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National Railway Historical Society Convention Henry M. Flagler Museum 9/5/2023

Elizabeth and I arose early and went to the Spotted Stag Restaurant where I had French Toast and bacon and Elizabeth had an omelette. She then opened the registration room and I returned to our room to check Trainorders.com and my e-mail before going down to the bus loading area. The bus returned from the Transit Tour and everyone who was going to the Flagler Museum today boarded, after which we took a scenic way to West Palm Beach as we could not arrive before 10:00.

Views of the Atlantic Ocean from Florida Highway 1A on the way to Flager Museum. The bus then pulled into the driveway and parked behind some school buses. John Goodman, the convention chairman, went inside, the lady came out then we debussed and were divided into two groups; I ended up with my wife in Group A. We would go to the railcar first.

Henry Morrison Flagler was born on January 2, 1830 in Hopewell, New York, to Reverend and Mrs. Isaac Flagler. At the age of 14, after completing the eighth grade, Flagler moved to Bellevue, Ohio where he found work with his cousins in the grain store of L.G. Harkness and Company, at a salary of $5 per month plus room and board.

In 1852 Henry Flagler became a partner in the newly organized D. M. Harkness and Company with his half-brother, Dan Harkness. The following year, on November 9, he married Mary Harkness. They had three children, Jennie Louise, Carrie, Henry Harkness. Unfortunately, only Henry Harkness would survive to have children, one of which would later establish the Flagler Museum. In 1862, Henry Flagler and his brother-in-law, Barney York, founded the Flagler and York Salt Company, a salt mining business in Saginaw, Michigan. When the Civil War ended however, salt, which had been in heavy use as preservative by the Union Army, was no longer in high demand and Flagler and York Salt Company collapsed. Heavily in debt, Flagler returned to Bellevue, Ohio - his initial investment of $50,000 and an additional $50,000 he had borrowed from his father-in-law and Dan Harkness were lost.

The next year Flagler re-entered the grain business as a commission merchant and paid back the money he had borrowed for the salt business. During this time, Flagler became acquainted with John D. Rockefeller, who worked as a commission agent with Hewitt and Tuttle for the Harkness Grain Company. During the mid 1860s, Cleveland was quickly developing as the center of the oil refining industry in America and Rockefeller decided to leave the grain business to start his own oil refinery. In need of capital for his new venture, Rockefeller approached Henry Flagler, with whom he had business dealings for many years. Flagler secured $100,000 from a relative on the condition that he be made a partner owning 25% of the shares in the new company of Rockefeller, Andrews and Flagler.

On January 10, 1870, the Rockefeller, Andrews and Flagler partnership was organized as a joint-stock corporation named Standard Oil. In just two years Standard Oil became the leader in the American oil refining industry, producing 10,000 barrels per day. Five years later Standard Oil moved its headquarters to New York City, and the Flaglers moved to their new home at 509 Fifth Avenue in New York City.

In 1878, Flagler's wife, Mary, who had always struggled with health problems, became very ill. On the advice from Mary's physician, she and Flagler visited Jacksonville, Florida for the winter. Unfortunately, Mary did not recover. She died on May 18, 1881 at age 47, leaving Henry Flagler with a young son to raise alone. Two years after Mary's death, Flagler married Ida Alice Shourds. Soon after their wedding, the couple traveled to St. Augustine, Florida, which they found charming but lacking in adequate hotel facilities and transportation systems. Flagler believed that Florida had the potential to attract large numbers of tourists. Though Flagler remained on the Board of Directors of Standard Oil, he gave up his day-to-day involvement in the corporation in order to pursue his interests in Florida. He returned to St. Augustine in 1885 and began construction of the 540-room Hotel Ponce de Leon. Realizing the importance of a transportation system to support his hotel ventures, Flagler purchased the Jacksonvill, St. Augustine & Halifax Railroad, the first railroad in what would eventually become the Florida East Coast Railway system.

The Hotel Ponce de Leon opened January 10, 1888 and was an instant success. Two years later, Flagler expanded his Florida holdings, building a railroad bridge across the St. Johns River to gain access to the southern half of the state. Flagler began building a hotel empire by purchasing the Hotel Ormond, just north of Daytona. In 1894 Flagler built the Hotel Royal Poinciana on the shores of Lake Worth in Palm Beach and extended his railroad further south to West Palm Beach. The Hotel Royal Poinciana soon became the largest resort in the world. In 1896 Flagler built the Palm Beach Inn (later renamed The Breakers in 1901) overlooking the Atlantic Ocean in Palm Beach. Probably in the late 1880s, Henry Flagler first began to think about ultimately extending his railroad and hotel system all the way to Key West. However, the timing of his plans were accelerated somewhat when the severe freezes of 1894 and 1895 affected the area around Palm Beach but not the settlement known today as Miami, about sixty miles further south. Julia Tuttle, the Florida East Coast Canal and Transportation Company, and the Boston and Florida Atlantic Coast Land Company, each offered Flagler land to bring his railroad further south, which he set about doing immediately.

Flagler's railroad, renamed the Florida East Coast Railway in 1895, reached Biscayne Bay by 1896. Flagler dredged a channel, built streets, instituted the first water and power systems, and financed the town's first newspaper, the Metropolis. When the town incorporated in 1896, its citizens wanted to honor the man responsible for its growth by naming it "Flagler." He declined the honor, persuading them instead to use an old Indian name for the river the settlement was built around, Miama or Miami. A year later, Flagler opened the exclusive Hotel Royal Palm in Miami.

Flagler lost his second wife, Ida Alice, to mental illness, which she suffered from for many years. Ida Alice finally had to be institutionalized in 1895. On August 24, 1901, Flagler married for the third time, to Mary Lily Kenan. Built as a wedding present to Mary Lily in 1902 and designed by architects John Carrère and Thomas Hastings, Whitehall became the Flagler's winter home. With more than 100,000 square feet and 75-plus rooms, Whitehall was described in 1902 by the New York Herald as, "... more wonderful than any palace in Europe, grander and more magnificent than any other private dwelling in the world."

Probably since the late 1880s, Henry Flagler has been considering extending his railroad and hotel system all the way to Key West. In 1905, when the United States took on the Panama Canal Project, Flagler decided that it was finally time to extend the railroad to Key West, adding 156 miles of track, mostly over water. He named the extension to Key West the Over-Sea Railroad. At the time, Key West was one of Florida's most populated cities, and would become the United States' closest, deep water port to the Panama Canal. Flagler hoped to take advantage of additional trade with Cuba and Latin America as well as the increased trade with the West that the Panama Canal would bring. In 1912, the Over-Sea Railroad to Key West was completed. It was the most ambitious engineering feat ever undertaken by a private citizen. Henry Flagler arrived in Key West on January 22nd to be greeted by thousands of grateful citizens and aweek of c elebrations. A little more than a year later, Flagler fell down a flight of stairs at Whitehall. He never recovered from the fall, and died of his injuries on May 20, 1913, at 83 years of age. He was laid to rest in St. Augustine alongside his daughters, Jennie Louise and Carrie, and his first wife, Mary Harkness. Following an amazing career as a founding partner and "the brains" behind Standard Oil, which was the largest and most profitable corporation in the world for more than a century, Henry Flagler invested himself in the development of Florida. During the next quarter century, he literally invented modern Florida. The transportation infrastructure and the tourism and agricultural industries he established remain, even today, the very foundation of Florida's economy, while the building of the Over-Sea Railroad remains the most ambitious engineering feat ever undertaken by a private citizen. When Henry Flagler began his work in Florida, it was perhaps the poorest state in the Union. Today, thanks in large part to Henry Flagler, Florida is the third largest state in the Union with an economy larger than 90% of the world's nations. Indeed, no individual has had a greater or more lasting impact on a state than Henry Flagler has had in Florida.

Educated at the École des Beaux-Arts, architects John Carrère and Thomas Hastings employed location, building orientation and symbolism in the design of Whitehall and its grounds in order to evoke the sense of a temple to Apollo. As homes for Apollo's Muses of literature and the arts, temples to Apollo were the world's first museums (the word museum literally means home of the Muses) and in the strictest sense of the word, Whitehall was Florida's first museum. While the fact that a very deliberate plan for the grounds was an integral feature of the overall project would have been apparent to nearly anyone with a nineteenth century eighth-grade education, it is not obvious to the majority of Whitehall's visitors in the twenty-first century.

Built on landfill extending into Lake Worth, Whitehall's location serves as subtle reference to Delos, the island birthplace of Apollo. The Doric columns of Whitehall's main façade are typically associated with temples to Apollo, and Whitehall's east-facing orientation as well as the lion heads (ancient symbols of the sun) at the center its massive bronze doors are again references to Apollo, the sun god. Because a natural or bacchanalian environment was classically associated with temples to Apollo, instead of a formal garden, Whitehall was situated amid a coconut palm grove. The walkway approaching Whitehall was originally very broad, as would be appropriate to a classical building. However, during the period between 1925 and 1955 when Whitehall operated as a luxury hotel, a grass median was cut into the walkway. flanking the end of the walkway closest to Whitehall are two large urns carved in high relief with bacchanalian scenes, further reinforcing the sense that the grounds around the building represented the natural world, as opposed to the highly ordered world of Apollo's Muses found inside a temple to Apollo.

Upon entering Whitehall, the natural or bacchanalian world is left behind as one enters the highly ordered world of Apollo and the Muses of literature and the arts. There are many references throughout the first floor of Whitehall to Apollo and the Muses of literature and the arts, the most obvious of which is the domed ceiling at the center of the Grand Hall, which depicts the Oracle of Apollo at Delphi. Whitehall's classical floor plan incorporates an atrium and garden. Rather than a flowering or formal garden, the atrium garden is a classical reference to paradise and is lush with subtropical plants and water. The two-tired fountain at the center of the garden is a copy of the Venus fountain in the Boboli Gardens of Florence. As a part of Whitehall's original configuration, there was briefly a formal rose garden off the back porch. However, roses did not do well in the subtropical climate and very little information has survived about that small garden. When a hotel tower was added to Whitehall in 1925, the area off Whitehall's back porch originally dedicated to a formal garden became the dining room of the new Whitehall Hotel. Whitehall was opened to the public in 1960. During the succeeding years the Hotel tower was removed and the atrium garden was restored. Though the grounds today are somewhat informal and therefore more or less in keeping with the architects' original vision, the driveway that was added during the Hotel Era remains, and the Cocoanut Grove was restored in summer 2015.

We started the walk towards the Flager Museum.

The front of the Henry Morrison Flager Museum.

We veered to the left and walked to the newest building on the property built in 2005.

We passed this sundial and our docent informed us that it was on Central Time.

We entered the Flager-Kenan Pavilion and found this on the floor as we entered.

A bicycle, coach and a three-wheeled buggy.

Florida East Coast private car 91, one of Mr. Flagler's private railway cars, built by Jackson & Sharp in 1886. The railcar was one of two private railcars Flagler used to survey his railroad empire. Flagler traveled by this railcar in 1912 along the Over-Sea Railroad to Key West to celebrate the completion of the FEC Railway to Key West, a phenomenal engineering feat. In 1935, the FEC sold Flagler's private railcar to the Georgia Northern Railroad and it was renamed the Moultrie. By 1949, the Railcar had been sold again and was being used as housing for migrant farm workers in Virginia. The Flagler Museum acquired Railcar 91 in 1959. The railcar has now been restored to its original appearance using documentation from the National Museum of American History, the Smithsonian, the Delaware State Archives and the Hagley Museum and Library in Delaware. Visitors to the Flagler Kenan Pavilion are able to tour Railcar No. 91's salon, master bedroom, master bathroom, guest quarters, and kitchen restored to their original splendor.

What would Mr. Flagler think of West Palm Beach today? The docent gave us a good history of the car before we were allowed to enter.

The glass roof.

A map of Florida East Coast Railway and Cuba. I noticed a video screen playing beside me and now I will share a few views.

Two pictures of Florida East Coast trains.

The empire that Mr. Flagler built in Florida.

The car sitting in New Jersey before the museum repatriated it.

Working on the car in New Jersey.

The car heading by trailer towards West Palm Beach.

Mr. Henry and Mrs. Mary Lily Flager.

A picture of the car in service.

The Flagler Mansion.

The crane lifting the car and placing it into the museum.

The car inside the Flagler-Kenan Pavilion. Now I led the way through the car.

The lounge area of the car.

A very comfortable chair.

Table and chairs in the lounge area.

The is a mirror and storage space hidden from view.

The Master Bedroom in this car.

The shower.

The toilet.

The crew sleeping area.

Where the sleeping area come out of the walls.

The clerestory windows.

The kitchen, which was at the other end of the car, after which I exited this beautiful private car.

Florida East Coast observation car 91.

The Florida East Coast emblem as I exited the building.

The view of West Palm Beach across the Intercoastal Waterway. Now we would enter the Flagler Museum.

Coming around the buildings.

Excellent relief sculptures on each of these urns. We then entered the building and our very knowledgeable and helpful docent, Ellie, talked about the mansion's history.

The first room we entered was the Grand Hall. There was a uniformed doorman on duty 24 hours a day. Once you enter this massive room featuring a double staircase, this is the largest and grandest room of any rooms in the private homes built in the Gilded Age. There are seven types of marble and the table at the south end of the room with lion-shaped legs.

Scenes inside the Grand Hall.

The nineteeth-century marble bust of Roman Emperor Augustus.

Scenes inside the rooom.

Looking at the north wall of the Grand Hall.

A Greek Goddess statue in the corner.

That table with the lion-shaped legs.

The marble staircase to the second floor.

Aurora {Dawn} to the north.

The Grand Hall central ceiling painting depicts Pythia, the priestess of the Oracle of Apollo at Delphi.

Aurora {Dawn} to the north.

Luna {Moon} to the south.

Luna {Moon} to the south.

Aurora {Dawn} to the north.

Luna {Moon} to the south.

A large vase.

A scene in the Grand Hall.

The Grand Regulateur, a Louis XV style tall case clock.

A painting of Henry Flagler by Raimundo de Madranzo y Garreta.

A Renaissance-style cassone or marriage chest.

The next room we entered was the Library. This room has another painting of Henry Flagler above the fireplace. Other notable works of art works included a bust of George Washington, as well as Roman Emperors Caracella and Augustus, and Henry Flagler.

Views inside the library.

The desk of Henry Flagler and his bible.

The portrait of Henry Flagler above the fireplace.

Flagler's collection of books in his library.

Views of the library and Henry Flagler's relatives.

Henry Flagler painting above the fireplace.

More of his book collections.

The ceiling.

Another cassone and paintings of Flagler's relatives.

Chandeliers and Flagler's relatives.

Next we went into the Music Room, which was equally impressive. The Flagers adored musical entertainment and employed a resident organist each season to play the 1,249 pipe J.H.& C.S. Odell Company organ installed on the west wall.

Views of the music room.

View towards the organ.

Another of the beautful busts inside this building.

1. Uniditified Madonna and Child. Henry Flagler owned this picture.

2. Henry Courtney Sealous View along the Grand Canal.

3. Eduardo Tofano. En Voilture. Henry Flagler owned this picture.

4. Martin Johnson Heade. Mixed Flowers in a sliver vase.

5. Martin Johnson Heade. Four Cherokee Roses.

6. Martin Johnson Heade. Race againist a cloudy mountain.

7. Martin Johnson Heade. Magnolia in Oplocence Vase.

Interesting views abound in the room.

Natural Bridge 19th Century.

Ducal Palace Venice with Religous Processions Richard Parkes Bonington.

A Party on the Piazzaeta Domenico Morelli.

Cardinal Conrad Wise Chapman.

Winter Unidentified Artist.

Harbor Scene Walter Moras.

Harbor Scene Hendrick Hulk.

Algiers Louis Comfort Tiffany.

Harbor Scene Emilio Sanchez Perrier.

Mary Lily Kenan Flagler Mariette Cotton.

Boat Scene Louis Aldophe Hervier.

Royal Poinciana Johnna K. Woodwell Hailman

Palm Lined Path Laura Woodward.

Old Spanish Gates Otto Merkel.

The Sea and I Ben Austrian.

Interesting chairs and artwork.

Mary Lily Kenan Flagler Mariette Cotton.

Unidentified Little Boy School of Francois Hubert Drouis.

Young Boy with Crops Unidenified English Artist.

Canal Martin y Ortega.

The Cardinals Paul Schann.

Puttin Playing Music Pierto Bazzanti.

Frederic Chopin on his Deathbed Hans Schuller.

The pipes of the organ.

Sometimes in life you must look up to see the ceiling.

A painting of Dawn by L. Aurora.

More views inside the Music Room.

The look back into the Library.

The 1.249 pipe J.H. & C.S. Odell Company Organ.

The last three views of the Music Room, after which we entered the Grand Ballroom. Above the fifteen windows and doors are Louis XV paintings of pastoral scenes of groups of cupids. In 1903, the Grand Ballroom was the scene of the Bal Poudre or "Powered Wigs Ball". It was to celebrate George Washington's birthday, one of the few holidays celebrated in the Gilded Age.

Views of the Grand Ballroom.

A picture from that ball.

Views of the former dining room when Whitehall was a hotel.

Views of the Flagler's china in the hallway. We next all went into the Breakfast Room.

The Breakfast Room was used by the Flagler's for breakfast and other less formal meals. Next we went entered the Dining Room.

The Dining Room. Ellie explained the design on the carpet was proof that the carpet was original as it was found rolled in the attic and survived the decades of storage.

As guests would have done in bygone days, we walked into the Drawing Room.

The Drawing Room.

A 1964 portait of Jean Flagler Matthews, grand-daughter and founder of the Flagler Museum. Everyone was offered an audio phone and map to explore the second floor and its numerous guest rooms at their own pace. The first room I went to was the Flagler-Kenan History Room.

Inside the Flagler Kenan History Room.

The Green Room.

The Heliotrope Room.

Colonial Chanbers.

The Pink Room.

The Blue Room.

Yellow Rose Room.

Lily Flagler's Dressing Room.

Silver Maple Room.

The upstairs hallway.

The Louis XV Room. Next was the Lace Exhibit Room.

How lace is made.

Lace in the Gilded Age.

Very attractive painting.

Fireplace in the Lace Exhibit Room.

Lace Exhibit. This collection was started by Jean Flager Matthews.

The Morning Room. This private sitting room was used by Mary Flagler to practice music or write correspondence.

The servant's rooms.

Venus Fountain by Giovanni de Bologna in the Courtyard.

Table top sculpture. We went out to the Cocoanut Grove for lunch.

The area where we ate lunch.

Looking across the Intercoastal Waterway toward West Palm Beach. Several people, including Elizabeth and I, visited the gift shop and acquired some souvenirs and a book. At 3:00, the bus took us back to the Doubletree Hotel, thus ending another excellent National Railway Historical Society trip. Elizabeth returned to the registration room for a while and I started this story before we went downstairs to NRHS Banquet then later, called it a night.

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