PALM BEACH

 

Palm Beach was established as a resort by Henry Morrison Flagler, a founder of Standard Oil, who made the Atlantic coast barrier island accessible via his Florida East Coast Railway. The nucleus of the community was established by Flagler’s two luxury resort hotels, the Royal Poinciana Hotel and The Breakers Hotel. West Palm Beach was built across Lake Worth as a service town and has become a major city in its own right.

Flagler’s house lots were bought by the beneficiaries of the Gilded Age, and in 1902 Flagler himself built a Beaux-Arts mansion, Whitehall, designed by the New York–based firm Carrère and Hastings and helped establish the Palm Beach winter “season” by constantly entertaining. The town was incorporated on 17 April 1911.

An area known as the Styx housed many of the servants, most of whom were black. The workers rented their small houses from the landowners. In the early 1900s the land owners agreed to evict all of the residents of the Styx (who moved to West Palm Beach, Florida) and Edward R. Bradley bought up much of this land. The houses were razed, according to the Palm Beach Daily News.

First National Bank of Palm Beach (12275)

 

First National Bank Post Card

First National Bank Post Card

1902 Plain Back $5 Note Charter #12275

1902 Plain Back $5 Note
Charter #12275

 

Organized Sept. 22, 1922 and after two years was merged into the First American Bank and Trust Co. of West Palm Beach on Jan. 3, 1924.  This is the only known note on the bank and town which issued only 1902 $5 notes.  Engaved signatures of F.E. Becker, cashier and  J.L. Griffin, president.  This is one of only three chartered banks in Florida that had engraved signatures on Third Charter issued notes.  The other two banks were the FNB of West Palm Beach charter #11073  and the American National Bank of  Pensacola chater #5603, all others were hand signed or stamped signatures.  Engraved signatures had no line under them for signers.

 

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