See Rock City

See Rock City

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Palm Beach, FL


The Town of Palm Beach (called Palm Beach Island or the Island of Palm Beach to differentiate between the town and the county) is an upscale incorporated town in Palm Beach County, Florida, United States. The Intracoastal Waterway separates it from the neighboring cities of West Palm Beach and Lake Worth. As of 2000, Palm Beach had a year-round population of 10,468, with an estimated seasonal population of 30,000. As of 2004, the year-round population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 9,860.



History

Palm Beach was established as a resort by Henry Morrison Flagler,[3] a founder of Standard Oil, who made the Atlantic coast barrier island accessible via his Florida East Coast Railway. The nucleus of the community was established by Flagler's two luxury resort hotels, the Royal Poinciana Hotel and The Breakers Hotel. West Palm Beach was built across Lake Worth as a service town, and has become a major city in its own right.

The Breakers Hotel
The Lobby
The Lobby

The Dining Room
Ceiling And Skylight in Dining Room

Entry to The Gold Room
Gold Room Fireplace
The Breakers Hotel

Flagler's houselots were bought by the beneficiaries of the Gilded Age, and in 1902 Flagler himself built a Beaux-Arts mansion, Whitehall, designed by the New York-based firm Carrère and Hastings and helped establish the Palm Beach winter "season" by constant entertaining. The town was incorporated on April 17, 1911.

Motto: The Best of Everything



Climate

Palm Beach, and rest of southern Florida has true tropical climate, and with mean temperatures any month never below 64.4°F (18°C).

The summer and wet period of May through October are hot, humid and wet with average high temperatures of 86 - 90°F (30 - 32°C) and lows of 70 - 75°F (21 - 24°C). During this period, more than half of the summer days bring occasional afternoon thunderstorms and seabreezes that somewhat cools the rest of the day.

Being largely seasonal, downtown streets in Palm Beach sometimes have no traffic or people during the summer.Photo

The winter and dryer period of November through April are warm and mostly dry with average high temperatures of 75 - 82°F (24 - 27°C) and lows of 57 - 66°F (14 - 19°C). However, the city experiences occasional cold fronts during this period, bringing high temperatures of 50s and 60s (10 - 16°C) and lows of 40s and 50s (4 - 10°C) lasting only for few days.

The Lake Trail along the Lake Worth Lagoon

The annual average precipitation is 61 in (1560 mm), most of which occurs during the summer and wet period of May through October. However, rainfall can occur in any month, primarily as short-lived heavy afternoon thunderstorms. Palm Beach has an average of 133 wet days and 234 sunshine days annually. Hurricane season is officially from June 1 through November 30, with the peak months being August, September and October. The city has received direct or near direct hits from hurricanes in 1928, 1947, 1949, 1964, 1965, 1979, 1992, 1999, 2004, and 2005.

Elaine de Kooning sketching President John F. Kennedy at his West Palm Beach residence

Demographics

As of the 2000 census, over half the population (52.6%) are 65 years of age or older, with a median age of 67 years. 9.4% are under the age of 18, 1.5% are from 18 to 24, 11.5% are from 25 to 44, and 25.0% from 45 to 64. For every 100 females there are 79.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 77.0 males.

Main Entrance
VIEW OF NORTH LOGGIA ACROSS MARBLE PATIO
Entrance to north Loggia
STAIRCASE FROM FOYER AND NORTH LOGGIA TO TWO-STORY SINGER APARTMENT
Ballroom
Dining Room
Everglades Club, Palm Beach

The per capita income for the town is $109,219. Males have a median income of $71,685versus $42,875 for females. 5.3% of the population and 2.4% of families are below the poverty line. 4.6% of those under the age of 18 and 2.9% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.

The racial makeup of the town is 96% White (93.8% were non-Hispanic White), 2.57% Black or African American, 0.53% Asian, 0.04% Native American, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.21% from other races, and 0.63% from two or more races. 2.56% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Brelsford House, 1 South Lake Trail

The 10,468 people in the town are organized into 5,789 households and 3,021 families. The population density is 1,031.1/km2 (2,669.2/mi2). There are 9,948 housing units at an average density of 979.8/km2 (2,536.6/mi2). 7.7% of the households have children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.1% are married couples living together, 3.3% have a female householder with no husband present, and 47.8% are non-families. 42.6% of all households are made up of individuals and 27.6% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 1.81 and the average family size is 2.38.

Many of Palm Beach's residents are affluent, with a median household income of $94,562 and a median family income of $137,867. The town's affluence and its "abundance of pleasures" and "strong community-oriented sensibility" were cited when it was selected in June 2003 as America's "Best Place to Live" by Robb Report magazine.

Entrance Gate
Front Elevation
Showing North Pergola
Main Hall
Library
French Salon
Dining Room
Music Room
Ballroom
View of Double Stairway, Main Hall
Marble Patio or Courtyard
Henry M. Flagler Mansion, Whitehall Way

As of 2000, English was the first language of 87.81% of all residents, while French comprised 4.48%, Spanish consisted of 3.65%, German made up 2.16%, Italian speakers made up 0.45%, Yiddish made up 0.36%, Russian was at 0.30% (even though those of Russian ancestry made up 10.30% of the population), Arabic and Swedish at 0.25%, and Polish was the mother tongue of 0.24% of the population.


Bingham-Blossom House, 1250 South Ocean Boulevard

As of 2000, Palm Beach had the 40th highest percentage of Russian residents in the U.S., with 10.30% of the populace (tied with Pomona, NY and the township of Lower Merion, PA). It also had the 26th highest percentage of Austrian residents in the US, at 2.10% of the town's population (which tied with 19 other US areas).

Transportation

The city is served by Palm Beach International Airport and Amtrak, as well as Tri-Rail-– all located in West Palm Beach and connecting Palm Beach to Miami. Public transportation is available through Palm Tran, which was offering several routes within the town of Palm Beach until May 10, 2008 and connected with the rest of the county.

Henry Maddock House, 561 North Lake Trail

The northern portion of Palm Beach is served by the Route 41 bus which travels from the northern most portion of Palm Beach at the inlet and then down to Royal Palm Way, across the Royal Park Bridge into West Palm Beach and up to the government center, and then follows the same route in reverse. This island of Palm Beach was served by the Route 42 Palm Tran bus from Lantana in the south going along State Road A1A up to Royal Poncianna Way where it crosses over the Flagler Memorial Bridge into West Palm Beach to the government center and then back again for the southbound trip. Route 42 ended on May 10. 2008 due to low ridership.

Rasmussen-Donahue House, 780 South Ocean Boulevard

Private vehicles and taxis are the predominant means of transport in Palm Beach. Bicycles are a popular transport on the island, although most areas have no bicycle trails, so safe and comfortable travel is not always assured. The Lake Trail, exclusively for pedestrian and bike traffic, extends from Royal Palm Way (State Road 704) in the south up to the north end of the island. The trail follows the edge of the Lake Worth Lagoon (part of the intercoastal waterway) except for a section between the Flagler Museum and the Biltmore Condominiums, where the trail follows the streets. Another break occurs to pass around the Sailfish Yacht Club in the north end of the island.

Main Entrance
Carved Front Entrance Portal
Triple East Windows With Diamond Lights And Pointed Arches
Corner Patio
Living Room
Dining Room
McAneeny-Howerdd House, 195 Via Del Mar

Traveling by bike along the ocean can be hazardous. Only a short section in the downtown area has sidewalks. The roads along the ocean are narrow and have small or no shoulders, making biking a potentially dangerous activity in those areas.

In the southern end of the island, south of Sloan's Curve, through South Palm Beach to East Ocean Avenue (linking to Lantana) is a two-mile long, relatively wide pedestrian path that is popular with walkers, runners, and bikers alike.

The Breakers Hotel, Cottage, South County Road

Points of interest

Breakers Hotel

Four Arts Gardens

Mar-A-Lago

Whitehall, the Flagler Museum

Worth Avenue

Wally Findlay Galleries


Paramount Theatre, Sunrise Avenue & North County Road

Notable residents — past and present

Henry Morrison Flagler, founder of Palm Beach

Conrad Black, Baron Black of Crossharbour a famous Canadian media baron, investor and author has lived on Palm Beach Island for over twenty years. He and his wife Barbara live on South Ocean Blvd.

Barbara (Scofield) Davidson-Ranked top 5 in the world in tennis, winner of French Open mixed doubles championship, quarterfinals or better of three of the four grand slam events

Paul Ilyinsky or HH Paul Romanovsky-Ilynsky 1928 - 2005 , senior male of Romanov Dynasty, Head of House of Holstein -Gottorp, Prince of Holstein-Gottorp, Duke of Holstein - Gottorp, Prince Romanovsky - Ilynsky, U.S. Marine Corps colonel , son of HIH Grand Duke Dmitri Pavlovich of Russia, grandson of John J. Emery , nephew of John J. Emery. Ilyinsky was elected to the Palm Beach town council in 1981. Two years later, Ilyinsky ran unopposed and spent another term as council president. He won the mayor's job in 1993, and served until 2000.

Horace Dodge, The Dodge automotive family. 1868-1920 Died December 1920 at his Palm Beach residence.

Mark Patton, 1980s television and film actor.

Marjorie Merriweather Post - Post cereal heiress, socialite, and philanthropist who built Mar-A-Lago wife of E.F. Hutton

Nancy Brinker - former Chief of Protocol of the United States; former United States ambassador to Hungary 2001-09-06 to 2003-06-19; founder of Susan G. Komen for the Cure; sister of Susan G. Komen.

William S. Burroughs, Jr. - American novelist,son of famous beat writer William S. Burroughs and great-grandson to William Seward Burroughs I, the original inventor of the Burroughs adding machine. (b. 1947)

E.F. Hutton - Wall street broker who built Mar-A-Lago husband of Marjorie Merriweather Post

Dina Merrill - American actress and socialite (daughter of E.F. Hutton & Marjorie Merriweather Post)

Donald Trump- Business magnate and television personality

Ivana Trump - Ex-wife of Donald Trump

James Patterson- Best Selling Author

Ronald Perelman- Corporate Raider, Chairman of Revlon

Barney Family- heirs to the Smith Barney banking and brokerage fortune

Ann Coulter- Syndicated columnist, author, and political commentator

Rush Limbaugh-Radio host and political commentator

Jimmy Buffett- Singer

John Kluge- Chairman of Metromedia, estimated net worth is $11 Billion

Malcolm Glazer- CEO of First Allied Corporation and sports team owner (Manchester United of the English Premier League and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League)

James H. Clark- Founder of Netscape

S. Daniel Abraham- Creator of Slim Fast, Jewish Philanthropist

Madeleine Astor - Titanic Survivor, and widow of John Jacob Astor IV

Kennedy family- Political Family

Charles Peter McColough- Former Chairman and CEO of the Xerox Corporation.

Rod Stewart- Singer

Vera Wang - Fashion designer (has recently sold the $9m mansion she owned on the Palm Beach coast and moved to NYC)

Curt Gowdy - Sportscaster

Christopher Sinclair - Former CEO of Pepsi

Henry Paulson - Former US Treasury Secretary

Dmitri Nabokov - son and literary heir of famed novelist Vladimir Nabokov

Lana J. Marks - Designer

Laurence Leamer - Writer

Bernard Madoff- Former NASDAQ chairman and suspect of financial fraud

The Duke and Duchess of Windsor frequently holidayed in Palm Beach after their marriage in 1937.

Gabriela Spanic International Spanish Novela actress/singer

Candace Kita - actress and model

Chester C. Bolton House, 1300 Ocean Boulevard


Seaboard Airline Railway Station, Datura Street & Tamarind Avenue


Bethesda-By-The-Sea, 549 North Lake Trail

Front Gates
Mar-a-Lago
Front Entry
Living Room
Dining Room
Library
Courtyard Patio
Balcony off of Spanish Bath
Iron Spiral Stairway
Master Bedroom
Master's Dressing Room
OMaster's Sitting Room
Window in Babies House
Guest bedroom



Mar-a-Lago, 1100 South Ocean Boulevard

Harold S. Vanderbilt House, 1100 South Ocean Boulevard, The Large House, representing a typical winter home of the very rich in the boom days in Florida, was built for Harold S. Vanderbilt, who represents the epitone of the wealthy and enterprising upper class in the United States.

Date of the erection 1920's probably after 1924. Architect was Maurice Patio, of Treanor & Patio Architect;s of New York.

U.S. Coast Guard Lake Worth Inlet Station, Dwelling, Peanut Island, Riviera Beach vicinity