NOMINATIONS OPEN FOR HISTORICAL SOCIETY'S TWO HIGHEST HONORS
PALM BEACH, Fla. (January 26, 2007)- The Historical Society of Palm Beach County is accepting nominations for its two highest annual honors, the prestigious Judge James R. Knott Historical Contribution Award and the Fannie James Pioneer Award. The winners for each will be selected from nominations and judged for the historical impact, relevance and significance of their contribution. Winners will be announced at the Historical Society's annual membership meeting and reception to be held April 19 at the Royal Poinciana Chapel in Palm Beach. The deadline for entries is March 1.
The annual Judge James R. Knott Historical Contribution Award recognizes the achievements of individuals or organizations that have significantly contributed to the preservation, promotion or enrichment of Palm Beach County history. It is named for the late historian and author, the Honorable James Knott, who served as the president of the Historical Society from 1957 to 1969. Knott's most notable achievements include spearheading the efforts to restore the historic name to Cape Canaveral; facilitating the establishment of the Preservation Foundation of Palm Beach and the Landmarks Preservation Commission; and contributing historical articles to the Brown Wrapper newspaper series, which later were compiled into three books about the history of Palm Beach County. He was also instrumental in obtaining a large portion of the Historical Society's treasured archive.
The 2006 award went to the Flagler Museum, in recognition of the institution's decades of contributions to preserving, promoting and sharing the rich, diverse history of Palm Beach County. Past honorees include The Palm Beach Post; Judge Marvin Mounts; Donald Trump; Eliot Kleinberg; Richard J. Procyk; The Garden Club of Palm Beach; First Presbyterian Church of West Palm Beach; St. Paul's AME; Royal Poinciana Chapel; St. Edward's Catholic Church; Bethesda-by-the-Sea Episcopal Church; Frances Bourque; Katharine Dickenson; James A. Ponce; Antonette Dennison, PhD.; Donald W. Curl, PhD.; Mary C. Linehan; Ambassador Earl E.T. Smith; Barbara Hoffstot; and Bessie Wilson DuBois.
The Fannie James Pioneer Award recognizes those that have significantly contributed to preserving and sharing the history of Palm Beach County's pioneering days. It is named for the first postmistress of the Jewell Post Office (now Lake Worth), which was open from 1889 until 1903.
Vera Rolle Farrington, founder and president of EPOCH (Expanding & Preserving Our Cultural Heritage) and the S.P. Spady House Museum in Delray Beach, received the 2006 award. Previous recipients include Roy Rood, Robert Hazard and Laurita Collie Sharpp.
For more information about the Judge James R. Knott and Fannie James Pioneer Awards, or to request a nomination form, please contact the Historical Society of Palm Beach County at (561) 832-4164, ext. 100, or visit www.historicalsocietypbc.org.
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