Henry Flagler married his third wife, Mary Lily Kenan in 1901. She was 34 and Henry was 72, a 38 year difference. Henry built Whitehall in Palm Beach, Florida as a wedding present for Mary Lily. It was completed in 1902 and is one of the largest homes in the United States, spanning over 100,000 square feet, and was designed in the style of the "cottages" in Newport, Rhode Island, where the Flaglers often spent time with the Pembroke Joneses at Sherwood Lodge. Henry envisioned Palm Beach as the new Newport and Whitehall was a testament to that ambition.
The Flaglers did not spend much time at Whitehall. It was mostly used as a winter cottage that they used for approximately 6-8 weeks every year, similar to the way Newporters used their summer cottages. The rest of the year was spent at Kirkside in St. Augustine and in New York at Satanstoe/Lawn Beach in Mamaroneck, NY. In fact, after Henry Flagler passed away, Mary Lily only came back to Whitehall once. Mary Lily died four years after Henry passed away, and Whitehall was left to her niece Louise Clisby Wise Lewis, who sold the property to investors. The new investors constructed a 300-room, ten-story addition to the west side of the building, obliterating Mr. Flagler's offices and the housekeeper's apartment, and altering the original kitchen and pantry area.Carrere and Hastings were the architects of the 1925 reconstruction.
In 1959, the site was saved from demolition by one of Henry Flagler's granddaughters Jean Flagler Matthews. She established the Henry Morrison Flagler Museum non-profit corporation, which purchased the building in 1959, opening it as a museum in 1960. The upper ten stories of the hotel addition were demolished in 1963 in preparing the museum for the public.
Today, Whitehall is the Flagler Museum and is open to the public, showcasing Gilded Age art, architecture, and history. Visitors can tour the historic home, view exhibits on Flagler's life and legacy, and attend various special events and programs throughout the year. Most of the furniture in the museum is original and was furnished by the Flaglers themselves. If you are interested in learning about the life and times of Henry Flagler, the Flagler Museum is the perfect destination. For more information, visit https://flaglermuseum.us/.
The video below gives you a nice overview of Whitehall.
The Flagler Museum has done an awesome job of fully restoring one of Henry's favorite Pullman cars, number 91. Railcar No. 91 was built in 1886 by the Jackson & Sharp company for the personal use of Mr. Flagler and can be seen at The Flagler Museum.
The video below is a great walkthrough of Flagler's Railcar No. 91.
Note that Flaglers FEC #90 car is housed at the Monon Railway museum in Monon, Indiana. You can see some of that car here https://mononconnection.net/flagler-car-90/
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