Preservation Foundation of Palm Beach facts for kids

The Preservation Foundation of Palm Beach is a special group that works to save and celebrate the old buildings, amazing architecture, and rich history of Palm Beach, Florida. It's a nonprofit group, which means it doesn't make money for itself. Instead, it uses its funds to help the community learn about and protect the historic places that make Palm Beach unique. The foundation does this through educational programs, special events, and by sharing information about architecture.

History of the Foundation

The Preservation Foundation of Palm Beach started in 1981. Its main goal is to honor and protect Palm Beach's beautiful old buildings and public spaces. Judge James R. Knott, who loved history, helped create the foundation.

The group has worked with local government to create rules that protect Palm Beach's important buildings. Famous architects like Mizner, Wyeth, Fatio, and Volk designed many of these buildings. Their styles are very special and add to the town's charm. The foundation helps people learn about these historic places. It also works to stop new buildings from replacing old ones and to keep old buildings from falling apart. Saving and fixing up historic buildings and public areas can help the town's economy and culture grow.

The foundation has achieved many great things. They saved Sea Gull Cottage, which is the oldest house in town. They also helped restore the historic Town Hall. The group created the Earl E.T. Smith Preservation Park. They started a special history program for fourth-grade students. They also restored the Little Red Schoolhouse, which is the oldest one-room school in Southeast Florida. This school now offers a "living history" program. The foundation also created Pan's Garden, a beautiful garden in the town center. It teaches people about native plants and butterflies. The foundation has also helped protect open spaces owned by the town. They have also helped make sure neighborhood building rules are followed.

Awards for Preservation

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

• The Ballinger Award celebrates a restored building or a new building that looks like the original historic homes. This award started in 1987. It honors Robert I. Ballinger Jr., who worked hard to make people proud of the island's architecture.
• The Polly Earl Award began in 2005. It honors a Palm Beach property owner who has done a great job preserving a historic building. This award is for restoring a landmark or an important historic property. Mrs. Earl was the foundation's executive director for about 20 years.
• The Elizabeth L. and John H. Schuler Award was also started in 2005. Mr. and Mrs. Schuler created it to recognize new buildings. These new buildings must be designed to fit in with the traditional styles of the town's architecture. John Schuler was the chairman of the town's Architectural Review Commission.

Heritage Education Programs

In 1987, the Preservation Foundation of Palm Beach started its Heritage Education Program. This program teaches children about Palm Beach's history and culture. It uses local architecture and historical items to do this. The program offers workshops in several schools in or near Palm Beach.

Since 1990, teachers from Palm Beach County have joined special training workshops. These workshops, sponsored by the foundation, teach teachers how to create their own local history programs. In 1993, the Florida Trust for Historic Preservation gave the foundation an award. It was for their outstanding work in education with the Heritage Education Program.

Archives and Library

The foundation has an Archives and Library. This is where they collect, save, and organize historical documents and research materials. These materials help the foundation continue its mission. The collection includes books, old documents, and photos. They cover topics like architecture, Palm Beach, Florida history, historic preservation, and even garden design. The archives and library are located at the foundation's headquarters. They are available for the community to use.