The Archives
The Preservation Foundation’s Archives and Library exist to sustain the mission of the Foundation by collecting, preserving, and providing access to historically significant records that document the Town of Palm Beach’s architectural, environmental, and social heritage. Housed on the first and second floors of the Foundation’s headquarters, the archives and library steward resources that are available to the Palm Beach community as well as architects, students, and scholars. These collections advance the Foundation’s mission by facilitating the preservation of and access to invaluable historic documents.
Featured Collections
Architectural Collections
The Archives maintain the architectural collections of four prominent Palm Beach architects: Marion Sims Wyeth (1889-1982), Belford W. Shoumate (1903-1991), Henry K. Harding (1904-1984), and John L. Volk (1901-1984). These collections contain over 45,000 original renderings and approximately 4,000 historic images that document the progress and completion of these projects. In addition to these main architectural collections, the Foundation holds additional architectural and design-related collections from architects Addison Mizner, Eugene Lawrence, Maurice Fatio and interior designer Polly Jessup. Similarly, these collections contain original drawings and blueprints, images, and paper materials.
Architectural Image Collection
The Architectural Image Collection is comprised of two smaller collections containing historic photographs, slides, and negatives. The Barbara Hoffstot Image Collection was donated in the late 1990s and includes over 200 original photographs from the publication of Landmark Architecture in Palm Beach. These images are interfiled in the Property Files Collection and arranged by address. In 2017, Patrick Montgomery donated over 2,000 photographic negatives taken by society photographer Bert Morgan and his son Richard. The images found in the Bert Morgan Image Collection document Palm Beach’s architectural and social history from the 1930s-1970s.
Property Files Collection
The Archives house over 3,000 property files that document vital information about the built environment of Palm Beach. The collection is arranged by address and contains real estate brochures, photographs, newspaper clippings, historic designation reports, and other relevant property information.
The Library
The Robert M. Grace Library, named in honor of a founding member of the Foundation, is a beautiful reading room with a comfortable seating area overlooking Pan’s Garden. The library is home to approximately 1,600 fiction and nonfiction publications on Palm Beach, architecture, horticulture, and Florida history. The books are organized according to subject dictated by the Library of Congress Classification system. In addition, the Foundation has a small collection of non-circulating rare books on Florida history and Palm Beach architectural history that is stored separately in a climate-controlled area.
Exhibitions
The Foundation’s library also hosts periodic museum exhibits which celebrate the lives and works of prominent Palm Beach architects, designers, and residents whose contributions to the beauty of the island are still evident today. The library complements the Foundation’s archival collections and promotes historic preservation advocacy and education initiatives. Click here to view past exhibitions.
Policies
Research at the Foundation
The Foundation is committed to making our archives accessible for research. To access our archives, please fill out the form below or see contact details below. Research requests are approved at the discretion of the Preservation Foundation. Finding aids for our collections are available upon request.
rights and reproductions
The Foundation’s archives hold an extensive collection of historic images, periodicals, architectural drawings, and more. The materials within the collections held by the Preservation Foundation of Palm Beach Archives are intended for research, educational, or informational purposes only. Materials in these collections may be under copyright protection, and copyright restrictions may apply. Written permission must be obtained from the copyright holder and the Preservation Foundation Archives to copy, publish, or otherwise reproduce.
Donations
If interested in donating collections to the Foundation, please reach out to the archivist with information and photos of your collection and its history. If the Foundation is interested, an informal consultation will follow. Materials donated without prior consultation are unable to be accepted by the Foundation due to a lack of legal and contextual information.
Our collecting priorities include:
- Architectural collections specific to Palm Beach, including those by prominent architects or with clearly labeled addresses in the Town of Palm Beach.
- Images of Palm Beach architecture, specifically images ranging from the 1930s-1980s.
- Records and materials related to influential Palm Beach figures.
- Rare books with subjects relating to: Florida history, Palm Beach, architecture, and prominent Florida architects.
- Other records relating to: Palm Beach architecture, architects, horticulture, history and preservation.
Materials will not be accepted if they match any description below:
- Materials not clearly labeled
- Damaged, moldy, or pest-infested materials (negotiable if materials are extremely rare or valuable)
- Materials requiring permanent or very lengthy restrictions
- Digital records that are stored in media that is permanently inaccessible due to obsolescence
- 3D objects or other materials that cannot be accommodated within the Foundation’s existing storing and/or shelving
- Collections where large portion of related materials are held by another institution
Location
311 Peruvian Avenue
Palm Beach, FL 33480
Contact
Hours
Monday-Friday, 9 am-5 pm
Closed on major holidays.