Historical Society of Palm Beach County - News - The organization maintains an active research facility in the Paramount Building in Palm Beach. The collections relate to the heritage of all communities in Palm Beach County.
DONALD TRUMP TO BE PRESENTED WITH PRESTIGIOUS JUDGE KNOTT AWARD FOR THE PRESERVATION OF MAR-A-LAGO
PALM BEACH, Fla. (March, 2003)--- The Historical Society of Palm Beach County will present Donald J. Trump with its prestigious Judge James R. Knott Historical Contribution Award for the magnificent restoration of the Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach. The annual award, now in its 14th year, will be held at the Historical Society’s annual membership meeting and reception at The Mar-a-Lago Club on April 5, from 4:00p.m. – 7:00p.m.
Donald J. Trump purchased Mar-a-Lago, the former home of the legendary cereal heiress, Marjorie Merriweather Post (then Mrs. Edward F. Hutton), in 1985 from the Post Foundation. He then began a painstaking, 18-year challenge of restoring the historic, Mediterranean-Revival mansion that has been an icon of Palm Beach life for almost 80 years. All of the 110,000-sq.-ft., 118-room landmark residence, completed in 1927, was restored to its original grandeur, from the ornate interior with 16th century Venetian tapestries and gold leaf moldings, to the signature exterior, complete with a 75-foot tower and coquina and stucco façade. Through his exacting attention to the complex historic preservation process, Trump has transformed the 18-acre estate into what is now The Mar-a-Lago Club without eroding its historic significance or integrity.
“This palatial estate is a hallmark of Palm Beach, representing a unique era in our county’s history,” said Loren Mintz, executive director of The Historical Society of Palm Beach County. “It exemplifies the luxurious lifestyles of the era, led by the social elite of the Eastern Seaboard who flocked to Palm Beach during the 1920s land boom. Thanks to the efforts of Mr. Trump, we are privileged to have a unique glimpse into this fascinating period of Palm Beach life. It is an honor to present him with our highest form of recognition.”
The Historical Society’s Judge James R. Knott Award recognizes the achievements of individuals or organizations that have significantly contributed to preserving and sharing the rich and diverse history of Palm Beach County. The award is named for the late Honorable Judge James R. Knott, a dedicated historian and author who served as the president of the Historical Society from 1957 to 1969. Judge Knott’s most notable achievements include spearheading the efforts to restore the historic name to Cape Canaveral; facilitating the establishment of the Preservation Foundation of Palm Beach and the Landmarks Preservation Commission; and contributing historical articles to the Brown Wrapper newspaper series, which later were compiled into three books. He was also instrumental in obtaining a large portion of the Historical Society’s treasured archive.
For more information about the Judge James
R. Knott Award, contact the Historical Society of Palm Beach
County’s executive director Loren Mintz, at (561)
832-4164.