Dorothy's Florida Adventure: And then there was Palm Beach Gardens:

No sooner had David made the transition and was easily commuting to Newnan, than he came home with the news that his company was going to relocate everyone from his division to Palm Beach Gardens Florida within the next year and half.  We decided to consider this an "adventure."  My roots were in Carrollton and I had no intention of transplanting them elsewhere.  We had lived in Orlando for three years so we were familiar with Florida.  My basic memory of Orlando was the heat and the supersonic growth.

I had visited West Palm Beach when my aunt Esther’s sister Irma lived there; and later David and I had toured the Flagler mansion on the way to a visit to Miami Beach.  We were not certain we really wanted to move, but decided to at least have the company give us the tour and specifics before we made a final decision.

After the flight down, I remembered why I disliked flying so much.  When flying back and forth to the UK several times during my stay there and in the years we would travel over to see David’s family, security involved putting the hand luggage in the machine, taking a coat off, and passing though a scanner  -- that was it.  Now we had to find small bottles to decant my contact solution, purchase small tubes of toothpaste, etc.  There had always been some restrictions on carry-on size, but it was now really a pain as many more passengers carried bigger and bigger hand luggage so they would not have to pay for a checked bag.  David likes to sit by the aisle and I like the window, but no such luck.  I had the window, but David had to sit in the middle seat – not his favorite spot. The flight attendants were great – handing me a blanket and pillow (I am always cold so I try to sleep during flights) and extra peanuts for snacks.

The hotel did not have a shuttle from the West Palm Beach airport, so several of his co-workers on the same plane joined with us in finding a van taxi to the Hilton Gardens Inn in Palm Beach Gardens.  After an uneventful ride, we settled into a room overlooking the large lake just outside the hotel.  There was a “meet and greet” scheduled for that evening, so we unpacked and rested a while before we headed down to the event.  If I remember correctly, it was a buffet where we could grab a quick bite and then meet some of the other couples down for the tour.  After a short round of introductions, it was time for us to hear the schedule for the next two days.  The company had big plans for us to tour the city, dine at two of the best waterfront restaurants, take a boat tour down the inland waterway to see Palm Beach from the water, and meet with real estate agents to look at possible apartments.

John D. MacArthur, a millionaire insurance magnate and landowner, founded the city of Palm Beach Gardens in 1959.  His plans were to develop 4,000 acres into a beautiful garden city for 55,000 people where houses and services would be built around beautiful waterways, lush foliage, and winding streets named after flowers. He specifically stated that the development would not endanger any trees that had been growing a long time.  The city now spans 56.16 square miles with over 50% of its land mass either forested or landscaped green space.

While the city was being developed, in 1961 Mr. MacArthur heard of an 80-year-old Banyan tree that was in danger of being taken down in an adjoining city because it was threatening the foundation of the owner home and damaging the street in front of her house.  MacArthur wanted to save the tree, so he had it moved from its location to a specially prepared hole at the entrance to his new city.  This was no easy feat as the tree weighed 75 tons, was 60 feet tall, and had a limb spread of 125 feet.  It took the city six months to prepare the tree for its move.  According to the official history from the city’s website:

“On the morning of April 26, 1961, John D. MacArthur sent two cranes to lift the tree onto two cargo trailers for the move to its new home five miles away. However, an unforeseen problem arose when a feed mill truck burst and spewed 10,000 gallons of molasses onto a roadway that was specially bulldozed to move the tree. The fill used to cover the spill raised the roadway just enough to make the tree hit and snap several railway signal lines which caused crossing gates to close for eight miles. Additionally, a cable parted while the tree was being hoisted over 18-foot Western Union lines connecting southern Florida with the rest of the world. The tree dropped when one of the cables being used to hoist the tree over the train tracks snapped under the heavy strain of the tree. When the 1:30 p.m. train came down the tracks it was forced to stop and workmen quickly got busy sawing off the limbs of the tree to clear the tracks. Thirteen minutes later the train was on its way again.

“Shortly after 2:00 p.m., the tree was dropped into the large hole that had been prepared. The Rev. A. P. Snyder of St. John's Evangelical Church said a prayer. Mr. MacArthur traveled with the entourage the whole trip and threw the first shovel of dirt over the roots of the tree. The entire process cost $30,000 and 1008 hours of manpower. Approximately one year later, a second tree was moved to keep company with the first tree. It was a smaller tree weighing only 40 tons.

“When people questioned the expense of moving older trees instead of planting new ones, Mr. MacArthur responded by saying, "I can buy anything but age. This tree will be the centerpiece of our entrance, and while we could plant a little one there, I wouldn't be around 80 years from now to see it as it should be". Mr. MacArthur’s philosophy continues today, as the City Council and staff apply strict guidelines for landscaping and aesthetics in all current and future development. The two Banyan trees remain standing proudly at the entrance to the City of Palm Beach Gardens as a reminder to us all.”

We passed the banyan tree on our bus tour, and it is big and beautiful -- just as described in the website.    

After a short box lunch, we were off to the boat tour of the Inter-coastal waterway that would take us along the backside of the sixteen-mile Palm Beach barrier island.  It was named by early settlers who salvaged the cargo of cocoanuts from the shipwrecked “Providencia,” and planted the cocoanuts not native to South Florida in an effort to begin a commercial cocoanut industry. The island being the closest to the Gulf Stream, produces lush gardens, palm lined beaches, boat docks with yachts as big as houses, and architecturally stunning homes.   We had been warned to use restroom facilities before getting on the tour boat as it no facilities.  That was good, as there were drinks of all kinds available as well as finger sandwiches and snacks.  Looking at all those multimillion dollar houses used for about two weeks in the winter season made me feel happy to be where I was in the social scale.  After the boat tour, we were taken to one of the most popular (as evidenced by the number of cars in the parking lot) restaurants for dinner.  It was lucky that I had not eaten many of the snacks on the boat tour as the entree at the restaurant was more than I could eat.

The next day was devoted to looking at apartments.  Our real estate agent spent the morning and early afternoon taking us to various furnished and unfurnished apartments throughout the area.  Lunch was at a popular local sports bar hangout. As we were planning to bring Alice down with us, it was imperative that we find an apartment that allowed pets. In addition to looking at Abacoa townhouses, we also looked at two possible apartments in high rises on the beach. After looking at apartments, our agent drove us along the coast so that we could see the beach. The Sea Turtle Festival was in full swing, so we were unable to look at the museum there.  We arrived back at the hotel just in time to board the bus for dinner at another waterside restaurant. 

The restaurant was a “classy one” with our group being settled in a dinning room surrounded by library looking shelves and a view of the wine cellar.  The food here was great even though I could not eat everything on the plate.  The wine flowed freely as everyone toasted everyone else.  It has to be a quick dinner, as everyone had to be at the airport early to catch a flight the next morning.

I took some bottled water to drink as we waited.  That was a big mistake! I had forgotten the liquid limitations so at the security checkpoint, I was taken aside for my carry-on to be searched and  my water bottles confiscated.   Embarrassed no end, I boarded the flight to back to Atlanta.

We returned home with a decision to make. The company offered David an increase in salary to offset the higher cost of living and promised him a laboratory to run.   We could take Alice, but Leo would have to stay behind because of his ability to scratch the furniture.  David could have taken a job in Newnan, but it was one he already done.  I was not too keen to move, but I knew Margaret could handle the store, so I was not worried about that part of the move.  We had to make up our minds so that we would be settled in Palm Beach Gardens by November.   It was a tough one.

Dorothy's Florida Adventure: Indianapolis and Museums

           Driving into Indianapolis was completely different.  We approached the city from the southeast, as that was the location of our hotel.  The tour of the facility was scheduled for the next morning, so we took a “dry run” tour on our own so we could find the building.  As it was on the grounds of the Indianapolis Airport, it was easily located. After a restful night, we set out in the morning to look at David’s possible office location.  The building was HUGH to put it mildly—and David’s company was using only one section of it.  As the company was attaching the upright tips to the wings on commercial jets large hangers were needed accommodate the plane and work on it from three different levels.  There was a corridor with service bays all along one side and larger work areas on the other.  We seemed to walk for miles just to reach the end of the building – the fact borne out by the mileage markers on the corridor walls.  We met some of David’s co-workers already relocated to Indianapolis who showed us their office – a windowless inner office along the main corridor.   It was actually depressing.

            After the tour of the facility, we headed to the Indianapolis Museum of Art.  At the entrance was the art work “LOVE” by Robert Indiana.  The ground bounded the White River and featured beautiful gardens as well as  the beautiful Oldfields-Lilly House and Gardens. Entering the Oldfields estate, a 22 room mansion owned by Indianapolis businessman E. J. Lilly, through the west side gardens brought me to a stop.  The formal garden looked familiar – just like ours at home!  When I asked the receptionist in the home about them, she said Olmstead brothers had designed the gardens.  The individual who had designed our garden at home, J. Leon  Hoffman, had worked with the Olmsteads before setting up his business in Atlanta.  No wonder the gardens had a familiar feel!

            Other than getting lost in the wilds of Louisville, the return trip was uneventful.  The Speed Art Museum is the oldest museum in Kentucky.  Founded in 1925 by Harrie Bishop Speed, in memory of her husband, James Breckinridge Speed, the museum opened its doors in 1927 with an exhibition sponsored by the Louisville Art Association.  Through the years, the museum has expended several times and includes beautiful art works.

            Once we had toured the museum, it was time to hit the road again. The crack had grown a bit, but it did not obstruct my vision, so it was on to Carrollton.  David had an interview planned for a company located in Newnan.  It was still a commute, but a better one than to the Atlanta airport area.

            (We later heard that David’s section had been sold.  The new owners closed the Atlanta site and laid off the remaining staff, including those who had transferred to Indianapolis.  Whew!!!)

Dorothy's Florida Adventure: Kentucky and Cincinnati Art Museum

            Not certain just what awaited us at the Big Bone Lick State Park, we were delighted to find that it had been a place where prehistoric animals such as bison, primitive horses, giant mammoths, mastodons, stag-moose, and ground sloth had come to feed on the swampy land.  As these large animals fed, the swampy “jelly” land gave way under their weight and they sank.  Carnivores looking for a quick meal would feast on the trapped animals, only to sink into the quagmire.  The result was a bounty of large bones scattered throughout the area.

            Later, settlers began to collect the big fossils and also make use of the salt deposits left by the two salt streams that fed into the main river.  Hearing of the fossil finds at Big Bone Like, in 1807, President Thomas Jefferson sent General William Clark with a party of ten men to collect fossils.  After studying the fossils, Jefferson kept a third, sent a third to the American Philosophical Society in Philadelphia, and the remaining third to the Museum d’Histoire Naturelle of France.

            During the 19^th century, Big Bone Lick enjoyed the distinction of being a health resort.  The mineral waters that had attracted the prehistoric animals in the past now drew thousands of people to “take the water” at the park.  The Clay Hotel and bathhouses lined the creek.  The guest continued to bath in the “healing waters” until 1847.

Walking around the park, it was impossible to escape the sulfur smell that rose from the streams.  Of course, I was one of those individuals that met the soggy stream first hand as I lost my footing and found myself  looking skyward from the middle of a muddy section of sulfur water.  The back of my jeans and top were soaked;  and I smelled awful.  There were rest rooms in the shop, so I tried to wipe the caked mud off to reduce the smell, but it was of little use.  One quick look through the shop and I left, giving David my purchases. Luckily a change of clothes was easy to do, but my skin and hair still had a slight smell of sulfur as we drove out of the park.

            One of the most beautiful sights we encountered was our entrance to Cincinnati from the bridge over the Ohio River.  It is beautiful city!  We had driven through the city years ago returning from Chicago to Georgia, but had never seen it coming from the south.  I think there was an “Oh my God!” said as we crossed into the city. The Cincinnati Art Museum was easily found.  It was free and beautiful.  We had a great time just going through the collections and enjoying the atmosphere.

Dorothy's Florida Adventure: The Adventure Begins

            In the beginning it was going to be Indianapolis.  David’s company had decided that the Atlanta division would be closed and everyone relocated to Indiana.  I don’t have anything against Indianapolis – we had travelled through it twice on our way to Chicago the summer we married as my friend from the University of Georgia days had secured me a temporary position as a reference librarian at Roosevelt University.  The drive through the city had been a break from the never-ending flat landscape of farms and field.  I just didn’t want to have to deal with the snow again.

Having resided in Maryland for fifteen years and seen a “boatload” of snow most winters, it was nice to be home in Carrollton where there was very little snow and ice.  The jonquils bloomed in March and the azaleas in April, not like May and June in Maryland. We would need to find a furnished apartment; and there did not seem to be many of them in Indianapolis.

            Before we made the final decision, the company scheduled us a trip to Indianapolis.  Of course, on the way, we scheduled side trips to see the tar pits at Big Bone Lick State Park in Kentucky, Cincinnati Art Museum, and the museum in Louisville. Starting out early to miss the Atlanta traffic, we were soon on the Interstate above Chattanooga. Suddenly there was a large cracking sound that made me jump.  There was this starburst on the edge of the windshield of the driver’s side. Knowing that there was a possibility it would grow and we could be pulled over by a state patrol officer, I made a quick call to Whitman’s in Carrollton to ask Jack’s advice.  Assured that as long as the crack did not obstruct the driver’s vision and that it could not break because of the plastic between the sheets of glass, we headed towards Kentucky.