The City will celebrate “60 Signature Years” at the opening of the new Gardens North County District Park on Saturday, June 29, 2019! Be there as we celebrate the past and honor the future. A night full of activities is planned for attendees of all ages. We’ll turn back the clock to the earliest days of Palm Beach Gardens with old-fashioned games and live music by Billy Buchanan and his Rock ’n Soul Revue. Don’t miss the fireworks finale & complimentary birthday cake at the end of the evening.
60th Ann iversar y Celebration
SATURDA 6:00 P.MY, JUNE 29, 201 9 . TO SUN THE GAR DENS NO D O WN RT 5101 117T H COUNTY DIST H COURT
NORTH,
RICT PA RK, PBG
NED
OLD-FASHIO GAMES
ILLY SIC BY B LIVE MU AN AND N BUCHA REVUE ’N SOUL IS ROCK
H
SPORTS EXPERIENCE
CLASSIC CAR SH OW WITH PRIZES FOR ‘BEST IN SHOW’
DEBUT OF A SPECIAL 60th ANNIVERSARY BEVERAGE CREATED BY THE CITY’S FIRST BREWERY TWISTED TRUNK BREWING 2
SIGNATURE CITY: City of Palm Beach Gardens
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FOO D TRU CKS
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PRODUCTION
Public Media Relations Division CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Candice Temple James Ippolito CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
Candice Temple CONTACT US
signaturecity@pbgfl.com Signature City Questions: 561.799.4152 Main City Line: 561.799.4100 Signature City magazine is a free publication produced quarterly by the City of Palm Beach Gardens Public Media Relations Division. Signature City is mailed to every household in Palm Beach Gardens, as well as distributed at city facilities.
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Get Social! Follow us on your favorite social media sites @CityofPalmBeachGardensCityHall
S U M M E R
@CityofPalmBeachGardensRecreation @SandhillCraneGolf
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City 60th Birthday Celebration Event
@GardensGreenMarket
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Highlights of Our History
2 0 1 9
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5 Our Past Mayors @CityofPBG @PBGardensFire @PBGPD @CityPBG @cityofpbgardens
8 Calendar of Events 16
Mom & Son Luau Fun!
F E A T U R E S
6 Preserving A Piece of Fire History 8
Our Police Department
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Featured Art: John D. MacArthur Statue
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City Social
10 SUMMER 2019
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MARCH 20, 1959 �������Notice
of intention by John D. MacArthur to apply to State Legislature for creation of municipality.
MARCH 15, 1966
JUNE 20, 1959 ����������Legislature
establishes Charter for Palm Beach Gardens.
JULY 4, 1966 �����������First
Fourth of July City-sponsored celebration held.
APRIL 26, 1961 ���������Blessing
of first banyan tree moved to Palm Beach Gardens. Mr. MacArthur throws in first shovel of dirt to cover tree roots.
MAY 25, 1961 �����������RCA
City election held. Robert Diamond, George Bonner and James Hughes join previously elected Ted Delacourt and Michael Jackson to make up first fully elected City Council.
DECEMBER 4, 1968 ��The
Palm Beach Gardens Hospital opens.
AUGUST 1969 ���������Palm
plant dedicated.
Beach Gardens High School opens.
JULY 4 & 5, 1976 ������Ten
years after the first July Fourth City picnic, Palm Beach Gardens held a bicentennial celebration for our country’s 200th birthday.
JANUARY 30, 1962 ����Military
Trail from Lake Park Road to Monet Road opens.
FEBRUARY 1962 �������All-metal
home built at corner of Riverside Drive and Lighthouse Drive- First one of its kind in the world built by United States Steel Company.
JANUARY 6, 1978 ����John
D. MacArthur, founder of the City of Palm Beach Gardens, dies.
JUNE 4, 1982 ����������Palm
Beach Junior Community College North Campus opens.
MARCH 21, 1962 �������Symbolic
key of the City of Palm Beach Gardens presented to screen star Zsa Zsa Gabor as she inspects City. Also in town is movie and television cowboy star, Dale Robertson.
FEBRUARY 5, 1983 ���Burns
Road Community Center opens.
DECEMBER 1983 �����The
first Holiday Bazaar takes place at Burns Road Community Center.
APRIL 19, 1962 ���������Another
banyan planted beside the first. Mr. MacArthur’s spokesman predicts “marriage of trees”.
DECEMBER 1987 ����� The
I-95 connection at PGA is completed.
OCTOBER 1988 ���������The
Gardens Mall opens as the first regional mall in the area.
JUNE 1962 ��������������Parade
of Homes held in Palm Beach Gardens- 40,000 people attend. Mr. MacArthur predicts 100,000 residents for Palm Beach Gardens.
AUGUST 1991 �����William 1999 �����������������The
MacArthur Foundation sells 5,000 acres of land. The City passes a forbearance agreement to limit the development of the land too quickly.
JUNE 25, 1962 ����������Crooks
Street residents petition County to change their street name. Name changed to Arbor Way.
DECEMBER 1962 �������Mr.
MacArthur answer an eleventhhour plea to save four more banyans in West Palm beach. The trees were put together on one barge and floated up the lake. The trees were like giant sails catching the wind, making it difficult to maneuver the barge through three raised drawbridges.
SEPTEMBER 23, 1963 �Volunteer
MARCH 6, 1999 ��� Tennis OCTOBER 2000 ������� Grand
FEBRUARY 9, 2017 ��� City
Council approves rezoning ordinance for Landstar Development Group to develop 4,763 acres, the City’s last undeveloped parcel of land located on what was previously known as the Vavrus Ranch. 2,400 acres are protected environmental lands. The development is named Avenir.
City election held. Elected as first City Councilmen: Ted Delacourt and Michael E. Jackson. term officially begins.
AUGUST 23, 1965 ������City
Council tries to purchase six sea cows from Miami Seaquarium to clean canals. Deal later falls through.
JANUARY 10, 1966 ����Final
reading of ordinance to annex land to be used for Baptist College. Palm Beach Atlantic College, now located in West Palm Beach, has yet to build on this site.
SIGNATURE CITY: City of Palm Beach Gardens
opening of new City Hall.
population surpasses 50,000. Mr. MacArthur had predicted the City’s population to reach this milestone within the first 10 years.
MARCH 16, 1965 �������First
4
Center grand opening.
2016 �������������������� City’s
Fire Department organized.
APRIL 5, 1965 �����������Councilmen
T. Dwyer High School opens.
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JUNE 20, 2019 ����������The JUNE 29, 2019 ��������
City officially turns 60 years old.
Palm Beach Gardens will old its 60th Anniversary Celebration event at the grand opening of the Gardens North County District Park. See page 2 for details.
Ted Delacourt
Michael Jackson
Robert Diamond
George Bonner
Henry Jewett
George Blanck
(1965-66)
(1966)
(1966-68)
(1968-69)
(1969)
(1970)
James Delonga
Walter Wiley
John Kiedis
Michael Martino
Dick Feeney
Samuel Laurie
(1970-72)
(1972-73)
(1973-74, 1978-79, 1981-82)
(1974-77, 1984-85, 1989-93)
(1977-78, 1980-81, 1987-89)
(1979-80)
Don Kiselewski
Dick Aldred
Linda Monroe
Joseph Russo
Dave Clark
Eric Jablin
(1982-83)
(1983-84, 1986-87)
(1985-86)
(1993-94, 1995-2002, 2005-08, 2009-10)
(1994-95)
(2002-05, 2008-09, 2015-16)
NOT PICTURED:
Herbert Thompson (1959-1961), Norman Rowland (1961-1965), James Kelleher (1965)
David Levy
Robert Premuroso
Marcie Tinsley
Maria Marino
Mark Marciano
(2010-12)
(2012-14)
(2016-17)
(2017-19)
(2019-Present)
SUMMER 2019
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Restoration of the City’s First Fire Engine by Deputy Fire Chief James Ippolito
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SIGNATURE CITY: City of Palm Beach Gardens
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I
n the early 1950’s, fire protection services for land that would later become the City of Palm Beach Gardens was provided by Old Dixie Volunteer Fire Department. After a disagreement between the leadership of Old Dixie Fire Department and the City’s founder, John D. MacArthur, the City’s public safety committee was given the task of organizing a fire department for the City of Palm Beach Gardens. On October 9, 1963, Palm Beach Gardens Volunteer Fire Department was established and operated a 1940 American LaFrance Type B-550c Pumper out of a two-car garage. The pumper was purchased from the City of St. Cloud (FL) Fire Department in 1963 and began serving the residents and visitors of the City of Palm Beach Gardens as “Engine 1.” The City of Palm Beach Gardens has maintained ownership of “old” Engine 1 since 1963. Eventually, it became the victim of
Florida’s harsh climate and its condition began to deteriorate. In 2017, the City began restoration efforts of “old” Engine 1 with the expertise of John Kleppe, owner and operator of Loud Mouth Customs in Lake Park. The work involved a complete tear down of the pumper’s steel body in order to remove nearly 80 years of paint and amateur body work. This process also revealed areas of oxidation that were removed and replaced by John with hand-crafted pieces of steel. Once all of the body work was repaired and primed, a fresh base coat and clear coat of “fire engine red” paint was applied to bring “old” Engine 1 back to life.
Several safety enhancements, such as seat belts and side mirrors, were also added during the restoration. These items were not standard features of the time period; however their additions were necessary to safely operate the pumper on today’s roadways.
The pumper’s original wooden hose bed, ladder, and pike pole were stripped down and refinished with several coats of lacquer. The original brass fire extinguisher and fire hose nozzle were cleaned and polished back to a shine. As the center piece to any antique fire engine, the original mechanical siren has also been rebuilt and proudly sits on the hood of “old” Engine 1.
“Old” Engine 1 is currently serving the City of Palm Beach Gardens during public education initiatives such as stroke risk assessments, hands-only CPR, and the Department’s new interactive fire and public safety educational trailer. For more information on the museum or to schedule a public education event, please contact the City’s Fire Department at (561) 799-4300.
Today, “old” Engine 1 rests in the Department’s original two-car garage that has been dedicated as the “Peter T. Bergel Fire Museum.” Located behind Fire Station 1, the museum has also been fully restored and features modern-day climate control and sprinkler systems to preserve and protect the City’s antique Fire Department memorabilia.
Over the years… CITY FIRE CHIEFS
William F. O’Brien
Millard “Peel” Summers
Antonio F. Morrow, Jr.
(1963-68)
(1968-72)
(1972-73)
Edward F. Arrants
Peter T. Bergel
Michael Southard
Keith Bryer
(1973-98)
(1998-2013)
(2013-2016)
(2016-Present)
SUMMER 2019
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JUNE THRU AUGUST 20 GardensArt Exhibition “Painting Florida” Oils on Canvas by Sue Appleton Dayton Dawn to Dusk Sandhill Crane Golf Clubhouse
JUNE 27
JULY 11
Budget Oversight Review Board 8:30 a.m.-10 a.m. at City Hall
City Council Meeting 7 p.m. at City Hall
JUNE 29
JULY 13
City of PBG 60th Anniversary Celebration at the Grand Opening of The Gardens North County District Park 6 p.m.-Sundown The Gardens North County District Park
Adult Singles Tournament 11:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Tennis Center
JULY JULY 1-31 JUNE 2, 9, 16, 23, 30
Park & Recreation Month
Summer Gardens GreenMarket at STORE Sundays, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. STORE Self Storage & Wine Storage
JULY 18 Open House for Fall Recital Dance Meet instructors & review recommendations 5:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m. Burns Road Community Center
GardensArt Reception for Cynthia Maronet 5:30-7 p.m. at City Hall Lobby
GardensArt Exhibition Color + Light /Florida Landscapes Paintings by Cynthia Maronet Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. City Hall Lobby
FREE Hands-Only CPR Class 6:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m. Gardens Fire Station 61
FREE Hands-Only CPR Class 6:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m. Gardens Fire Station 61
JULY 19
JUNE 17 - AUGUST 22
JUNE 18
JULY 16
JULY 20 Mom & Son Luau Fun (Ages 4 and up) 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Burns Road Community Center
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Adult Singles Tournament 11:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Tennis Center
AUGUST 4, 11, 18, 25 Summer Gardens GreenMarket at STORE Sundays, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. STORE Self Storage & Wine Storage
AUGUST 13 Planning & Zoning Appeals Board 6 p.m.-9 p.m. at City Hall
AUGUST 17-19 USTA B/G Singles & Doubles 18-16 Tennis Center
AUGUST 21-OCTOBER 17
AUGUST 20
JULY 7, 14, 21, 28
Code Enforcement Special Magistrate 2 p.m.-5 p.m. at City Hall
AUGUST 3
Independence Day City Administrative Offices Closed
Independence Day Mixed Doubles/Cookout 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Tennis Center
JUNE 25
City Council Meeting 7 p.m. at City Hall
JULY 4
JULY 6
Skate Jam 10 a.m.-12 p.m. Skate Park
AUGUST 1
GardensArt Exhibition Paintings by Kim Coker Burns Road Community Center Call for viewing hours: 561.630.1100
FREE Hands-Only CPR Class 6:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m. Gardens Fire Station 61
Red, White & Splash 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Aquatic Complex
JUNE 22
AUGUST
Summer Gardens GreenMarket at STORE Sundays, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. STORE Self Storage & Wine Storage
JULY 9 Planning & Zoning Appeals Board 6 p.m.-9 p.m. at City Hall
SIGNATURE CITY: City of Palm Beach Gardens
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AUGUST 22 JULY 23 Code Enforcement Special Magistrate 2 p.m.-5 p.m. at City Hall
JULY 25 Budget Oversight Review Board 8:30 a.m.-10 a.m. at City Hall
JULY 27 Skate Jam 10 a.m.-12 p.m. Skate Park Jr Rec Singles Tournament 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Tennis Center
Budget Oversight Review Board 8:30 a.m.-10 a.m. at City Hall
AUGUST 24 End of Summer Bash & Fall Rec Showcase Facility Tours/Meet Instructors/ Register for Classes 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Burns Road Community Center
AUGUST 27 Code Enforcement Special Magistrate 2 p.m.-5 p.m. at City Hall
JUNE
S M T W T F S
JULY
S M T W T F S
AUGUST S M T W T F S
SEPTEMBER
S M T W T F S
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1 2 3 4 5 6
1 2 3
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
7 8 9 10 11 12 13
4 5 6 7 8 9 10
8 9 10 11 12 13 14
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3
4
5
6
7
8
9 10 11 12 13 14 15
14 15 16 17 18 19 20
11 12 13 14 15 16 17
15 16 17 18 19 20 21
16 17 18 19 20 21 22
21 22 23 24 25 26 27
18 19 20 21 22 23 24
22 23 24 25 26 27 28
23 24 25 26 27 28 29
28 29 30 31
25 26 27 28 29 30 31
29 30
30
SEPTEMBER 17
SEPTEMBER 26
OCTOBER 22
FREE Hands-Only CPR Class 6:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m. Gardens Fire Station 61
Budget Oversight Review Board 8:30 a.m. at City Hall
Code Enforcement Special Magistrate 2 p.m.-5 p.m. at City Hall
SEPTEMBER 19
Limes by Kim
City Council Meeting Budget Hearing 7 p.m. at City Hall
SEPTEMBER 20 AUGUST 31 Labor Day Mixed Doubles 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Tennis Center
SEPTEMBER SEPTEMBER 1, 8, 15, 22, 29
Imagination Stations (Ages 4 & under) 9:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m. Burns Road Community Center
City Council Meeting 7 p.m. at City Hall
SEPTEMBER 2
SEPTEMBER 24
Labor Day City Administrative Offices Closed
Parking Violations 1 p.m. at City Hall
SEPTEMBER 5 City Council Meeting Budget Hearing 7 p.m. at City Hall
SEPTEMBER 6 GardensArt Reception for Kim Coker 6 p.m.-7:30 p.m. Burns Road Community Center
SEPTEMBER 7 Adult Singles Tournament 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Tennis Center
SEPTEMBER 10 Planning & Zoning Appeals Board 6 p.m.-9 p.m. at City Hall
Fall Festival 6 p.m.-8 p.m. City Hall Municipal Complex
OCTOBER OCTOBER 3
SEPTEMBER 21-23
OCTOBER 25
Jr Rec Singles Tournament 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Tennis Center
Gardens Indoor Yard Sale 7:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m. Burns Road Community Center
USTA B/G Singles & Doubles 18-10 Tennis Center
Season Opening of Lakeside Club Adult/Seniors 1 p.m.-4 p.m. at Lakeside Center
SEPTEMBER 28
SEPTEMBER 21
Summer Gardens GreenMarket at STORE Sundays, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. STORE Self Storage & Wine Storage
SEPTEMBER 3
Code Enforcement Special Magistrate 2 p.m.-5 p.m. at City Hall
RECURRING EVENT
Sunday Brunch
OCTOBER 5-7 USTA B/G Singles & Doubles 14-10 Tennis Center
Every Sunday at The Dancing Crane 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
OCTOBER 6, 13, 20, 27 The Gardens GreenMarket Sponsored in Good Health by Palm Beach Gardens Medical Center 8 a.m.-1 p.m. City Hall Municipal Complex
OCTOBER 15 Planning & Zoning Appeals Board 6 p.m.-9 p.m. at City Hall FREE Hands-Only CPR Class 6:30 p.m.7:30 p.m. Gardens Fire Station 61
OCTOBER 18 Boo Bash (Ages 4 & under) 9:30 a.m.10:30 a.m. Burns Road Community Center
I M P O R TA N T ADDRESSES Burns Road Community Center Aquatic Complex: 4404 Burns Road City Hall: 10500 N. Military Trail
PBG Tennis Center: 5110 117th Court N. Sandhill Crane Golf Club/ The Dancing Crane Restaurant: 11401 Northlake Blvd. The Gardens GreenMarket: 10500 N. Military Trail The Gardens North County District Park: 5101 117th Court North Summer Gardens GreenMarket at STORE: 11010 N. Military Trail PBG Skate Park 10113 Plant Drive
SUMMER 2019
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John D. MacArthur b y C a n d i c e Te m p l e
A
decade ago, when the City recognized its 50th anniversary, the final touches were being put on a bronze statue of the community’s founder John D. MacArthur. Philadelphia-based artist Zenos Frudakis was commissioned by the City to craft the 8-foot-tall likeness of MacArthur and the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation provided a $140,000 grant to cover the cost of the art. Frudakis, an American figurative sculptor, created the work of art in hollow cast bronze. Frudakis’ work uses the lost wax casting method in which a wax model is used to create a mold into which molten metal is poured. The wax model melts and drains away once the mold is made. The statue took several months to create and, after being shipped via truck to its new home, ‘Mr. Mac’ was unveiled at a community celebration at Burns Road Community Center. The bronze sculpture was then installed at its permanent home on the lawn at the entrance to City Hall. It sits atop a three-foot-high pedestal of granite and weighs approximately 750 pounds. The sculpture is regularly inspected, washed and waxed to keep it preserved and protected from the elements. The statue of ‘Mr. Mac’ stands peacefully under the trees just behind Eric Jablin Pavilion and overlooks Military Trail. His posture is that of anticipation as he stands with one hand in his jacket pocket and the other hovering, as though he were in the middle of making a profound statement.
THE GARDENS GREENMARKET
John D. MacArthur PALM BEACH GARDENS FIRE RESCUE
ARTIST: Zenos Frudakis INSTALLATION DATE: November 2009 LOCATION: 10500 N. Military Trail
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SIGNATURE CITY: City of Palm Beach Gardens
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Over the years‌ POLICE CHIEFS
1966
In 1966, Herbert A. Pecht was appointed as the first Chief of Police for Palm Beach Gardens Police Department with a weekly salary of $130.00 By the end of 1966 the Police Department included a fulltime dispatcher system for police and fire calls.
In 1967, the Police Department was housed with City Administrative Offices and the Building Inspector in a 2000 square foot complex located at 10128 Meridian Way.
Herbert A. Pecht
William T. Edwards
Edward F. Himmelsbach
(1966-1976)
(1976-1979)
(1980-1985)
1968
1967
In 1968, three air-conditioned cars patrolled the City’s over forty miles of streets and road, the department was linked to most other South Florida cities via teletype network system. Radar was used to facilitate traffic control.
Three Sergeants, one Detective, nine Patrolmen and four Dispatches carried out the day-to-day functions of the Police Department.
Henry B. Nolan
Ronald S. Neubauer
Jack C. Frazier
(1985)
(1985-1992)
(1989-1992)
In 1971, a new two-story Municipal Complex was constructed to house the Police Department, City Clerk, City Manager, Building Department, Recreation Department, Public Works, Engineering Department and City Council Chambers.
1974 James O. Fitzgerald
Stephen J. Stepp
Clint Shannon
(1992-2003)
(2003-2018)
(2018- Present)
1971
In 1974, six air-conditioned cars patrolled the City and the Department consisted of three Lieutenants, three Sergeants, two Detectives, fourteen Patrolmen, one Desk Sergeant and nine Dispatchers.
In 1990, the Police Department consisted of nearly 100 sworn officers and non-sworn support personnel. Officers responded to calls using a sophisticated 800MHZ radio system. The Department added a new computer system and an enhanced 9-1-1 emergency system.
2000
In 1965, the Palm Beach Gardens City Council enacted by ordinance a law creating the Palm Beach Gardens Police Reserve Force.
1990
In March 2000, the Department moved into its present state-of-the-art complex.
In 2017, Gardens Police completed the Tactical Training Center adjacent to its existing building. This Center has quickly become a well sought-after resource for law enforcement training with the latest equipment and in the latest techniques.
2017
SUMMER 2019
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T
h e
M
a c
A
r t h u r
Legacy
F
or residents of Palm Beach Gardens, the tale of how our City came to be may seem like yesterday’s news. Stories of John D. MacArthur purchasing a raw piece of land and building his vision of a “garden city” are common. The man some called ‘Mr. Mac’ had two banyan trees transplanted from nearby Lake Worth and planted them at the entrance of the City. Those trees still greet residents and visitors today on MacArthur Boulevard. The relics of Mr. Mac can be found throughout Palm Beach Gardens from its lush landscaping to “Lake Catherine”, which was named for MacArthur’s wife. What you may not know is how he became the man who founded our City and the legacy he left behind that continues to leave a mark on the world. Along with the City of Palm Beach Gardens, The MacArthur Foundation continues today as a living legacy to a man who touched and will continue to touch many lives. John Donald MacArthur (1897-1978) was
one of the three wealthiest men in America 12
SIGNATURE CITY: City of Palm Beach Gardens
at the time of his death and was sole owner of the nation’s largest privately held insurance company.
3 million policyholders, with $5.5 billion of insurance in force, and a sales staff of more than 5,000 agents and brokers.
One of seven children, Mr. MacArthur was born in an impoverished coal-producing area of eastern Pennsylvania. His three brothers who survived childhood all achieved success in their fields: Alfred in insurance, Telfer in publishing, and Charles as a newsman, playwright, and Hollywood screen writer. John held several jobs, including stints as a newspaper reporter, as an insurance salesman in his brother’s company, and in three unsuccessful business ventures, before turning to insurance as his life’s work.
In the 1960’s, Mr. MacArthur’s attention turned to real estate and development. He conducted his business at a table in the coffee shop of the Colonnades Beach Hotel, in Palm Beach Shores, Florida. He owned the hotel, and he and his wife lived in a modest apartment overlooking a parking lot.
In 1928, at the age of 30, Mr. MacArthur bought the Marquette Life Insurance Company, and in 1935, he borrowed $2,500 to acquire the financially impaired Bankers Life and Casualty Company of Chicago. Five years later, Bankers had more than $1 million of assets; by 1977, they had surpassed $1 billion. At his death, Mr. MacArthur’s insurance companies had more than
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At one time or another, Mr. MacArthur’s holdings included 100,000 acres of land in Florida, primarily in the Palm Beach and Sarasota areas; several development companies and shopping centers; paper and pulp companies; 19 commercial, office, and apartment buildings in New York City; several publishing enterprises; hotels; radio and television stations; banks and 12 insurance companies. John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur were quiet philanthropists in their lifetime, giving primarily to organizations in cities where they lived: Chicago and Palm
Beach. Their business interests, including the immensely successful Bankers Life and Casualty insurance company and real estate holdings concentrated in Florida, New York City, and Chicago, consumed most of their time and energy. On October 18, 1970 – after John’s longtime friend and attorney William T. Kirby convinced him that a foundation would allow his money to go to good use long after he was gone – the documents for the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation were completed. John intentionally left the business of what to fund to the Foundation’s first board of directors, which included Catherine; Kirby; his son, Roderick; radio commentator Paul Harvey, a friend from Chicago whose popular program carried ads for Bankers Life; and Louis Feil, a business associate from New York. “I made the money; you guys will have to figure out what to do with it,” MacArthur told the board. This direction presented the Foundation’s first board with two challenges: how to divest responsibly
the assets and how to shape a forward-looking organization that could change with society’s evolving challenges. When John died of cancer on January 6, 1978, the Foundation assumed his assets, estimated at $1 billion, and made its first two grants of $50,000 each to Amnesty International and the California League of Cities. Since 1978, the Foundation has made grants totaling more than $6.8 billion in the United States and about 40 countries around the world. MacArthur is one of the nation’s largest independent foundations with assets of approximately $6.6 billion and annual giving of approximately $328.5 million. The MacArthur Foundation supports creative people, effective institutions, and influential networks building a more just, verdant, and peaceful world. (The MacArthur Fellows Program, MacArthur Fellowship, is commonly but unofficially known as a “Genius Grant”.) MacArthur is placing a few big bets that truly significant
progress is possible on some of the world’s most pressing social challenges, including over-incarceration, global climate change, nuclear risk, and significantly increasing financial capital for the social sector. In addition to the MacArthur Fellows Program, the Foundation continues its historic commitments to the role of journalism in a responsible and responsive democracy as well as the strength and vitality of the headquarters city, Chicago. The excerpts above were provided by the MacArthur Foundation website. More information can be found at www.macfound.org.
TOP LEFT: John MacArthur was often seen sporting a signature blazer made of the Scottish MacArthur tartan fabric which represents his family heritage. This tartan was even incorporated into one of the City’s early logos. TOP RIGHT: John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur,
pictured here with their beloved pets, were quiet philanthropists in their lifetime, giving primarily to organizations in cities where they lived- Chicago and Palm Beach. SUMMER 2019
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City of Palm Beach Gardens 10500 N Military Trail Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410
MOM & SON SONS AND THEIR FAVORITE DATE (mom, grandma, aunt, stepmom, etc.) are formally invited to our very first Mom & Son Luau Fun! Enjoy an afternoon of lively music with a DJ, competitive gym games, a yummy lunch and a very ‘cool’ dessert! All Luau guests will receive complimentary admission to the PBG Aquatic Complex after the event, so the fun can continue all day long. Don’t forget your swimsuit, sunscreen and towel. Rain checks will be given for inclement weather. SATURDAY, JULY 20 | 11 A.M. - 1 P.M. Ages 4 and older Burns Road Community Center: 4404 Burns Road Register online at www.pbgrec.com or at any Recreation Department front desk.
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SIGNATURE CITY: City of Palm Beach Gardens
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Resident Fee: $45 per couple Non-Resident: $56 per couple Additional sons: $12 each