”, as 58 lots had sold. Mr. Frederick Henry Link, a former craftsman at Addison Mizner industries in West Palm Beach, purchased several lots and served as the sub-divisions general contractor. In 1923, he began construction of his own home at 524 NE 2nd Avenue. Built in the Mediterranean Revival style, the house started the trend for such designs which remained popular through 1930. Link’s daughter, Catherine Link Strong, lived on Dixie Boulevard as an adult, and was Delray Beach’s first woman mayor in 1954. Originally a rather elite developments, the real estate bust left the area without much growth and development until the 1940’s and later. The City of Delray Beach designated the Del-Ida Park Historic District in 1988.
Sponsors: Sponsored by the City of Delray Beach and the Florida Department of State

JESUP'S BATTLE JANUARY 24, 1838

Location:9060 W. Indiantown Rd at Riverbend Park
County: Palm Beach
City: Jupiter
Description: On January 24, 1838, Major General Thomas S Jesup, commanding 1,500 men, the largest army of Second Seminole War. [1835-42], marched to the headwaters of the Loxahatchee River, where he defeated approximately 300 Red and Black Seminoles in the last standing battle of the war. The Seminoles attacked General Jesup's advanced guard of Dragoons, leading them into a cypress swamp while they hid and fired from a high, dense hammock. Outnumbered nearly seven to one, the Seminoles retreated to a watery stronghold on the opposite side of the river. They crossed to the east side of the river and waited for the troops to follow, Major William Lauderdale and his Tennessee Volunteers held a position on the west side of the river, putting them in direct line of withering musket fire that stopped their advance. After dismounting and drawing his pistol, General Jesup ordered the Tennesseans to follow him as he charged ahead. Instead, they held their position, and Jesup was shot in the face. The battle ended when Colonel William Harney's Dragoons outflanked the Seminoles, who fled into the Everglades. Seven soldiers were killed and thirty-one wounded. The Seminole casualties are unknown.
Sponsors: Palm Beach Co & FL Dept. of State

MARINA HISTORIC DISTRICT

Location:Intersection of SE 2nd St. and SE 7th Ave.
County: Palm Beach
City: Delray Beach
Description: Primarily developed between 1922 and 1943, the Marina Historic District displays a variety of architectural styles including Mediterranean and Mission Revival, Monterey, Minimal Traditional, Frame Vernacular and Art Moderne. The prominent neighborhood showcases some of the area’s most accomplished architects. Built in 1939 and designed by Gustav Maas, the Boyd Building at 840 East Atlantic Avenue is a distinctive example of a large-scale commercial building in the Streamline Moderne style. A prime example of Mediterranean Revival architecture is the Marine Villas, designed by Sam Ogren, Sr. at 110 marine Way. Consisting of four cottages, the marine Villas have been immaculately maintained wit the original detailing preserved. Located at 60 Marine Way is The Anchorage, also designed by Ogren and built in 1941 in the Monterey style. The cottage at 707 SE 1st Street, relocated from Boca Raton in the 1930’s, was designed by renowned architect Addison Mizner (1872 – 1933). Palm Square is lined by its original cottages from the 1920’s and 1930’s and maintains its true historic environment. The City of Delray Beach designated the Marina Historic District in 1988.
Sponsors: Delray Beach Community Redevelopment Agency and the Florida Department of State.

FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH FELLOWSHIP HALL

Location:33 Gleason Street
County: Palm Beach
City: Delray Beach
Description: An orange grove, once located at this site, played a role in the early development of Delray Beach. Until 1876, an old, sour orange grove was the only distinguishable characteristic within 60 miles of a sparsely inhabited subtropical wilderness between Lake Worth and Biscayne Bay. Settlers in 1894-95 who saw the grove that was partially surrounded by a rock wall, speculated that the trees were planted by Seminole Indians, Minorcan immigrants, or the Spanish, but its origin remains unknown. A nearby haulover (a location where boats were carried from one navigable place to another), the Orange Grove Haulover, was named after the grove and is found on 19th century Florida maps as far back as 1826. The U.S. Life Saving Service, established by Congress in 1848 to protect mariners, built the Orange Grove House of Refuge #3 in 1876. When potential settlers came to the proposed Town of Linton (later renamed Delray Beach), the keeper of the Refuge, Stephen N. Andrews, suggested that the main street, Atlantic Avenue, be placed between the House of Refuge on the north and the orange grove on the south. The grove, long gone, became the site of this Mediterranean Revival building in 1924. In 1924, a local Baptist congregation built a new sanctuary on this spot. The church, the only one built on the Delray Beach barrier island, was considered by many to be one of the most beautiful in the city. F.J. Schrader was the architect, builder, and financial underwriter. He said his inspiration was a picture and floor plan of a church in Florence, Italy, but that he made this church less ornate. In May 1924, he and a small crew, consisting of a carpenter, plumber, and electrician, faced a difficult task, especially with constructing the church’s large cypress trusses. It was said at the time that the church was “the most Floridian Church in Florida.” The original building was constructed as Gibson Memorial Baptist Church, but after the real estate crash of 1926 and the hurricanes that followed, the congregation was unable to finish paying Schrader. Five weeks after the 1928 hurricane, local Presbyterians rented the church, later purchasing it. After a new sanctuary was built in 1977, the original church became the Fellowship Hall for the First Presbyterian Church.

NASSAU PARK HISTORIC DISTRICT

Location:Nassau St. and Venetian Ave.
County: Palm Beach
City: Delray Beach
Description: Nassau Park, Delray Beach’s first locally designated historic district, spans two blocks along Nassau Street from South Ocean Boulevard to Venetian Drive. In 1935, a newspaper ad for Ray-Del Realty Co. described Nassau Park as “West Indian Charm Along Delray Shores.” Originally Jo-Jo Avenue, Nassau Street was renamed by developer R.C. MacNeil, who commissioned architect Sam Ogren, Sr. to design the first house in 1935. Primarily developed between 1935 and 1941, the residential neighborhood contains cottages built in the Colonial-Cape Cod Revival style which incorporate architectural detailing derived from early wooden folk houses of Eastern Massachusetts. The original 18 houses built from 1935-1941 retain their dominant architectural elements such as accentuated front doors with overhead fanlights, and carved wood detailing. Nassau Street evokes a time during the 1930s when the winter colony relaxed in discreet small-scale cottages surrounded by natural beauty. The natural topography is a vital element in the aesthetics of the historic streetscape. The City of Delray Beach designated the Nassau Park Historic District in 1988.
Sponsors: SPONSORED BY THE CITY OF DELRAY BEACH THE DELRAY BEACH HISTORICAL SOCIETY AND THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF STATE

NASSAU PARK HISTORIC DISTRICT

Location:x
County: Palm Beach
City: Delray Beach
Description: Nassau Park, the city’s only historic district east of the Intracoastal Waterway, contains three subdivisions: Nassau Park, Wheatley’s, and John B. Reid’s Village. The circa 1935 Nassau Park subdivision was the City’s first planned residential development south of Atlantic Avenue. In August 1936, Mr. and Mrs. William Wheatley of Connecticut, platted the portion of Nassau Street from Gleason Street to Venetian Drive. Nassau Street’s initial development intended to compliment existing hotels and Mediterranean Revival-style oceanfront homes along South Ocean Boulevard. The 18 Colonial-Cape Cod Revival style houses built along Nassau Street between 1935 and 1941 have retained their original architectural elements. The Colonial-Cape Cod Revival style is derived from early wooden folk houses of Eastern Massachusetts containing accentuated front doors with pilasters and overhead fanlights, gabled roof lines, dormers, carved wood detailing and Georgian or Adam doorways. The dwellings erected in the 1950s and 1960s architecturally differ from the initial development of Nassau Street, yet compliment the historic streetscape. The City of Delray Beach locally designated the Nassau Park Historic District in 1988.
Sponsors: THE CITY OF DELRAY BEACH, THE DELRAY BEACH HISTORICAL SOCIETY AND THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF STATE

DEL-IDA PARK HISTORIC DISTRICT

Location:Swinton Ave by NE 5th St.
County: Palm Beach
City: Delray Beach
Description: Recorded in 1923, Del-Ida Park was one of Delray Beach’s earliest planned neighborhoods. Del-Ida Park’s unusual diagonal arrangement of streets, triangular lots, and public parks are unique when contrasted with the grid pattern layout of the remainder of the city. This imaginative street layout was designed to create a sense of space and maintain a park-like atmosphere. Architectural styles throughout the neighborhood reflect the popular culture of South Florida and the land boom and bust that occurred during the initial development of the 1920s through to the 1940s. Although dominated by the Mediterranean and Mission Revival styles, Minimal Traditional and Frame Vernacular styles are also prevalent and provide a predominantly one-story, low-scale streetscape. Additional development of the 1950s and 1960s provide prime examples of the Ranch and Contemporary styles typical of South Florida. Del-Ida Park lies between NE 4th and 8th Streets with North Swinton Avenue to the west and the Florida East Coast Railroad to the east. The City of Delray Beach locally designated the Del-Ida Park Historic District in 1988.
Sponsors: A FLORIDA HERITAGE SITE SPONSORED BY THE CITY OF DELRAY BEACH

WEST SETTLERS HISTORIC DISTRICT

Location:NW 2nd st. and NW 4th Ave
County: Palm Beach
City: Delray Beach
Description: Established in 1894, the West Settlers area is the site of the first African-American settlement in Delray Beach. African-Americans from north and west Florida, Georgia and South Carolina were the first non-Native Americans in the area, laying the foundation of a strong agricultural economy in the region. The community was self-sufficient and settlers utilized local materials and their own construction knowledge. Known as the “Red Line” for the painted tin roofs, the “shot gun” houses that once occupied the east side of NW 3rd Avenue were developed for Henry Flagler’s railroad workers. Isaiah Bruin, one of the community’s earliest builders, constructed many residences along NW 3rd and 4th Avenues, including the Susan Williams House, which is now located at the S.D. Spady Cultural Complex on NW 5th Avenue. The La France Hotel (1949), located at 140 NW 4th Avenue, was once the only hotel in Delray Beach that welcomed African-Americans during segregation. Owned by Charles and Francenia Patrick, the hotel welcomed celebrated black musicians and civil rights figures. The Patricks built their homestead next door at 400 NW 2nd Street. In 1997, the community was locally designated the West Settlers Historic District.
Sponsors: SPONSORED BY THE CITY OF DELRAY BEACH, THE DELRAY BEACH COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY AND THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF STATE

WEST SETTLERS HISTORIC DISTRICT

Location:NW 5th Ave Between Atlantic Ave and NW 1st St.
County: Palm Beach
City: Delray Beach
Description: The West Settlers community, established in 1894 as Delray Beach’s first African-American community, was self-sufficient with commercial buildings and churches serving its residents. Originally N Blackmer Street, NW 5th Avenue was the hub of business and social activities. The building at the northwest corner of NW 1st Street and NW 5th Avenue was known as “The Fountainette” and contained a soda fountain, doctor’s offices, and a pharmacy. The pharmacy, run by Dr. Simon Barnes, was the only one to serve the African-American community. The former residence of Delray’s most prominent black educator and community leader, Solomon D. Spady, is located at 170 NW 5th Avenue. The circa 1926 Mission Revival structure is now a museum primarily dedicated to African-American history. One of the community’s earliest builders was William Robinson who developed the property at 315-317 NW 1st Street for his wife, Essie, in 1902. The Robinson homestead, one of the first in the area to have electricity, running water, and a telephone, was designated an official Red Cross hurricane shelter in the 1940s. In 1997, the community was locally designated the West Settlers Historic District.
Sponsors: SPONSORED BY THE CITY OF DELRAY BEACH EPOCH (EXPANDING & PRESERVING OUR CULTURAL HERITAGE, INC.) AND THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF STATE

OLD SCHOOL SQUARE

Location:188 South Swinton Avenue
County: Palm Beach
City: Delray Beach
Description: Old School Square Historic District is named for its focal point, the Old School Square Complex at 51 North Swinton Avenue which is made up of the circa 1913 Vernacular style Delray School designed by J.M. Cromer, the city’s first separate high school, and the original gymnasium. Both the high school and gymnasium were designed circa 1926 in the Mediterranean Revival style by architect Sam Ogren, Sr. Ogren also designed several Mediterranean Revival structures along NE 1st Avenue, otherwise known as Banker’s Row. Two-story Mediterranean Revival residences of the 1920s are on the west side of Banker’s Row while one-story Minimal Traditional cottages of the 1930s line the east side. Architectural styles throughout the historic district include Vernacular, Bungalow, and Mission and Mediterranean Revival styles dating between 1902 and 1945. The Old School Square Historic District contains approximately 15 blocks around the town’s geographic center. District boundaries span south to SE 2nd Street and north to NE 4th Street with NE and NW 1st Avenues to the east and west. The City of Delray Beach locally designate0d the Old School Square Historic District in 1988.
Sponsors: SPONSORED BY THE CITY OF DELRAY BEACH AND THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF STATE

OLDSCHOOL SQUARE

Location:342 North Swinton Avenue
County: Palm Beach
City: Delray Beach
Description: Old School Square Historic District represents the initial footprint for the settlement and development of Delray Beach. The architectural and historical development that gave Delray Beach a prominent status in Palm Beach County can be seen in examples of turn- of-the-century frame architecture found along South Swinton Avenue such as the “Sundy House.” The 1902 structure was home to Delray Beach’s first mayor, John S. Sundy, who served for seven terms. The “Cathcart House,” at 38, was constructed in 1902 in the French Colonial Revival style. Two of the city’s earliest churches were also located in this area: St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, where the original 1904 building remains, and the 1903 Methodist Church, where only the parsonage (also known as “The Rectory”) exists. The South Swinton Avenue corridor and neighboring NE/NW 1st Avenues contain examples of working class homes developed in the 1920s-1950s. East Atlantic Avenue contains the Rhoden Building at 2-4, which exemplifies an early block building, and the Masonic Temple at 44, which was used as a post office in the 1920s. The City’s largest historic district, Old School Square was locally designated in 1988 by the City of Delray Beach.
Sponsors: SPONSORED BY THE CITY OF DELRAY BEACH, THE DELRAY BEACH COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY AND THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF STATE

LITTLE RED SCHOOLHOUSE

Location:2145 South Ocean Blvd
County: Palm Beach
City: Palm Beach
Description: Founded in 1886 as a community project, the Little Red Schoolhouse was the first one-room school built in southeast Florida. With $200 for lumber from the Dade County School Board the men of the community, led by George W. Lainhart volunteered their labor to construct the 22-by-40 foot building. Its original location one mile north of the Flagler Memorial Bridge on Lake Trail in Palm Beach was property donated by the David Brown and John C. Hoagland families. The Ladies Aid Society raised additional money for school furnishings. Sixteen-year-old Hattie Gale taught the first class of students ranging in age from Pupils arrived by boat, bicycle or on foot. The one-room school served families living around Lake Worth until 1901. It was then turned into a gardeners’ shed on the John S. Phipps property. In 1960 the structure was moved to Phipps Ocean Park and was refurbished by the Gardeners Society of Palm Beach. The Preservation Foundation of Palm Beach is leasing the building from the Town of Palm Beach for preservation and pioneer education.
Sponsors: x

THE JUPITER AND LAKE WORTH RAILWAY, "CELESTIAL RAILROAD" 1889-1895

Location:18085 N Highway A1A
County: Palm Beach
City: Jupiter
Description: The Jupiter and Lake Worth (J. & L.W.) Railway crossed this site running 7 ½ miles from Jupiter Inlet to Juno at the north end of Lake Worth. A hack line originally operated on the same route, transporting visitors and freight with wagons pulled by oxen. The narrow gauge railroad began operation on July 4, 1889, as Lake Worth pioneers celebrated with a free ride to Jupiter. Since there was no turntable, the train steamed forward to Juno and in reverse back to Jupiter. The Indian River Steamboat Company connected passengers and freight from Titusville to the J. & L.W. Railway wharf, then by rail to Juno, the Dade County seat. Engineer Blus Rice played Dixie on the wood-burning steam engine whistle to alert waiting passengers. In 1893, an article in Harper’s New Monthly Magazine dubbed the line the “Celestial Railroad” because it stopped at Jupiter, Mars, Venus, and Juno. Mars and Venus were freight stops for loading pineapples, coconuts, citrus and other locally grown produce. In 1893, Henry Flagler used the railroad to haul lumber and supplies to build the Royal Poinciana Hotel on Palm Beach. Bankruptcy and Flagler’s Florida East Coast Railroad ended the Celestial Railroad’s operations in April 1895.
Sponsors: The Town of Jupiter and the Florida Department of State

UNITED STATES LIFE SAVING STATION

Location:Van Kessel Pkwy near parking lot
County: Palm Beach
City: Jupiter
Description: In 1885, the only United States Life Saving Station on the Florida East Coast was built at this site. Charles R. Carlin, a former British sailor and Assistant Keeper at the Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse, oversaw construction and served as the Station’s Keeper. The two-story facility housed men and rescue equipment, including a 27-foot self-bailing surf boat, a Lyle Gun, and a Breeches Buoy apparatus used to transfer people and cargo from ships in distress. The Station, highly regarded for its efficiency in sea rescues, was manned September through April by six uniformed Surfmen, who were quartered on the second floor. During the summer only the Keeper was on duty. The Surfmen drilled, stood watch in the tower, patrolled the beach, maintained equipment, and trained as medics. The Keeper’s detailed logs recorded rescues, weather details, patrol duties, and daily activities at the Station. With the completion of Henry Flagler’s Florida East Coast Railroad and the decline in sailing ships, the paid crew was replaced with local volunteers. Carlin remained caretaker until his death in 1912. At the advent of World War I, the Life Saving Service merged with the Revenue Cutter Service to create the United States Coast Guard.
Sponsors: The Town of Jupiter and the Florida Department of State

1916 PALM BEACH COUNTY COURTHOUSE

Location:300 North Dixie Highway
County: Palm Beach
City: West Palm Beach
Description: Palm Beach County (established in 1909) had its first County offices in an old school house in West Palm Beach. In 1913, The Palm Becah County Board of County Commissioners approved the construction of a new courthouse by Wilber Burt Talley, one of Florida’s most prominent architects. Contractor Everet P. Maule submitted the winning bid of $122,500 for the building’s construction. The courthouse was completed in 1916 and is an outstanding example of Neo-Classical architecture in Florida. The imposing four-story building is dominated by three grand columned porticos, with exterior walls of brick veneer trimmed in industrial limestone. The building was dedicated in 1917 and at the time held all County offices and had one courtroom, which was used for ten years. The County’s explosive growth during the 1920s and after World War II led to several additions to the courthouse which, by 1972 had totally enclosed the original building. After standing vacant for nearly a decade the County funded an $18.5 million restoration of the historic courthouse in 2002, which was completed in 2007. Government offices once again occupy the gracious building, as does a museum showcasing the history of Palm Beach County.
Sponsors: Sponsored by the Palm Beach County Board of Commissioners, The Robert Neff Family, the Historical Society of Palm Beach County and the Florida Department of State.

ATLANTIC AVENUE CROSSING

Location:Atlantic Ave at Veteran's Park
County: Palm Beach
City: Delray Beach
Description: Atlantic Avenue’s crossing of the Florida East Coast Canal (now the Intracoastal Waterway) played an important role in the early history of Delray Beach. Civil engineer Burslem Thomson drew the first plat of “Linton,” now Delray Beach, in late 1895, showing the town’s main street crossing the canal at this location. Atlantic Avenue ran west from the beach between the 1876 Orange Grove House of Refuge and an “old sour orange grove.” The street became the commercial heart of Delray Beach, and included movie theaters, restaurants, shops, hotels, and the city’s first post office. Fishermen brought large catches to a packing house at the crossing, and beach-goers and workers farming land to the east crossed the canal here by lighter barges until 1911, when the City of Delray Beach was incorporated and a hand-cranked swing bridge was constructed. Atlantic Avenue’s fourth and present bridge over the canal was completed in 1952. The gear-driven bridge is a Chicago-style, double-leaf Bascule type bridge with a Hopkins frame. The Atlantic Avenue Bridge was designated a historic bridge by the City of Delray Beach in 2000, and remains an important crossing point for the community.
Sponsors: The Robert Neff Family, Delray Beach Historical Society, and the Florida Department of State

CASON COTTAGE

Location:5 Northeast First Street
County: Palm Beach
City: Delray Beach
Description: In 1899 the Tasker family purchased this block and built a house on the southwest corner. Phoebe A. Verrill bought the house in 1909 and sold it to the Cason family in 1921. The Casons converted the house into apartments and c.1924 built a second modest frame vernacular house on the block’s east corner, known today as Cason Cottage. Although modest, the cottage exhibits the excellent craftsmanship and details typical of many early Delray Beach homes. The Cason family played a major role in the development of South Florida. The Rev. J. R. Cason, who moved to Florida in 1905, was a founder of the first Florida orphanage at Enterprise in Volusia County. He was a community leader, serving as a municipal judge and Chairman of the Palm Beach County Board of Public Instruction. Cason United Methodist Church, located at 342 North Swinton Avenue, is named in his honor. Since 1989, the Delray Beach Historical Society has operated Cason Cottage as a house museum to help interpret the history of Delray Beach from 1915-1935.
Sponsors: The Robert Neff Family, Delray Beach Historical Society, and the Florida Department of State

HISTORIC BANYAN TREES

Location:MacArthur Blvd near corner of Northlake Blvd
County: Palm Beach
City: Palm Beach Gardens
Description: These two Banyan trees (Ficus benghalensis), with a combined limb spread encompassing one-half acre, form the entrance to the City of Palm Beach Gardens. Palm Beach Gardens was developed by insurance magnate and philanthropist John D. MacArthur. He envisioned his 4,000-acre development as a “garden city” for 55,000 people and chose the name Palm Beach Gardens after his initial choice, Palm Beach City, was denied by the Florida Legislature because of its similarity to nearby Palm Beach. The city was incorporated on June 20, 1959, as a “paper town,” meaning that at that point it existed only on paper. To showcase his new community, in 1960 MacArthur purchased an 80-year-old Banyan tree in nearby Lake Park that was threatened with destruction. The tree, weighing 75 tons and with a limb spread of 125 feet, required 1,008 hours of labor and $30,000 to move it to its new home in Palm Beach Gardens. A second, smaller Banyan tree weighing 40 tons, also threatened with destruction, was moved from Lake Park by MacArthur the following year. The trees are featured on the Palm Beach Gardens city shield and stand proudly today at the city’s entrance.
Sponsors: Seminole Chapter, NSDAR and the Florida Department of State

COCOANUT GROVE HOUSE

Location:NW Corner Pendleton Lane and Lake Trail
County: Palm Beach
City: Palm Beach
Description: The Cocoanut Grove House, Once Florida’s only hotel on the east coast between Titusville and Key West, Stood at this location. The hotel was originally built in 1876 by Elisha Newton “Cap” Dimick as a private residence for his family Dimick was one of the co-founders of Palm Beach. He served in the Florida State Legislature from 1890-1903 and as the town’s first mayor after its incorporation in 1911. The Cocoanut Grove House opened as an inn after Dimick added eight rooms to the building in 1880. In 1882, Dimick sold the hotel to Commodore Charles Clark. Approximately 4,500 guests visited the hotel between 1883 and 1895, arriving by the sharpie Illinois, a flat-bottom boat that sailed between the Indian River and Lake Worth. Hotel Guests dined on fish, green turtle, venison, and vegetables for $1.50 a day or $6 by the week. In 1893, Henry M. Flagler, who had decided to extend the Florida East Coast Railroad to Palm Beach, stayed at the Cocoanut Grove House. While visiting he envisioned his famous Royal Poinciana Hotel. Flagler later rented the hotel for his workers while they were building the Royal Poinciana. In October 1893 the Cocoanut Grove House was destroyed by fire.
Sponsors: Seminole Chapter, NSDAR and the Florida Department of State

NORTH OCEAN BOULEVARD

Location:3851 North Ocean Blvd
County: Palm Beach
City: Gulf Stream
Description: In 1992 North Ocean Boulevard (State Road A1A) in the Town of Gulf Stream was designated as a State Historic Scenic Highway to preserve the last remaining Australian pine canopy and the original character and beauty of the 1920s A1A in Florida. State Road A1A through Gulf Stream is one of the earliest, most scenic and most important north-south highways in Palm Beach County and was officially opened in 1916 in this area. In the 1920s, Australian pines were planted on both sides of the road in South Florida, up to the freeze line, to act as a windbreak. Being a fast growing species, a canopy over A1A soon developed, adding greatly to the beauty, charm and character of the area. This canopy has been destroyed with the exception of that remaining in Gulf Stream. Ironically, Australian pines are now too prolific and are not as welcomed in some areas as they once were. Yet the Town has protected the canopy and has obtained authority from the State to restore it, which is gradually being accomplished.
Sponsors: Sponsored by the Town of Gulf Stream and the Florida Department of State

JUPITER INLET SHIPWRECKS 1600-1700s

Location:400 North Delaware Blvd
County: Palm Beach
City: Jupiter
Description: During the 17th century, Spanish galleons and merchant ships navigated the treacherous waters off the Florida coast. These vessels carried silver and gemstones from the mines of Mexico and Peru. They routinely ran a narrow gauntlet of shallow water, sand bars, coral reefs, and occasional hurricanes off the Jupiter Inlet as they followed the Gulf Stream’s swift north current. The ships that did not survive the passage left a legacy of cannons, anchors, navigational tools, coins, flatware, silver and gold scattered across the ocean floor. Today, this area is nicknamed “The Treasure Coast.” Ships thought to have wrecked off the Jupiter coast during the 1600s include the San Miguel Archangel and the San Francisco y San Antonio. Both ships were avisos, Spanish courier ships weighing 60 tons or less. The avisos were well-armed, but speed was their best defense, which allowed them to outrun larger, better-armed vessels. Avisos were primarily used to transport correspondence to and from the Spanish throne, but were known to carry goods and valuables. Shipwrecks like these are important time capsules of history, which increase our understanding of the people who sailed Florida's waters before us.
Sponsors: The Town of Jupiter and the Florida Department of State

EVERGREEN CEMETERY

Location:SE Corner of W Lantana Rd and Arnold Ave
County: Palm Beach
City: Lantana
Description: Evergreen Cemetery was established by the Evergreen Cemetery Company in 1892 as a final resting place for local families. The cemetery’s land was purchased by M.B. Lyman, Lantana’s founder. Lyman, who is buried in the cemetery, served as the town’s first postmaster. He named the town Lantana Point because of the flowering lantana plant that grew in the area. "Point" was later dropped from the town's name. The cemetery’s earliest marked gravestone is dated January 22, 1886. There are 18 marked gravesites in the cemetery where members of the town’s eight pioneer families are buried. Occupying unmarked graves are two crew members from the shipwreck “Inchulva,” which sank in a hurricane off Delray Beach in 1903. Several members of the African-American community were buried here during the early 20th century. The cemetery also contains the mass grave of some victims of the 1928 Hurricane. In 1952, ownership of the cemetery was transferred to the Town of Lantana and was closed to further burials.
Sponsors: The Lantana Historical Society, the Town of Lantana, and the Florida Department of State

MILITARY TRAIL

Location:439 W. Indiantown Road
County: Palm Beach
City: Jupiter
Description: After the second Battle of the Loxahatchee (January 24, 1838) during the Scond Seminole War (1835-1842), Major General Thomas S. Jesup directed Major William Lauderdale, Commander of the Tennessee Battalion of Volunteers to cut a trail south from Ft. Jupiter to the New River (present day Ft. Lauderdale). Major Lauderdale's mission was to caputre Seminoles who had escaped the Laxahatchee battle. ON March 2, 1838, Major Lauderdale, with approximately 200 Tennessee Volunteers and the U.S. 3rd Artillery Regiment, marched south, following the Seminoles. To avoid swamps and lagoons, they kept to the higher coastal pine ridge that extended from Ft. Jupiter to the New River, where Major Lauderdale built a fort. Because Major Lauderdale's command had blazed a trail covering 63 miles through overgrown terrain in only four days, the route was desiganted "Lauderdale's Trail." The trail was used for military operations through the end of the Third Seminole War in 1858, and became known as "Military Trail." Now a major commercial thoroughfare, Military Trail is a remnant of the long and dramatic history of the Sminole Wars in Florida.
Sponsors: The Jupiter Town Council and the Florida Department of State

CHAPEL OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

Location:1325 Cardinal Lane
County: Palm Beach
City: Lantana
Description: The Chapel of the Holy Spirit, formerly known as the Minerva Chapel, is one of the oldest buildings in Palm Beach County. This eclectic style building was first used as a tea house for the Royal Poinciana Hotel in Palm Beach, which was built by Henry Flagler in 1894. After the hotel was demolished in 1936, the building was moved ten miles south to Hypoluxo, where it served as a guest house for the Willis Reinhardt estate. From 1946 to 1951, the building served as the exclusive Gold Key Club, which was part of the Lake Shore Club gambling casino. During the 1950s and 1960s, the building was an artist’s studio, a caretaker’s cottage, and a gift shop before it was bought in 1967 by former Hypoluxo Mayor James Brown. He moved the building to his Carefree Cove Mobile Home Park, where it was used as a chapel that he named Minerva Chapel in honor of his mother. Brown sold the trailer park in 1988 and donated the chapel to Holy Spirit Anglican Catholic Church in Palm Springs. In August 2011, the chapel was moved to the Church of the Holy Guardian Angels, where it was renamed the Chapel of the Holy Spirit.
Sponsors: Church of the Holy Gaurdian Angels and the Florida Department of State

MT. CARMEL MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH AND CEMETERY

Location:6623 Church Street
County: Palm Beach
City: Jupiter
Description: Mount Carmel Missionary Baptist Church, a cornerstone of Jupiter’s African American community, was organized in 1902 by the Reverend J. A. Wannamaker and the pioneer families of Simmons, Campbell, Ford, Bush, and Davis. These early settlers arrived here from North Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina, and homesteaded 160-acre plots along Limestone Creek and the Loxahatchee River. Since the church’s founding, Mt. Carmel deacons and deaconesses have been community leaders, founding and supporting the once-segregated volunteer fire department, schools, and civic organizations. The original church, a small wood frame building built in 1902, was moved to this location in 1915 when Glover Sapp donated two acres of land for the church and a cemetery. It was rebuilt twice by its members after the destructive hurricanes of 1926 and 1928. This building was constructed in 1953 and was expanded in 1979 and again in 1997. The church’s cemetery, the only church-affiliated African American burial ground in northern Palm Beach County, includes over 500 graves, the earliest of which are unmarked. The church and the cemetery reflect the important social history and continued spiritual values of this close-knit community.
Sponsors: The Loxahatchee River Historical Society and the Florida Department of State.

L.M. DAVIS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Location:18301 Limestone Creek Road
County: Palm Beach
City: Jupiter
Description: Education was a challenging priority for the African-American community of Limestone Creek. Denied access to Jupiter’s nearby public schools by segregation laws, the community opened its own school in 1905. The “Jupiter Colored School,” first located in the local AME Church, moved to a building on the Louis Moseley Davis homestead in 1915. When the Okeechobee Hurricane destroyed the school building in 1928, Davis donated an acre from his homestead for a new one. Money for the new school came from the Julius Rosenwald Foundation, named after and created by the president of Sears, Roebuck & Co in collaboration with Booker T. Washington, which contributed to the construction of over 5,000 African-American schools in the South. With additional funds provided by local residents and Palm Beach County, the county built a two-room school with a kitchen and hired two teachers for grades 1-8. The graduating class of 1941 raised funds to build a sidewalk over the drainage ditch at the school entrance, and a remaining piece with their autographs is preserved in this park. Davis drove older students in a community-built bus to the Industrial High School twenty miles away. The elementary school was renamed after Davis in 1956.
Sponsors: Loxahatchee River Historical Society

WEST PALM BEACH FISHING CLUB

Location:201 Fifth Street
County: Palm Beach
City: West Palm Beach
Description: Founded in 1934, the West Palm Beach Fishing Club (WPBFC) is among the last of Florida's great angling clubs. It was pivotal in boosting Florida tourism during and after the Great Depression and promoting the appeal of sport fishing. The club’s Silver Sailfish Derby, launched in 1935, is the forerunner of all billfish (e.g., sailfish and marlin) tournaments worldwide. WPBFC pioneered the display of red catch-and-release pennants in 1938. Recognizing its enormous impact, the City of West Palm Beach partnered with the club to build this clubhouse in 1940 on land donated by the Florida East Coast Railway. At the time, the county's largest charter fishing fleet was located across the street. A portion of the building once housed the City’s Recreation Commission and later a state-operated marine laboratory. The WPBFC is a leader in marine conservation and has benefited from the membership of such luminaries as boat builder John Rybovich, marine scientist Frank Mather, baseball great Ted Williams, golf legends Sam Snead and Jack Nicklaus, and author Ernest Hemingway. The WPBFC is a repository of local fishing memorabilia and historic game fish mounts. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2016.
Sponsors: The West Palm Beach Fishing Club, City of West Palm Beach

CINQUEZ PARK

Location:2183 W Indiantown Road
County: Palm Beach
City: Jupiter
Description: Cinquez Park commemorates the resilient history of one of the oldest African American settlements in Palm Beach County. Beginning in 1904, more than 15 pioneer families from north Florida and South Carolina settled in central Jupiter, homesteading 40-, 80-, and 160-acre tracts under the 1862 Homestead Act. Several others purchased property directly. In the area then known as West Jupiter, pioneers and their descendants created a close-knit community with small businesses, churches, schools, baseball fields, and a volunteer fire station to serve African Americans segregated by the era’s Jim Crow laws and attitudes. In addition to farming, many of the residents also provided much needed labor for local businesses, ferneries, dairies, orange groves, homes, boats, and railroads. Their hard work helped to build a thriving Jupiter. Peter Yancy, an African American real estate developer, purchased and subdivided 54 acres in the 1940s. He named both the development and its roads after prominent Black historic figures. Most notable was Joseph Cinquez, who led an uprising on the slave ship Amistad in 1839. The preserved central green of the park once served as a gathering space for this unique community.
Sponsors: The Town of Jupiter

NORTHWOOD ROAD HISTORIC DISTRICT

Location:Northwood Road between Broadway Avenue to the west and Dixie Highway to the east.
County: Palm Beach
City: West Palm Beach
Description: Northwood Road was platted in the early 1920s by the Pinewood Development Company. This historic commercial district consists of the businesses along Northwood Road between Broadway Avenue to the west and Dixie Highway to the east. Six buildings within the district date from the 1920s, but most are from the second half of the 1940s, with a handful built after 1953. The predominant wave of construction coincided with a resurgence in housing in the area following World War II. Most of the buildings are one-story, though their varying rooflines provide visual interest. The few two-story structures often have apartments on the second floor. Storefront exteriors are primarily glass and generally built from brick or concrete block and stucco. Many of the brick portions of facades are painted to match concrete sections. The frequently used stucco is associated with the Mediterranean Revival style and post-World War II construction, which are both defining architectural styles in West Palm Beach. In 2016, the street was listed on the West Palm Beach Register of Historic Places as an historic district to retain the architecture, character, and authenticity of the city’s second commercial “Main” street.
Sponsors: The West Palm Beach CRA and the Florida Department of State

ANN NORTON SCULPTURE GARDEN

Location:253 Barcelona Road
County: Palm Beach
City: West Palm Beach
Description: Side One: This home, designed by architect Maurice Fatio, was built in 1925. Wealthy Chicago industrialist and art collector Ralph Norton purchased the house in 1935, and hired Marion Sims Wyeth to redesign it with elements of Monterey Revival style architecture, which was popular in Palm Beach at the time. In 1941, Ralph and his first wife, Elizabeth, founded the Norton Gallery and School of Art, whose building was also designed by Wyeth. Following Elizabeth’s death in 1947, Ralph married Ann Weaver, who taught sculpture at the school, in 1948. Ralph commissioned Wyeth to design a studio for Ann on this property that same year. Ralph died in 1953, but Ann remained active as an artist. In addition to the house and studio, the property featured a two-acre garden with more than 250 species of rare palms, cycads, and tropical plants. Nine of Ann’s monumental megalithic sculptures are placed throughout the garden. In 1977, Ann’s vision of the symbiotic relationship between art and nature was preserved when she established Ann Norton Sculpture Gardens to ensure public access to her property as a natural sanctuary in an urban area. In 1990, the house and gardens were listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Side Two: Born in Selma, Alabama, Ann Vaughan Weaver wanted to be an artist since childhood. In the 1930s, she went to New York to study art at the National Academy of Design, the Art Students League, and the Cooper Union Art School. Her work was featured in an exhibition at the New York Museum of Modern Art in 1935. She also spent time studying abroad. In 1942, she moved to West Palm Beach to teach sculpture at the Norton Gallery and School of Art. She married the school’s widowed founder, Ralph Norton, in 1948. Ralph’s death in 1953 did not diminish Ann’s desire to create art, and she had a lengthy career with multiple national and international exhibitions. Her progressive style, combined with her innovation and originality, earned her the title Master Sculptor. In 1977, Ann was diagnosed with leukemia. This prompted her to take steps to preserve her garden along with her art collection, which featured thousands of drawings, sketches, and sculptures. In 1982, Ann died in West Palm Beach; her body was later buried in Selma. In 2019, she was inducted posthumously into the Florida Artists Hall of Fame, and her home was included in the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Historic Artists’ Home and Studios Program.
Sponsors: The Garden Conservancy at the Ann Norton Sculpture Gardens and the Florida Department of State

BOCA RATON ARMY AIR FIELD B-34 CRASH

Location:Intersection of North University Drive and FAU Blvd. on the FAU Campus, 777 West Glades Road
County: Palm Beach
City: Boca Raton
Description: Side One: The Boca Raton Army Air Field (BRAAF), established in 1942, included land bordered by Palmetto Park Road to the south, Dixie Highway to the east, Yamato Road to the north, and Military Trail to the west. It totaled 5,820 acres and was home to 100,000 soldiers and civilians over the first 5 years, at a time when Boca Raton only had 700 residents. Built in just 4 months at a cost of $12 million, the base had 800 structures and was in full operation from 1942-47. Its primary function was to train soldiers to operate and maintain airborne radar, which was then top-secret technology. On May 12, 1944, a U.S. Army Air Corps B-34 bomber on a training mission crashed on take-off from BRAAF. The flaming wreckage came to rest at what is now North University Drive and FAU Boulevard at Florida Atlantic University (FAU). All 9 men on board died, one of the worst disasters in Boca Raton history. In 1947, a Category 4 hurricane destroyed much of the base. That same year, it was decommissioned and its size reduced to 1,200 acres. In 1962, the field was split up with 1,000 acres for FAU and 200 acres for the Boca Raton Airport. BRAAF’s former Crash Fire Station 2 became the office for the first FAU President, Dr. Kenneth Williams. Side Two: The 9 members of the B-34 crew who perished here on May 12, 1944: 1 LT William H. Carson - Pilot, S. Carolina, age 23 1 LT Jacob M. Buie - Student Radar Operator, Florida, age 22 1 LT Thomas A. Lamont - Student Radar Operator, New York, age 27 1 LT John J. Lominac - Student Radar Operator, N. Carolina, age 25 1 LT Benjamin P. Sibley - Student Radar Operator, Mass., age 27 S SGT Frank L. Bursaw - Radio Operator, Missouri, age 31 SERG John S. Safieko - Radar Instructor, Wisconsin, age 25 PFC Norman R. Steiner - Student Engineer, New York, age 20 PVT Robert E. Locke - Aerial Engineer, Ohio, age 22
Sponsors: Thomas R. Wood, Rosita B. Wood, Susan Gillis, Sally J. Ling, Boca Raton Historical Society, U.S. Air Force Historical Research Agency, Florida Atlantic University, and the Florida Department of State

LAKE SHORE HIGH SCHOOL

Location:306 SW 10th Street
County: Palm Beach
City: Belle Glade
Description: Side One: In the 1940s, during the era of segregation, children of color living in Belle Glade attended Everglades Vocational High School, which served grades 1-12. In 1955, the school was renamed Lake Shore High School and served grades 7-12. Titusville native and Florida A&M College graduate Charles M. McCurdy served as Lake Shore’s first and only principal. With its mascot, the Mighty Bobcats (The Mucksteppers), the school provided an educational opportunity for African American children to dream and realize a different future. It served Belle Glade and small feeder communities, including Ritta, Watson Quarters, Lake Harbor, Bean City, South Shore, South Bay, Okeechobee Center and Raidersville. Belle Glade public schools integrated in 1970, sixteen years after the Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court decision. Lake Shore merged with the former white only high school, Belle Glade High School. Due to his race, McCurdy was deemed unfit to be principal of the integrated Glades Central High School, and was demoted. In 1974, he went to court to challenge the Palm Beach County School Board’s actions, and won. He was instated as principal, but McCurdy’s career was cut short with his untimely death in 1975. Side Two: SCHOOL SONG Dear Lake Shore High, Thy name we’ll adore Thy walls and halls forever more To thee we’ll pledge our loyalty We’ll strive for thee eternally School of our dreams We’ll always be true May God protect what e’er you do Dear Lake Shore High, long may you stand In this our country, this our land

JAMES HOMESTEAD AND FIRST JEWELL POST OFFICE

Location:South Bryant Park, Lakeside Drive and 4th Avenue S.
County: Palm Beach
City: Lake Worth Beach
Description: The James Homestead and Post Office are an important part of Lake Worth’s history before the birth of the city. In 1885, an African American couple, Samuel and Fannie James, were two of the first people to file a claim for a homestead in the area. Two white neighbors served as witnesses for the 187-acre purchase, an indication that Samuel and Fannie were widely respected in the entire community. Samuel, a carpenter, built the couple’s first home. In 1889, Fannie applied to designate their store as a post office, and listed the name of the community as Jewell. Fannie served as postmaster and received mail deliveries by boat. When the Florida East Coast Railway was finished between West Palm Beach and Miami, mail deliveries came by train; Fannie moved the post office to another piece of their property near the tracks. Fannie sold most of her property in 1910 to Palm Beach Farms Company, and only retained the lot where the house was located. The sale records indicate that the James home/post office was located within 100 feet of the current South Bryant Park Picnic Pavilion. As prominent early settlers of the area, the James Family was important in both Lake Worth and African American history in Florida.

MANGO PROMENADE HISTORIC DISTRICT

Location:The Mango Promenade Historic District generally is bounded on the north by the Norton Museum of Artcomplex, on the south by Austin Lane, on the east by the high-rise buildings that front on South Flagler Drive,and on the west by Flamingo Park and
County: Palm Beach
City: West Palm Beach
Description: Side One: Platted from 1912 to 1936, the Mango Promenade Historic District was one of West Palm Beach’s earliest upper-middle class suburbs. It is significant for its history and variety of architectural styles. The district features early accommodations for automobiles with garage outbuildings built contemporaneously, and in matching style, to the main houses. Unique to the district are two pedestrian walkways: Mango Promenade, which linked South Dixie Highway to South Olive Avenue, a brick-paved street in the district; and Orange Court, which linked South Dixie Highway to South Flagler Drive. Each served as entrance walkways for the houses on either side, while garage entrances were relegated to parallel alleys. South Dixie Highway contains commercial buildings making this a true mixed-use district. West of South Dixie Highway is the former African American cemetery operated 1902–1921 by the Lakeside Cemetery Association. The land was donated to the City of West Palm Beach in 1921, and converted to a park. Named Flamingo Park, the former cemetery is now memorialized with a marker. Mango Promenade became a local historic district in 1995 and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1999. Side Two: The Mango Promenade Historic District embraces a variety of architectural styles in residences dating from the 1910s and 1920s mixed with later development. It contains a homogeneous grouping of mostly wood vernacular bungalows and two-story hip-roof houses, known as American Foursquare. Many houses include sleeping porches, wide front porches, detailed rafter tails, shingle or clapboard siding and large double-hung windows. Several have strong Prairie-style overtones: broad eaves, horizontally grouped windows, high belt-lines, chunky three-quarter-height porch columns and strong horizontal emphasis. These houses, in the mold of Frank Lloyd Wright and the firm W.G. Purcell and G.G. Elmslie, would have been considered avant-garde in their day. Other residential styles: Craftsman Bungalow, Colonial Revival, Mediterranean Revival, Mission Revival, Monterey, Queen Anne, Shingle, Dutch Colonial and vernacular. In the commercial area along South Dixie Highway, the mercantile buildings date from the early 1920s and reflect the then-prevalent Mediterranean Revival style of the city generally. Commercial construction came to a halt due to the land bust in 1926, and hurricanes in 1926 and 1928.

BELAIR HISTORIC DISTRICT

Location:Along the Flagler Drive pedestrian trail at the terminus of Plymouth Road and Flagler Drive
County: Palm Beach
City: West Palm Beach
Description: The Belair Historic District lies between South Flagler Drive and South Dixie Highway. It is bounded by Plymouth Road on the south and Pilgrim Road to the north. The area was part of a Homestead Act land grant given to South Carolina author James Woods Davidson in 1885. Colonel John Huntington Jones of Rhode Island acquired the land and, in 1895, sold it to Richard Hone. An Englishman, Hone built the first house in what would be the district and used the land as a pineapple plantation. Following Hone’s mysterious murder, the land went through a series of sales until William and Sophie Ohlhaber purchased it in 1923. In June that year, Ohlhaber platted the Belair subdivision and constructed the first house in the subdivision for his family. Many of the historic homes were built in the 1920s and early 1930s, during the Florida Land Boom. With the onset of the Great Depression, much of the development dropped off and many lots remained unsold. Entirely residential in nature, the district consists of Mediterranean Revival, Mission Revival, and Wood-Frame and Masonry Vernacular style houses. In 1993, the City of West Palm Beach designed Belair as a local historic neighborhood.