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In compiling this history, the assistance by
the following people is gratefully acknowl-
edged:
Nancy Moore
Dolores Walker
Charles O'Meilia
Charles Branch
Martha Nadelman
Fred Trapnell
Albin Olson
Historical Society of P.B.C.
William Young,Village Historian
The Village of North Palm Beach in 1961.
The Village of North Palm Beach today.
2
The Early Days
Very little of note happened to our patch of land until
the 1920's, with one exception — Doctor Munyon.
Back in 1903, there was a large building on NUCTA-
SCHOO (Indian for Pelican) Island.
A man named Nathan Pitts started it all, planting an
enormous variety of oranges, limes, guava, paw -paw,
avocado pears, figs, mangos, and many others. What
with the pelicans' fertilization over the ages, the result
was a botanical paradise. Then along came Munyon
with his Hygeia Hotel, named for the Greek goddess of
health. His clientele was shuttled back and forth from
Palm Beach by water, and there actually was a post
office on the island.
The doctor loudly hawked his exotic offerings: "No
frost, no chilling winds, no colds or coughs." He even
had a theme song:
Munyon's Isle all hearts beguile
Down where the Paw -Paw grows;
There's joy for each at gay Palm Beach
Down where the Paw -Paw grows!
Along with it all went a glowing pitch for Paw -Paw, his
"Great natural remedy for indigestion, dyspepsia, and
all stomach ailments. It cures nervousness, sleepless-
ness, loss of vitality, kidney, liver and blood problems,
dizziness, and constipation."
After a short life, the 21-room hotel was destroyed by
fire, thus ending the first building to be built in what was
later to become North Palm Beach, on Munyon Island.
The Big Boom
The 1920's start with the names of Harry Kelsey,
Paris Singer, J.C. Bills, Charles A. Branch, Samuel
Blakely, Judge Edward Newell, A.A. Poston, Harry
Oakes, then John McArthur, and finally in 1956 the
Ross brothers, who, with John Schwencke and Jay
White, created our village.
At the head of the parade must go Harry Kelsey, a
most uncommon man. Selling out a chain of restaur-
ants in Massachusetts, he headed for Florida and
started buying land as early as 1919. He acquired 26
miles of ocean and lakefront, as well as 100,000 acres
north and west of what became Kelsey City, later
named Lake Park. Included was the future North Palm
Beach.
Doctor Munyon
He also purchased the Florida East Coast Canal, an
inland waterway running from Jacksonville to Miami.
Early canals in this country were dug by private interests
and operated like toll highways. Mr. Charles Branch,
Kelsey's general manager, says one of his principal
headaches was dredging out the sandbars that were
continually being formed. This was later taken over by
the federal government and is now the Intracoastal
Waterway.
Kelsey formed the East Coast Finance Corporation
and incorporated Kelsey City, which was the first zoned
city in Florida. Then a nine -hole golf course was
created on both sides of the Earman Canal. Four fair-
ways of this course lay north of the canal, where the
library and school are located. A flimsy wooden bridge
connected the two banks. incidentally, the Earman
River got its start as Dimick's Ditch for draining land to
the west, then the Earman Canal, and finally the
Earman River.
Houses were built, stores and businesses brought in
to the city, as well as a bank. An important name in this
period was Charles A. Branch, an engineer brought in
by Kelsey as Vice -President and general manager of his
properties. From 1926 on, he was a key balance -wheel
in the economic storm which was already starting to
threaten Florida. At this writing, Mr. Branch at the age of
88 is very much alert, and has given us an excellent
record of the early history of our area.
During the early 20's, Kelsey sold more than 20
square miles of acreage to speculators. The years had
been good, but real estate sales were starting to fall off.
1928 Hurricane
Kelsey City Gates
3
The Winter Club
However, Paris Singer of the sewing machine family
owned the Everglades Club in Palm Beach and was
starting a hotel on the ocean in an area now known as
Singer Island. He wanted a golf course for his guests
and got Kelsey to go ahead with an 18-hole course and
club house, the Winter Club, which was the beginning
of the North Palm Beach Country Club. The customers
were bused back and forth from their hotels in Palm
Beach. Since the only road running north and south
was the Dixie Highway along the F.E.C. Tracks, a road
was built from Kelsey City to the club. This later became
part of the present U.S. 1
The Big Bust
Kelsey was starting to have his problems and at this
point was fortunate in obtaining the legal services of
J.C. Bills, a Harvard graduate and lawyer of wide experi-
ence. He was then living in Geneva, Florida, with a law
office in Sanford. His first problem was trying to salvage
some value out of an unfortunate venture Kelsey had
made in the Geneva Peninsula near Sanford. Later, he
played an important role in handling succeeding crises.
The Bills family has continued to be a leading factor in
local real estate and construction fields.
The economy continued to deteriorate. In June of
1928, the Kelsey City Bank failed, along with two other
banks in West Palm Beach. There was universal de-
spair, with no market for real estate of any kind. Then,
on September 16th, THE HURRICANE delivered the
final blow. The devastation was complete. Part of the
Winter Club roof was blown away. The Kelsey City Hall
was filled with dazed people whose homes had been
destroyed.
Thousands of people in Florida simply fled, walking
away from their properties. Taxes went unpaid, and the
new Murphy Law was put into effect. This provided that,
when taxes became delinquent for two years, the prop-
erty was taken by the State of Florida. These were then
sold for the amount of taxes due. For example, a house
which had cost $8,000 on a $1,000 lot could be bought
in Tallahassee for the $300 due in taxes. The buyer
could then go to court and get a clear title. Many new
arrivals did this and thus profited from the depression.
Kelsey went back north in 1929, his empire crum-
bled. He was remembered as a good man, an optimist
who kept nothing for himself or his family. As Mr.
Branch has said, "When adversity struck, he was the
same cheerful, hopeful, and helpful person he was
when he could command millions of dollars."
Paris Singer's hotel fell victim to the weather and
economy, was never finished, and was torn down in
1940, a haunting reminder of Florida's overdevelop-
ment. Singer was reported to have lost everything and
was said to have spent his last days on a houseboat on
Egypt's Nile River.
Important contributions in these years were made by
Samuel Blakely, who did extensive landscaping, barg-
ing trees over to the Winter Club from Munyon Island.
He served as City Commissioner. His family still owns
the thriving Kelsey City Landscaping and Nurseries
Company. Also, Judge Edward Newell, City Commis-
sioner, City Attorney, and Criminal Court Judge. His
son, Emery Newell, is now a judge. A.A. Poston was
appointed Postmaster in 1924, served as City Com-
missioner, and then County Commissioner from 1933
to 1948. His family is still important in the area.
Harry Oakes picked up the pieces at a fraction of
their distressed value. Through his Tesdem, Inc., he
became the owner of the Kelsey City lots, the Kelsey
City Golf Course, the Palm Beach Winter Club, and
most of the lands now in North Palm Beach.
Oakes was originally from Maine. He went into gold
mining, struck it rich, and became a Canadian citizen.
He became disenchanted with Canadian taxes, came
to Florida, and started buying property for unpaid taxes.
For a while, the family lived in the Winter Club, then
moved to Palm Beach, leaving the club house and golf
course in poor condition. He later moved his family to
the Bahamas for tax purposes and spent considerable
time in London. He gave $500,000 to St. George's
Hospital there and was accordingly rewarded with a
baronetcy in 1939, thus becoming Sir Harry Oakes. In
1943, a murderer bludgeoned him to death and
doused his bed with gasoline and set fire to it. No one
has ever been convicted of the crime.
Mrs. Oakes wanted to sell the assets of Tesdem, but,
by her husband's will, was prevented from doing so
until their son reached 21 years of age. When it was sold
in 1956, through a complicated mortgage situation,
John D. MacArthur stepped in, and he became owner
of all the Tesdem properties.
The never completed Singer Hotel.
The Creation of a Village
From the very beginning, it was clear that North
Palm Beach was to become a unique residential com-
munity. Superior planning almost guaranteed it, even
before the village was launched. Credit for its success is
due to Richard and Herbert Ross, together with John
Schwencke and Jay White. They were accomplished
builders, having built 5,000 houses between 1950 and
1956 in the West Palm Beach area.
The land lying north of the Earman canal and ex-
tending north to the Intracoastal offered a rare de-
velopment opportunity, and they proceeded to buy it
from John D. MacArthur. Not included were the
oceanfront and the strip along the east side of U.S. 1.
Together with Seward H. Mott Associates of
Washington, D.C., a master plan was drawn up, and the
village was given a charter on August 13, 1956. Then, a
lot of things started: the water and sewage systems, the
streets, the village hall. While all this was going on, a
deal was made with the Flood Control District whereby
the Earman ditch was widened and deepened, thus
becoming a respectable body of water. Before the
streets were paved, a system of 42-inch culverts was
installed to preclude any standing water in the streets.
Sidewalks five feet wide were required in the village (an
item conveniently forgotten by some developers).
A government was formed, and a council appointed
consisting of
Charles Cunningham Richard Ross
Jay White John Schwencke J.D. MacArthur
A village manager was hired, Albin Olson, and a chief
of the Department of Public Safety, Albert Dudden.
Olson came from Port Everglades, where he was assis-
tant manager. Previously he had worked in the office of
the city manager of Pensacola and was assistant to the
city manager of Daytona Beach. He has a master's
degree from the school of Public Administration at
Florida State University. Olson had spent 36 months
with the Marine Corps in World War II and also served in
Korea with the rank of major. Chief Dudden was a
former New York State Trooper, ran an efficient de-
partment, and was well liked over the years. Fred Trap-
nell was general manager of the utilities during their
construction and, for 13 years, their operation. He
came from New Jersey, after selling out an automotive
repair business, and became an authority in the field of
water and sewerage systems.
The first Parade of Homes.
The Parade of Homes
The sale of homesites commenced in October of
1956 with a Parade of Homes. This was in conjunction
with the Home Builders' Association and consisted of
the following builders:
Jean T. — J.H. French
Willfred Construction, Incorporated
Robert C. Brown Construction Company
Coastal Properties Corporation
Raymond Olson, Builder
P.D. Lewis Company
Hunter -Drew Construction Company
Henry Moser, Incorporated
Kendall Construction Company
Perma Builders Company
Charles L. Hedrick, Builder
J.N. Smelcer, Builder
Walter J. Devlin, Builder
Adelphia Construction Company
H and D Construction Company
The models were located on the south side of
Anchorage, west of Eastwind Drive. It was a success,
and by August of 1957 the permit valuations hit
$502,930.00 for that month alone. The Rosses also
built houses, but, after completing about 50 of them,
decided not to compete with other builders and with-
drew from this operation.
The Canals
Meanwhile, dredging operations had started. The
North Palm Beach waterway had commenced, run-
ning north and south, splitting the Village roughly in
halves with 13 east and west branches, all bulkheaded.
Captain Milling was employed for the job, and for over a
year his dredge "Admiral" was a familiar sight slowly
working its way south. The job was well done, and when
it came time to formally accept the canals from the
developers, soundings were made, and they were
found to be at depths as represented. The bridge carry-
ing Lighthouse Drive across the waterway was built,
connecting Plats I and 11 and VI. The Intracoastal was
thus connected with the Earman, making it a more
important body of water.
Captain Milling's son Glenn carries on the family
business, the Milling Marine Corporation, at the foot of
R.C.A. Boulevard and the Intracoastal.
5
Captain Milling's dredge the "Admiral".
The Utilities
On the southwest corner of Northlake Boulevard
and Southwind Drive is a small concrete building with a
red tile roof. This is a lift -station, part of the sewerage
system. In 1957, if Fred Trapnell, manager of the utili-
ties, wanted to get to the building, his best way was by
jeep, since it was surrounded by nothing but sand. East
of Prosperity Farms Road, Northlake did not exist.
Water and sewers were planned, but up to this point
had only been installed in Plat 1.
The system started in 1956, with the drilling of 11
deep wells and the erection of a water treatment plant
west of the village. At the same time, the sewage treat-
ment complex was being installed at its present loca-
tion off Anchorage Drive. These were designed with
capacities to handle an expanded Village, plus Lake
Park and parts of Palm Beach Gardens. Included were
various filters, stabilizers, precipitators, a laboratory,
and, of course, a 300,000-gallon overhead water tank
The Rosses' investment was $1,500,000. The distribu-
lion system included 75 miles of various sized pipe and
almost 300 fire hydrants. The company was sold al-
most 20 years later to John MacArthur, who later
expanded it to the north.
Fred Trapnell first Utility Manager.
The Bank
When the First American Bank opened in 1959, it
was the first building to be erected on Northlake
Boulevard, and many were skeptical about starting a
bank on a lonely road. As the years have shown, it was
an ideal location on what has turned out to be our
busiest thoroughfare.
The first and organizational meeting of the incor-
porators,.subscribers to, and shareholders of the capi-
tal stock of First American Bank of North Palm Beach
was held at the First National Bank, Palm Beach, at
2:00 p.m. on Friday, December 19,1958. Mr. Byron L.
Ramsing was elected as Chairman, and the following
were elected to serve as Directors until the first annual
meeting to take place in January 1959.
Louis B. Bills; Robert F. Cromwell; Fred O. Dickinson,
Jr.; Roy E. Garrett; Richard E. Ross; Herbert A. Ross;
Ramon E. Lawrence, and Byron L. Ramsing.
At this meeting, Mr. Ramsing was also elected Presi-
dent Mr. Ramon E. Lawrence, Vice President and Mr.
Carl I. Cassell, Vice President, Cashier. It was an-
nounced at this meeting that the establishing of the
Bank had received the approval of the Federal Deposit
Insurance Corporation.
Chief Dudden and the first Fire Truck.
The following is a budget for the fiscal year of 1961 -
1962, covering normal and anticipated expenditures
by the Police Department.
Salaries
Chief of Police $5,600
Patrolmen:
Two regular patrolmen at $4,800 per yr. $9,600.00
Relief Patrolman:
One regular relief patrolman, 40 hrs. per week at
$2.10 per hour $4,368,00
Special Relief Patrolman:
This man is to work during the illness or vacation
periods of regular patrolman $300.00
School Crossing Guards:
Two women guards at $2.10 per hour each, two
hours per day each, five days per week, for 38 weeks .
$1,596.00
Estimated overtime pay:
Estimated overtime pay for extra police during hur-
ricanes, strikes, or other emergencies ....$600.00
Salary Raise:
Respectfully request a salary raise of $150 per year
for two regular patrolmen and one regular relief
patrolman $450.00
TOTAL $20,918.00
Fire Truck Operating Expense
It is estimated that the fire truck will use five gallons of
gasoline per week during the fiscal year of 1961-1962,
at approximately 38 cents per gallon. ......$91.20
20 quarts of motor oil $12.00
4 lubrications $6.20
Wiping cloths, polish, chrome cleaner ....$10.00
Estimated repairs to motor, pumps, and tires. (Tires
at $20.00 each) $60.00
TOTAL $179.40
First American Bank of North Palm Beach
The Lakes
About 4000 feet west of U.S. 1, on what was to
become Northlake Boulevard, was a large slough or
low-lying muck area. It was thought best to excavate
this, using the removed fill to raise other adjacent land.
The result was a 10-acre lake formed on each side of
Northlake Boulevard, connected together with the
Earman system. These are North and South Lakes,
later bulkheaded. This increased the large number of
waterfront lots already created in the Village, all with
concrete bulkheading.
The Transition Period
Normally, a very sensitive gap exists between the
ownership of a developer and the sale to the public,
but this one ran very smoothly. This was largely due
to the honorable performance of the Ross group and
their ability to pick excellent men for key jobs. While
they controlled the Council, in the absence of resi-
dents, their actions were invariably right and in the
best interests of the future home owners. As the
months passed, Jack Schwencke, handling sales to
builders and individuals, saw to it that agreements
were kept and relationships were harmonious.
A great deal of responsibility fell on the shoulders
of Al Olson, the Village Manager. In the beginnthg, he
wore several hats: Village Clerk, Village Tax Assessor,
and Village Tax Collector. Until the Village Hall was
completed, he had a desk in a small room upstairs in
the Winter Club. One of the first things he had to do
was set up a tax roll. This was fairly simple on the
surface, as there were only two taxpayers; North Palm
Beach Properties (the Ross operating entity) and
John MacArthur. There was one other, however, that
turned up in the person of a French Duke who owned
Little Munyon Island. It seems that he had inherited
the island and had never seen it. When Olson sent
him a tax bill, a very polite letter came back from
Southern France with a check for the taxes due —
$23.00.
Albin R. Olson the First Village Manager.
Ground Breaking Ceremonies for the First Elementary School,
The School
The developers donated 10 acres of land to the
Palm Beach County Board of Education for the erec-
tion of a $294,000 elementary school. According to
the Post Times, "Developers of North Palm Beach
have been congratulated by county officials as well as
parents in the entire area for the generosity and fore-
sight which prompted them to donate 10 acres of the
most valuable land for school purposes." This school
opened for classes September 1958 and the first
Principal was Marian Metcalf.
Recreation
The Village Marina was completed in December
1957. This is located on the North Palm Beach water-
way in rear of the water tower and consists of a
concrete boat -launching ramp, an electric hoist
capable of handling boats up to 20 feet in length, and
a large dry -storage area, fenced in. There is wet
dockage for 30 boats. Nominal charges are made for
both wet and dry storage, and keys are available for
the hoist.
The shuffle -board courts were completed in 1961.
These are located next to the library and have turned
out to be very popular.
The privately owned North Palm Beach Marina,
created by the Rosses, is located east of the country
club on the Intracoastal Waterway. This is a large
installation, capable of handling yachts, has 68 con-
crete slips and an office building. Completed in 1963,
it is considered one of the finer marinas in Florida.
Director Russell Ruskay says that as of January
1981 the village has the following recreational
facilities:
14 tennis courts
2 paddle ball courts
3 volley ball courts
5 outdoor basketball courts
6 ball diamonds
6 racquet ball courts
3 tot lots
This is, of course, in addition to the 18-hole golf
course.
The
Village
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25th Anniversary
Celebration
of the
of North Palm Beach
1956-1981
Schedule of Events
Ats tie/
Sunday, June 28
8:00 - Silver Anniversary Classic Fun Run
Starting at Anchorage Park
First Annual invitational Girls Softball
Tournament. Ages 9 & 10, 10 teams,
at Osborne Park
Arts and Crafts Show and Exhibition
Bring your work to Anchorage Park
Silver Anniversary Golf Tournament
at the N.P.B. Country Club
Mayor's Dinner Dance & Opening Ceremonies
at the N.P.B. Country Club
Monday, June 29
P.M. - Fashion Show and Luncheon
at the N.P.B. Country Club
Pinochle Tournament
4:00 - Children's "Disney Film Classic"
at Anchorage Park
Tuesday, June 30
4:00 - Puppet and Marionette Show
at Anchorage Park
Library Open House Tour
Wednesday, July 1
Evening - Gymnastics Exhibition Chase School of
at Osborne Park Gymnastics
Evening - Outdoor Concert at the "Big Band Sound"
N.P.B. Country Club
Pinochle Tournament N.P.B. Recreation &
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N.P.B. Girls Softball
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Recreation Dept. Staff
Peter Finlayson &
Staff
Committee
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Junior Women's Club rf
N.P.B. Recreation &
Shuffleboard Club R
Recreation Staff R
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Sharon Leiter & Staff
Shuffleboard Club
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Thursday, July 2
4:00 - Magic Show at Anchorage Park
6-9:00 - Open Swim at N.P.B. Country Club
Friday, July 3
4:00 - Clown Show at Anchorage Park
7-9:00 - Old Fashion Square Dance
at Osborne Park
Saturday, July 4
Elks Breakfast
Tennis Tournament & Exhibition
at the N.P.B. Country Club
Firecracker Open Golf Tournament
at the N.P.B. Country Club
Cookout at the N.P.B. Country Club
12:00 - Picnic Games and Events
at the N.P.B. Country Club
3:00 - Pool Show and Swim at N.P.B. Country Club
4:00 - Country and Western Band
at the N.P.B. Country Club
7:30 - Dixie Land Jazz Band
9:00 - Fireworks Display
Bill Schmidt
Dick Cavanaugh
Staff
Peggy Havern
Pete Sansom
Dancers
N.P.B. Elks Club
Ray Keldie & Staff
Peter Finlayson
N.P.B.-P.B.G. Jaycees
Recreation Staff
Dick Cavanaugh & Staff
Swamp Fever
Hank Chernin
Recreation Staff
and N.P.B.-P.B.G
Jaycees
41
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25th Annniversary Celebration Committee Members - 1981
R
Vice Chairman R
General Chairman
Mrs. Peggy Enders
Secretary
Mrs. Charmaine Back
Russell Ruskay
Treasurer
Ray Howland
Chairmen:
Budget & Activities Co-ordinator
Russell Ruskay
25th Anniversary Dinner & Dance
Mrs. Margaret Turney
Co -Chairman
Mrs. Emily Peterson
Co -Chairmen: Invitations, Name Tags & Programs
Mrs. Patsy Love - Mrs. Marion Little
Co -Chairmen: Table Decorations
o Mrs. Raenell Agnew - Mrs. Charmaine Back
Tennis Tournament
LL Ray Keldie
Golf Tournament
Bob Allen - Pete Finlayson
o Pool Show
Dick Cavanaugh
w Fashion Show
Mrs. Charmaine Back
Opening Day Ceremonies
Clay Walker
Co -Chairmen:
Mrs. Patsy Love - Mrs. Marion Little
25th Anniversary Pictorial History
Bill Young
Co -Chairmen
Bob Allen - Bob Huey
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The library
In 1968, a revenue bond issue was arranged in the
amount of $325,000. $200,000 of this amount plus
another $100,000 from the government created the
library. The other $125,000 provided for two additions
to the village hall. The bond issue was secured by utility
franchise revenues and was purchased in its entirety by
the First American Bank. Mayor Lewis and Village Clerk
Dolores Walker had to sign 325 bond certificates. The
interest rate was 5 1/8% and, the final payment will be
made in 1986.
Village Hall
The Village Hall
What is called one of the most attractive town Malls
in Florida was completed in 1957. For a time, it was
used jointly by North Palm Beach Properties, Inc.,
and the small village government. In 1958, it was
turned over to the village at the developers' actual
construction cost, together with the land which was
appraised by two independent realtors. The total
price was $206,213. This was financed by a munici-
pal bond, the final payment on which was made in
January of this year, 1981. Two additions to the
building were made in 1969. On the north end, a
wing containing offices and council chamber was
built and another on the south end containing a
police complex and a two -bay fire station.
The Parks
In 1961, what is now Osborn Park was a sandy lot
with a tall television tower in its center owned by
Channel 5. The company had plans to build a new
one in another location, and upon learning this the
council acted, and the result was that this large desir-
able lot was purchased at a very nominal figure and
gradually developed into a sports center.
The land which became Anchorage Park was do-
nated to the village by the Rosses at the same time as
the marina, 1957.
Lakeside Park, the entrance to which is located at
the easterly end of Lighthouse Drive, is a strip of
shaded lawn running south along Lake Worth to
Atlantic Road. It is certainly one of the prettiest spots
in Florida.
Issuance of North Palm Beach Village Bonds.
The Post Office
Ground was broken on February 27,1964, and the
building was completed later that year.
Political
When North Palm Beach became a legal village,
there were no residents, and in the absence of any
voters a village council was appointed by the devel-
opers. The law called for the first election to be held in
March of 1959, three years after the village received
its charter. Two elected candidates would replace two
of the appointed members. The first two elected
councilmen were Walter Thomas and William
Young. The next year, three new members were
elected, thus filling out a completely elected council
of five members. These three were Louis Aiello,
Frank J. Hahn and Emery Newell. The Mayors are
elected by the council, and the following served in
that capacity over the years:
Charles Cunningham 1956 and 1957
Richard E. Ross 1958
Jay H. White 1959
Walter E. Thomas 1960 and 1961
Warren B. Tatoul 1962 and 1963
Harold Beery 1964
Thomas F. Lewis 1965 thru 1971
H. Mallory Privett Jr. 1972 and 1973
Walter N. Colbath Jr. 1974
M.C. Love Jr. 1975 and 9/76 to 3/78
Ronald L. Heraty 3/16/76 to 6.24/76
Al Moore 3/23/78 to 3/22/79
W.H. Brown 3/22/79 to 3/27/80
V.A. Marks, M.D. 3/27/80 to
'ui to
MTMOMO J. MORAM
The North Palm Beach Village Council.
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The Churches
The Lighthouse Baptist Church, the first services
were held on Easter Sunday, 1962. The first minister,
Rev. Theodore Burrell.
St. Clare's Catholic Church, 1961. First Pastor, Rev.
Joseph McLaughlin.
First Presbyterian Church, 1967. First Minister Rev.
Gerald L. Boye.
Faith Lutheran Church, First Minister Robert E.
Wolter.
Our Lady of Florida Passionist Retreat. Com-
pleted June 1962, dedicated June 14 by Archbishop
Coleman E. Carroll, D.D. of Miami.
Palm Bible Chapel. Completed March 1962. First
Pastor C. Ernest Tatham.
First Church of Christ Scientist, 1969.
The Country Club
After the Rosses bought the North Palm Beach
land area in 1956, extensive improvements were
made in the 18-hole golf course. Several new holes
were created, fairways widened, and greens rebuilt.
The result was a more playable course. The old
Winter Club was refurbished, kitchen equipment
installed, and meals served. In late 1959, informal
talks between the owners and the village council
indicated a possible sale of the entire property, and
the village was given the first refusal in that event. In
January 1961, notice was given of the intention to
sell, and the village was given time to make a study of
the question.
The council spent considerable time investigating
the advisability of purchasing the property and was
assisted by a seven -member citizen committee ap-
pointed by the North Palm Beach Civic Association. It
was decided to hire the Charles M. Graves organiza-
tion of Atlanta to prepare a feasibility study, a plan of
development, and a schedule of anticipated income
and operation costs. This was done, and it was
unanimously decided that the village should go
ahead and develop the area into a recreation center.
$1,015,000 was set as the price for the existing
country club of 145 acres plus all buildings, golf
carts, sprinkler systems, trucks, equipment, and
including attorneys' fees, bonds, and marketing
expense. An additional $415,000 covered the swim-
ming pool, dressing, shower and clothes check
building, golf shop, locker rooms, dining room facili-
ties and an expanded parking area. This made a total
of $1,430,000. The council took great pains to in-
form the residents at each step of the process; all
questions were answered. The next step was to put it
up to the people. A special referendum election was
called for July 25th to determine the matter of issuing
$1,430,000 of general obligation bonds to purchase
and develop the North Palm Beach Country Club.
The result was 601 FOR and 80 AGAINST. The
bond issue was duly validated by the Circuit Court of
Palm Beach County and the Supreme Court of
Florida. The bonds were sold at an interest rate of
4.07335 per cent and the last payment will be made
in 1988.
Putting a value on the property today in 1981
would indeed be a classic exercise for a team of
appraisers. The pleasure for generations of old and
young is beyond estimation.
The North Palm Beach Country Club.
The Delacorte Building
In April of 1980, a very nice thing happened to the
Village of North Palm Beach. Mr. George Delacorte,
publisher of Dell Books, offered to fund a general-
purpose recreation center in the amount of $600,000.
The only conditions attached to the gift were that the
building be named the Delacorte Building afterValerie
Delacorte and that no fee ever be levied for the use of
the building. The Village Council happily accepted this
offer and proceeded to retain the architectural firm of
Yeches and Luchner to go ahead with plans. Also, an
option has been taken on 10 acres of land along the
east side of Prosperity Farms Road. The building
would have a stage with seats for 800, plus facilities for
basketball.
Delacorte's fine gesture will go far in rounding out
the recreational and cultural aspects of the village
and give an added reason for celebrating our 25th
anniversary.
15
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Pratt & Whitney Aircraft
Many employees of this Research and Development
installation live in North Palm Beach. Its growth has
been a steady one. Over 7,000 are employed, and new
buildings are being added. Many engines for commer-
cial and military aircraft which maintain the Company's
worldwide leadership in its field were developed here.
Landmarks
THE TWIN CITY MALL
In 1957, North Palm Beach Properties sold 40
acres to Food Fair Properties, Inc., and the market
now called Pantry Pride was built early in 1958. This
was followed by the J.M. Fields store, now known as
Jefferson's. The mall and Sears construction came
along in May of 1971. As the land for the Sears
building was being cleared, the bulldozer flushed a
family of foxes, last seen racing in a westerly direc-
tion. As the building neared completion, bystanders
watched a helicopter lift the air-conditioning units
from trucks and place them in position on the roof.
During the Food Fair construction, a minor problem
arose. It developed that the boundary line between
North Palm Beach and Lake Park ran through the
building. How to split the taxes was one thing, but the
revenue from the sale of tobacco was another. At 500
per carton of cigarets in tax money to the towns, how
to divide it? At a meeting of the councils of the two
towns, an amicable agreement was reached, and the
relations between the neighbors remained excellent.
OLD PORT COVE
Started in 1969, this condominium complex has
proved to be one of the finest and most successful in
Florida. With its perfect lake location, its own marina,
and private security system, it has grown rapidly and
is now nearing its final capacity of 1,062 units.
•
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Pratt & Whitney Aircraft
The Oceanfront
After extended negotiations between the State of
Florida, Palm Beach County, and the J.D. and
Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, the oceanfront
land which lay within the Vilage of North Palm Beach
was sold to the county for $23,000,000. 11/2miles of
oceanfront and 345 acres of land include the
controversial Air Force Beach. Half the cost was borne
by the state, half by the county. It was dedicated on
November 7, 1980.
Under the terms of the deed, the property comes
under the jurisdiction of the county and must be kept
in a natural state. Some park facilities may be install-
ed, but under the general control of a non-profit
corporation consisting of representatives of Bankers
Life, Palm Beach County, North Palm Beach, and
Nature Conservancy.
This transaction preserves the beauty of Lake
Worth and creates an accessible prime oceanfront
recreation area, two big plusses for our village.
Conclusion
As North Palm Beach reaches its 25th year, its
citizens can take pride in a Village that was the first in
Florida to be awarded the National Association of
Home Builders award for excellence, a village that still
looks new with no depressed neighborhoods, no
cheap commercial strips. Real estate values have
remained solid. Our local government has been
clean, public services excellent, and recreational
facilities superior. It is truly a village that was well
planned and which turned out beautifully.
• -
'.77-1641PLOIRINCI •
Twelve Oaks
t.*
The Village of North Palm Beach in 198
Sponsors
American Agency, Inc.
Ancient Mariner Restaurant
Berg Agency
Brown and Orr, Realtors, Inc.
Bruce King Chevrolet, Inc.
Community Federal Savings and Loan
John F. Doran Inc., Realtor
Fidelity Properties, Inc.
Fidelity Federal Savings and Loan
Joe Finch, RE/MAX Realtor
First American Bank
First Federal of Broward
Bill Garrison Realty, Inc.
Great Southern Realty, K.D. Greenside, Broker
Martha A. Gottfried, Inc. Real Estate
Hamm & Price Funeral Home, Thomas L. Price, Funeral Director
Hasco Management Corporation
Duane C. Heiser Realty Company
Home Federal Savings and Loan
Wm. N. Howard Funeral Home, P.A.
Lewis-Killoren Properties, Inc.
Marian V. Lewis Inc. Realtor
Old Port Cove Developments, Ltd.
North Palm Beach County Board of Realtors
North Palm Beach Datsun, Inc.
North Palm Beach Gulf Station
Clif Perry and Associates Inc.
Realtek Real Estate Inc.
Wilcox Gallery of Homes, Inc.
Winship's Prescription Center
Worrells Interiors
Produced by Camera Graphics, Inc. Lake Park, FL
Color Photography and Aerials ° Camera Graphics. Inc. Black and White Aerial Photography ° Dillon Aerial Photography, Inc.
18
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