Inside Whitehall Fall 2023 by Flagler Museum

Inside Whitehall

The Magazine for Flagler Museum Members

Fall 2023 Volume Thirty • Number Four

Board of Trustees

Kelly M. Hopkins, President

G. F. Robert Hanke, Vice President

William M. Matthews, Treasurer

Thomas S. Kenan, III, Secretary

Ted A. Gardner, Trustee

Barry G. Hoyt, Trustee

Richard M. Krasno, Trustee

George G. Matthews, Trustee

Leadership Team

John Blades, Executive Director

Christina Bernstein, Director of Finance

Keeley Bogani, Member Service Director

David Carson, Public Affairs Director

Ben Hillman, Director of External Affairs

Mark Johnson, Store & Café Manager

Campbell Mobley, Associate Curator

Flagler Museum

Ted A. Gardner Joins the Museum’s Board of Trustees

www.FlaglerMuseum.us

One Whitehall Way, Palm Beach, FL 33480 (561) 655-2833

Museum Hours

Tuesday - Saturday, 10 am to 5 pm

Sunday, 12 to 5 pm

Closed Mondays, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day

The Flagler Museum welcomes Ted A. Gardner to the Flagler Museum’s Board of Trustees. Mr. Gardner is a co-founder and Managing Partner of Silverhawk Capital Partners and serves as a director of Incline Energy Partners, L.P., Kinder Morgan, Inc. (KMI), Meridian Chemicals, Spartan Energy Partners, and Summit Materials LLC (SUM).

Volume 30, Issue 4

Henry

National Historic Landmark

Accredited since 1973 by

Prior to founding Silverhawk Capital Partners, Mr. Gardner served in a variety of positions, including Managing Partner of Wachovia Capital Partners, Vice President and Shareholder in the Mergers and Acquisitions Department of Kidder, Peabody & Company Incorporated in New York, a director of Kinder Morgan, Inc., a director of Kinder Morgan Energy Partners, a director of Athlon, and a director of Encore Acquisition Company.

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#flaglermuseum

Cover Columbia 56” Expert High Wheel, 1887, Pope Manufacturing Company. Keith Pariani collection. Ted A. Gardner, Museum Trustee Inside Whitehall is a Henry Morrison Flagler Museum publication © 2023 by the Henry Morrison Flagler Museum. All rights reserved. Morrison Flagler Museum, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonproﬁt corporation.

The Legend of Old Rip

In the heart of Texas, an enduring legend about a horned lizard’s ability to survive has been celebrated for well over a century. The tale began when Eastland County Clerk, Ernest Wood later claimed that in 1897 he sealed his son Will’s pet horned lizard in the cornerstone of Eastland County’s newly constructed courthouse.

When 31 years later the old courthouse was being torn down to make way for a new one, three thousand people gathered to watch the opening of the old Courthouse’s cornerstone. Purportedly the horned lizard placed behind the cornerstone was found alive, and the story spread like wildﬁre.

News of Old Rip, as the lizard came to be known in honor of its Rip Van Winkle-like story, and its miraculous survival made headlines nationwide, becoming an overnight sensation. Enthusiasts journeyed from every corner of the Nation to catch a glimpse of this extraordinary creature in Eastland and ponder the veracity of what would become a National legend.

Will Wood, by then a middle-aged man, toured the country with his now-famous pet horned lizard, Old Rip. As the lizard’s fame grew, it garnered a cascade of honors and accolades, taking center stage at parades, banquets, and even a visit from President Calvin Coolidge. Its image was captured in countless photographs, postcards, newspapers, and souvenirs.

Unfortunately, Old Rip met his demise a mere 11 months after miraculously surviving being entombed for more than three decades. On January 19, 1929, Old Rip succumbed to pneumonia. In honor of Old Rip, the city of Eastland, Texas erected a monument to the beloved horned lizard. Preserved within a sealed box, even now Old Rip’s remains are on display at the Eastland Courthouse, more than a century after his death.

Stories From the Gilded Age

The Eastland County Courthouse cornerstone ceremony. Eastland County Judge Rex Fields holds Old Rip in the reptile’s custom-built casket. Photo: Dave Shafer

Bicycles: Technology That Changed the World

October 17 through December 17

The Flagler Museum’s fall exhibition, Bicycles: Technology that Changed the World, highlights the development and evolution of the bicycle and the profound impact bicycles had on American society and culture. The development of the bicycle during the Gilded Age was a turning point in history that propelled society forward, forever altering the way we navigate our world. Amid the Gilded Age’s opulence and excess, a seemingly humble invention quietly rolled onto the scene and forever changed the trajectory of society and culture. This two-wheeled wonder, with its sleek frame and a human-powered means of propulsion, quickly emerged as a symbol of freedom and mobility, transcending the boundaries of class and gender. Its rise marked a pivotal moment in history, when innovation met aspiration, and the very concept of transportation was reinvented.

Fall Exhibition Above The Ligna Wood Bicycle, Frank MacVeigh & Company. Keith Pariani collection.

Right Henry Flagler and Delos in Wicker Wheelchair, c. 1913. Flagler Museum Archives.

The bicycle’s signiﬁcance was not merely utilitarian; it was a symbol of personal liberation. Prior to the advent of bicycles, transportation was largely conﬁned to horse-drawn carriages and travel by train. Bicycles offered a dramatically different alternative for the individual to get from point A to point B. This newfound independence resonated deeply, particularly with women, who found in the bicycle a vehicle for autonomy and emancipation. As the famous suffragette Susan B. Anthony once remarked, Let me tell you what I think of bicycling. I think it has done more to emancipate women than anything else in the world.

As bicycles became widely popular, they were woven deeply into the fabric of daily life. Societies’ fascination with speed and exploration gave rise to bicycle clubs across the country. These clubs fostered camaraderie among enthusiasts who shared the thrill of pedaling into uncharted territories. Moreover, the bicycle became a common motif in art, literature, and even fashion, embodying a spirit of technological modernity that resonated deeply with the zeitgeist of the Gilded Age. In fact, bicycles were so popular and so much a part of popular culture that merely adding the word bicycle to the name of non-bicycle products increased sales.

The popularity of bicycles was also a catalyst for profound shifts across industries. The demand for bicycles fueled innovations in manufacturing, leading to the growth of the steel industry, rubber production, and the rise of assembly-line methods that would later transform mass production. Bicycles paved the way for engineering breakthroughs, fostering a culture of invention and technological progress that laid the foundation for automobiles and airplanes and triggered an urban revolution, reshaping the very landscape of cities. Urban planners, confronted with the influx of cyclists, began paving roads, introduced bicycle lanes, and advocated for the maintenance of clean streets, paving the way for the American automobile culture that would follow in the twentieth century. The advent of the bicycle was not just a fad. Its legacy has proven to be far from fleeting as it continues to influence society, culture, and the transportation industry worldwide, more than a century and a half since its invention.

Photograph featuring the 50” Victor High Wheel, 1889, Overman Wheel Company, Chicopee, MA. Keith Pariani collection.

Photograph featuring the American Star High Wheel Safety Bicycle, 1883, H.B. Smith Machine Company, Smithville, NJ. Keith Pariani collection. The Fall Exhibition is sponsored by

Programs

House and Hotel Tours Returns This Year

The combined tour of the Flagler Museum and The Breakers Hotel emphasizes the shared history between two of Palm Beach’s most important landmarks. From Henry Flagler’s vision for Palm Beach to the classical inﬂuences of Beaux-Arts architecture, the tour program provides Museum visitors and Hotel guests with a comprehensive understanding of Henry Flagler’s legacy in Palm Beach and the state of Florida.

For more information about the combined House and Hotel Tour, please visit www.FlaglerMuseum.us.

Each Sunday

September 3 Through November 19

Each Sunday, September 3 through November 19, visitors may delight in the sounds of the 1902 J. H. & C. S. Odell & Co. organ in the Music Room and the 1901 Steinway and Sons model B art case grand piano commissioned specifically for the Drawing Room.

These two original instruments will be played by local musicians as part of the Museum’s conservation program. A variety of popular music will be performed including secular and spiritual pieces published or composed during the Gilded Age.

Visitors may enjoy live music performances this Fall while touring Whitehall. For information on dates and performances, visit the Museum’s website at www.FlaglerMuseum.us.

Organ and Piano Demonstrations 5

Railcar 91 Tea Room

November 24 Through March 31

The Flagler Museum’s Railcar 91 Tea Room, formerly known as Café des Beaux-Arts, offers afternoon tea in the Flagler Kenan Pavilion, alongside Henry Flagler’s historic Railcar No. 91. Enjoy waterfront views of the downtown West Palm Beach skyline while enjoying a century-old tradition of afternoon tea at Whitehall.

The prix-ﬁxe menu includes a selection of savory sandwiches, traditional scones, and a variety of sweets, complemented by the Museum’s own Whitehall Special Blend Tea™ and berry-sweetened lemonade. Each table is set for service using exquisite Whitehall Collection™ china.

Guests are encouraged to pre-purchase lunch to ensure space is available. For more information call (561) 655-2833 or visit the Museum’s website.

Elevate your Museum experience with a visit to H. M. Flagler & Co., the exclusive Museum Store that echoes the elegance and opulence of the Gilded Age. As a valued Member of the Flagler Museum community, you’re invited to explore a curated collection that encapsulates the essence of Henry Flagler’s legacy. Discover ﬁnely crafted replicas of Gilded Age jewelry, a wide selection of books, home decor items, and unique souvenirs that allow you to carry a piece of history with you. Your patronage not only supports the Museum’s mission but also allows you to bring the charm of the Gilded Age into your daily life. Embrace the allure of the past and the present at H. M. Flagler & Co.

Holiday Programs

A Christmas Carol : Producing a Book and a Play About a Beloved Christmas Story

4 PM, Friday, December 1

A special Christmas discussion, moderated by Flagler Museum Executive Director, John Blades, with author Les Standiford about the writing of his book, “The Man Who Invented Christmas”, and Andrew Kato, Maltz Jupiter Theater Producing Artistic Director/Chief Executive, about his production of the play, “A Christmas Carol”. Learn more at TheSquareWestPalm.com

Special Christmas Lecture: The Man Who Invented Christmas

2:30 PM, Sunday, December 3

A special lecture by author Les Standiford about his book, The Man Who Invented Christmas - how Dickens saved his career as an author and created an enduring Christmas Tradition. This lecture will take place in the Museum’s Grand Ballroom during the Christmas Tree Lighting Festivities. For more information on the event, visit the Museum’s website at www.FlaglerMuseum.us

Christmas Tree Lighting Festivities

12 PM to 5 PM, Sunday, December 3

The 16-foot tall Grand Hall Christmas Tree, with its historically accurate trimmings, is the center of Whitehall’s holiday celebrations. The Tree Lighting festivities include holiday music played on Whitehall’s original 1,249-pipe Odell organ and the 1902 Steinway art-case grand piano.

This annual performance is the only opportunity visitors have to hear both of Whitehall’s majestic instruments. Special choir performances, refreshments and a visit from Santa Claus complete the afternoon’s activities. The event culminates with Henry Flagler’s youngest descendants lighting the Grand Hall Christmas Tree.

Holiday Evening Tours

December 19 through 23

During this beloved annual event, families tour Whitehall after hours and discover the origins of American Christmas traditions. Guests will have a rare opportunity to see Whitehall by the glow of the original 1902 light ﬁxtures. Every visitor will receive a traditional Christmas cracker following the tour. A choral group will sing carols and holiday refreshments will be served. The H. M. Flagler & Co. Museum Store will remain open for holiday shopping.

Right Whitehall’s Grand Hall Christmas Tree decorated in traditional Gilded Age style.

The Henry Morrison Flagler Museum

Preservation and Facilities Managment

The Flagler Museum meets the highest standards of conservation and preservation. Visitors to Whitehall are immersed in meticulous preservation efforts that protect the Museum’s architecture, furnishings, and artifacts for future generations. The commitment to conservation is evident through curatorial practices prioritizing the preservation and maintenance of the Museum’s unique collection.

To insure an optimal environment for preservation, four state-of-the-art air conditioning units were

recently replaced in order to maintain precise temperature and humidity while prioritizing energy efﬁciency. Transitioning from ﬁlament to LED lighting enhances sustainability, reducing energy consumption and heat load. Tree pruning is necessary in preparation of hurricane season. Following several lightning strikes, swift repairs were made to several systems.

The Flagler Museum embodies its values through preservation efforts and state-of-the-art methods.

2023 9

Fall

Above (Clockwise from top left) Exhibit Technician Phillip Estlund replaces lights in the Music Room. A crane moves a new air conditioning unit to the roof. Associate Curator Campbell Mobley prepares the Drawing Room piano for tuning. Maintenance Tech Bill Bernacki paints the Exhibition Gallery. Custodian Shea Tomlinson cleans the courtyard fountain. Electrician Bernie Schell hangs one of the twenty-one ﬂ ags in the Flagler Kenan Pavilion in preparation for the Independence Day Celebration.

Andrew W. Mellon & The National Gallery of Art

Andrew W. Mellon, banker, philanthropist, ambassador to the United Kingdom, and Secretary of the Treasury who served under three Presidents, recognized the need to preserve and showcase great works of art for the beneﬁt of future generations of Americans. In 1928, Mellon ﬁrst wrote of his interest in establishing a national art museum in the Nation’s Capital.

Without any formal agreement with the Federal Government, Mellon began work on a National Gallery, commissioning architect John Russel Pope (who was married to Mary Lily’s friend Sadie Pembroke Jones and whose daughter was named after Mary Lily) to design the building. Mellon’s dedication to excellence permeated every aspect of the gallery’s operations, from the selection of artworks to the design of the physical space, as he sought out renowned artworks and masterpieces, insuring that the Gallery’s collection would be unparalleled in its depth and breadth. As he amassed the large collection for the Gallery, he formed a foundation to receive the Gallery’s growing collection. However, President Roosevelt was convinced that the foundation was a tax dodge and directed the United States Attorney General to prosecute Mellon for tax evasion. Ultimately, the court ruled that not only was the three-time Secretary of the Treasury not guilty of tax evasion, but that he had probably paid more in taxes than required by law.

Despite President Roosevelt’s decision to have Andrew Mellon unfairly prosecuted for tax evasion, Mellon personally visited the President in the Oval Ofﬁce to present his gift of the National Gallery to the citizens of the United States.

Recognizing that the impact of the National Gallery of Art would extend far beyond his lifetime, Mellon established an

endowment to provide ongoing ﬁnancial support for the gallery, insuring its sustainability for future generations, thus enabling the National Gallery of Art to thrive and continue its mission to this day.

Sadly, neither Andrew Mellon nor John Russel Pope lived to see Mellon’s great gift to our Nation completed.

Lessons in Leadership from the Gilded Age

Andrew W. Mellon, 1926, Library of Congress

Mario Sanchez: The Key West-Born Artist’s Tribute To Henry Flagler

On the morning of January 22, 1912, four-year-old Mario Sanchez and his family joined thousands of Key West citizens to witness the historic arrival of Henry Flagler on board his Railcar No. 91. It was a proud day for Key West, as the greatest engineering feat ever accomplished by a private citizen was undertaken and completed with the sole aim of making the Island accessible from Florida’s mainland.

Mario would live to be 96 years old. In those years, Mario would become revered as one of America’s premier Folk artists, whose works

hang in the Smithsonian and have been collected by the likes of Katherine Hepburn and Cary Grant. He worked in bas-relief wood carvings that he would then paint over in vibrant colors. He worked from memory, depicting scenes of everyday life, as it was when he grew up in Key West. A Famous Landmark in Key West depicts a young Mario Sanchez in front of The Hemingway House, receiving a Yellowtail Snapper from Hemingway himself. In My Father Reading to the Cigar Factory, Mario shows his father at work in the Eduardo H. Gato Cigar Factory, where he read the Havana newspaper to the workers as they rolled cigars.

Mario would ride on the Florida East Coast only once, to Miami. He journeyed with his father, who, in his off hours, would hand roll his own cigars. He would have to go to Miami to sell them, as it was

illegal to make and sell your own cigars in Key West if you worked in one of the factories.

Mario loved the train, and in 1976 would carve what most consider his most detailed work as a tribute to Henry Flagler and the OverSea Railroad. In The Arrival of the First Train in Key West, we see the train, including Railcar No. 91, arrive in Key West Harbor under an American ﬂag. Almost 100 people, dressed in their ﬁnest, are painstakingly carved in this intaglio, as well as children, a dog, and a goat. In the center is Henry Flagler himself, holding his Panama hat, and waving to the crowd after completing the journey across the 128-mile OverSea Railroad.

A giclee print of The Arrival of the First Train in Key West is available for purchase in the H. M. Flagler & Co. Museum Store.

Featured in the Museum Store

Above A giclee print of The Arrival of the First Train in Key West, available at the Museum Store, H. M. Flagler & Co Below Mario Sanchez holding up Sunset Gossip drawing on grocery bag.

The Flagler Museum Remembers

Two Lives Well Lived

Sadly, Sandra Barghini Coombs, who served as the Chief Curator of the Flagler Museum from 1995 to 2002, passed away this past May. It would be impossible to fully describe Sandra Barghini’s extraordinary impact on the Museum during her tenure. In just eight years as the Flagler Museum’s Chief Curator, Sandra Barghini curated six exhibitions, oversaw the restoration of Whitehall’s historic fence, the restoration of Railcar No. 91, the restoration of all of Whitehall’s historic interiors, and organized the Museum’s collections, its collections records, and its archives. Sandra somehow also found time to write or contribute to six exhibition catalogues, including:

It was a very fortuitous day indeed when M.I.T. and Harvard Business School graduate, and Academy Award winner, Alexander W. Dreyfoos, chose to move his Photo Electronics Corporation to West Palm Beach. It’s impossible to imagine what Palm Beach County would be today had it not been for the contributions made by Alex Dreyfoos. Prior to serving as a Flagler Museum Trustee from 2006 to 2022, Alex Dreyfoos dramatically changed the cultural landscape in Palm Beach County by establishing the Cultural Council of Palm Beach County and

A Society of Painters: Flagler’s St. Augustine Art Colony, A Young Man’s Legacy: Rare Photographs of the Titanic, A Distant Muse: Orientalist Works from the Dahesh Museum of Art, and Henry M. Flagler’s Paintings Collections: The Taste of a Gilded Age Collector, the ﬁrst comprehensive look at Flagler’s art collection.

Sandra was one of only thirty professionals chosen in 1989 to attend the American Academy in Rome as part of a National Endowment for the Humanities Fellowship.

During her long career as a museum professional, Sandra served in a variety of positions in addition to her tenure as the Chief Curator of the Flagler Museum, including Chief Curator of Hearst Castle in California, Curator at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum, Curator at the Norton Museum of Art, Director of the American Museum in Britain, and Director of the Armory Arts Center in West Palm Beach.

serving as its first chairman, playing a pivotal role in establishing the bed tax that has helped fund cultural organizations for more than four decades, working to raise the funds to build the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts (its main performance hall is named in his honor) and serving as its chairman for the next 14 years, and making a major contribution to a magnet school of the arts in West Palm Beach that bears his name.

For his contributions to the arts, Alex Dreyfoos received numerous honors and awards, including an Academy Award in 1970, induction into the Florida Artists Hall of Fame in 2008, and a National Medal of Arts in 2013.

In Memorium

New and Renewing Members

June 2 - September 9, 2023

Flagler Legacy Members ($15,000)

Mr. Lamont B. P. Harris

Mr. & Mrs. Sam Lederman

Mr. & Mrs. Fred Mathewson

Mr. Denny McCarthy & Ms. Samantha Marzke

Mr. Edward Peavy & Mrs. Rebecca Reno

Flagler Visionary Members ($10,000)

Ms. Elizabeth Matthews & Mr. James DiPaula

Flagler Associate Members ($5,000)

Mrs. Chyna LaMonte

Mr. Gilbert C. Maurer

Mr. & Mrs. Charles J. Moore

Benefactor Members ($2,500)

Mr. & Mrs. Stanley N. Gaines

Mr. Henry J. Singer & Ms. Susan Singer

Patron Members ($1,000)

Mr. & Mrs. Jay Axelrod

Mrs. Deborah Hale & Mr. Charles Hagy

Mr. & Mrs. David G. McIntosh

Mr. & Mrs. Peter Oliver

Dr. & Mrs. Jeffrey H. Phillips

Mr & Mrs. Leo Schwartz

Mr. & Mrs. Andrew Shprintz

Ms. Melissa H. Sullivan

Sponsor Members ($500)

Mr. & Mrs. Tom Bowler

Ms. Karen C. Brounstein & Mr. Jacob Kadosh

Mr. & Mrs. Thomas Bruce

Mr. & Mrs. Jeffrey A. Cole

Mr. & Mrs. Wade Collins

Mr. John Dotterrer

Mr. & Mrs. Stan Mark Godoff

Mr. & Mrs. William Harsh

Mr. & Mrs. Renard S. Iarussi

Mr. John N. Kandara

Mr. & Mrs. Erik Larson

Mr. & Mrs. Brian Pantaleo

Mr & Mrs. Gary Rudnitsky

Mr. & Mrs. Mubarik Shah

Ms. Wendy Stahl

Mr. & Mrs. Jerry Suchman

Ms. Linda Treutel & Mr. Luis Gutierrez

Mr. Kenneth L. Yang & Mrs. Alba G. Aviles

Family Members ($300)

Mr. Donald Alducin & Dr. Sharada Alducin

Mr. & Mrs. Bryan J. Belliveau

Mr. & Mrs. Wayne H. Calabrese

Mr. & Mrs. Terry K. Collier

Mr. & Mrs. Lou Hughes

Councilwoman Bobbie D. Lindsay & Mr. Douglas J. Buck

Mr. & Mrs. Joseph Mullins

Mr. James Ricotta & Mrs. Bethany Taylor

Mr. Paul Shaviv & Ms. Michelle Stein

Mr. Ronald Sperano & Dr. Patricia M. Sperano

Mrs. Ellen Stern & Mr. Abraham Stern

Mr. & Mrs. Roger David Tooker

Mr. & Mrs. Theodore Tribolati

Mr. & Mrs. Charles S. Weiss

Individual Members ($150)

Mr. David Lewenz

Mrs. Raymond Royce

Mr. S. Larry Sapp

Ms. Vivian R. Treves

Mr. J. Bradford White

Whitehall Society

Mr. James S. Lansing

Corporate CEO CSX

Erie Street Growth Partners

Global Liberty Institute

William Grant & Sons

Top to Bottom Mother’s Day Tea in the Flagler Kenan Pavilion. Visitors enjoy the Museum’s 2023 Winter Exhibition. Easter at Whitehall.

Contributors, Sponsors & Grantors

June 2 - September 9, 2023

$100,000 and above

Mrs. Elizabeth P. Kenan

Palm Beach County Board of County Commisioners, Palm Beach County Tourist Development Council, Cultural Council for Palm Beach County

$25,000 and above

Flagler System, Inc.

Mr. & Mrs. Frederick E. Hopkins, III

Northern Trust

State of Florida Division of Arts & Culture

The Wise Foundation

$15,000 and above

Mr. & Mrs. Barry Hoyt

Mr. Thomas S. Kenan, III

Mr. Jack Klahm

Mary Alice Fortin Foundation

Seth Sprague Educational and Charitable Foundation

$10,000 and above

Eliasburg Foundation

Mrs. Sterling H. Kenan

Mrs. Chyna LaMonte

The MBS Family Foundation

Alix and Scott Sandell

$1,000 and above

Mr. Mark F. Ahlers

Ms. Jassi Antebi

Mrs. Shirley A. Duncan

Good Shepherd Fund

Mr. & Mrs. Haynes G. Griffin

Mr. George G. Matthews

The Max and Victoria Dreyfus Foundation, Inc.

THE MOSAIC FOUNDATION (of R. & P. Heydon)

Sidney Kohl Family Foundation

Up to $500

Ms. Constance Cooper Fobes

Mr. Ronald Risner

Susan Schwartz Charitable Foundation

Tina and Jeffery Bolton Family Fund

Top to Bottom Guests of the Winter Exhibition Reception. Visitors shop in the H. M. Flagler & Co. Museum Store. Trustee’s Reception in the Grand Hall.