The seeds for Henry Flagler's "drift south" from the cold winters of Ohio and New York were likely started by Henry's first wife Mary Harkness. Mary Harkness had always fought bronchial infirmity, and when she was a young girl in Bellevue, Ohio, her father Dr. Lamon G. Harkness sent her to a boarding school in Savannah, Georgia for the winter months to protect her health. It was common in those days for doctors to recommend that patients go to other more favorable climates as a way to cure medical conditions.
After Mary and Henry were married, she bore Henry's only children - Jennie, Carrie and Henry. However, Mary continued to be challenged with respiratory problems. In the intervening years, Henry was consumed with building Standard Oil. The family moved to New York City when Standard Oil moved its headquarters there in 1877. Mary kept the family together, but her health still suffered. So, the Flagler family (Henry, Mary, little Harry, Jennie, and her first husband, John Arthur Hinckley) spent the winter of 1877-1878 in St. Augustine. Sadly, Mary Flagler lost her fight with her health issues in 1881 and passed away at the age of 47. In 1882, as a way to create more of a family atmosphere now that Mary had passed, Henry bought Satanstoe(also known as Lawn Beach)…a forty-room home on 32 acres in Mamaroneck, NY for $125,000. Henry's trips to Florida were limited then and the family spent more of their leisure time at their Satanstoe home. In 1883, Henry married Ida Alice Shourds who had been Mary's lady's maid and nurse.
In 1885, at the age of 55, Henry returned to St. Augustine, Florida with his second wife, Ida Alice. They stayed at the San Marco Hotel.
While he loved the quaint town of St. Augustine and envisioned turning St. Augustine into the Newport, Rhode Island of the South, he was struck by the state's lack of infrastructure, including its limited transportation options.
During Flagler's era, Newport, RI, stood as the primary summer retreat for the social elite, especially those hailing from New York City. In fact, the New York Times dedicated a regular section to report on the social activities in Newport for many years!
The tradition of affluent Americans seeking refuge in Newport, Rhode Island during the summer months was initiated in the early 1800s by wealthy plantation owners from the South, including those from Florida, South Carolina, and Georgia. These individuals journeyed north to Newport to escape the oppressive southern heat of the summer. The trend gained momentum, with a significant portion of New York's social class opting to spend a 6-8 week summer season in Newport. While there were warmer winter retreats for the well-heeled easterners, such as Aiken, SC, Savannah, GA, Charleston, SC, and Augusta, GA, Henry Flagler recognized the potential of Florida as a warmer and superior winter destination. This realization led him to concentrate on developing Florida into a winter resort hotspot.
Henry invested in Florida's railway system and commenced the development of the state's tourism industry by constructing lavish hotels along the railway line. Eventually, his personal and business interests in Florida converged, establishing him as a major force in shaping the state's future. In the early 1800s, wealthy Americans, particularly plantation owners from the South like those from Florida, South Carolina, and Georgia, instigated the trend of spending summer months in Newport, Rhode Island, seeking respite from the stifling heat of the South. Over time, this trend expanded, drawing even the social elite of New York to spend 6-8 weeks in Newport during the summer. Recognizing the need for a comparable escape for wealthy northerners during harsh winters, Henry Flagler spearheaded the development of Florida as a sought-after winter resort destination.
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