Skip to content
  • Plan Your Visit
  • Get Directions
  • Museum Store
Donate
Historical Society of Palm.Beach County
  • Museum
    • Plan Your Visit
    • Tours
    • Student Tours
    • Exhibits
    • Virtual Museum
  • Get Involved
    • 2025-2026 Season Guide
    • Membership
      • Personal Membership
      • Corporate Membership
    • Volunteering
    • Giving
  • Programs & Events
  • Research
    • Archives
    • Research Room
  • Education
    • Resources
      • Lesson Plans
      • Traveling Trunks
      • Pop-up Exhibits
    • Education Videos
    • Education Articles
    • Speakers Bureau
  • Historical Society
    • About Us
    • Awards
      • Judge James R. Knott Historical Contribution Award
      • Fannie James Pioneer Achievement Award
  • Museum
    • Plan Your Visit
    • Tours
    • Student Tours
    • Exhibits
    • Virtual Museum
  • Get Involved
    • 2025-2026 Season Guide
    • Membership
      • Personal Membership
      • Corporate Membership
    • Volunteering
    • Giving
  • Programs & Events
  • Research
    • Archives
    • Research Room
  • Education
    • Resources
      • Lesson Plans
      • Traveling Trunks
      • Pop-up Exhibits
    • Education Videos
    • Education Articles
    • Speakers Bureau
  • Historical Society
    • About Us
    • Awards
      • Judge James R. Knott Historical Contribution Award
      • Fannie James Pioneer Achievement Award

Tag: Lantana

Contact Us

Phone: 561.832.4164

Mail:
P.O. Box 4364
West Palm Beach, FL 33402

Visit:
300 N. Dixie Highway
West Palm Beach, FL 33401

MUSEUM HOURS

Mon – Sat 10 am – 4 pm
Sunday Closed

HSPBC ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE HOURS

Mon – Friday 9 am – 5 pm

Instagram

Join the Historical Society of Palm Beach County, Join the Historical Society of Palm Beach County, Johanna Ortiz, and Sage & Madison for an exclusive shopping experience in Sag Harbor Village. ✨

#HistoricalSocietyofPalmBeachCounty #JohannaOrtiz #SageAndMadison #SagHarbor #SagHarborVillage #TheHamptons #HamptonsShopping #ExclusiveShopping #ShoppingExperience #PalmBeachStyle #FashionAndStyle #SupportLocal #ShopLocal
Welcome to the Archivist’s Corner, where every pho Welcome to the Archivist’s Corner, where every photo and object has a story.

Did you know that one of Palm Beach County’s earliest pioneers was also a talented artist? 

When George W. Potter (1851-1924) was a young man, he created cartoons for the Cincinnati Enquirer, developing what would prove to be a lifelong talent for drawing and sketching. In 1884, George and his brother, Dr. Richard Potter, decided to move to Florida, homesteading a parcel of land near modern-day Southern Boulevard. They hoped that the balmy, tropical climate of the area would soothe George’s asthma.

During this period, South Florida was still a remote outpost cut off from the rest of the U.S., home to indigenous peoples, lighthouse keepers, and stray pioneers seeking to take advantage of the Homestead Act of 1862, which freely granted 160 acres to anyone willing to build their own home, cultivate their land, and live on it for five years. George (and Richard) Potter decided to do exactly that. His house was built from materials found along the beach, and he dubbed it Figulus, the Latin word for “potter.” George became integral to the development of the county, becoming its first surveyor in 1888, and later helping to found both its first real estate firm and oldest business (a lumber firm).

But while establishing himself in South Florida, George’s talent for drawing and sketching flourished, creating artwork that vividly captures the everyday experiences of Palm Beach County’s earliest pioneers. Many details about the scenery of nineteenth-century South Florida are brought to life by George’s sketches, allowing us to understand better daily life during the pioneer era. His drawings are both beautiful and informative relics of a now distant, but highly local, past.

#PalmBeachCountyHistory #PalmBeachHistory #SouthFloridaHistory #FloridaHistory #FloridaPioneers #PalmBeachPioneers #LocalHistory #HistoricPalmBeach #History #MuseumHistory #ArtHistory #HistoricalSociety #PalmBeachCounty #WestPalmBeach #SouthFlorida #GeorgeWPotter #PalmBeachCountyHistoryMuseum
What makes an object in a museum truly unforgettab What makes an object in a museum truly unforgettable? Sometimes, it is the story behind it. 🌊🏄‍♂️

In this video, Tom Warnke, Executive Director of the @surfingfloridamuseum, takes us inside Surfing Florida: A Photographic History to highlight one of the fascinating objects on display and share the story behind it.

From historic surfboards and vintage photographs to the people, places, and moments that shaped Florida's surf culture, this exhibition is packed with incredible stories waiting to be discovered.

Whether you are a lifelong surfer, a beach lover, a history buff, or simply looking for something fun to do this summer, come experience the history of Florida surfing for yourself.

🌊 Surfing Florida: A Photographic History
📍 Historical Society of Palm Beach County
🎟️ Free admission
📅 On display through October 31

Come see the stories, the boards, the photographs, and the history that helped make Florida surfing iconic.

#SurfingFlorida #PalmBeachCountyHistory #SurfCulture #FloridaSurfing #SurfHistory #FreeMuseum #SummerFun #FamilyFun #WestPalmBeach #ThePalmBeaches #MuseumExhibit #HistoricPalmBeachCounty #SupportLocalMuseums #PhotographyExhibit #FloridaHistory
🔎 Get a closer look at Benjamin Franklin: Creating 🔎 Get a closer look at Benjamin Franklin: Creating an American Icon with Zachary Jacobson, the collector who spent decades bringing this remarkable collection together.

Join Zach for a special tour and discover the fascinating stories, rare treasures, and behind-the-scenes details that bring the exhibit to life.

📅 August 1, 8, 18 & 22
⏰ Noon

Reserve your spot at pbchistory.org and experience the exhibit from the perspective of the collector who made it possible! 

Thank you to our sponsors, Gunster and Forman Capital, for helping bring this remarkable exhibition to our community.

@gunsterlaw

#BenjaminFranklin #BenjaminFranklinExhibit #CreatingAnAmericanIcon #AmericanHistory #HistoryMuseum #MuseumExhibit #PalmBeach #WestPalmBeach #PalmBeachCounty #SouthFlorida #HistoryLovers #MuseumTour #BehindTheScenes #RareBooks #AmericanHistory250
Welcome to the Archivist’s Corner, where every pho Welcome to the Archivist’s Corner, where every photo has a story. 

Ever wondered what Palm Beach looked like before cars and roads?

For many years, part of the island’s intrigue and appeal to permanent residents and wealthy tourists was that they didn’t need paved streets to navigate their small community. Especially during the era of Henry Flagler’s glamorous hotels, Palm Beach’s prestige was based on its status as a remote tropical outpost, peacefully cut off from the hustle and bustle of modern life.

As seen in the first photo, tourists often relied on horse-drawn buggies to transport them through the island’s rustic but scenic trails. We see North County Road as it appeared in the 1890s, years before actual streets were paved on the island in the 1910s, when a chunk of land south of Flagler’s Royal Poinciana Hotel was dredged, filled, and platted for the construction of bungalows and cottages.

By the 1930s, modern life had caught up with Palm Beach. The second photo shows us what it looked like at its junction with the same North County Road featured in the first photo, but years later. Both photos highlight Palm Beach’s transformation from an isolated tropical getaway for the few to a fully modernized tourist destination for the many.

#PalmBeachHistory #HistoricalSocietyPBC #PalmBeachCountyHistory #PalmBeach #FloridaHistory #HistoryMatters #ThenAndNow #LocalHistory #HenryFlagler #HistoricPalmBeach #OldFlorida #VintageFlorida #SouthFloridaHistory #HistoryLovers #ExploreHistory
📰 Step back to 1738 and see history in print. On 📰 Step back to 1738 and see history in print.

On display in Benjamin Franklin: Creating an American Icon is an original issue of The Pennsylvania Gazette from 1738, published when Benjamin Franklin was the newspaper's sole proprietor. One of the most influential newspapers in colonial America, The Gazette helped shape public opinion and spread ideas that would define a nation.

This remarkable piece is just one of the many rare artifacts featured in the exhibition, alongside books printed by Franklin, portraits and busts from his lifetime, and historic objects that explore how he became one of America's most enduring icons.

📅 On view through August 31, 2026
📍 Richard and Pat Johnson Palm Beach County History Museum
🎟️ Complimentary Admission

Presented in honor of America's 250th anniversary.

Special thanks to our sponsors, Gunster and Forman Capital, for making this exhibition possible.

#PBCHistory #BenjaminFranklin #PennsylvaniaGazette #America250 #HistoryMuseum #WestPalmBeach #PalmBeachCounty #FoundingFathers #MuseumExhibit #FreeAdmission
Congratulations to our Surf's Up Giveaway winner.. Congratulations to our Surf's Up Giveaway winner... Brett Thomas!

Thank you to everyone who entered and shared your favorite South Florida beach memories. We loved seeing all of your surfing, boogie boarding, and beach adventures!

Brett Thomas, please send us a direct message to claim your prize package!

Didn't win this time? You can still catch the wave by visiting Surfing Florida: A Photographic History, now on view at the Richard and Pat Johnson Palm Beach County History Museum through October 31, 2026.

Discover the photographs, historic surfboards, and stories that celebrate the people and culture behind Florida's surfing legacy. Best of all, admission is FREE!

Plan your visit at pbchistory.org.

Thank you to our friends at @surfingfloridamuseum for helping us celebrate Palm Beach County's incredible surfing history!

#SurfingFlorida #HistoricalSocietyPBC #PalmBeachHistory #FloridaHistory #SouthFlorida #SurfCulture #MuseumLife #FreeMuseum #ExploreFlorida #VisitPBC #SupportMuseums
Welcome to the Archivist’s Corner, where every pho Welcome to the Archivist’s Corner, where every photo has a story... and sometimes the newspaper spills all the tea.

William and Viola Landes are pictured on the left with friends on Lake Trail in 1919, posing with their “Red Bug” race cars. But what is the story behind the photograph? 

William Landes, a Palm Beach photographer, placed a classified advertisement in the Palm Beach Post on a Saturday in March 1919, requesting to purchase a Red Bug at a low price. The Landes were likely preparing to compete in the Red Bug races held along Lake Worth. 

In November of 1919, William parked the Red Bug on Clematis Street, perhaps to make a trip to the Bank, or a pharmacy. 

The vehicle survived the races unscathed, only to be “smashed” by a touring car backing into a parking spot on Clematis Street. A police officer was present to document the incident.
Together, photographs and newspaper clippings tell a richer story than either can alone. 

Stay tuned for more hidden gems from the archives!

#ArchivistsCorner #PalmBeachHistory #HistoryMuseum #SouthFloridaHistory #FloridaHistory #HistoricPhotos #Archives #ThenAndNow #LoveWhereYouLive #HistoryLivesHere #PBCHistory
Follow Us On Instagram

The Historical Society of Palm Beach County is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to preserving, interpreting, and sharing the rich history of Palm Beach County. Through stewardship of archives, exhibitions, and educational programs, we connect our community to its past to inspire understanding and appreciation for generations to come.

©2025 Historical Society of Palm Beach County, All Rights Reserved. | Site By Immersive Spaces, LLC​

Facebook Youtube