CITY OF LAKE WORTH

CITY OF LAKE WORTH
7 North Dixie Highway · Lake Worth, Florida 33460 · Phone: 561-586-1600· Fax: 561-586-1750
ADDITIONS/DELETIONS/REORDER TO
CITY COMMISSION AGENDA
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2011 - 6:00 PM
5. PRESENTATIONS:
D. (Add) Update on the relocation of an historic cottage in Lake Worth
8. CONSENT AGENDA:
F. (Add) Additional vehicles for the City of Lake Worth liquidation auction on October
1, 2011
Dear Commissioner Maxwell,
My cousin, Joy Stone, informed me that you would like a brief synopsis of our effort to date, as
well as a description of what we envision for the cottage. Here is a brief overview:
The effort to save the pioneer cottage began last Spring when our family learned, by chance, that
the Palm Beach Country Club was planning to demolish the structure, located on the golfcourse,
to make way for a new caretaker's residence. The Country Club, while obtaining a permit to
demolish the cottage, agreed to hold off from demolition until August. At the Town Council's
August meeting, the council voted to formally extended the deadline for moving the structure to
September 7th. Pat Burdette, of Modern House & Building Movers, prepared the cottage for
moving in the beginning of September and completed the move to a barge on Saturday,
September 10th. Moving costs of $40,000 were donated by Joy Stambaugh Stone and Betty
Stambaugh Vann. The Palm Beach Country Club also donated the demolition costs of $10,000
toward the move. Jim Vance, of Vance Construction, donated the use of the barge (thus saving
the family an additional $25,000 in costs).
The cottage is now situated on the Intracoastal between West Palm Beach and Palm Beach, and
just to the north of its original site. Different options are being explored for its future home.
Ideally, we would like for the structure to remain as close to its original context as possible.
With this in mind, Jane Day, landmarks consultant for the Town of Palm Beach, along with Bob
Carr, well-known archaeologist, have outlined potential plans for a "Life on the Lake" museum
within the cottage. On the first floor, the exhibit would highlight the life of early pioneer settlers
on Lake Worth. Jane Day contemplates the second floor being used to display prehistoric Indian
artifacts and findings from the island to show how the Native Americans lived on the water. In
addition, Dr. Day envisions an explanation of the ecology of the lake, including an overview of
the transition of the waters from fresh, to brackish, to saltwater, with the development of the inlet
and waterways. This museum could be a wonderful destination for school field trips during the
week, and for the public on the weekends. The family has contemplated maintaining the
structure in its most simplistic form, as it was in its early pioneer days. As with the "Little Red
Schoolhouse" in Phipps Ocean Park, the building might remain without air conditioning to
maintain its original "feel." However, if exhibits warrant air conditioning, this option could be
considered.
Thank you for your interest. I enjoyed meeting you and the Lake Worth staff members and
officials at our meeting --- it was a true pleasure. Please feel free to call me if you need
additional information. My phone number is: (c) (561) 373-2980. Otherwise, we look forward
to seeing you all at Tuesday's meeting.
Best regards,
Joette Stambaugh Keen
PRESERVING
851 NORTH LAKE WAY
The Stambaugh Cottage
Introduction: In April 2011, it was brought to the attention of the Town of Palm Beach Landmarks
Commission that the wood frame vernacular residence at 851 North Lake Way was scheduled for
demolition so that future improvements could be made on the site by the owner, The Palm Beach
Country Club. Because the building has been altered (windows have been replaced, siding was
added over original wood shingles, and porches have been enclosed) the Landmarks Commission
had taken no previous action to protect the structure and it was not a high priority for local
designation. With the impending demolition, however, new information and photographs were
brought forward and submitted to the Commission by the Stambaugh family indicating that the house
has historical importance related to the Town’s pioneer settlement. A review of this new information
by Jane S. Day, the Town’s Landmarks Consultant, indicates that the house would fulfill criteria for
landmarking under Chapter 54 of the Code of Ordinances of the Town of Palm Beach (Historic
Preservation Ordinance). Criterion 1 states that it “Exemplifies or reflects the broad cultural,
political, economic or social history of the nation, state, county or town,” and Criterion 2 states that
it “Is identified with historic personages or with important events in national, state or local history.”
But, while the recently discovered history of the Stambaugh Cottage at 851 North Lake Way suggests
that the building could qualify for local designation, past Town Councils have made it clear to the
Landmarks Preservation Commission that no action should be taken if a demolition permit has
already been submitted. The review of the submitted demolition application by ARCOM will take
place on May 25, 2011.
The History of the Site: The site of the Palm Beach Country Club, where 851 North Lake Way
sits, was originally part of the Harlan Page Dye land holdings on the island of Palm Beach. Dye is
listed in Pioneers in Paradise (Tuckwood and Kleinberg, Longstreet Press, 1994:18) as one of the
Lake Worth area’s first pioneers who arrived between 1873 and 1886. Dye used his land at the north
end of Palm Beach for a variety of purposes. In 1888 he built the sixty-three room Hotel Lake Worth
and when that structure burned in 1897, he abandoned the hotel business and brought in a herd of
dairy cattle to graze on his land. By 1903, the Florida Gun Club moved north from Henry Flagler’s
Royal Poinciana Hotel property. Owners of the Florida Gun Club, C.F. White, Charles Boyce and
John R. Bradley, bought the property for the Club.
The Florida Gun Club, 1903
Photograph Courtesy of the Historical Society of Palm Beach County
The next piece of the story of the house at 851 North Lake Way, like much of Palm Beach’s early
history, is unwritten. No one is sure exactly when the Stambaugh Cottage facing Lake Worth was
built, but its vernacular wood frame style, constructed without an architect, reflects the skill of local
craftsmen and the materials that were available at the time. While the exterior changes that had
suggested the house was too altered for designation remain, an inspection of the interior confirms
that many of the original features (including pine flooring, bead and batten walls and ceilings, and
original front and back doors) are intact. What is not certain about the Stambaugh Cottage is either
the builder of the house or the exact construction date. We do know, however, that by March 23,
1911 Orrel Gleason Stambaugh and Mabel Lucinda Chick Stambaugh were living in the cottage
when their daughter Lily Pearl Stambaugh was born.
Trying to explain the motivation for emigration from one state to another, particularly from
Oklahoma to Florida in the early years of the twentieth century is often difficult. We do know that
Orrel and Mable Stambaugh followed her parents Mr. and Mrs William Albert Chick to Florida in
1910. William Chick left Oklahoma to pursue a career in development and hotel management. He
purchased and operated the Alamanda Hotel in what is now Lake Worth and built the Alma Hotel
in West Palm Beach. Orrel intended to farm in Delray but the poor quality of the soil led him to Palm
Beach before the Town’s incorporation in 1911. The Chicks eventually returned to Oklahoma.
Noah, Orrel, Leroy, and Gleason Stambaugh, date unknown
Courtesy of the Historical Society of Palm Beach County
As plans for farming evaporated, Orrel Stambaugh bought two mules and took up road building.
With his young family living in the Stambaugh Cottage with his parents Lily Lamson and Noah
Benjamin Stambaugh, Orrel rowed across Lake Worth each week where he camped with his crews
and constructed many of the roads in West Palm Beach. He also constructed the Palm Beach Coral
Cut in 1910 and the first Royal Park Bridge (the Middle Bridge) in 1911.
Construction of Okeechobee Road @ 1917
Courtesy of the Historical Society of Palm Beach County
Orrel Stambaugh was not the only family member to make an impact on the history of the Town of
Palm Beach and Palm Beach County. Orrel’s son, Gleason Noah Stambaugh acted as the liaison
officer between the Coast Guard and a temporary reserve unit entrusted with guarding the Port of
Palm Beach during World War II. Between February and May of 1942, sixteen boats were sunk
between Cape Canaveral and Boca Raton by the Germans and the reserve unit worked 24 hour shifts
without pay so that every boat that entered the port could be inspected. Later Gleason Stambaugh
served as the Chairman of the Port of Palm Beach.
The Stambaugh Cottage looking west across Lake Worth @ 1930
Courtesy of the Historical Society of Palm Beach County
Strategy for Preservation: It is clear from this brief outline of the history of the Stambaugh
Cottage and the family who lived in it, that the building could qualify for designation as a local
Landmark in the Town of Palm Beach. Few houses of this frame vernacular type from the early years
of the twentieth century remain. Only three examples are designated and all of those are on Root
Trail. However, because the house stands in the way of improvements that the Palm Beach Country
Club has already applied for it will have to be moved to be preserved. The Club has generously
agreed to donate the house in this effort and has granted access to the structure to representatives
from the Landmarks Commission, Town staff, the Stambaugh family, and a professional house
mover. But the donation of the house alone is not enough. A landing spot must be determined and
funds raised for the project. Besides a complete restoration and removal of inappropriate alterations,
it is also imperative that an adaptive re-use for the Stambaugh Cottage be found. While the tasks
ahead may be monumental, one important precedent is clear and worthy of consideration. In 1984,
the Preservation Foundation of Palm Beach bought Sea Gull Cottage, Henry Flagler’s first home on
the island, for $1.00 after it was slated for demolition by the Breaker’s Hotel. The Foundation
successfully moved the house out of harms way, raised funds for its restoration and had it designated
(after the fact) as a Landmark of the Town of Palm Beach. Today the restored and enlarged Sea Gull
Cottage serves as a Sunday school and meeting place for the Royal Poinciana Chapel.
CITY OF LAKE WORTH
7 North Dixie Highway · Lake Worth, Florida 33460 · Phone: 561-586-1600· Fax: 561-586-1750
MEMORANDUM:
September 19, 2011
AGENDA DATE:
September 20, 2011, Regular Meeting
TO:
Mayor and City Commission
FROM:
Joseph S. Kroll, Public Services Director
TITLE:
ADDITIONAL VEHICLES FOR THE CITY OF LAKE
WORTH LIQUIDATION AUCTION ON OCTOBER 1, 2011
BACKGROUND:
The City Commission approved a city owned liquidation for October 1, 2011at a previous
meeting. Since that time several more vehicles have come due for replacement that have met
their criteria. The vehicles are as follows:
1996 Chevrolet S10 pickup LX
1998 Chevrolet S10 pickup
1997 Ford F150 4x4
1995 Chevrolet CK 1500
1988 Chevrolet 1 tn dump
1989 GMC Sierra 1500 pickup
79,483 miles
55,080 Miles
81,873 miles
95,140 miles
80,370 miles
149,466 miles
Refuse Department
Refuse Department
Utility Department T&D
Refuse Department
Streets Department
Parks Department
OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT & BUDGET BACKGROUND:
Not applicable.
BUDGETARY IMPACT:
All money received from the auction will be deposited into the general fund, Refuse and utility
enterprise funds.
CONSEQUENT ACTION:
Not applicable
1
Agenda Date: September 20, 2011, Regular Meeting
REVIEWED BY AND RECOMMENDATION:
This item was reviewed and approved by the City Manager, Finance Director and the Public
Services Director.
POTENTIAL MOTION:
I MOVE TO APPROVE/DISAPPROVE THE ADDITIONAL VEHICLES FOR THE
OCTOBER 1, 2011, LIQUIDATION AUCTION.
2