Lake Park in Palm Beach County, Florida — The American South (South Atlantic)
Lake Park Town Hall
Photographed By Tim Fillmon, July 13, 2016
1. Lake Park Town Hall Marker
Inscription.
Lake Park Town Hall. . Boston entrepreneur Harry S. Kelsey founded Kelsey City in 1921. He envisioned his town as a resort mecca and winter retreat for wealthy northerners. The Town hall was designed by architect Bruce Kitchell in 1927 and was built by Arnold Construction Company. Constructed of stuccoed brick and clay tile, this Mediterranean Revival jewel has stylistic features reflective of the late Italian Renaissance, including a rusticated frontispiece, decorative window surrounds and a water table supported by brackets. The Town Hall originally housed the Police and Fire Departments, Town Administration, Library, and Municipal Courtroom. The land boom collapse in the mid 1920s and the hurricane of 1928, in which the Town Hall served as a shelter for residents, nearly devastated the city. Service organizations provided diversions for those who remained. The Fire Department sponsored dances here in the Mirror Ballroom on the second floor. The ballroom was used for many other social events, such as theatrical performances by the Palm Beach Junior College, which occupied the Town Hall in the 1950s. In 1939 the town changed its name to the Town of Lake Park. Lake Park Town Hall was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1981.
Boston entrepreneur Harry S. Kelsey founded Kelsey City in 1921. He envisioned his town as a resort mecca and winter retreat for wealthy northerners. The Town hall was designed by architect Bruce Kitchell in 1927 and was built by Arnold Construction Company. Constructed of stuccoed brick and clay tile, this Mediterranean Revival jewel has stylistic features reflective of the late Italian Renaissance, including a rusticated frontispiece, decorative window surrounds and a water table supported by brackets. The Town Hall originally housed the Police and Fire Departments, Town Administration, Library, and Municipal Courtroom. The land boom collapse in the mid 1920s and the hurricane of 1928, in which the Town Hall served as a shelter for residents, nearly devastated the city. Service organizations provided diversions for those who remained. The Fire Department sponsored dances here in the Mirror Ballroom on the second floor. The ballroom was used for many other social events, such as theatrical performances by the Palm Beach Junior College, which occupied the Town Hall in the 1950s. In 1939 the town changed its name to the Town of Lake Park. Lake Park Town Hall was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1981.
Erected 1999 by The Town of Lake Park and the Florida Department of State
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. (Marker Number F-416.)
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Notable Buildings. A significant historical year for this entry is 1927.
Location. 26° 47.914′ N, 80° 3.809′ W. Marker is in Lake Park, Florida, in Palm Beach County. Marker is on Park Avenue just east of 6th Street, on the right when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 535 Park Avenue, West Palm Beach FL 33403, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Credits. This page was last revised on March 5, 2018. It was originally submitted on August 21, 2016, by Tim Fillmon of Webster, Florida. This page has been viewed 1,995 times since then and 38 times this year. Photos:1, 2. submitted on August 21, 2016, by Tim Fillmon of Webster, Florida. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.
