It's been pretty quiet on my travel blog here. No vacation this year. :o( My darling husband's business is growing and there just wasn't room in life for any time away. Next year, for sure, though! Italy is at the top of our bucket list for places to go!
We had a long weekend over the Fourth of July, so on the Friday after the Fourth, we drove about one hour north to Palm Beach and spent time visiting Whitehall, the winter home of Henry Morrison Flagler. Flagler is known throughout Florida for building the Florida East Coast Railway system that linked the entire east coast of Florida, from Jacksonville to Key West. According to the brochure, Flagler was a founding partner of Standard Oil, the most profitable corporation in history, and they claim he was THE earliest and most important developer of Florida. Along with the FEC Railway, Flagler built a series of luxury hotels and developed some two million acres of land. The railway line is definitely his legacy, though!
I had heard about Whitehall from friends, so when I suggested to my darling husband we should head north, he was doubtful. He loves the railroad, though, so when I read to him about Flagler's background, he decided it sounded like it would be worth the trip. And, I'm happy to report, IT WAS!
We arrived about 11 AM and there weren't many cars in the parking lot. We knew a lot of folks were making the weekend a long one, so we figured they had gone somewhere else. The admission is $18 for adults and $10 for kids, and I think it's worth the cost. When you walk up to the house itself, you can feel the history. And, when you enter the house, it's like stepping back in time.
I have to admit that I am at a loss for words to describe what I saw and smelled and experienced. Nothing was overlooked in the creation of this "house." From the wood floors to the frescoed ceilings, and all the details in between, it was clear that money was no object and the Flagler's wealth was on display for all of their friends to enjoy!
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| The breakfast room, above. Lace curtain detail below. |
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| The ornate lamp shades caught my eye, as did the carpets. |
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| There are a lot of statues throughout Whitehall. |
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| Second floor guest rooms open onto this wonderful porch! |
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| Each bedroom has its own unique design style and appears authentic. |
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| I loved this room! You can see the bed reflected in the mirror. The detail, below, is one of many charming accents throughout. |
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| I tried to capture a detail in each of the rooms. The above statue was on the bedside stand in the room below. |
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| What can I say? Great use of color! |
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| The lighting in these rooms is minimal, making it feel so authentic. On the day we visited, it was overcast with clouds, so there was no sunlight to aid the photographer, and flash wasn't permitted. Above and below are glimpses of the "master" bedroom. |
If you'd like to see more of the photos I shot during our visit, please visit my Flickr page here for the entire set. And, if you're considering visiting Whitehall, here's the link to their web site. I promise: if you love Florida's history, you'll enjoy this place! Thanks for visiting my little travel blog!
