Bok Tower

When we were at the Snow Bird Extravaganza we picked up a couple sample packages of Louisiana Gumbo Spice mix.  I tried it out with chicken and spiced sausage and it has been slow cooking for two days. I tried it on the Hollinger's for lunch today.  Gumbo and biscuits....wow we are becoming southerners!!! 

John and Judy had toured the Bok Towers last year and wanted to show us around.  After lunch we headed off for the 85th anniversary celebration.  The gardens were started in 1921 on 250 acres by Edward Bok who was a Dutch immigrant that made it good as an author and  the editor of the "Ladies Home Journal".  He and his wife lived in nearby Lake Wales in the winter months.  He used to walk on the hill nearby called Iron Mountain.  This hill is reported to be the highest point in Florida.  He decided to turn the hill into a bird sanctuary and botanical garden.

 The great white hunters captured this big boy!!  Sure glad we did not see this fellow in the Peace River the other day. 

 This is the entrance to the gardens where the museum, gift shop, restaurant, etc are located.

We watched a short video of the history of the area and then headed out into the spectacular gardens.  The Singing Tower was built as the centrepiece of the garden on the highest point.  The 205 foot  building started with a steel frame, covered by brick and then by pink and grey marble from Georgia with embellishments of Florida coquina shells. With the three different colours in the materials the tower looks like it is glowing. 

In the top third of the tower is the carillon, a stationary hanging set of 60 bronze musical bells.  The keyboard used to play the bells is housed in the tower.  The player uses his fist to play one keyboard and his feet on the other.  The largest bell weighs over 11 tons!!  The bells are played daily.  The tower was dedicated in 1929 by president Calvin Coolidge.  The tower is surrounded by a 15 foot moat built with pink marble and holds some huge koi fish.   

We moved on to Pinewood Estate and Gardens.



  This house was built in the early 1930's by C. Austin Buck who was vice-president of Bethlehem Steel Co as a winter residence,  This is a 12,700 square foot,  20 room Mediterranean Revival mansion.  It was purchased by the Bok Foundation and restored to its previous splendour including the original furnishings.  

 There are heavy wooden doors into each room and wooden shudders on the inside of the windows.  Each one is hand carved and each one is different.  All wrought iron sconce and fixtures are all hand made.  There are beautiful walled gardens, terraces, ponds, fountains and flowers everywhere.

A very beautiful spot.  And when you realize that it is all built on top of what was a barren sand hill in the middle of no where.  

This little guy looks like he is happy to call this place home.

The weather today started out rainy but the temperature rose to into the low 80's.  It was hot and humid in the gardens at Bok Towers today.  It felt like being in the tropics.  Pretty nice!!

Until next time - safe travels.