Throughout the summer, brief demonstrations of Whitehall’s original 1,249-pipe
J.H. & C.S. Odell
organ, and the Steinway
B art-case grand piano, serve to exercise the instruments and showcase popular music of the
demonstration schedule can be found on the Museum’s website.
Museum Trustees
President: Kelly M. Hopkins
Vice President: G. F. Robert Hanke
Treasurer: William M. Matthews
Secretary: Thomas S. Kenan, III
Trustee: Ted A. Gardner
Trustee: Barry G. Hoyt
Trustee: George G. Matthews
Leadership Team
Executive Director: John M. Blades
Director of Finance: Christina Bernstein
Public Affairs Director: David Carson
Facilities Manager: William Fallacaro
Director of External Affairs: Ben Hillman
Store & Tea Room Manager: Janice Lamb
Curator: Campbell Mobley
On the Cover
The Flagler Kenan Pavilion decorated with the 20 versions of the American flag that flew in Henry Flagler’s lifetime, plus the current version, in preparation for Flag Day and the annual Independence Day celebration.
Museum Hours and Admission
The Flagler Museum is open year round, Tuesday through Saturday, 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, and Sunday, noon to 5:00 pm. Closed Mondays, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day.
The mission of the Henry Morrison Flagler Museum is to preserve and interpret Whitehall, Henry Flagler’s legacy, and America’s Gilded Age, in ways that inspire every generation to perpetuate and emulate the traditions and values that have made America the most prosperous and generous nation in history.
Inside Whitehall is published quarterly by the Henry Morrison Flagler Museum, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation.
The Flagler Museum One Whitehall Way Palm Beach, Florida 33480
Each Fourth of July, Flagler Museum Members at the Sponsor level and above are invited to enjoy an evening of activities filled with meaning and symbolism. As Members arrive for the celebration they will find the Pergolas and walkway leading to the Flagler Kenan Pavilion decorated in bunting and lined with the flags of each American state and territory, in the order they joined the Union, culminating in the flags of each of the branches of the armed services arranged around the entrance to the Pavilion. Each guest will receive a small American flag and souvenir program as they enter the Pavilion while a choir sings patriotic songs composed or made popular during America’s Gilded Age. The interior of the Pavilion will be decorated with an example of each of the 20 versions of the American flag that flew over the country during Henry Flagler’s lifetime, as the number of states in the Union grew from 24 to 48. The current 50-star version of the flag is the last in the series of 21 flags and will be located in the northeast corner of the Pavilion’s upper level. Henry Flagler’s private Railcar No. 91®, will be decked out with red, white, and blue bunting.
The evening’s festivities begin with the arrival of the Palm Beach Fire Department color guard bearing the American Flag and the Flag of Florida. The Declaration of Independence is then read in its entirety, as a reminder of just how important it was to the Founding Fathers to carefully enumerate and justify their grievances against the King of England. After all, they risked not just loss of property, but death, if their bold gamble to make America independent failed. After the reading of the Declaration of Independence those in attendance join in the Pledge of Allegiance, which was distributed to schools throughout the Nation as a promotion for the World’s Columbian Exposition in 1893. No celebration of Independence Day would be complete without singing The Star-Spangled Banner, which was formally adopted as America’s national anthem in 1916. The event culminates with ice cream and lemonade enjoyed on the Pavilion Terrace as guests enjoy the best view of the fantastic pyrotechnics show over Lake Worth that provides the dramatic conclusion to the evening’s celebration.
An invitation to the Independence Day Celebration is a privilege of Museum Membership at the Sponsor level and above. Consider becoming a Sponsor level Member, or increasing your Membership level, to receive an invitation to the 2024 Celebration. Call (561) 655-2833 ext. 48.
New citizens were sworn-in during the 2023 naturalization ceremony conducted by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
The Largest and Most Elaborate Satinwood Room in the World is in Palm Beach
In 2018, Whitehall’s dining room furniture, comprised of a grand banquet table, 24 upholstered chairs, and two double-high sideboards, was returned to the Flagler Museum after an absence of nearly a century. This suite of furniture underwent comprehensive conservation by F. Carey Howlett & Associates in 2019 and was reinstalled in Whitehall’s Dining Room in early 2020. The conservation process revealed numerous modifications made throughout the twentieth century as well as a spectacular feature of the room. Among these alterations was a dark stain that concealed the true nature of the wood. Removing the stain and conducting microscopic
analysis revealed the furniture was made of Jamaican Satinwood (Zanthoxylum flavum), a nearly extinct species of hardwood native to the West Indies and the Florida Keys. This revelation was particularly striking when the light-colored furniture was juxtaposed with the dark stained paneling and fireplace in the Dining Room. Historical photos and close examination confirmed that the Dining Room woodwork, like the furniture, was made of Jamaican Satinwood.
Jamaican Satinwood, now commercially unavailable, was a highly coveted cabinet wood when it first
A 1902 photograph of Whitehall’s Dining Room. Flagler Museum Archives.
appeared regularly in Europe, Great Britain, and the American East Coast in the late eighteenth century. Due to its limited geographic distribution and medium size, Satinwood was never as abundantly produced as other tropical hardwoods like mahogany or rosewood. In the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, it was often used in small quantities as veneer, marquetry, or a light-colored contrast in darker primary wood pieces. Entire furniture pieces made from Satinwood were rare, making Whitehall's Dining Room, made of solid Satinwood, the largest and most elaborate Satinwood room ever built in the Western Hemisphere and likely the world.
The Dining Room, designed in the Henri IV style, reflects the tastes of affluent French society during the reign of Louis Napoléon. This revival style, favored for grand banquet rooms in French townhouses and châteaux, was well known to the design firm of Pottier & Stymus, both designers, having studied and worked in France. Their New York factories
created many pieces of furniture and employed numerous European artisans. The 1902 photographs of the dining room in the Flagler Museum Archives show the furniture and woodwork in a harmonious transparent finish that highlighted the impressive feature of the Satinwood that gives it its name. Additionally, the photos reveal faux-painted gilt friezes and ceiling beams simulating Satinwood, adding to the room's cohesive aesthetic.
In alignment with the Flagler Museum's mission to preserve and interpret Whitehall, an eightweek restoration project beginning this July, in collaboration with F. Carey Howlett and Associates and Chris Mills, will restore the entire Dining Room to its original Satinwood appearance, revealing once again the fact that Whitehall’s Dining Room is the largest and most elaborate Satinwood room ever built in the Western Hemisphere and likely the entire world.
Whitehall’s Dining Room after reinstallation of the original Satinwood Dining Room set in March 2020. Flagler Museum Archives.
The Harkness Table
Henry Flagler’s philanthropic nature is well-known, but his association with one of today’s most widely utilized educational methodologies might not be as recognized. Henry Flagler’s primary backer in Standard Oil was his stepbrother, Stephen V. Harkness. Stephen Harkness raised his son, Edward (1874–1940), to embody the humanitarian values that Flagler and Harkness themselves espoused. Like Flagler, Edward Harkness was an avid art collector, gifting significant works of art throughout his lifetime to institutions such as Columbia University, Yale University, Harvard University, Phillips Exeter Academy, St. Paul’s School, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the University of St. Andrews in Scotland. Harkness’ motivation to collect apparently was not self-serving, as a close friend noted that, “It should be borne in mind that his pleasure in acquiring works of art was based more on the pleasure which the public would derive from them than on the act of collecting.”
Although Harkness was a connoisseur of the arts, he was primarily an advocate for education. His most influential financial contributions were in the education sector, where he gave more than $129 million to some of America’s most prestigious schools. But Harkness’ educational ambitions extended beyond financial support. He sought to effect lasting change in the educational system. In his own words, he aimed to insure “the whole
educational system in our secondary schools would not only be changed but changed enormously for the better.” To accomplish this objective, Harkness enlisted his close friend, Lewis Perry, Principal of Phillips Exeter Academy, to develop an innovative educational methodology tailored for students whose thought processes diverged from the norm. Harkness personally related to these students, who did not benefit from traditional methods of teaching via stringent lectures. When discussing his ideas with Perry, he emphasized the need to “see somebody try teaching—not by recitations in a formal recitation room where the teacher is on a platform raised above the pupils.”
Through diligent experimentation, the innovative Harkness Table Method was conceived. This spatial-oriented method repositions students from a traditional lecture layout into an oval-shaped, studentfacing configuration. An Exeter instructor noted that this layout “has abolished almost completely the stiff duality which used to obtain between instructor and class.” Additionally, it reduces large class sizes, replacing them with classes of 8–10 students to foster improved interpersonal communication among peers. The face-to-face arrangement enables students to actively engage in critical discussions and process information collaboratively. Furthermore, the Harkness Method has helped eliminate social divides within the student body, an important subgoal in Harkness’ educational reform aspirations. One instructor observed “the very naturalness of the new arrangement, besides being more comfortable, has in good part wiped out that class-consciousness.” Consequently, Harkness succeeded in establishing a time-honored educational system that remains widely practiced in classrooms around the globe.
Edward Harkness. The Pilgrim Trust.
A traditional classroom layout compared to the Harkness Table Method.
How did Key West become the Wealthiest City in America
During the Gilded Age, Key West emerged as a bustling hub of economic activity and cultural exchange. As the southernmost point of the continental United States, it became a melting pot of diverse influences, blending American, Cuban, and European cultures. This vibrant island city was not only a strategic maritime port but also a center of thriving industries, particularly in cigar manufacturing. The unique confluence of climate, geography, and entrepreneurial spirit transformed Key West into a prosperous and dynamic community during this era.
Located just 90 miles from Cuba, Key West quickly emerged as the premier American local for cigar factories aiming to produce authentic ‘clear Cuban’ cigars. Beyond its geographical proximity, Key West’s warm, humid climate mirrored that of Cuba, ideal for maintaining pliable tobacco leaves.
The roots of Key West’s cigar industry trace back to 1831, when William H. Wall established the city’s first cigar factory and began importing top-quality tobacco from Havana, Cuba to produce what were known as ‘Clear Havana’ cigars. Tragically, in 1859, Wall’s factory was consumed by fire, resulting in a setback for Key West’s burgeoning cigar legacy.
A significant surge in the industry came in 1867 thanks to Samuel Seidenberg, a German immigrant who capitalized on the arrival of Cuban immigrants fleeing the rebellion. Seidenberg’s factory provided affordable housing and employment, attracting more Cuban immigrants, and transforming Key West into a cigar-making hub.
By 1876, “Key West” had become synonymous with quality cigars, sought after by discerning smokers who found cigars made elsewhere lacking in flavor. With twenty-nine factories producing 62 million cigars annually, Key West became Florida’s largest and wealthiest city per capita. Between 1890 and 1911 annual cigar production exceeded 100 million. However, with the rise of automated machinemade cigars and the onset of the Great Depression the industry faced significant challenges, ultimately leading to its decline.
Despite the cigar industry’s decline, its legacy endures. The production of ‘Clear Havana’ cigars, made with Cuban tobacco but rolled in the United States, revolutionized the cigar market and remains integral to the city’s identity and cultural heritage.
Above: Historic postcard of
Havana-American Cigar Factory, Key West.
Florida’s First Museum was Established in Palm Beach
Charles Barney Cory (Jan. 31, 1857 – July 31, 1921) was a renowned ornithologist, sportsman, and adventurer. A founding member of the American Ornithologists’ Union, Cory’s life-long interest in natural history was instilled in him as a young man. On expeditions throughout the United States, Europe, and Africa, Cory grew his personal collection of bird specimens to include nearly 20,000. Cory first visited Florida in 1877, eventually publishing a diary of his travels titled “Southern Rambles.” Later, in 1884, he “rediscovered” Florida and would subsequently return every winter season for the next twenty years.
Cory’s travels in Florida ran the full gamut, from camping in the Everglades and relaxing at resorts, with the Hotel Royal Poinciana being one of his favorite places to stay. Described by friends as a man of “almost picturesque character,” Cory, nicknamed “the professor” by locals, was well known in Palm Beach and soon became friends with Henry Flagler. In 1885, the two made a deal to open a museum named the Florida Museum of Natural History as a tourist attraction for hotel guests, preceding the establishment of the University of Florida’s Florida Museum of Natural History by a half dozen years. The Natural History Museum was situated between
Portrait from the Annual Report of the Director to the Board of Trustees for the Year 1921. Published by the Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago, IL.
the Hotel Royal Poinciana and the Palm Beach Inn. Palm Beach’s Florida Museum of Natural History showcased native flora and fauna from all over the state. Objects on display included many rare specimens collected by Cory himself. Large taxidermized mammals, like a manatee, were also featured. Eventually, Cory even added a live animal section and aquarium to the museum.
In 1903 the Palm Beach Daily News ran an article praising the museum stating in part that “No one who visits Palm Beach…can afford to miss a trip to Prof. C. B. Cory’s zoological museum…It is a most complete and scientifically arranged collection, nobly representing the fauna of Florida…” Unfortunately, the museum burned to the ground on June 9, 1903, after it caught fire from the nearby Breakers Hotel. Unlike the hotel, the museum was never rebuilt.
Along with his skill as a naturalist, Cory was also an excellent golfer. In fact, an article in the Palm Beach
Daily News in 1903 claimed that “Golf in Palm Beach dates from the winter of 1897…its introduction largely [due] to…crack golfer Prof. C. B. Cory.” Cory even served for a time as the secretary of the Florida East Coast Golf Club. In 1898 Cory held the Palm Beach record of six holes in twenty-five strokes! Despite financial ruin in 1906, Cory retained his well-known sense of humor and devoted himself to a professional life. He took a salaried position as the Curator of Zoology at the Field Museum in Chicago, where he worked until his death in 1921.
Professor C. B. Cory surely led an interesting life, and while his Florida Museum of Natural History existed only for a short time, it always remained a treasured memory of his time spent in Palm Beach. In an “In Memoriam” article published by ornithological journal The Auk in 1922, the writer reported that the loss of the Florida Museum of Natural History “was always a matter of very great regret to him.”
Cocoanut Grove PICNIC in
the
The Flagler Museum offers a “Picnic In The Cocoanut Grove”. Visitors may purchase Picnic sandwiches in advance via the Museum’s website.
Four sandwich options are available, a Chicken Waldorf Salad, Ham and Swiss Cheese, Turkey and Brie, and a Tomato, Mozzarella with Balsamic
Vinegar. All are served on a brioche bun with a fruit cup and a chocolate chip cookie. Visitors may enjoy their Picnics under the shade of the palm trees in the Cocoanut Grove. Picnics are $17 each. Optional beverages available include Harney & Sons Organic Iced Tea, Harney & Sons Organic Lemonade, and water.
Historic postcard of afternoon tea in the original Cocoanut Grove which was located between Henry Flagler’s Hotel Royal Poinciana and Whitehall. Flagler Musueum Archives.
Recent Flagler Museum Programs
2024 Easter Egg Hunt
On Saturday, March 30th, the Flagler Museum hosted its annual Easter Egg Hunt.
Nearly 1,000 visitors enjoyed Easter-themed games and face painting during the Museum’s annual Easter Egg Hunt. Museum grounds were sectioned-off into areas for children ages four and under, and for kids five and older.
To commemorate the day, each family received a wooden souvenir Easter egg.
In 2017 four-year-old Gavin found the Golden Egg during the Age 4 and Under Easter Egg Hunt.
In 2024 Gavin returned to the Museum for another attempt to find the Golden Egg during the Age 5 and Over Easter Egg Hunt.
Bluegrass in the Pavilion
On Saturday, April 6th, the Po’ Ramblin’ Boys and The Kody Norris Show presented an afternoon of musical entertainment for a sold-out audience in the Flagler Kenan Pavilion during the 2024 Bluegrass in the Pavilion concert.
The 2025 Bluegrass in the Pavilion concert will include a performance by Authentic Unlimited and The Kody Norris Show on Saturday, April 26, 2025. Tickets for the 2025 Bluegrass in the Pavilion concert will be available through the Museum’s website soon.
The Kody Norris Show
The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys
Mother’s Day 2024
The Museum’s Railcar No. 91 Tea RoomTM opened on May 11th and 12th to offer visitors a Mother’s Day Celebration. More than 200 guests took advantage of the opportunity to enjoy the Gilded Age tradition of afternoon tea, and celebrate their mothers.
Founder’s Day 2024
On Wednesday, June 5th, the Flagler Museum opened free of charge to all visitors to celebrate its annual Founder’s Day. Precisely 2,236 guests took advantage of the opportunity to visit the Museum to learn about Henry Flagler and his impact on the development of the state of Florida and America’s Gilded Age.
Flagler Museum Founder, and Henry Flagler’s granddaughter, Jean Flagler Matthews
Lion’s Head pendant
Gold vermeil or sterling silver
Glass enamel color light green
Sphinx pendant
Gold vermeil or sterling silver
Glass enamel color options white and gray
Museum Store
Working with Colby Davis of Boston, H. M. Flagler & Co. ® has created a series of enamel medallions, in both silver and gold vermeil settings, featuring designs related to Whitehall and the Over-Sea Railroad.
Museum Members receive a 10% discount on all Museum Store items, and Members at the Associate level and above receive a 20% discount on all items.
FEC Railway pendant
Gold vermeil or sterling silver
Glass enamel colors white, golden yellow, light blue
New and Renewing Individual Memberships
Legacy - $15,000
Mr. & Mrs. Peter Applefield
Mr. & Mrs. David Campeas
Mr. & Mrs. John Coffey
Mr. & Mrs. Casey Cummings
Mr. & Mrs. David Ertel
Mr. & Mrs. Sonny Falack
Mr. Joseph Giunta & Miss Dana Pusateri
Mr. Lamont B. P. Harris
Mr. & Mrs. Kevin Johnston
Mr. & Mrs. Robert Mason
Mr. & Mrs. Robert Morse
Dr. & Mrs. Matthew Nalbandian
Mr. Mark Saba & Mrs. Karen Paul
Mr. & Mrs. Tom Salice
Mr. & Mrs. Joseph Savarese
Mr. & Mrs. Judd Zebersky
Benefactor - $2,500
Mrs. Ramey Caulkins
Ms. Jo Anne Rioli Moeller
& Mr. Michael Whelchel
Ms. Melissa H. Sullivan
Patron - $1,000
Mr. & Mrs. Tom Bowler
Mr. & Mrs. Frederick L. Cone
Dr. & Mrs. Robert J. Desnick, MD
Mr. & Mrs. Matthew D. Lawton
Mrs. Helen Jeanne Nicastri
& Mr. Brian Thompson Burry
Ms. Linda R. Olsson
Mr. & Mrs. Dack Patriarca
Ms. Corinne N. Penska
Mr. & Mrs. Zsolt Rumy
Mr. Matthew William Wyatt
March 9, 2024 - June 4 2024
Sponsor - $500
Mr. & Mrs. Theodore Babbitt
Mr. & Mrs. Patrick Carbone
Mr. & Mrs. Michael Compitiello
Mr. & Mrs. Peter N. Geisler, Sr.
Mr. & Mrs. Stan Mark Godoff
Ambassador & Mrs. Eric M. Javits
Commander & Mrs. Eric Jensen
Mr. & Mrs. Jay Nichols
Mr. & Mrs. Edward Pagett
Mr. & Mrs. Edward Pollack
Ms. Ruby S. Rinker
Mrs. Toby Welch & Dr. John Plewes
Family - $300
Mr. & Mrs. Kenneth S. Beall, Jr.
Mr. & Mrs. John A. Bollero, Jr.
Mr. Elliot Epstein
& Mr. Richard Mortimer
Ms. Anne H. Fitzpatrick
Mr. & Mrs. Murray H. Goodman
Mr. & Mrs. Owen Gwyn
Ms. Jennifer Herring & Mr. Matthew Posluszny
Mr. Michael McLaughlin
Mr. & Mrs. Mark Murray
Mr. & Mrs. James L. Nederlander
Mr. & Mrs. Jerry K. Pearlman
Mr. William Roy & Ms. Susan Kelley
Mr. & Mrs. Drew Eric Spitler
Mr. Przemyslaw Stopa & Ms. Dana Grizwin
Mr. & Mrs. David L. Wagner
Mr. & Mrs. Bill Westrate
Mr. & Mrs. Scott Worley
Individual - $150
Dr. Pierre Azzam
Mr. Kinchen C. Bizzell
Ms. Francesca Bon
Ms. Leanne R. Chambers
Mr. Perry Cyprus
Ms. Allison Greene
Ms. Lauren Kellar
Ms. Sandi Lutz
Ms. Primlove Manuel
Mr. Michael McKeich
Ms. Pamela Acheson Myers
Dame Mara New
Ms. Jane Pflug
Mr. H. Rick Prudden, Jr.
Ms. Marjorie Rendell
Mrs. Jane Douglas Reynolds
Ms. Sandra L. Thompson
Mrs. Jennifer Wasiullah
Mr. J. Bradford White
Ms. Tamara H. Younce
Educator - $75
Dr. Ruth Berman
Ms. Emily T. Carter
Mrs. Melissa J. Glosmanova
Ms. Elena Kirkendall
Whitehall Society Memberships
Ms. Dilara Tuncer
Mr. & Mrs. Spence Whitman
Contributors, Sponsors & Grantors
$25,000 and above
State of Florida Department of Arts and Culture
$15,000 and above
Thomas S. Kenan Foundation (Mr. Thomas S. Kenan, III)
Seth Sprague Educational and Charitable Foundation (Mrs. Patricia M. Dunnington)
$10,000 and above
Mrs. John C. LaMonte
Northern Trust
$5,000 and above
Mr. George G. Matthews
$1,000 and above
Mr. Mark Ahlers
You can make a lasting difference for generations to come by remembering the Flagler Museum in your estate plan. If the Museum can be of any assistance to your attorney or estate planner, please have them contact the Museum’s Executive Director at the Museum’s main telephone number or via email at executivedirector@flaglermuseum.us.
Donor Recognition Panels, on permanent display in the Flagler Kenan Pavilion, acknowledge annual gifts. A complete list of annual Memberships is included in the Museum’s Annual Report.
