Tustenegee Fall 2021 Spring 2022

Published by the Historical Society of Palm Beach County

Vol. 12 No. 2 FALL 2021 Vol. 13 No. 1 Spring 2022

Saving Surfing in Palm Beach Party Memento Page 16

Exploring Figulus and the Bingham Family Page 20

Loxahatchee Groves Schoolhouse Page 28

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From the Editor Dear Reader, This issue is dedicated to the hard efforts of student research. Over the summer of 2021 we invited seven students from five universities to complete academic hours during an internship in our research department.

They were taught how the historical society collects, preserves, and shares its history with the community.

With these skills, they shared new and interesting stories from our archives through exhibits and articles in this issue of Tustenegee.

Tustenegee is a journal about Palm Beach County and Florida history and is published online twice a year by the Historical Society of Palm Beach County.

The Historical Society of Palm Beach County is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to collect, preserve, and share the rich history and cultural heritage of Palm Beach County.

Historical Society of Palm Beach County Phone: (561) 832-4164 www.pbchistory.org & www.pbchistoryonline.org Mailing Address: Historical Society of Palm Beach County PO Box 4364 West Palm Beach, FL 33402-4364 The contents of Tustenegee are copyrighted by the Historical Society of Palm Beach County. All rights are reserved.

Reprint of material is encouraged; however, written permission from the Historical Society is required. The Historical Society disclaims any responsibility for errors in factual material or statements of opinion expressed by contributors. The contents and opinions do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the editors, board, or staff of the Historical Society of Palm Beach County.

On the cover: David Reese Courtesy Augustus Mayhew.

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We also included a student paper by Joanie Orton.

Joanie, a student at Palm Beach State College, kindly shared her personal narrative about growing up in rural Loxahatchee Groves and attending community events. Personal experiences like these bring to life a place that would otherwise be one-dimensional.

This article will be included in our archive for future researchers to learn about a location and time in our joint history.

We hope you enjoy the articles and share in the excitement and discovery these students have experienced during their time with us. If you would like to share your own history in Palm Beach County, we would be delighted to receive article submissions on Florida history.

Sincerely.

Rose Guerrero

Table of Contents

4

16

20 32

8

4

Interns: Summer 2021

8

Saving Surfing in Palm Beach

16

By Debi Murray

By Christian Stephens

Party Memento

By Avery Brothers

Editor-in-Chief: Debi Murray Editor: Rose E. Guerrero Copy Editor: Lise M. Steinhauer Graphics and Layout: Rose E. Guerrero Printing: Kustom Print Design

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Exploring Figulus and the Bingham Family

28

Loxahatchee Groves Schoolhouse: A Memoir

32

New to the Collection

36

New to the Archives

By Tyler Alicastro

By Joanie Orton

By Debi Murray

By Rose Guerrero

Have an abstract or an idea for an article?

Send us your ideas: rguerrero@pbchistory.org

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•Interns• Summer 2021

By Debi Murray

W

ith seven students, the Historical Society’s summer intern class of 2021 was one of the largest and most challenging ever for interns and staff alike. After learning the basics of scanning photographs to archival standards and cataloging materials with PastPerfect Museum Software, the students were asked to choose a subject or item around which they could create an exhibit or write an article for Tustenegee. Two interns came at the same subject through separate pathways and decided to team up to create an exhibit for the courtroom of the 1916 Historic Court House that is home to the Historical Society and its Richard and Pat Johnson Palm Beach County History Museum.

Logan Dausel, a senior at the University of Central Florida, decided to tackle our World War II list of Those Who Served. Started ten years ago, the list is a compilation of Palm Beach County men and women who signed up to serve their country during WWII. We add to the list as we discover new names, and it currently numbers 2,978. The goal of this database is to list each person, their hometown, branch of service, rank, duties, where they served, and any other items of interest, including photographs. Former volunteer

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Richard Brown had spent several years searching for and finding details about the individuals but only got through Richard H. Darling Jr. before he had to retire.

Logan quickly discovered what a daunting task he was attempting but managed to complete thirteen more biographies.

David Kowal, a graduating senior at Florida Atlantic University, became fascinated by Ben York, the head of the City of West Palm Beach’s recreation department from the late 1950s into the early 1960s. The collection of photographs York had accumulated, and his daughter had donated to the Historical Society, had been the interns’ first project as they learned to scan and catalog. As David learned more about Ben York, he found that York had been in the Civil Air Patrol during World War II at the local Coastal Patrol Base 3, which was a story that David had never heard. David and Logan teamed up to create an exhibit they titled The Flying Minute Men: Remembering the Civil Air Patrol to celebrate the organization’s 80th anniversary.

Logan and David combed through the Civil Air Patrol photographs and a number of artifact collections to create an exhibit detailing some of the interesting CAP

Top: David Kowal and Logan Dausel with their exhibit, The Flying Minute Men: Remembering the Civil Air Patrol.

Bottom: Celebrating the end of the summer internship. Left to right: Logan Dausel, Debi Murray, Avery Brothers, David Kowal, Tyler Alicastro, Christian Stephens, Callista Payne, and Rose Guerrero.

Courtesy HSPBC

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activities and the personalities of those who had donated their time to patrolling Florida’s shoreline when German submarines were sinking ships within sight of land. With images and artifacts in hand, the pair learned another new skill— using Adobe’s InDesign software to create intriguing panels and label copy. On the last day before David’s graduation, they put the final touches to the cases and hung the exhibit panels. The exhibit ran through December 31, 2021.

Avery Brothers, a graduating senior at Florida Atlantic University, tackled an interesting artifact and created an exhibit and an article for our journal. Examining a piece of embroidered cloth containing signatures and a date—December 30, 1905—led Avery to a young people’s party

During her internship, Anna Monaco dug into the history of the Ashley family.

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and eventually to local baseball history.

(See page 16).

Anna Monaco, a student at the University of Central Florida, spent more time scanning and cataloging some of the myriad accessions we have been processing this summer. She became intrigued by the Ashley Gang and decided to delve into the family’s dynamic and connections within that far-flung group. We are always thankful for this type of interest.

Often, staff needs to know how people are related, and we seldom have time to do indepth research that may not yield pertinent information quickly. Anna found some interesting materials and wrote a synopsis of her findings that has been added to the Ashley Family research file.

A student at Florida Atlantic University,

Tyler Alicastro investigated the BinghamBlossom-Bolton family. Coincidently, the Historical Society received a China-painted porcelain portrait plate of Dudley Blossom Sr., which has become the focus of an exhibit. Tyler researched the artist as well as the family and created an exhibit and interpretive panel for our Place Gallery.

Her article about the Bingham family is on page 20 in this issue.

Florida State University junior Callista Payne served 120 hours with the Historical Society, working on a variety of projects during her internship. In addition to scanning and cataloging photographs, she learned to photograph artifacts and properly clean and store them. Designing an interpretive panel for a newly accessioned desk, she learned about French Reproduction furniture and the original owners of the desk, which she found fascinating. She also felt the agony of having to leave interesting information out of a panel when it gets too long! We are happy to report that Callista has secured a part-time position with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Florida Park Service, Bureau of Natural

and Cultural Management (!), where she will be able to use the skills she learned with us.

Christian Stephens, a student of Grinnell College (Iowa), decided to investigate a bit of the history of surfing in Palm Beach County. His journey took him along a different path from his fellow interns.

He had the opportunity to interview local surfing legend David Reese about his experiences with the Town of Palm Beach’s attempt to outlaw surfing within town limits. (See page 7) The Historical Society is always glad for the opportunity to share what we do with the next generation of potential historians, curators, archivists, and other museum professionals. Inevitably, students are eager to learn and want to leave their mark on the institution. This group of interns most definitely left a most positive impression on all of us individually, and on the Historical Society of Palm Beach County and the Richard and Pat Johnson Palm Beach County History Museum through their curiosity, interest, and enjoyment of what they learned.•

Callista learned how to catalogue archival material, and design an exhibit during her summer internship with the historical society.

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Saving Surfing A

fter the end of the hard-fought Second World War, millions of Americans returned home and became a part of the newly expanded middle class. With their deeper pockets and extra leisure time, many sought rest and relaxation on the coastline, flocking to beaches in droves. Surfing, which had become more approachable and budget-friendly due to technological advancements during the war, was quickly adopted by younger beachgoers. The previously meagre population of surfers exploded, and before long beaches were packed with sleek surfboards, movie theatres were full of films that romanticized the craze, and radios all around the country blared music that glorified the search for the perfect wave.

Even in Florida, where the waves were relatively small, surfing became all the rage. David Reese, longtime surfer and Palm Beach royalty, was quick to

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snatch up a surfboard and coast the waves off Palm Beach island. Many others joined him; the island became so well-known across the state that young surfers frequently made weekend pilgrimages to the area, eager to test the waters. This influx of young surfers to the island quickly led to problems.

Surfers, though generally well behaved, were often followed by individuals who caused trouble on and around the beaches instead of taking on the swells themselves. Arrests were frequent, and blame was usually directed towards the surfers that attracted the riffraff to the area.

It was not just the police who had their hands full due to surfing. Parents became increasingly concerned for their children, who could collide with surfers as they tore through the water or get blindsided by a lone board returning to the shore.

One mother, Reese said in a July 2021

in Palm Beach

By Christian Stephens

After a long day of studies at school, David Wilde, 16, finds surfing in the late afternoon sun a great way to relax.

Courtesy Miami Herald Photographic Collection, HSPBC.

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"It's not just riding the waves that's fun ... but the getting to the surf ... by either sports car or bike."

Courtesy Miami Herald Photographic Collection, HSPBC.

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David Reese and Surfing Museum Director Tom Warnke.

interview, “had two little kids. Every time she saw a kid on the water with a surfboard, she’d call the cops. ‘There are surfers out in front of my house, and they’re endangering my children!’” Calls like this became more and more regular as the water of Palm Beach became more popular. Eventually, facing a torrent of both criminal and civil issues, the town took action.

It was October 13, 1964, when the Town Council of the Town of Palm Beach handed down its decision: a ban on all surfing within the town limits. When asked if the police were on top of enforcing the ordinance initially, Reese said, “No. Sometimes they wouldn’t bother with the kids, because why stir a hornet’s nest?” Late in 1967, however, as complaints continued, arrests became more frequent. Neighboring towns up and down the coast began considering their own

Courtesy Augustus Mayhew.

surfing bans. Though Reese himself was never pulled out of the water, he exclaims, “because my father was mayor!”, he and older surfers recognized that the ban, if left unchecked, could choke out the entire sport on the east coast.

In response, Reese and several other surfers created the Palm Beach County Surfing Association. The Association, eager to inspire change, was unsure at first how to approach the ban. The beach cleanups surfers volunteered for, despite being sincere efforts to foster a sense of goodwill with the Town Council, had little impact. Sit-ins and marches on the town were discussed as the next possible tactic, but Reese and the other founding members convinced local surfers that the best chance that they had was to appeal the ban through the court system and have it thrown out entirely. For

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that, they needed a volunteer to take the fall. Bruce Carter, a member described

by Reese as “an easygoing guy,” quickly offered himself to be the vehicle to surfer liberation.

Once the PBCSA was prepared, it started the legal process. They sent Bruce Carter to surf at the

end of Worth Avenue, and David Aaron, a founding member of the Association, called the police on him. The police arrived, arrested Carter, and charged him under the surfing ordinance. He was convicted and forced to pay a fine of $20. The PBCSA immediately appealed the decision with help from Joel Daves, local attorney and future West Palm Beach mayor. The Association began to

David V. Reese Courtesy Augustus Mayhew

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Surfer passing the shipwrecked Amaryllis late 1960s.

Courtesy Palm Beach Post Collection, HSPBC.

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A surfer rests on the shore between rides.

Courtesy Miami Herald Photographic Collection, HSPBC.

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raise money for the court costs, selling 1,500 “I Gave to Save Surfing” bumper stickers for a dollar each.

Those bumper stickers paid for a nearly two-year court battle to strike the ordinance down. Daves, appealing the case to the Palm Beach County Circuit Court, got the decision the Association was seeking. Judge Hugh MacMillan agreed that the ban was an unreasonably strict exercise of power and overturned Carter’s conviction. The victory, though, was not long-lived. The Town of Palm Beach, taking it a step higher to the Fourth District Court of Appeal, received a decision far less favorable for the surfing aficionados. The court upheld the ordinance and reinstated Carter’s conviction. The Association, though disappointed, did not give up. Instead, they appealed yet again, this time to the Supreme Court of Florida.

Reese recalls the crucial decision made there: “[We went] all the way through the court system to the Supreme Court [of Florida] where we got the vote. There were seven justices. One was ill, one of them disqualified himself because he had been an attorney here in Palm Beach. . . . Four of the five judges agreed that surfing could be controlled but not banned. Immediately,

we sent copies all the way up and down the east coast.” The town, which would have had to appeal to the Supreme Court of the United States to reach a different decision, ultimately declined to take the case further and took the outright ban off the books.

Surfing had finally been saved.

Reese did not stop dedicating his life to surfing even after the fight had been won.

Shortly before the legal battle, Reese and other influential east coast surfers created the Eastern Surfing Association. It has since grown into the largest surfing association in the world. Hosting championships and attending association events, Reese remains active in the ESA more than fifty years later.

In 1996, to recognize Reese’s extraordinary efforts in preserving and promoting surfing, the East Coast Surfing Hall of Fame inducted him as a charter member. Though eager to downplay his achievements, he claimed, “It all happened so fast! I didn’t even know what they were doing.” Reese fits right in with the rest of the inductees: pioneers of the east coast that inspired generation after generation to pick up a board and head to the ocean.•

Christian Stephens is a student at Grinnell College (Iowa) studying Computer Science and History.

Born and raised in West Palm Beach, Florida, he is interested in stories from the past and those that continue to unfold around him.

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A Party Memento

By Avery Brothers

A

s an intern at the Historical Society of Palm Beach County, I was given a piece of cloth and tasked with investigating its significance. It was embroidered with names, using a running stitch, and dated December 30, 1905. The cloth was donated

by Margaret Pleasant, the niece of Julia Alina Doster, one of the names on the cloth and likely the one who had done the stitching. The cloth had been among Doster’s possessions when she passed away in 1970. By its size, it was probably meant to be made into a pillowcase.

My first clue to the cloth’s story was a Tropical Sun article from December 30, 1905, which reported a party held by Miss Bessie Andrews at her parents’ home on Evernia Street, where “music, recreations, and games were the features of the evening and the event proved one of the most

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interesting of the season.” Bessie Andrews was one of the first names I researched, because Grace Andrews’ name was also on the cloth, and I quickly found that they were sisters. At first, I found very little on either young lady, so I began researching their father, George E. Andrews.

George Edward Andrews was a prominent businessman, a baseball player, and an associate of Henry Flagler. “Ed” was born in 1859 to John Henry and Susan Morris Andrews in Painesville, Ohio, where John was a Great Lakes boat captain who instilled in George a love of sailing. George attended Western Reserve University near Cleveland, the first university in northern Ohio, where he played baseball for the

school. After graduation he joined the

with the Phillies of the National League in

Akron Interstate League and then signed

1884.

Tropical Sun December 30, 1905.

George Andrews married Mary Frances Kirby of Philadelphia in 1888. A year later the couple had a daughter, Elizabeth, and two years later another daughter, Grace.

In 1890 Andrews played baseball for a season for the Brooklyn Nationals and the next season for the Cincinnati Nationals.

He then retired from the game due to contract and salary issues. The family, including his parents, settled that year on

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the Indian River, where George owned and ran a successful pineapple plantation for several years. In 1899 Henry Flagler hired him to work for the Florida East Coast Hotel Company. After moving his family to West Palm Beach, George managed The Breakers Casino and the Royal Poinciana Yacht Basin. He became well known in the area and, after leaving the hotel industry, developed real estate in West Palm Beach, including the Pinewood Terrace neighborhood. He promoted baseball and other athletics in Palm Beach County and

George "Ed" Andrews' baseball cards during his time with the Philadelphia Quakers.

Courtesy Library of Congress.

spring training for the national teams in Florida. It would not have been a popular idea at the time, but Andrews was thinking about the potential future of Palm Beach County. He also recruited and managed players for Flagler’s African American baseball program in the early 1900s. As an older man, Andrews took sailing trips to the Florida Keys and Lake Okeechobee, writing about his excursions in magazines such as Motor Boating and Outdoor Life.

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George Andrews passed away in 1934 at the age of 75.

I concluded that Bessie was a nickname for Elizabeth Andrews. At the time of the 1905 party, Elizabeth was sixteen and Grace was fourteen, which fit the age for the article about entertaining her young friends. All the other names I researched were around the same age in 1905, from prominent families in the area. Since the gathering took place the day before New Year’s Eve, it could have been an early New Year’s celebration. The article was one of several about parties held before young people headed back to school after the winter break.

Elizabeth Andrews went on to marry Roy Levi Chaffin in 1911 at the age of 22 in Spokane, Washington, and gave birth to a son, Edward, two years later. Roy was then a teacher for the Spokane County Engineer’s Office. Elizabeth divorced Chaffin in 1927 and married Henry P. White in 1929 in Palm Beach County, when she was 40 years old. She died in 1950 at the age of 61. Her son, Edward, lived in the area with his family until his death in 1993.

Much more information was found about Grace Andrews, who lived a more public life. She traveled to Spokane, Washington, in 1910 for her sister’s wedding to Chaffin and lived there a few years. In 1914, at the age of 19, Grace married Charles Gruber in Palm Beach. He was from a prominent family of local businessmen. Grace gave birth to their first child, Charles Jr., in 1918, then John David four years later, and Marion two years after that.

The couple divorced in 1929 when Grace, 38, accused her husband of “desertion,

Left: Elizabeth "Bessie" Andrews. Right: Bessie and Edward Andrews.

extreme cruelty, and associating with other women.” She married Frank Criss Dolcater a year later, and they had one daughter, Charlotte, in 1931. They divorced three years later, and Grace raised her children alone until she married Thomas Marshall in 1938. He adopted Charlotte, who took his name. With two years of college education, Grace owned several dance studios and taught dance for many years. She held parties and seasonal recitals and performed for special events in the area. Grace was considered one of the best dance instructors in the area, teaching the fox trot, waltz, rumba, tango, and jitterbug. When her children were young, they would also perform.

Courtesy HSPBC.

earned a Purple Heart and a Presidential Citation. Grace lived until 1982, when she died at the age of 90.

Hopefully,

someday

another

intern

will take up this piece of cloth and find additional interesting stories about the rest of the party attendees. • Avery Brothers is a graduate of Florida Atlantic University, he enjoyed spending his summer internship learning about the history of Palm Beach County and creating an exhibit for the Richard and Pat Johnson PBC History Museum.

Grace’s son John David died in 1945 while serving as a radio messenger on the front lines in Germany during World War II. He

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Exploring Figulus

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and the Bingham Family

By Tyler Alicastro

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I

n the late nineteenth century, wealthy oil and transportation tycoon Henry Flagler began transforming the east coast of Florida into a desirable vacation spot by building monumentally large and glamorous hotels to attract wealthy tourists. But it wasn't Flagler who created Florida's first beach house, Figulus, it was his friend Charles Bingham, a wealthy Cleveland, Ohio, businessman. The Binghams had lived in Cleveland since 1836 when Charles’ father, William, moved there to work as an apprentice hardware salesman in a shop run

by George Worthington.

He later built his own successful hardware and equipment business, William & Co, in 1855.

In addition to selling and supplying equipment to hospitals during the Civil War, Bingham was famous for being the first president of the local Union Club. His success marked the beginning of the rise of the Bingham family's fortune, the fortune that would eventually take them to Florida.

in a series of other businesses, including Standard Tool & Co, Perry-Pane & Co, and Standard Oil & Co. A patron of the arts and academics, he was a trustee at the Western Reserve Historical Society and the Cleveland Art Museum. He was also a member of the Lake View Cemetery Association and the First Presbyterian Church.

According to Charles Bingham's greatgranddaughter, Mary Peter Bolton who wrote a book about Figulus entitled Oliver's Acre's, Charles Bingham met Flagler by chance one day after finding him stranded on the side of the road. Flagler's car had broken down, and Bingham offered him a ride back to civilization, and on the ride back, Flagler convinced him to buy land in Florida.

It is difficult to say how accurate the story in Oliver's Acres is. It is more likely that Bingham and Flagler most likely knew each other already as fellow Standard Oil trustees. Regardless of where they spoke or how exactly it happened, Flagler's Charles W. Bingham at his Palm efforts paid off, and Bingham Beach home, Figulus.

Born on May 22, 1846, and his son, Oliver Perry Courtesy Blossom Collection, HSPBC. Bingham, purchased a plot Charles W. Bingham studied at Yale University of land that stretched from from 1868 to 1871 and ocean to lake in 1893 for attempted to broaden his horizons by $11,000. Bingham and his wife, Molly spending three years abroad in Germany Payne Bingham, hoped that the fresh air and France. While there, he studied would benefit Oliver's health, as he had various subjects, including chemistry, been sickly since his childhood. Tragically, geology, mining, and multiple languages.

Oliver Perry died in 1900, and his father He took over Bingham & Co after his inherited ownership of the land that Oliver father's retirement in 1879 and had a hand had purchased.

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The Bingham photograph albums were carefully curated and provide names and places to help tell the history of the family's time in south Florida.

Courtesy Blossom Collection, HSPBC.

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Interior of Figulus. Courtesy Blossom Collection, HSPBC.

George W. Lainhart, a co-founder of one of the area’s first businesses, Lainhart and Potter Building Materials, was responsible for the house's construction. Lainhart had made his mark selling building materials to Henry Flagler. In 1894 after only a year of construction, the house was complete.

The Bingham vacation home was dubbed Figulus, Latin for "place of the potter," a nod to the land's original owner George Potter. The house was nothing less than a marvelous combination of Victorian and modern architecture. It was a charming two-story cottage with a layered gable roof, deeply recessed porches, wide overhangs, copper pipes and gutters, and a crossventilation system that made it easy to

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live in during the hot and humid seasons without modern air conditioning.

In contrast to Flagler's extravagant mansion, Figulus was quite homey. It contained nice, simple, comfortable furniture, antiques, and pictures on the walls. In addition, the house had a wellkept kitchen, a parlor for the family to relax in, a study for Bingham to work and read, and enough bedrooms in the house for the whole family. It was a simple family vacation home, and the house's interior displays just that: a comfortable place for the family to unwind before going off on their next adventure. Aside from spending the day at one of the many nearby clubs or the Royal Poinciana Hotel only four miles

Exterior of Mrs. Francis P. Bolton's Casa Apava. Courtesy HSPBC.

away, the family would take their boats out on the water for fishing and swimming. On land, they went on duck hunting excursions and marveled at Florida's wildlife.

Figulus' beauty and claim to fame did not lie with what was inside the house, but rather with what the Bingham's kept on the outside: Figulus' famed natural greenery.

The land surrounding Figulus was covered in a well-kept jungle-like condition filled with a colorful variety of flowers, trees, and many other kinds of plants. According to a passage in a 1922 article in The Palm Beach Post, "orange groves and thick planting of tropical trees practically concealed the building from the road." The garden sported over twenty species of trees – coconuts on palm trees, archways made of Australian

pines, along with palmetto, mangrove, rubber, banyan, gumbo, mastic, colossal sea grape trees, and so much more. All of which were wrapped up in vines of orchids dotted with flowers, berries, even coffee plants.

Figulus was undoubtedly a beloved residence for the family. Charles Bingham brought his family to their vacation home almost every winter for over thirty years after its construction to escape their bustling business life in Ohio. However, Charles Bingham's visits came come to an end when he died in 1929. In his will, Bingham divided his Florida real estate between his three surviving children, his son William Bingham II, and two daughters, Elizabeth B. Blossom and Francis P. Bolton. William died

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without issue in 1955, and his inheritance would also go to his sisters. Figulus itself was left to Elizabeth, while his other daughter Francis was left seventeen acres of land south of Figulus. Francis Bolton married successful businessman and politician Chester Bolton. When he died in 1939, Francis followed in his footsteps and became the first Congresswoman of Ohio a year later. Meanwhile, Elizabeth married wealthy businessman Dudley S. Blossom and continued to visit Figulus during the winter until she died in 1970.

Over time, the family continued to build additional homes on Figulus' land; this included Figulus II (later known as Casa Apava), III (a smaller piece of property used as a guesthouse for Elizabeth Blossom), and IV (designed personally by Kenyon Bolton III). By the 1960s, as tourism

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interest in old houses began to emerge, Figulus became a popular attraction. The Historical Society of Palm Beach County opened the house up for tours in 1964. Its historical significance as one of Florida's first beach homes was fully recognized in 1972 when it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Unfortunately a mysterious house fire damaged the property in 1974. Although there was speculation that the fire was intentional, the authorities never determined the cause. The family decided not to repair the house, and the charred remains were demolished, and the land sold by the house's last owner, Mary Payne Blossom, to George E. Straub for $14,000,000. Today, the only remaining piece of Figulus is Casa Apava, designated a local landmark in 1980. •

One of the Bingham-Bolton-Blossom photo albums shows interiors of Figulus.

Courtesy Blossom Collection, HSPBC.

Florida Atlantic University graduate and Long Island native Tyler Alicastro moved to West Palm Beach with her family in 2004. Currently enrolled in FAU’s graduate history program, Tyler intends to pursue her Ph.D. in medieval English history. While local history is not her usual field, volunteering at the Historical Society of Palm Beach County and the Richard and Pat Johnson PBC History Museum has expanded her vision of a career in the world of history. Tyler continues to volunteer at HSPBC while working on her graduate studies.

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Loxahatchee Groves' Schoolhouse: A Memoir

By Joanie Orton

Loxahatchee Groves' sign from the 1940s.

Courtesy Bensel Digital Collection, HSPBC.

"The slogan 'Loxahatchee Groves, Country is a feeling, this is where it’s at,' was changed when I was in high school to 'Loxahatchee, love us and leave us alone.' People were beginning to feel the encroaching city, and everyone loved the way things were. We had dirt roads and rode horses or walked everywhere.

We knew everyone, and everyone knew us. We swam in our ponds for hours. We had every imaginable animal my parents would allow, including rabbits, cats, dogs, pigs, chickens, cows, pygmy goats, a parrot named Pedro, and a cockatiel named Feathers. We got up before dawn to feed and get ready for school.

After getting home and doing homework we would feed again. We played till dark and only came in to set the table and eat. We sat around the dinner table for hours, laughing and talking about our day. If anything in my life was idyllic, it was my life in Loxahatchee, and my time spent in this little old schoolhouse."

- Joanie Orton 28 | TUSTENEGEE

L

oxahatchee Groves, Florida, is a western community incorporated as the 38th municipality in Palm Beach County on November 1, 2006.

It was settled much earlier, in 1917, and called itself “Florida’s Last Frontier.” The name Loxahatchee comes from the Seminole language, meaning “turtle river.” After the 1928 hurricane destroyed the few homes that were there, a local Loxahatchee resident encouraged others to use the land to grow citrus and tomatoes.

In 1935, long-time resident Roy Burg erected the Loxahatchee Groves Schoolhouse at Tangerine Drive and “D” Road. The one-room, whitewashed, building was wooden framed.

Five wide steps, painted green, led to the portico, a fancy name for porch. The porch roof was held up by four square columns. Double

met at the west end. The desks were arranged in rows, each row for a certain grade. Much like on the TV show Little House on the Prairie, there was one teacher for all. When necessary, heat was made possible with pot-bellied stoves, and a wooden outhouse served as the bathroom. In the late 1950s, Loxahatchee’s population grew, and a second portable building was added. The last class graduated in 1965.

The Palm Beach County School Board felt that maintaining the old schoolhouse was not costeffective and began bussing the Loxahatchee children to other locations. The building was moved from “D” Road to the corner of Southern Boulevard and Tangerine Drive. The Loxahatchee Landowners Association (LLA), formed in 1970, leased the building from the school board in exchange for maintaining it. The

Loxahatchee Groves' schoolhouse ca. 1950s.

doors in front led directly into the building.

Ten six-over-six paned windows, five on each side of the porch, allowed any breezes to enter.

The school opened in 1936 to thirteen students, grades one through six. A dividing screen in the center separated the older students from the younger ones. According to the local weekly paper, The Town Crier, grades one through three met at the east end, and four through six

Courtesy Bensel Digital Collection, HSPBC.

old schoolhouse, as it was referred to, served as a voting precinct, a Friday night dance hall, and a meeting place for 4-H clubs, girl and boy scouts, and church.

It was about this time that I was introduced to the sweet little building. Most of the school desks had been pushed to the back, and folding chairs took their place. I was twelve years old

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when Community Baptist Church was formed, and I attended prayer service on Sunday mornings, Sunday evenings, and Wednesday nights. We hardly ever missed. The vocal sounds of the congregation with my Aunt Kay’s fast-paced piano playing “Give me that Old-Time Religion” and the slower harmonies of “Amazing Grace,” accompanied by my mom on the piano, will forever be treasured in my heart. We did have a bathroom at that time, but no air conditioning, so the windows would be opened wide. We kept cool with paper fans with the church name on the back, stapled to popsicle sticks, or old bulletins that we printed with an old hand-crank ink copy machine and folded. It is in this building that I learned about God’s love on Sundays and rabbit husbandry on Fridays.

This agricultural community nestled in orange and grapefruit trees is where I grew up. I can still hear the bell chiming to tell us that our meetings were about to begin. Although the schoolhouse was not where I attended school, I attended everything else there. It seemed like some weeks we never went home. One week we had two Sunday church services, dinner on the grounds, Tuesday Bible study, Wednesday prayer service, Friday 4-H followed by youth group, and Saturday morning we showed up to straighten, dust, and clean the bathrooms.

I also enjoyed two whitewash paint parties,

Joanie Orton (second from left) with friends (left to right)Cindy Schiek, Pastor James Smith, and Carlyne Blair, ca. 1978.

Courtesy Joanie Orton.

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Valentine’s Day dances, country gospel singa-longs, puppet shows, Christmas shows, New Year’s Eve celebrations, Easter sunrise services, and movie nights within its walls and upon its grounds. It was and still is a dear old building to me, full of my fondest memories of my childhood and teenage years.

The building was relocated in 1991 to Yesteryear Village at the South Florida Fairgrounds. More than thirty historic buildings have been relocated to the ten-acre site, including a general store, blacksmith shop, and farm. Yesteryear Village continues to encourage folks with story retellings, music, and an “authentic artisan market.”

They boast of being a “living history park where interpreters share their stories about life before 1940 . . . and one of Palm Beach County’s most unique cultural attractions” (Facebook) circa 1895-1945. Several events are offered at Yesteryear Village to bring back the olden days and remember times past.

Families still come and wander into the old schoolhouse. Children stare in awe at the stark desks and other furnishings that rest there.

Laughter and learning still happen inside its walls. New memories are being made. The old schoolhouse stands tall and proud as it continues to school the next generation.•

Some of the fruit groves of Loxahatchee Groves.

Courtesy Bensel Digital Collection, HSPBC.

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New to the

By Debi Murray 32 | TUSTENEGEE

Collection FALL 2021 | SPRING 2022

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T

he Historical Society’s collections benefitted from so many people being stuck at home in 2020 and early 2021. As people began to clear out their storage spaces, they wondered if their precious items might find a larger audience to enjoy and possibly learn from them. While we have not been able to take everything offered to us, we have added some nice pieces to the collections.

One such item came all the way from California, courtesy of Laurel Blossom.

Over a hundred years ago, it had been part of the decorative furnishings at Figulus, the winter home of the related Bingham, Bolton, and Blossom families from Cleveland. The house was located south of Southern Boulevard and the property ran from the ocean to the lake.

The item itself is a China plate adorned with a painted portrait of two-year-old Dudley S. Blossom, signed and dated in 1881 by Florence Aimee Francis. The plate has created a variety of research opportunities: the story of the Binghams and Blossoms (see page 20, the history of nineteenth-century China painting, and the biography of the artist.

Francis was a landscape and portrait artist who had, at the time of painting the plate, only recently moved to New York from Great Britain, where she was born in 1850 or 1852. She studied at the Art Students League in New York 1882-1883 and again 1885-1886. After she married another artist (and cousin), Henry B. Snell, in 1888, the couple painted portraits and landscapes as well as teaching painting.

For several years, they traveled to St. Ives in Cornwell, England, with adult students who wanted to hone their skill en plein

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air in land and cityscapes. The last year they traveled there was interrupted by the start of what would become known as World War I. Francis exhibited at various galleries across the country and in 1915, four of her paintings were shown at the Panama Pacific International Exposition in San Francisco. Coincidently, Warren Frazee, better known as Alligator Joe, was also at the exposition with several of his manatees, alligators, and turtles. He died there of heart failure—and I’ve always wondered what happened to his animals!

Nineteenth-century China painting as a cottage craft business developed as a way for women to make a respectable living. Despite numerous searches for more information about Florence Aimee Francis and her connection with China painting, only images of her oil portraits and landscapes could be located.

Every item the Historical Society collects can be used to tell multiple stories. It just takes time and patience to tease those tales out so they can be shared. If you or anyone you know would like to volunteer with the Historical Society to help us investigate the stories within the collections, please contact us.

Dudley and his father on the steps of their Palm Beach home, Figulus.

Courtesy Blossom Collection, HSPBC.

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New to the Archives

By Rose Guerrero

Recently, the Historical Society of Palm Beach County received a collection of photographs taken by the City of West Palm Beach Parks and Recreation Department in the 1950s, and collected by Ben York, department's director. With the assistance of seven interns over the summer of 2021, we were able to catalogue and sort these images, a true "snapshot" of life and entertainment in West Palm Beach in the '50s.

While sorting through these images, intern David Kowel grew interested in finding out more about Ben York, his life in West Palm Beach during World War II, his contributions to four summer Olympic games, and his eventual induction to the Palm Beach Sports Hall of Fame.

Young boys at Teen Town play a game attemping to eat donuts hanging on strings.

36 | TUSTENEGEE

Courtesy HSPBC.

B

en York was born in Mt. Carmel, Pennsylvania, in 1906 and moved to West Palm Beach in 1939. At the start of the war, he worked at the famous Sea Spray Club in Palm Beach, setting up meets between his students and soldiers from Morrison Field.

He flew almost 1,200 hours as an observer with Coastal Patrol Base 3 from April 12, 1942 to August 31, 1943, and received the Air Medal from President Truman as a flight officer.

After the war, York briefly became captain of the reorganized Group 5 Lantana Squadron in 1951. By then, most of his focus was on coaching and running the West Palm Beach Department of Recreation. He was involved in the swimming community from the amateur to Olympic level until his retirement in 1962.

Left: Ben York in his Civil Air Patrol uniform at the Lantana Squadron base. Bottom: Ben announcing at a baseball game in 1954.

Courtesy HSPBC.

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Become a Part of History Join Today!

All members receive

Notification of special events Free admission to the Lecture Series Minimum 10% discount in the Museum Store Recognition in Tustenegee Society News e-newsletter Member card

*You can also join online at pbchistory.org or call 561-832-4164

All memberships except Archivist and Young Friend convey benefits for two adult

1916 Society $10,000 TITLE

FIRST NAME

All benefits of Royal Palm membership Name on Donor Recognition Wall at Museum entrance Private luncheon with Chief Curator Tour of HSPBC Archives with Chief Curator 2 VIP tickets to Evening on Antique Row

LAST NAME

ADDITIONAL NAME

Royal Palm $5,000

ADDRESS APT. # CITY

ZIP

STATE

PHONE

Providencia $2,500

Invitation to Annual Benefactor Reception Name on HSPBC Board letterhead 2 VIP tickets to Evening on Antique Row Unlimited research from HSPBC Archives by appointment Frameable historic photograph print from the HSPBC Archives Admission for 2 additional guests at each lecture

EMAIL ALTERNATE ADDRESS DATES FOR OUT-OF-TOWN MAILINGS

Pioneer $1,000

ADDRESS APT. # CITY

Name on HSPBC Board letterhead Name on Donor Recognition Wall, updated annually 2 VIP tickets to Evening on Antique Row Unlimited research from HSPBC Archives by appointment

STATE

ZIP

Mailed invitations to all special events 2 General Admission tickets to Evening on Antique Row 5 hours research from HSPBC Archives by appointment Admission for 1 additional guest at each lecture

MEMBERSHIP $

Flagler $500

ADDITIONAL CONTRIBUTION $

Mailed invitations to all special events 2 hours research from HSPBC Archives by appointment A book reserved for you at the Museum Store Admission for 1 additional guest at each lecture Ability to rent 1916 Historic Courthouse for events Subscription to Tustenegee

AMOUNT ENCLOSED $ ENCLOSED IS MY CHECK IN THE AMOUNT OF PAYABLE TO HSPBC OR PLEASE CHARGE MY CREDIT CARD:

Mizner $250

1 hour research from HSPBC Archives by appointment Print of historic photograph from HSPBC Archives Ability to rent 1916 Historic Courthouse for events

CARD NUMBER NAME AS IT APPEARS ON CARD SIGNATURE

Complete, cut out, and return to: Historical Society of Palm Beach County Attn: Lise Steinhauer PO Box 4364 West Palm Beach, FL 33402-4364

EXP. DATE

Young Friend $150 (age 21 to 45)

Premier invitation to Young Friend social and education events Discounted tickets: Evening on Antique Row, Archival Evening gala Complimentary ticket to Cocktails in Paradise events

Barefoot Mailman $125

Mailed invitations to all special events Subscription to the Tustenegee journal electronically

Archivist $75 All membership benefits can be found at pbchistory.org

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Historical Society of Palm Beach County 2021-2022 Board Chair

Officers

Ex-Officio Board Members

First Vice Chair

School Board of Palm Beach County

Richard S. Johnson Jr. Mark Stevens

Secretary

Joseph Chase

Treasurer

Thomas Burns, CPA

Alexandria Ayala

Danielle Hickox Moore

Town of Palm Beach Mayor Mack Bernard

Palm Beach County Commissioner

Board of Advisors

Chief Curator

Members at Large Jeffrey Alderton John P. Archer George L. Ford III Mary Freitas Russell P. Kelley Penny Murphy

Past Chair

Thomas M. Kirchhoff

Member Emeritus Robert W. Ganger

Board of Governors

Maria Antuña Laurel Baker Hampton Beebe Margaret Cheryl Burkhardt Sharon Daley Alex Griswold Scott Johnson Stephen C. Richman Andrew Sciame Mary Weiss Vernique Williams Alisha Winn, Ph.D.

Staff

President and Chief Executive Officer

Christian Angle Cressman D. Bronson Katharine Dickenson Mark B. Elhilow George T. Elmore Dennis Grady William Graham The Honorable Bradley G. Harper Dale R. Hedrick Pat Seaton Johnson Gary S. Lesser The Honorable Karen Marcus William A. Meyer Carey O’Donnell Harvey E. Oyer III Jorge Pesquera Sidney A. Stubbs Jr. Keith Williams

Jeremy W. Johnson Debi Murray

Director of Research Rose Guerrero

Education Coordinator Casey Lipschutz

Office Administrator Sharon Poss

Membership, Grants, & Museum Store Lise M. Steinhauer

Volunteer & Outreach Coordinator Rhonda Gordon

Director of Development Taylor Materio

Museum Coordinator Jamal Julien

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In Appreciation DONORS 2021-2022

Thank you to our members, sponsors, and other special donors for sustaining our mission.

$30,000 - $75,000

The Seth Sprague Educational and Charitable Foundation The Loreen Beisswenger Mr. and Mrs. Mark Stevens Farish Charitable Foundation Mr. and Mrs. Dominick Marshall E. Rinker, Sr. Telesco Foundation, Inc. Mr. John Turgeon The Mary Alice Fortin Wally Findlay Galleries Foundation, Inc. Mrs. Dean Woodman Pat Moran Family Foundation Inc. Richard S. Johnson Family Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey Alderton Foundation Mr. Thomas Anderson & Scaife Family Foundation Mr. Marc Schappell Mr. and Mrs. Hampton Beebe Mr. and Mrs. Robert T. Butler Mr. John P. Archer Mr. and Mrs. Joseph P. Mr. and Mrs. J. Gary Chase Sr. Burkhead Mr. and Mrs. Christopher B. Christian Angle Real Estate Cowie Estate of Dora D. Dixon Mr. and Mrs. Charles Mrs. Edith R. Dixon Davidson Florida Crystals Mr. and Mrs. Mark B. Elhilow Frances and Jeffrey Fisher Mr. George T. Elmore & Charitable Foundation Inc. Ms. Marti LaTour Frances G. Scaife Florida Department of State Foundation Division of Arts & Culture Mrs. Annette Friedland Florida Power & Light The Howard B. Bernick Company Foundation The Honorable Mark Foley J.M. Rubin Foundation The Fortin Foundation of Mr. and Mrs. Richard S. Florida Johnson Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Mark Freitas Mr. and Mrs. Scott Johnson Mr. and Mrs. Martin D. Gruss Kirchhoff & Associates Mr. and Mrs. John Haley Architects Hedrick Brothers Construction Mr. and Mrs. Thomas M. Hulitar Family Foundation Kirchhoff Mr. and Mrs. Russell P. Kelley The Honorable Mary E. Lupo Leeds Custom Design, Ltd. Mr. and Mrs. Alan Murphy Sr. Mr. and Mrs. H. Irwin Levy Mr. John E. Murphy PNC Bank Nievera Williams Design, Inc. Mr. and Mrs. J. Grier Palm Beach County Board of Pressly III Commissioners Rachel Tessoff, REALTOR® Mr. and Mrs. Christopher D. Mr. and Mrs. Mark Saur Pappas Mr. and Mrs. Dwight C. Schar Dr. and Mrs. Ellis J. Parker Sharkey Family Pioneer Linens Foundation Inc. Sciame Homes Mr. and Mrs. Brian Simmons

$5,000 - $9,999

$10,000 - $29,999

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Mr. and Mrs. Matthew K. Smith Mrs. Caroline B. Sory Mrs. Mary Weiss West Palm Beach Downtown Development Authority Worth Avenue Association

$2,500 - $4,999

Ms. Deborah J. Adeimy Mrs. Brenda McCampbell Bailey The Honorable Nancy G. Brinker The Burkhardt Family The Colony Hotel Ms. Courtney Combe Mr. Hunter E. Craig Daelansa Foundation Dailey Janssen Architects, P.A. The David Minkin Foundation Mrs. Martha B. DeBrule Mr. and Mrs. John E. Flagg III Float Plus Professor and Mrs. James L. Freeman Mr. and Mrs. David G. Ganek Mr. Robert W. Ganger Mr. and Mrs. Nicholas Golubov Gunster Law Haifa Limestone Health Care District of Palm Beach County Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Jacobs Mr. and Mrs. Robert M. Jaffe Mr. and Mrs. Roger Janssen Mr. and Mrs. Sidney Kohl Lake Worth Drainage District Mr. and Mrs. David Mack Marine Industries Association of Palm Beach County Meyer Lucas Team | Compass PJ Callahan Foundation, Inc. Ms. Anka K. Palitz Palm Beach Regency Palm Beach County Sports Commission

Mr. Thomas C. Quick Reynolds Family Foundation Seabreeze Building Mr. and Mrs. Daniel A. Seigel Mrs. Priscilla Smith Mr. Sidney A. Stubbs Jr. Ms. Melissa Sullivan Ms. Margaretta C. Taylor Tree of Life Foundation Inc. Very Important Paws

$1,000 - $2,499

Mr. and Mrs. Alfred P. Aldridge III Allyson T. and Andrew J. Cowin Foundation Ms. Joan M. Amoroso Ms. R. Ellen Avellino Ms. Laurel Baker Beebe Armstrong, LLP Ms. Meg Braff Mr. F. Ted Brown Jr. Mr. and Mrs. John J. Bulfin Burkhardt Construction, Inc. Mr. and Mrs. Harry D. Bush CBIZ | Mr. Dennis Goldstein Mr. William K. Caler Jr. David and Hildegarde Mahoney Foundation Mr. Timothy Davidson & Ms. Janna Hesser Ms. Isabelle H. de Tomaso Discover the Palm Beaches Economic Council of Palm Beach County Mr. and Mrs. James Engel Mr. and Mrs. Ray K. Farris Ms. Elizabeth Feuer Florida Sugar Cane League Ms. Maryanne Foglia Mr. and Mrs. Robert Forbes Fountain-Triggs Team | Corcoran Group Ms. Gillian Fuller Good Samaritan Medical Center Ms. Ann M. Holmes Human Capital Group

Jane Beasley Foundation Mr. and Mrs. Jeremy Johnson Mr. and Mrs. Charles H. Jones Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Brian D. Kennedy Mr. Hans W. Kertess Kilo Content Mrs. Fruema Nannis Klorfein Mr. and Mrs. Bradley L. Koenig Lesser, Lesser, Landy & Smith Mack V Margaret Mellon Hitchcock Foundation Mr. and Mrs. Peter I. Mason Mr. and Mrs. William M. Matthews McMow Art Glass Mr. Ross W.W. Meltzer Melville Foundation Modern Luxury Palm Beach Monica and Douglas Taylor Foundation Mrs. Polly Mounts Norma Kline Tiefel Foundation Ms. Carey O'Donnell & Mr. Stephen Barry Dr. and Mrs. Mehmet Oz Palm Beach County Bar Association, Inc. Palm Beach Illustrated The Palm Beach Post/Notables Mr. and Mrs. Mike Perry Quantum Foundation Mr. and Mrs. Stephen C. Richman Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Rooney Mr. Rick Rose Mr. and Mrs. Charles M. Royce The Scout Guide Palm Beach Mr. Christian D. Searcy Searcy Denney Scarola Barnhart & Shipley, PA Mr. and Mrs. Greg Silpe Mr. and Mrs. Richard P. Simmons Mr. and Mrs. Timothy S. Sotos Mr. John J. Tatooles & Mr. Victor Moore Ms. Susan O. Taylor Tenet Health Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Tessoff Mr. and Mrs. David J.

Thomas III Mr. and Mrs. William H. Told Jr. Toshiba Business Solutions Mr. and Mrs. Leo A. Vecellio Jr. Ms. Mary Lynn Watson West Palm Beach Antique Row Art & Design District Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Wetenhall Window Gang Yacht Kingfisher

$75 - $999

Dr. Sharada Alducin & Mr. Donald G. Alducin Mr. Kent Anderson Ms. Carol Anderson Mr. Robert Angelo & Ms. Meryle Asaro Ms. Catherine Applegate Mr. and Mrs. Kevin Armstrong Mr. Paul M. Arsenault Mr. Kevin Asbacher Ms. Amanda Atwater Mr. Scott C. Austin Mr. and Mrs. Nelson E. Bailey Ms. Taylor Baird Ms. Laurel Baker Mr. Mark A. Schwartz & Mrs. Maudie S. Baker-Schwartz The Hon. and Mrs. Thomas H. Barkdull III Mr. Warren Belmar Ms. Korinne Belock Mr. and Mrs. Turner Benoit Mr. and Mrs. Whit Benoit Carriage House Club LLC Mr. and Mrs. John K. Blumenstein Mr. and Mrs. Bruce Bodie Mr. Frank E. Booker Mr. Kevan Boyles Mr. Alan Brainerd Ms. Catherine Ford Brister Ms. Cynthia Brodrick Mr. Ian F. Brown Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Burns Mrs. Lois E. Burns Mr. and Mrs. Edward Callahan Mr. Michael Cannizzaro Mr. Joe Capozzi Archaeological and Historical Conservancy

Ms. Sally Channon Ms. Susan Christiansen Mr. and Mrs. William Cini Ms. Rosemary Clemens Mr. Vincent Cloud Mr. Andrew Cohen Mr. and Mrs. Donn R. Colee Jr. Mr. Donald H. Conkling III Ms. Maureen Conte Dr. John Cooney Ms. Tegan Crawford Mr. and Mrs. John Critchett Mrs. Linda G. Cullen Mr. Perry Cyprus Ms. Melanie Davis Ms. Lacy Davisson Mrs. Margaret M. Dean Mrs. Marie B. Deckert Mr. Britt Deviney & Ms. Dorothy Jacks Ms. Alexandra Dolch Mr. and Mrs. Sean Donahue Mr. Ryan Doyle Mr. and Mrs. Vincent A. Elhilow Mrs. Beth Fishel Ms. Brooke Fitzgerald Mr. Carl A. Flick & Dr. Maelouise Tennant Ms. Mary B. Foley Mr. and Mrs. Robert Forbes Ms. Victoria Fried Mr. and Mrs. Robert Sr. Mr. Jonathan Frost Ms. Tracy Fulham Ms. Jennifer C. Garrigues Mr. and Mrs. John Geberth Ms. Carla Georgiades Ms. Sherri Gilbert Mr. and Mrs. James T. Gill III Ms. Patricia Gillula Ms. Dianne Golder Dr. and Mrs. Lawrence Gorfine Mr. and Mrs. William G. Graham Ms. Lindsey Grant Mr. and Mrs. Horace A. Gray III Mr. Curtis Green Mr. George M. Greider & Ms. Gayle Kranz Mr. Larry V. Grosser Mr. Thomas Grudovich Mr. and Mrs. Andrew J. Hall Ms. Julia Hansen

Ms. Kendra Harnch Ms. Annie R. Harrison Nelson Ms. Elizabeth Hartigan Mr. Doug Hartwell & Ms. Cynthia Sheehan Hartwell Mr. Robert Hayes Dr. Teresa A. Hickey Mrs. Antoinette Hicks Mr. and Mrs. Henry Hopkins Mr. Graham Huls Mr. and Mrs. Eric Jensen Ms. Anne Johnson Mr. Richard S. Johnson III Mr. Howard L. Johnson Mr. Hans Garcia Jordan Ms. Mary Kastner Mr. Maximillian Kaye Ms. Adrianna Kelmendi Mr. Steven Kennedy Ms. Josephine E. Kennedy Mr. John J. Kenney Mrs. James W. Koontz II Ms. Sharon Koskoff Ms. Juliza Kramer Ms. Madeline Krema Ms. Lisa LaFrance Dr. Eleanor Laudicina Mr. and Mrs. Bernd Lembcke Ms. Stacey Leuliette Rabbi and Mrs. Joel Levinson Mr. Connor Lewis Mr. Eric Lieberman Mr. and Mrs. John Lynch Ms. Ann Madonia Ms. Faith Majors Ms. Carrah Malone Ms. Maria E. Mamlouk Mr. Steven A. Manalan Mrs. Taylor Materio Ms. Marjorie Mayrock Mr. Scott McCabe Mr. and Mrs. Knox McKee Ms. Kelly McKenna Ms. Brianna McKnight Ms. Kerri Meehan & Mr. Jeffrey Margel Mr. and Mrs. J. William Metzger Dr. Seetal Mewar Mr. and Mrs. Donald Middlebrooks Mr. and Mrs. Royal Mollineaux Mr. and Mrs. Richard Morgenstern Mrs. Marguerite Anne Morris

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Ms. Beth Motschenbacher Mr. Richard Moyroud Ms. Sarah Mueller Ms. Regina M. Mullen Ms. Lindsay Muntz Mrs. Martin E. Murphy Jr. Ms. Pamelee M. Murphy Mr. and Mrs. Mark A. Murphy Ms. Lorianne Murray Ms. Leslie Myers Ms. Matina A. Nimphie Ms. Jennifer Nunez Ms. Sally A. O’Connor Ms. Diana Olney Mr. and Mrs. Patrick Painter Dr. Jawahar Pala Mrs. Alice Zimmer Pannill Mr. Jared Pape Mr. and Mrs. Ward C. Parker Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Peltzie Mr. Dennis J. Perry Mr. Benjamin Peterson Mrs. Lois G. Phillips Ms. Shannon Pina Mr. and Mrs. Mort Plawner Mr. and Mrs. Edward Pollack Mr. Rick Prudden Mr. Michael D. Ray Dr. G. David Raymond Ms. Casey Renner Ms. Judith Reynolds Ms. Laura Ricardel Mr. Ronald D. Risner Ms. Kiana Rivera

Ms. Laurel Robinson Mr. Stephen M. Rochford Dr. Carol Rubinson Dr. Patrice Ryan & Mr. Raymond Janus Mr. and Mrs. John J. Rybovich Mr. Nickolas Sargent & Ms. Nicole Kirchhoff Mrs. Elaine A. Saugstad Ms. Mary Allen Saunders Mr. Robert Saunders & Mrs. Sandy Krakoff Ms. Leigh Savage Mr. Michael Schiff Mr. Will Schoch Mr. and Mrs. Peter Schoeffer Ms. Anita Seltzer Mr. Edward H. Sheahan III Ms. Brittany Shelby Mr. and Mrs. Darren Shull Ms. Laura Silagy Preservation Foundation of Palm Beach Mr. Robert W. Slater Ms. Holly Smith Mr. and Mrs. Perry J. Spencer Mr. Nick Spinelli Ms. Emily Starkey Mr. D. Robert Stepanian Mr. and Mrs. Michael Stratton Ms. Brenda N. Straus Mr. and Mrs. Terry Strecker Mrs. Carol Ann L. Sutton Mr. and Mrs. Bill Swanson Mr. Carter Taylor Ms. Meghan Taylor

Mr. and Mrs. Douglas Tepper Mr. G. Richard Thoman Mrs. Sandra L. Thompson Ms. Kristina Thomsen Ms. Sandra Thurlow Mr. and Mrs. William R. Tiefel Mr. and Mrs. Frank Todd Mr. James Tolleson Mrs. Shirley S. Toothman & Mr. Mark L. Toothman Mr. Allen Trefry Mrs. Deane O. Ugalde Mr. J. D. Vivian Ms. Janet Riggs Waterman Ms. Tamara Watkins Mr. Jim Watson Ms. Carrie Weidner Ms. Tracy White & Mr. Charles F. Carbone Mr. Stephen L. Whitehill Mr. Keith Williams Mr. Gary Willinski Ms. Sheryl Wood Mrs. Mary B. Woodland Ms. Joann Woodruff Ms. Barrett Wright Ms. Nina Yacavino Mr. Allen Zeller

LIFE MEMBERS

Mr. and Mrs. John W. Annan Mr. and Mrs. Keith C. Austin Jr. Mrs. Maria Bacinich

Mr. and Mrs. David H. Bludworth Mr. Richard R. Brown III Mr. and Mrs. Frank E. Callander Mrs. Linda Cothes Mr. William R. Cummings Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Dellaquila Mr. and Mrs. Willis H. du Pont Mr. and Mrs. Robert T. Eigelberger Mr. and Mrs. J. Pepe Fanjul Sr. Mr. and Mrs. John E. Flagg III Mrs. Beatriz Ford Mr. Rodger S. Fowler Mr. and Mrs. Gordon D. Gaster Ms. Judy Hatfield Mr. Donald C. Lainhart Mrs. Elise MacIntosh Mr. George Matsoukas Mrs. Mary Alice Pugh Mr. and Mrs. William Sned Jr. Mr. and Mrs. John Tamsberg Mr. John K. Volk

VOLUNTEERS In addition to our volunteer leadership, we are grateful to these volunteers, without whom we could not operate.

Ms. Tyler Alicastro Ms. Angela Allen Ms. Lisa Anderson Ms. Lacie Bielowski Ms. Claire Blanchard Mr. Kevan Boyles Ms. Susan Bryant Ms. Suzanne Busch Ms. Candice Carter

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Mr. Jim Ferguson Ms. Jane Jenkins Ms. Beryl Holland Mr. Mark Holland Ms. Gurunam K. Khalsa Ms. Annette Levinson Mr. Michael McKeich Mr. Frank Moulds Ms. Matina A. Nimphie

Mrs. Judy O’Malley Mrs. Diana Patrick Ms. Sandra Pike Ms. Roxine Roberts Mr. H. Bryant Sims Mr. Richard Stanish Ms. Nancy Stone Mr. Allen Trefry Mr. John Turgeon

Mr. John D. Vivian Mr. Edward Walford Ms. Mary Weiss Ms. Pat Yost

Emeriti Ms. Margaret Action Ms. Sharon Friedheim

CORPORATE MEMBERSHIP

HONORING

Jim

Ponce

The Historical Society of Palm Beach County has established The James Augustine Ponce Endowment for Exhibition Development at the Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties, in honor of the late James Augustine Ponce, Palm Beach's "two-legged, historical landmark."

Through the Community Foundation’s Forever Nonprofit Endowment Challenge, HSPBC was selected to receive a $25,000 matching grant for setting up the permanent endowment. The growth from this investment will support the annual special exhibitions in the Richard and Pat Johnson Palm Beach County History Museum.

Please contact us to learn how your investment can provide an opportunity to link our shared past to future generations at 561.832.4164 ext. 100 or info@hspbc.org.

Corporate Membership with the HSPBC offers benefits for your employees and clients to fully experience and enjoy the Johnson History Museum and other Society programs year-round.

Benefits to all Corporate Members:

Admission to all lectures Professionally supported access to the archives and research library; amount varies by level Invitations by mail to all special events 20% discount for all employees in our Museum Store Opportunity to hold an event at the 1916 Historic Court House Listing in the Tustenegee journal; access by mail and electronically 10% discount on all use fees in the Research Department

Trailblazer $5,000

Opportunity to hold a corporate event at the Museum with no administrative honorarium Exclusive, curator-led private tour of the Museum’s exhibitions and collections for up to 12 guests Complimentary admission to VIP events for six guests Up to two hours consultation with curator on how to set up archives.

(4) 16” x 20” prints of a historical photograph(s) from the HSPBC Archives. Restrictions apply.

Linked logo on the Historical Society’s website www.pbchistory.org

Frontier $2,500

Opportunity to host a corporate event at the Museum with 50% discount on administrative honorarium Private docent-led tour of the Museum’s exhibitions for up to 30 guests Complimentary admission to VIP events for four guests Up to two hours consultation with curator on how to set up archives.

(3) 16” x 20” prints of a historical photograph(s) from the HSPBC Archives. Restrictions apply.

Linked logo on the Historical Society website www.pbchistory.org

Providencia $1,000

Complimentary admission to VIP events for two guests (2) 16” x 20” prints of a historical photograph(s) from the HSPBC Archives. Restrictions apply.

Linked logo on the Historical Society website www.pbchistory.org

Homestead $500

(1) 16” x 20” print of a historical photograph from the HSPBC Archives. Restrictions apply.

Two professionally supported research in the HSPBC Archives /Library, by appointment Company name and logo at www.pbchistory.org

Everglades $250

1 hour professionally supported research in the HSPBC Archives /Library by appointment Company name and logo at www.pbchistory.org

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The quizmaster, Professor Quiz, was Dr. Craig Earle, a pseudonym for Arthur E. Baird. Professor Quiz was a radio program that was broadcast on CBS and eventually picked up by ABC. It was the first true quiz program on the radio in the 1940s. Contestants would win $25.00 in silver dollars for questions Professor Quiz was unable to answer.

Courtesy HSPBC

Historical Society of Palm Beach County 300 North Dixie Highway, West Palm Beach, FL 33401 P.O. Box 4364, West Palm Beach, FL 33402 Phone: (561) 832-4164 | Fax: (561) 832-7965

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www.pbchistory.org | www.pbchistoryonline.org