A special Thank You to The Lake Worth Herald and editor Mark Easton.

The Herald had news last week about Yours Truly, Wes Blackman, giving a presentation tomorrow evening at Lake Worth City Hall. And there was news as well in the Herald about the painting “The Black Diamonds at Jewell” on display at the Historical Society of Lake Worth (see below) and there was more news too from Janet Serrano about the 2019 Cottages of Lake Worth Tour held on January 27th. The event was a huge success.

Find out more details below about the presentation tomorrow evening and the painting on display at the Historical Society of Lake Worth.

The Historical Society of Lake Worth is located at 15 North M Street (the Lake Worth Public Library) and the Lake Worth Historical Museum is a short walk east to the City Hall Annex on the 2nd floor. For hours or to schedule a tour by appointment call 561-533-7354.

These items published in last week’s paper all are about City of Lake Worth history, which may or may not become “City of Lake Worth Beach” history on March 12th, Election Day. On renaming this City it does not look good for passage of Question #1 on the ballot in just twenty days. For an example of what critics are saying this was published in yesterday’s print edition of The Palm Beach Post that, “[C]hanging the name of town the [sic] seem to only promote fear and confusion.”

Fear and confusion?

If you have been attending candidate forums and public meetings, reading The Lake Worth Herald and the latest from Pelican Pete you would understand there is a lot of passion, care, and a deep commitment to this City. But maybe some are misconstruing the passion in this City with terror and bewilderment which are entirely different emotions. Or maybe it’s that some people just aren’t accustomed to life in a quirky little town.


Have you seen Question #1 on the upcoming March 12th ballot? See that ballot language at the end of this blog post.


Have you noticed much “fear and confusion” in this City? Actually this Election Season has been very civilized and respectful compared to past elections. Most likely any ‘fear and confusion’ is coming from somewhere out west in suburban Lake Worth or in the City of Atlantis which should come as no surprise to anyone.

Now to the news in the Herald, an excerpt about the presentation tomorrow evening, 7:00, at Lake Worth City Hall:


Wes Blackman Speaks on LW Beach History

By Marion Cone

Join the Lake Worth Historical Society for an illustrated presentation “Lake Worth’s Reach for the Beach: A Historical Perspective” by Wes Blackman, AICP.

The presentation will focus on Lake Worth’s beach [“Beach” capitalized is also acceptable], the evolution of the barrier island itself and how it has been developed for almost a century as an early and continued use for recreation, including boxing matches and as a tourist attraction. It will focus on the changes in the form of the land, the history of some structures such as the casino [now the Lake Worth Beach and Casino Complex] and others, and the hurricane damage and rebuilding.

It will also include the impact of changes in transportation including the first way to reach the island which was originally by canoe, then ferries, and eventually a bridge. Early on it was said a tall man could cross the lagoon by walking. Also interesting is how the road on the island changed from time to time. You may be surprised about what was then, and what is now.

Now to the painting called, “The Black
Diamonds at Jewell”:

Jewell Painting Loaned to LW Museum

The Historical Society of Lake Worth presented a painting entitled “The Black Diamonds at Jewell” to Librarian Vickie Joslin of the Lake Worth Public Library. The acrylic on hardboard painting by Florida artist Adal Rodriguez is a depiction of first-settlers Fannie and Samuel James in front of their home on the waterfront. During those early years Fannie served as the postmistress for the Jewell Post Office, forerunner of Lake Worth. and ran the post office out of their home.

According to Rodriguez the painting is done in a Caribbean-Folk style, typical of the islands. The painting will be on display at the Lake Worth Historical Museum through October of this year.


Vickie Joslin, MLS, is the Lake Worth Library services supervisor. For more information contact Joslin by email: vjoslin@lakeworth.org

And in conclusion am very much looking forward to the presentation tomorrow at Lake Worth City Hall. Spent the last week or so going through archives of historic postcards and old photos and had a great time doing so and was reminded about early parts of Lake Worth history that continue to surprise and amaze me.

And in conclusion, as to that ‘fear and confusion’ it IS change that has defined us. The public has always been engaged and passionate in this City. And many in the past who have had trouble adjusting to life in this City did move out west somewhere behind walls and high hedges.

Whilst on that topic had a good laugh when someone was confronted by a critic who cited a “City of Lake Worth” water tower and Lake Worth City Hall. In response to that critic a person said that water tower needs to repainted anyhow and Lake Worth City Hall used to be the City’s municipal auditorium. The critic went silent.

The word “Beach” is only one more additional word space and five more letters. Definitely nothing to create “fear and confusion”.

Just vote the way you think is best on Election Day. Yes or No. And no one should complain or be bitter on the evening of March 12th, because the public hath spoken.

Here is Question #1 as it will appear on the March 12th ballot:

NAME CHANGE TO THE
CITY OF LAKE WORTH BEACH.

IN ORDER TO DISTINGUISH ITSELF FROM SURROUNDING UNINCORPORATED AREAS, SHALL ARTICLE I, SECTION 1 OF THE CITY OF LAKE WORTH CHARTER ENTITLED “CITY CREATED” BE AMENDED TO CHANGE THE NAME OF THE CITY FROM THE “CITY OF LAKE WORTH” TO THE “CITY OF LAKE WORTH BEACH?”