Earlier this year it appeared that a compromise was finalized that would preserve some of the facades of Hollywood's Great Southern Hotel, but would permit a 19-story condominium building to be built on site, set back about 40 feet from the facade.

In agreeing to the compromise, the Hollywood Historical Society issued a cautionary explanation:

This compromise was reached because the Great Southern’s historical significance to the City of Hollywood has been overlooked by the community, the preservationists, and the City of Hollywood. The structure has been privately owned, negatively altered, and has finally arrived at its present condition: "deterioration by neglect". It is unfortunate, but not unexpected, that certain individuals protested that the preservation community, (in particular the HHS) failed to exert the utmost effort to save this structure. Had these same individuals been vocal and proactive many years ago, perhaps the community might have salvaged, restored, and made this historic building an integral part of the revitalization and redevelopment of historic downtown Hollywood. We are disappointed that we could not convince our community and its leaders that this was an integral and contributing asset to the City of Hollywood and its unique character and history. We are satisfied that the HHS was able to achieve some positive accomplishments in determining the final development of this site. In March, 2005, the HHS signed an agreement with the developer. The hard work now begins to insure the facade is restored properly during the construction phase.

Not everyone is willing to go along with the compromise. A group called Friends of the Great Southern, Inc. has formed in an effort to preserve the structure in its historical configuration. Leaders of the new organization include Richard Vest, owner of the Joseph W. Young mansion in Hollywood, Florida, and two of Joseph W. Young's descendants, Rene Ann Tewkesbury, his great granddaughter, and William Young, his great, great grandson.

In looking through the Friends of the Great Southern Hotel website, it is obvious that their vision for the historic structure is preferable to that now planned, but the question to be answered is whether or not it is possible.

At the time of first contact between Europeans and the indigenous peoples of Florida, southeastern Florida was the home of the Tequestas.

Although recent archaeological discoveries have expanded our knowledge of the Tequesta, they still remain shrouded in mystery. It seems that they were in some ways subservient to the Calusa culture of southwest Florida.

The archaeological information from the precolumbian period provides no evidence that the Tequesta were organized in as complex a fashion as the Calusa. There are no village sites with large mounds thought to be associated with a paramount chief like the Calusa's. Yet documents from the 1560s and later periods do indicate there was a head chief of the Tequesta, who resided in their main village and controlled several other villages and their leaders . . . .

But Tequesta political organization was only a dim reflection of that of the Calusa. The Tequesta chief ruled over a much smaller population and did not control outlying, non-Tequesta villages or chiefs. The Tequesta chief was forced to show allegiance to the Calusa chief, maintaining that alliance through exchange marriages of chiefly relatives. Even so, at least on one occasion the chief of the Tequesta was not above trying to instigate his own initiatives and challenge Calusa authority. When he failed he had to face the wrath of the Calusa chief

(excerpt from Jerald T. Milanich, Florida Indians and the Invasion of Europe, p. 54)

Continuing yesterday's history of Pompano's early business organizations:

Along about 1925 Pompano's first Chamber of Commerce was organized. For about a year it was actively engaged in promoting the interests of the Town, but, strange to say, it met with considerable opposition on the part of the farming community. There was a widespread belief among the farmers that the Chamber of Commerce advertising would result in bringing additional farmers to Pompano, which might in turn result in an over production of vegetables and lower prices. The continual and rapid growth of the farming industry here since that time has disproved the validity of the farmers' fears.

After about thirteen months operation while housed in the Dixie Building on Old Dixie Highway, where quarters were furnished free by the late William L. Kester, the Chamber of Commerce peacefully passed out of existence.

Officers of the organization were John W. Walton, president, R. L. Merwin, vice-president, H. H. Sours, vice-president, H. Massell, treasurer, E. P. Scott, secretary, L. S. Warren, Dr. J. M. Moore, I. B. Hilson, V. T. Mavity, William H. Blount, F. M. Carson and W. H. Shuford, directors.

Although not mentioned in the above account, the devastating 1926 hurricane and the subsequent collapse of the Florida Land Boom were, no doubt, contributing factors in the early Chamber's demise.

(excerpt from Pompano Beach Golden Jubilee program, 1958)

Founded in 1948, the Greater Pompano Beach Chamber of Commerce is one of the important organizations in the community. It was originally located in a frame building on Atlantic Boulevard at NE 20th Avenue. Soon it moved two blocks east to its current headquarters.

This was not the first effort to form a advocacy group for local businesses:

On December 1, 1914, when Pompano was part of Palm Beach county, seven local citizens made application for a charter for the Pompano Board of Trade. The application was duly accepted and the charter issued. Capital stock was limited to $3,000 to be raised by selling thirty one-hundred dollar shares. The charter was limited to ninety-nine years. The Board of Trade building stood at the foot of Second avenue, near the [Pompano] canal.

Those who signed the application for the charter included C. D. Hinson, George L. Blount, A. W. Turner, R. A. Hardin, J. W. Walton, Walter Smith and I. I. Hardy. When stock in the Board of Trade was offered for sale by the above named promoters it was rapidly subscribed by the following who became stockholders: George G. Currie, William Peoples, Mrs. Ollie Tinney, William H. Blount, W. N. Shuford, J. Devotie Blount, E. E. Hardy, David G. Smith, G. R. Howell, N. R. Smith, Jesse Hardy, C. A. Purvis and W. C. Moon.

According to the charter the new organization was empowered to purchase, lease, own, manage and sell residences, rooming houses, stores, hotels and any other kind of building; to sell , mortgage, sublet, pledge, hire, lease or convey property and invest in such manner as may be determined to promote manufacturing of any and all kinds in the Town of Pompano and vicinity and if need be to conduct the same, and to make contracts, agreements, covenants, options and obligations of any kind for the furtherance of the affairs of the company.

It is not clear how long the Board of Trade was in business, but by 1925 the town's business leaders were forming a Chamber of Commerce.

(excerpt from Pompano Beach Golden Jubilee program, 1958)

The first Florida railroad was formed in 1831 as the Leon Railway Company. By 1836 it was in operation from Tallahassee to the St. Marks area, on the Gulf of Mexico, a distance of twenty-three miles. The trains on this line were operated solely by mule power.

In 1839, the first steam railroad in Florida, and one of the first in the South, was built from Iola, on the Apalachicola River, to St. Joseph on the Gulf of Mexico, a distance of twenty-two miles. It required two and a quarter hours to make the trip and two trips were made every day. The cost was $300,000.

The rails were brought from England, but the cars and engine were made in the United States. There was a car for passengers who were handled very much as was freight. Each passenger had to: "procure his ticket at the office before the starting of the cars, and no person will be allowed to take his seat without his name is entered on the waybill."

Because the town officials of St. Joseph were afraid that the sparks from the engine would set the town on fire, they passed an ordinance to the effect that: "no locomotive engine shall pass (by steam) into any part of the corporate limits of this city . . ." When the train approached the city the blowing of a whistle announced the fact. A dozen mules with cables were attached to the train, which was then drawn to the depot and warehouses. The destruction of St. Joseph by yellow fever, in 1841, put an end to the railroad which had never been a success financially.

By the time of the Civil War, Florida had over 400 miles of operating railroad, all in north Florida.

(excerpt from Ida Keeling Crisp, The History of Florida Agriculture: The Early Era, pp. 42-43)

Last week the Pompano Beach Historical Society installed its officers and trustees for the 2005-2006 year.

Officers elected are:

President - Jerry Bowman
First Vice President - Shirley Farris
Second Vice President - Larry Sands
Third Vice President - Miriam Hood
Secretary - Claudia DuBois
Treasurer - Don Maule

Joining the board of trustees for the first time are Judy Knoebel, Brian McHugh and Karl Weaver.

Merrill Pridemore decided to step down from the board at this time, but pledged to continue to support the mission and programs of the Historical Society. We thank him for his service.

A complete list of the Historical Society's board members can be found here.

The Pompano Beach Centennial Celebration Committee will meet on Wednesday, May 25th, 6:30 PM, at the Dick & Miriam Hood Center, 217 NE 4th Avenue, Pompano Beach.

Those interested in participating the in the planning for Pompano Beach's 100th Anniversary in 2008 are invited to attend.

The Pompano Beach Historical Society's annual award for preservation of our history was presented last night to Eldes Whitsett.

Over the years Eldes has been a strong supporter of the Historical Society and has served to further its mission in a wide range of capacities, from selecting Pioneer Day nominees, to developing historical exhibits, to writing thank-you notes to those who make donations to the organization.

A life-long resident of Pompano Beach, the Historical Society is much stronger for having her as an active member.

Previous award winners have been: Don Downie (2002), David Butler (2003) and Bud Garner (2004).

The Seminole's are such a fixture of modern South Florida that it is easy to forget that several times their existence was quite precarious.

Of course the first instance was during the decades-long Seminole Wars. At the end of those conflicts, in the 1850s, the number of Seminoles remaining in Florida numbered in the low hundreds.

But almost one hundred years later, in 1953, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a resolution proposing termination of Seminole Tribe as a recognized governing unit. In 1957, the Seminoles were able to gain federal status as the Seminole Tribe of Florida.

In 1962, the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida secured similar federal recognition.

Who (or what) is Copans Road named for?

Congratulations to Pompano Beach Vice Mayor Susan Foster and Broward County Mayor Kristin Jacobs, both of whom were honored by the Broward Trust for Historic Preservation for their outstanding efforts to save the historic Bank of Pompano building.

The awards were presented at the Broward Trust's inaugural annual meeting on May 5th at the Old Davie School.

On Thursday, May 12th, the Historical Society hosted a reception for Green Market sponsors, volunteers and vendors, thanking them for helping to make this season a big success.

Stalwart Green Market volunteers Paul Whitsett and
Brandon Whaley at the reception.

Commissioner Kay McGinn, Historical Society President Tom DiGiorgio, Jr.
and Broward County Mayor Kristin Jacobs.

The growth and popularity of the Green Market is entirely attributable to the encouragement, hard work and dedication of hundreds of people. Thank you all.

It happened far away from Pompano Beach, but it foretold what was coming.

On this date in 1940, Winston Churchill gave his first speech as Prime Minister to the British House of Commons. That speech contained one of Churchill's most famous quotes, "I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat."

Have you subscribed to the Pompano Beach Green Market email newsletter? It gives the latest information on who's selling what each week, as well as other information on what's going on.

To subscribe, just send an email to greenmarket@pompanohistory.com with the word "subscribe" as the subject.

The Historical Society will end its "season" on Wednesday, May 18th, with an old fashion covered dish supper. Members and the public are invited to bring a dish to the Dick & Miriam Hood Center (217 NE 4th Avenue, Pompano Beach) at 6:30 PM that evening for what invariably turns out to be the best meal in town.

Also, that evening the Society will present its annual award to an individual who has exhibited sustained effort to preserve the history of Pompano Beach. Previous recipients have been Don Downie, David Butler and Bud Garner.

Officers and trustees for the coming year will be installed at the meeting.

"After rejecting a continuing series of proposals to become a part of the Town of Pompano and have beach properties listed on municipal tax rolls, residents of [the beach area] turned out at the Pompano Beach Bathing Pavilion and Dance Casino at a meeting sponsored by the Pompano Beach Improvement Association to organize a municipal government for the Town of Pompano Beach on June 15, 1946. Newly elected officials included Charles Dickson, a banker from Syracuse, New York, mayor; J. Allison Banks, Council president; Richard Rogers, Mary Beale, Phyllis Uibel and James B. Wilson, Jr. council members; Mrs. Hugh Stillman, town clerk; and C. E. Jones, town marshal. The first order of business was the appointment of M. A. Hortt, William L. Kester, Hugh D. Stillman, A. W. Schmidge, S. E. Northway, W. H. Johnson, J. Newton Wall and Andrew Brennan to a commission charged with drafting a zoning code for the oceanfront municipality."

(Excerpted from "Pompano in Perspective" by Marlyn Kemper)

With plans afoot for the construction of the present-day Intracoastal Waterway, a marine boulevard for pleasure boating and commercial water traffic, Pompano experienced its first growth spurt. Actual work in the nautical equivalent of U.S. 1 stretching from Jacksonville to Miami began in 1883. Among Pompano's first residents, surveyors Franklyn Sheene and George Butler came to this area upon being hired by the Florida East Coast Canal and Transportation Company to plat the several thousand acres of land that had been deeded to the firm in return for the construction of that part of the Intracoastal Waterway stretching from Jupiter to Biscayne Bay, a channel when dubbed the East Coast Canal which was fifty feet wide and five feet deep when finished in 1890. The nucleus of the original Old Pompano was at Southeast Sixth Street at Lettuce Lake, now called Lake Santa Barbara, so initially named because of the lettuce-like vegetation growing there. Here Sheene and Butler established their homesteads.

(Excerpted from "Pompano in Perspective" by Marlyn Kemper)

Collier, one of the state's newer counties, was created in 1923 and named for Baron G. Collier, a Memphis-born millionaire who came to southwest Florida and became a major developer of what had been little more than frontier settlements.

The area's past is commemorated in the Collier County Museums, located in Naples, Immokalee and Everglades City.

The Naples museum, located near the county courthouse, contains exhibits on the scope of the region's history as well as items such as a logging locomotive, swamp buggies and a World War II Sherman tank.

The Immokalee museum is a 15 - acre site that tells the story of the area's cattle ranching history, while the Everglades City museum tells the story of humans in the Everglades.
All three county-run museums can be visited during a single day trip from Pompano Beach, or could be part of a weekend getaway.

Pompano Beach is the second oldest municipality in Broward County, having been incorporated in 1908.

"That year, on June 6, thirty-one qualified voters convened at the Florida East Coast Railway depot and initiated a new period of community growth when they resolved that the Town of Pompano be created.

"In an election where only men could vote, the town's founding fathers designated John R. Mizell, a onetime customs collector from Pensacola, mayor and police judge; J.K. Peacock, proprietor of a general store at what is now Flagler Avenue and First Street, council president; and George L. Blount, Sr., clerk. Council members included E. Rogers, J.K. Howell, D. Smith and A. W. Turner. Since the Town of Pompano was then a part of Dade County, Blount's first mission was to travel to Miami on July 3, 1908, in order to file a copy of the proceedings with Circuit Court Clerk J.T. Merritt in Dade County Courthouse."

(Excerpted from "Pompano in Perspective" by Marlyn Kemper)

Although the regular Green Market season ended last weekend, on April 30th, you will still be able to get your fresh produce, seafood, baked goods, orchids, teas and coffees at the Summer Green Market.

Located in Founders Park (NE 2nd Street, between 3rd and 4th Avenues), the Summer Green Market will be open every Saturday, from 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM.

While you are at the Summer Green Market, visit the Historical Society's "Kester Cottages" museum, also located in the park.

What used to be Preservation Week has been expanded to include the entire month of May, allowing more opportunities to explore the diversity and uniqueness of our nation's historic structures.

Restore America: Communities at a Crossroads is the theme of the month-long celebration, which is sponsored by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Each week of the month is dedicated to a specific aspect of that theme, including, in order, Preservation Begins at Home, Historic Travel, Heritage Education, and The Diversity of Preservation.

The Pompano Beach Historical Society will hold its final public meeting of the 2004-05 "season" on Wednesday, May 18th, 6:30 PM at the Dick & Miriam Hood Center (217 NE 4th Avenue, Pompano Beach, FL 33060).

As is its tradition, the Historical Society will host a covered dish supper that evening, and members and friends are invited to bring a dish to share. The Society's covered dish suppers are invariably the best meals in town.

That evening the Society will install its incoming officers and directors, and will present its annual award to an individual who has made a major contribution to the preservation of Pompano Beach's history.