HISTORICAL SOCIETY ANNUAL MEETING HIGHLIGHTS CORNERSTONE CAMPAIGN AND LAUDS CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE FLAGLER MUSEUM AND VERA FARRINGTON
PALM BEACH, Fla. (April 18, 2006)—More than 250 members and supporters of the Historical Society of Palm Beach County attended the organization’s annual meeting and reception held at The Flagler Museum in Palm Beach on April 3. Historical Society chairman, Harvey Oyer, provided guests with an exciting look at the progress of the organization’s Cornerstone Campaign, the public phase of a $9 million capital campaign for the first county-wide history museum, chaired by Pat Seaton Johnson. Another highlight of the event was the presentation of the Society’s two highest honors.
The Flagler Museum received The Judge James R. Knott Historical Contribution Award in recognition of the institution’s decades of contributions to preserving, promoting and sharing the rich, diverse history of Palm Beach County. The Flagler Museum is the quintessential icon of Palm Beach’s Gilded Age grandeur. It offers a glimpse into the life of famed railroad and oil magnate Henry Flagler, who was responsible for transforming Palm Beach into the thriving resort community present today. The museum was once Flagler’s magnificent winter home, Whitehall, which was enjoyed by Flagler and his wife as a winter retreat from 1902 to 1913, establishing the tradition for the Palm Beach “season” among the wealthy of the Gilded Age. In 1959, the entire building was in danger of being razed. Henry Flagler’s granddaughter, Jean Flagler Matthews purchased the property that year and formed a nonprofit corporation, the Henry Morrison Flagler Museum. On February 6, 1960, Whitehall opened to the public as The Flagler Museum with a magnificent Restoration Ball. Today, it is a National Historic Landmark and remains open to the public as the Flagler Museum, featuring guided tours, changing exhibits and special programs. The Museum welcomes nearly 100,000 visitors annually from around the world.
The fifth annual Fannie James Pioneering Award was presented to Vera Rolle Farrington, founder and president of EPOCH (Expanding & Preserving Our Cultural Heritage) and the S.P. Spady House Museum in Delray Beach. The accolade lauds Farrington’s achievements in preserving and sharing the diverse pioneering history of Palm Beach County. For decades, Farrington has persevered to educate the public about the significant contributions of African-Americans who helped shape the history of Delray Beach, and to a larger extent, Palm Beach County. In 1995 she founded EPOCH to educate the general public, especially children, about the contributions of all settlers of Delray Beach. The organization helped to establish the S.D. Spady Museum in Delray Beach, a heritage museum that showcases the history of African-American pioneers in the Greater Delray Beach area.
In addition to these annual honors, Oyer presented three local businesses with the Chairman’s Award for their support of the Historical Society’s educational initiatives. The accolades went to Scott Segan of Burton Graphics for his contributions to installing (and re-installing) the student-produced artwork that surrounds the 1916 Courthouse construction fence; Ian Brown of Brown Moving and Storage for assistance in moving the handcrafted mahogany model of the 1916 Courthouse to display locations across the county; and Dean Lavalle of Park Avenue Grille for the sponsorship and support of the Student/Teacher History Art Contest in Palm Beach County schools.
For more information about the Historical Society’s Annual Meeting, contact marketing director Kae Jonsons, (561) 832-4164, ext. 106, or visit www.historicalsocietypbc.org
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