The West Palm Beach Downtown Development Authority (DDA) will soon launch a new program called Historic Trolley Tours in Downtown West Palm Beach. The tours, which will take place aboard a signature bright-red trolley, will entertain and educate guests about Downtown’s historical buildings and landmarks. The tours are scheduled to begin on Friday, February 29, 2008 at 3 p.m. and Sat., March 1 at 11:30 a.m. and will run bi-weekly at the same times through May 2008.
The 45-minute tours will take place in the 1945 era just as World War II was ending and will be narrated by local actress Tiffany Lewis, acting as a woman who’s engaged to a serviceman returning home from the war. She will take patrons on a journey through the Clematis District’s vibrant development and distinctive architectural styles, from the pioneering days of the early 1900s and the real estate boom of the 1920s, to the continued revitalization present today. Highlighted stops include the Cuillo Theatre; West Palm Beach's first “skyscraper,” the 10-story Comeau Building; the vernacular-style Harris Music Lofts, built in 1902; and the Downtown waterfront, which is in transition to once again become a centerpiece of Downtown.
“The historic trolley tours will be an exciting, engaging way for local residents and visitors to learn about the dynamic – and often surprising – history of Downtown West Palm Beach,” said Melissa Wohlust, executive director of the DDA. “So many milestones and moments have transpired here since the early 1900s, so the tour will be a fascinating way to learn about all the buildings and landmarks that surround us each day.”
The tour will also travel north to Palm Beach Lakes Boulevard as it makes a giant loop around the Downtown District, showcasing the history of some of the city’s most important landmarks, including the 1916 Courthouse located on South Dixie Highway that is currently being restored to its original, neoclassical grandeur, and will become home to the area's first countywide history museum when it opens in Spring 2008. Other highlights include the CityPlace located-Harriet Himmel Theatre, which was previously a church; Providencia Park (which includes tales of rum runners from the Bahamas!); the Meyer Amphitheatre; Rosarian Academy, a private Catholic school; various historic churches including the Payne Chapel, Tabernacle Baptist and St. Ann’s Roman Catholic Church; and the West Palm Beach Fishing Club.
The DDA’s historic advisory committee, which selected the locations and compiled the data, includes Elizabeth Hoffman, DDA marketing coordinator; Debi Murray and Tony Marconi of the Historical Society of Palm Beach County; Jillian Papa, historic preservation planner for the City of West Palm Beach; Rick Gonzalez, local historian and CEO of REG Architects; and West Palm Beach resident Leesa Gordon, who wrote the script.
WHAT: Downtown West Palm Beach Historic Trolley Tours, led by the Downtown Development Authority
WHEN &
WHERE: The tour runs bi-weekly on Fridays at 3 pm and Saturdays at 11:30 am.
Tours beginning and concluding at Pioneer Linens (210 Clematis Street): Fri., Feb. 29 at 3 pm; Sat., March 1 at 11:30am; Fri., March 14 at 3 pm; Sat., March 15 at 11:30 am.
Tours will begin and conclude at the Palm Beach County History Museum (corner of N. Dixie Hwy and 3rd St.) once open: Fri., March 28 at 3 pm; Sat., March 29 at 11:30 am; Fri., April 11 at 3 pm; Sat., April 12 at 11:30 am; Fri., April 25 at 3 pm; Sat., April 26 at 11:30 am.; Fri, May 9 at 3 pm; Sat., May 10 at 11:30 am; Fri., May 23 at 3 pm; Sat., May 24 at 11:30 am.
COST: $5 for adults; $2.50 for children 10 and under
Reservations are not required, but space is limited.
CONTACT: For reservations, please contact the DDA at (561) 833-8873 or please arrive at least 15 minutes prior to the tour’s departure time. |
The tour is $5 for adults, and $2.50 for children 10 and under. Reservations are not required. For more information or to make a reservation, please contact the DDA at (561) 833-8873.
