Preservation Foundation of Palm Beach facts for kids

The Preservation Foundation of Palm Beach is a special group that works to protect the old and beautiful buildings, designs, and history of Palm Beach, Florida. It's a non-profit group, which means it doesn't make money for itself. Instead, it uses its efforts to help the community. The foundation wants everyone to learn about and save the historic buildings that make Palm Beach unique. They do this through different activities like teaching programs, helping people find information about old buildings, and holding cultural events.

History of the Foundation

The Preservation Foundation of Palm Beach started in 1981. Its main goal is to honor and save Palm Beach's amazing old buildings and public spaces. A dedicated historian named Judge James R. Knott helped create this foundation.

The group has worked with local governments to create rules and laws that protect Palm Beach's important buildings. Architects like Mizner, Wyeth, Fatio, and Volk designed many of these unique and important buildings. The foundation helps people learn about and appreciate these historic structures. They also work to stop new construction or changes that might harm these old buildings. Saving and fixing up historic places can help the local economy and culture grow.

What the Foundation Has Saved

Over the years, the foundation has achieved many great things:

• They saved the oldest house in town, called Sea Gull Cottage.
• They helped restore the historic Town Hall.
• They created the Earl E.T. Smith Preservation Park.
• They started a special history program for fourth-grade students.
• They restored the Little Red Schoolhouse, which is the oldest one-room school in Southeast Florida. This school now offers a "living history" program where kids can experience what school was like long ago.
• They created Pan’s Garden in the middle of town. This garden teaches people about local plants and butterflies.
• They have also helped protect open spaces owned by the town.
• They have made sure that neighborhood rules about building are followed.

Sometimes, building owners donate special "facade easements" to the foundation. This helps protect the outside look of buildings and can also save owners money on taxes. Millions of dollars have been used over the years to buy property and fix up old buildings.

Awards for Preservation

The foundation gives out several awards to encourage people to protect Palm Beach's historic buildings and culture:

• The Ballinger Award: This award celebrates the best restoration of an old house or a new building that fits in with the traditional style of Palm Beach. It started in 1987 to honor Robert I. Ballinger Jr., who worked hard to make people proud of the island's architectural history.

• The Polly Earl Award: Started in 2005, this award recognizes a Palm Beach property owner who has done an amazing job helping with preservation. This often means restoring an important historic property. Mrs. Earl was the foundation's executive director for about 20 years. The first award was given for restoring a house on Seabreeze Avenue.

• The Elizabeth L. and John H. Schuler Award: Mr. and Mrs. Schuler created this award in 2005. It honors new buildings that are designed to match the traditional architectural styles of Palm Beach. John Schuler used to lead the town's Architectural Review Commission.

Heritage Education Programs

In 1987, the Preservation Foundation of Palm Beach started its Heritage Education Program. The main goal is to teach children about the history and culture of Palm Beach. They do this by looking at local buildings and old cultural items. The program offers workshops in several public and private schools in or near Palm Beach.

Since 1990, teachers from Palm Beach County have attended special training workshops from the foundation. These sessions teach teachers how to create their own local history programs in their schools. In 1993, the Florida Trust for Historic Preservation gave the Preservation Foundation of Palm Beach an award for its excellent Heritage Education Program.

Archives and Library

The foundation has an Archives and Library. This is where they collect, keep safe, organize, and share historical documents and research materials. They have a collection of books, old documents, and photographs. These materials cover topics like architecture, Palm Beach history, Florida history, historic preservation, and even gardening and landscape design. The archives and library are located at the foundation's main office and are available for the community to use.