Palm Beach Florida received its first palm trees when the Providencia, loaded with Cuban coconuts, shipwrecked off the coast in 1878. Only 14 miles long and 1/2 mile in width, with a population barely exceeding 10,000, glamorous Palm Beach has a century old reputation as one of the world's most powerful magnets for the the rich and famous.

Henry Morrison Flagler put Palm Beach on the map when he opened the Royal Poinciana Hotel in 1894 and promoted the island as the country's premier winter resort. In 1901 he built the mansion Whitehall (photo upper right), now the Henry Morrison Flagler Museum, for his wife, Mary Lily Kenan.

Today, the town's unique Palm Beach hotels and restaurants rank among the finest in the world. Worth Avenue shops are on par with Beverly Hill's Rodeo Drive. Fabulous mansions continue to be built adding to the charm and ambiance of the classic Fatio, Mizner, and Wyeth designed structures. The Palm Beach legacy continues into the 21st century as an immortal oasis of beauty and elegance.

The Complete Guide to Palm Springs!