Palm Beach Revisted
While the seasons are longer and the prices higher, the community remains unchanged.
A little more than a century ago, in January 1904, the editors of Town & Country published a story titled "Palm Beach in All Her Glory." The text proclaimed that "the rapid evolution from a primitive, unknown little collection of cabins and boarding-houses scattered among the coconut trees on the edge of Lake Worth, in Southern Florida, to perhaps the most conspicuous and magnificent winter resort in the country has been a striking example of modern progress." During the colder months, many of the United States' wealthiest citizens flocked to this tiny island, which was then a thirty-six-hour train ride from New York.
Palm Beach was the perfect retreat for those fond of outdoor activity, and whether promenading about town, enjoying a round of golf or listening to a concert under the palm trees, visitors took full advantage of the warm climate. In those days, rooms at the Breakers could be had for five dollars a night, and beachgoers at the hotel were held to a strict dress code: "Every lady should wear stockings with her bathing suit,...the stockings should be black in color, and...they should meet the suit with no flesh visible."
Today flesh is flaunted, and guest rooms are many times more expensive. The social season lasts six months, instead of barely three, and many have chosen to live on the island year-round. What hasn't changed is Palm Beachers' love for their community. And as T&C declared 100 years ago, "The most fastidious and luxurious tastes may be gratified at Palm Beach." That still holds true.
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