The SInging Tower, Lake Wales, Florida

Edward W. Bok built the Mountain Lake Bird Sanctuary and Singing Tower at Lake Wales, Florida, as a token of his appreciation and gratitude for what America had given him.  The tower weighs 5,500 tons, has a square base of 51ft. wide and rises to a height of 205 ft. 2in.  It contains a carillion of 71 bells and is built for the most part from southern materials.  It is a concrete exemplification of Mr. Bok’s creed. 

“Make the world a bit better or more beautiful because you have lived in it.”

Key West February 24, 1954

St. Petersburg, Fla

Dear Clara:

We are here for month vacation and it is a very beautiful spot.  Today have travelled to Key West.  We saw turtles 500lb apiece. 

Love,

Van Clove?

Mrs. Clara Snyder

7524 Fayette St.

Phila (38

PA

The more postcard messages I transcribe, the more I realize that I’m looking at the 20^th century’s version of text messaging.  Text messaging that took days to transmit, but text messaging nonetheless.  “We are here.”  “Today have traveled to Key West.”  “We saw 500 pound turtles.”  Wait, wha?

The 1925 house, although since converted to condos, is still standing.  Ancestry.com lists a Clara Snyder who passed away in Erie, PA in 1959, but no specific results come up in a brief search. 

It is unknown if Van Clove was British and referring to what those turtles may have gone for in London, or if Florida was fending off a monster turtle attack in Lake Wales in 1954.  You may see some monster turtles if you attend the International Carillon Festival this weekend at Bok Tower Gardens?  (Again, I am not a paid sponsor.)

The Singing Tower, Mountain Lake Sanctuary, Lake Wales, Florida

THE SINGING TOWERThe Singing Tower is located on the highest spot in Florida and is surrounded by beautifully landscaped grounds.  –The Sanctuary.  The Tower is built of Florida coquina stone and Georgia pink marble, weight 5,500 tons, and took over two years to complete.  It contains one of the largest and finest Carillons in the world, consisting of 71 bells the smallest bell weighing 17 pounds, while the largest weighs 12 tons.  This beautiful Sanctuary and wonderful Singing Tower were given to the people by Mr. Edward W. Bok as a symbol of beauty, and as an expression of his thanks to the American Flag.  The place has been rightfully called “The Most Beautiful Spot in America.”

July 1944

Dear Davie:

Be a good boy and here’s a big kiss Honey X

Love Mommie and Daddy

Master David Topinka

2331 Charney Rd.

U. Hts. 18

Cleveland, Ohio

There’s no postmark or stamp on this postcard from the mysterious Honey X, but July 1944 is written in pencil with a December 1944 stamp.  Did this card take half a year to arrive in Cleveland?  Thinking that Master David Topinka was probably a child when he received this card, it's very probable he is still alive.  Just not in Cleveland.  His house, built in 1942 is still standing, and recently sold in a transaction that featured no one from the Topinka family.

It is very odd that this postcard declares the bells' weight to be more than the previous card from 13 years ago.  The Great Depression must have had some perverse effect on the laws of gravity.  No matter what the bells weigh these days, you can hear them this weekend if you attend the International Carillon Festival this weekend at Bok Tower Gardens?  (Again, I am not a paid sponsor.)

The Singing Tower, Florida

Tampa, Fla, April 12, 1937

Tampa, Fla.

April 11, 1937

My sister & I are thru work down here now and sorry because we liked our job so well.

It was the most exclusive county club in Fla.  We are starting North Tues. by way of Connecticut to visit awhile.  Our mother came down by train to go back with her.  Hope you are both well.

Love, Peggy

Mr. and Mrs. Russell White

1327 Edgemont St.

Indianapolis, Indiana


Did you know the International Carillon Festival is happening right now at Bok Tower Gardens?  You can purchase tickets at the link, but I am in no way a paid sponsor for the historic landmark, nor am I going to receive any complimentary admission for posting this link.  At least not yet, anyway.  However, in accordance with the festival, welcome to the second in this week's hastily arranged series on Bok Tower Gardens.

If Peggy and her sister were working in an exclusive country club in Tampa, there are two possibilities. The Palma Ceia Country Club was founded in 1916 and is still so exclusive that even its website is members only.  The Temple Terrace Golf Club was founded in 1922, so either club could have laid off the two ladies in the midst of the Great Depression.  it's natural they travelled to one of Florida's oldest and peaceful historic landmarks to convalesce before gaining the strength to travel to Connecticut.  (Again, I am not a paid sponsor.)

There is no Edgemont St. in Indianapolis, but there is an Edgemont Ave., with an old house at the address on the card.  There is an obituary for a J. Russell White, who was a prominent attorney in Indianapolis.  Marion County's property records are difficult to obtain from more than a decade ago, so there is no record of a recent sale of the house.  

A Corner in Mr. Bok's Study in the Singing Tower

"From the Mountain Pines of Maine to the Sunny Sands of Florida"This was Mr. Bok’s private study in the Singing Tower.  The beautiful wrought iron stairway leads to the upper floors.  Except for the room for Mr. Brees, the Carillonneur, this is the only finished and liveable room in the tower.  An automatic elevator leads from it to the upper floor.

St. Petersburg, January 24, 1934

Jan 24/34

The full envelope read this A.M.

Dear Lois and poor Lydia

It’s good to be here in the sunshine.  Going to Lakeland the 25^th for the day.  These go so fast.  I feel rested & contented.  Will write soon-My love is loud, Maude?  Sadie? Looks fine.  Mrs. L. and Florence are delighted to be here.

AAV

Art Department

Syracuse Public Library

Mrs.  Maude Kissel

733 Maryland Ave.

Syracuse, N.Y.

Looks like someone really tried to censor this postcard’s text years before the invention of the Sharpie.  I don’t know what having this postcard in an art department says for the state of Syracuse’s Public Library System, but hopefully they’ve moved past owning creepy portraits of hidden Florida landmarks.

Mr. Bok’s study is actually no longer hidden- you can get a private tour for a relatively small donation to the Bok Foundation!  Maybe you can stop by and check it out when you attend the International Carillon Festival this weekend!  (Again, I am not a paid sponsor.)

According to zillow.com, the 8 bedroom house at 733 Maryland Ave was built in 1900.  It was sold in 1996, and was most likely already converted into apartments as it is today.  There are a number of Kissels in Syracuse, NY, but no historical mentions of Maude, Lois or Lydia.

The Singing Tower, Mountain Lake Sanctuary, Lake Wales, Florida

This beautiful singing Tower, on the highest elevation in Florida, in beautifully landscaped grounds known as the Sanctuary, was a gift to the people by the late Edward W. Bok.The Singing Tower Carillion has 71 bells with 53 notes, or four and one-half octaves.  The total weight of the bells is 123,264 pounds.  The tenor bell alone weighs 11 tons, and the smallest 12 pounds.  It is the finest and largest carillion ever cast.  Height of tower 205 feet, diameter at base 51 feet.

Miami, Fla. March 6, 1931

Visiting Florida

Ames Austin in

Miami & enjoying

Every minute.

Came by boat &

Bought my car.

Limes? And Fruits? From

Tillon? Here Lois

Is entertaining.

Gertrude C.

Mildred Copeland

17 Sefton Drive

Edgewood, R.I.

Now we know what the bells weigh.  The same bells you could be hearing if you attend the International Carillon Festival this weekend at Bok Tower Gardens?  (Again, I am not a paid sponsor.)

Gertrude fancies herself an imagist poet to her friend Mildred.  No historical records for Midred come up in a search, but the house comes up in Google Maps.  Edgewood is actually a neighborhood in Cranston, RI, which Seth MacFarlane states as being the inspiration for Family Guy's fictional setting of Quahog.

"Singing Tower" at Night Time, Mountain Lake Sanctuary, Lake Wales, Fla.

Postmarked Wil? Fla.  1955

The weather is de-lightful.  It was too warm for a sweater today when I went shopping.  Gib is an inspector for “Snow Crop” orange juice.  Don’t know whether this is the answer or not.

Kay.

Miss Beatrice Miller

374 N. 12^th St.

Lebanon, Pa


The weather is de-lightful!  Too bad the postmark cut off at the top- we don't know if Kay was in Williston, Wildwood, or Williamsburg- and none of those places are close to Lake Wales, or Bok Tower.  One thing is for certain, Snow Crop Orange Juice was the first of two companies to introduce frozen orange juice concentrate to U.S. consumers, so yes, Kay, Gib found the answer!

Lebanon, PA is a town of about 25,000 people in eastern Pennsylvania.  It's full of history, and even has a recent eponymous movie shot in the town.  There is a census record for Beatrice Miller, born around 1928 in Lebanon, which would put her at a plausible age to receive this card.

Bok Tower will be showing up quite a bit in my postcards, as it is one of the first tourist attractions in Florida.  I personally urge you to visit, especially if you live in Orlando.  Since you'll be seeing the Gardens quite a bit in the upcoming months, I'll transcribe the description on the card itself:

THE SINGING TOWER FROM THE NORTH,
LAKE WALES, FLORIDAThe Mountain Lake Singing Tower is located on the highest land in Florida and it is surrounded by 48 acres of beautifully landscaped grounds, - the Sanctuary.The tower is built of Florida coquina rock and Georgia marble, and is 205 feet high and 51 feet in diameter at the base.  The Carillon with 71 bells varying in weight from just a few pounds to about eleven tons, is one of the finest and largest ever cast.

Oh, and here's an ad (for sale at adclassix.com!) for Snow Crop Orange Juice in 1954, just before Gib started working there.