Jupiter Island residents and visitors often ask where they might take children or grandchildren to see something “special” near Jupiter Island, or where they might venture forth to experience the unique landscapes of Florida. There are many superb “adventures” within relatively short, easy drives from Jupiter Island. There are also world-class opportunities at greater distances for those who can spend a day, or perhaps two days, exploring South Florida. I have compiled the following list from my personal experiences, reinforced by the comments of other residents who have also visited these places.

In addition to fixed sites, there are also opportunities for fishing or birding excursions that can be arranged to meet the specific interests of the visitor; for these I have provided an overview and contact information that would be helpful in making suitable arrangements.

The following index lists all the sites included in my compilation. Following that are individual descriptions for each site and trip planning information. Websites are also included as a source of current information and special events. The selections are generally ordered in increasing distance from Jupiter Island Each one has it own merit. Examine them carefully, for while some may seem to perhaps be quite similar, each offers something unique from the others.

Many of these are natural history sites that can be visited in an hour or so and perhaps combined with a local lunch. For the true outdoor adventurer, the all-day canoe trip down the Loxahatchee River offers an unparalleled local experience. For those with more time, airboat tours in the Everglades or lake Okeechobee, or a visit to the wilds of the Big Cypress can be unforgettable experiences.

We leave it to you to explore and enjoy the diverse opportunities that surround Jupiter Island!

INDEX

SECTION I

NATURAL HISTORY SITES

Blowing Rocks Preserve

Hobe Sound National Wildlife Refuge and Hobe Sound Nature Center

Loxahatchee River Center

Jonathan Dickinson State Park

Palm Beach County’s Riverbend Park

Busch Wildlife Sanctuary

Loggerhead Marine Life Center

John D. MacArthur Beach State Park

Florida Oceanographic Coastal Center

Barley Barber Swamp

Arthur R. Marshall/Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge

GARDENS

          Mounts Botanical Garden

          Fairchild Gardens (in Miami, but worth drive)

         

HISTORICAL MUSEUMS (less than 90 minutes drive)

Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse and Museum

House of Refuge Museum at Gilbert’s Bar

Richard and Pat Johnson History Museum

Henry Morrison Flagler Museum

BLOWING ROCKS PRESERVE

574 South Beach Road, Jupiter Island

Owned by The Nature Conservancy, the 73-acre Blowing Rocks Preserve is an environmental preserve encompassing over a mile of Jupiter Island. The oceanfront portion showcases Blowing Rocks, the largest outcropping of Anastasia limestone on the Florida Coast. Rough seas slam against the cliffs and generate spectacular geysers through the rock fissures, giving the site its name. It’s a great site for photo buffs, but protects your gear from the salt spray! The sandy northern beach supports both nesting sea turtles and shorebirds.

Blowing Rocks was purchased by far-sighted residents of Jupiter Island in 1969 to establish a unique coastal preserve. The Nature Conservancy has removed exotic species and human disruptions to restore the area to reflect what Florida barrier islands looked like a century ago. Visitors glimpse one of our states rarest surviving landscapes – an intact Florida dune habitat with beach sunflower, bay cedar, sea grape and sea oats.

Mrs. Hawley gifted a superb Educational Center, staffed by the Nature Conservancy. It provides interpretive displays and seasonal lecture programs. A boardwalk and short walking trail leads along the shoreline of Hobe Sound.

Directions:  On southern Jupiter Island; bisected by Beach Road. Parking lot on ocean site for beach access, another parking lot opposite on west site for Nature Center and trails along Hobe Sound.

Driving Time:      10 minutes

Hours:       

Beach side, Educational Center and Boardwalk: 9:00 – 4:30 pm

Fees:           Beach access: $2.00 per person  (kids 12 & under free)

                   Hawley Educational Center and sound-side trails:        free

Additional Information:

                   Website: http://www.nature.org/ourinitiatives/regions/northamerica/unitedstates/florida/placesweprotect/blowing-rocks-preserve.xml

                   Phone:  561-744-6668

HOBE SOUND NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE

HOBE SOUND NATURE CENTER

The Hobe Sound National Wildlife Refuge encompasses much of the sand pine scrub community which faces along the western shore of Hobe Sound and overlooks Jupiter Island. The extensive sea grass beds abutting the refuge are an important foraging area for manatees, especially during the winter. The refuge headquarters building and the non-profit Hobe Sound Nature Center are located on the mainland Hobe Sound parcel.

An additional component, including more than a mile of oceanfront beach as well as extensive mangrove communities is found on northern Jupiter Island and accessed at the refuge parking lot at the north end of Beach Road (1.5 miles north of Bridge Road). Visitors may park in the refuge parking area (fee) and walk northward along miles of undeveloped beach looking much as it did when Jonathan Dickinson was shipwrecked there over 400 years ago. The beach is a critically important sea turtle nesting area during the summer season, and supports many migratory shorebirds during the winter months. Fishing is also allowed on the refuge, both on the Jupiter Island beach and in Hobe Sound

The staffed Hobe Sound Nature Center on the mainland features educational exhibits showcasing the flora and fauna of the Hobe Sound refuge as well as live animal displays. It receives more than 100,000 visitors each year. A small gift shop offers educational books and gifts. A short nature trail is nearby.

Directions:  Follow Bridge Road to US1 Highway. Turn left on US#1. Proceed south for two miles. Turn left into parking lot at refuge headquarters sign.

Driving Time: 5 minutes from Bridge Road

Hours:  Refuge – sunrise to sunset, 7 days

              Nature Center - Mon-Sat, 9am – 3pm

Fees: None for mainland refuge area and Nature Center.   Beach parking in Jupiter Island refuge lot is $5.00/day, $12 annual pass.

Additional Information:

                   Refuge Website: http://www.fws.gov/hobesound

Nature Center Website: http://hobesoundnaturecenter.com

Phones: Refuge – (772) 546-6141, Nature Center – (772) 546-2067
 

JONATHAN DICKINSON STATE PARK

            This magnificent state park encompasses more than 10,000 acres and thirteen different native communities. The Loxahatchee River, Florida's first federally designated Wild and Scenic River, runs through the park. Ranger-guided tours of the 1930s pioneer homestead of Trapper Nelson are available year-round. Visitors can enjoy paved and off-road biking, equestrian, and hiking trails. Cabins and both RV and tent camping sites are provided.

          At the Eagles View Equestrian Area, a concessionaire offers horseback rides ($25.00/person for an hour ride, or a wagon ride ($10/person for 45 minute ride)

          At the riverfront picnic area, a park concessionaire offers snacks, rental canoes, kayaks, and small motorboats, as well as a two-hour pontoon boat excursion up the Loxahatchee to Trapper Nelson’s old homestead.

The Elsa Kimbell Nature Center is also located at the riverfront, and provides a fascinating history and interpretation of the park through exhibits and video.

Directions:  From Bridge Road, turn south on US#1. Proceed four miles to state park entrance gate (on right).

Driving Time: 15 minutes.

Hours:        Main gate is open from 8 am until 6 pm.

                    Concessionaire is usually 9:30 am to 4:30 pm

Fees:           Park entrance – Car is $6.00 for 2-8 passengers.

Additional Information:

Websites    

JDSP:                   www.floridastateparks.org/jonathandickinson/default.cfm

Kimbell Nature Center: www.friendsofjdsp.org

Park Concessionaire:     www.floridaparktours.com

Phones

          Kimbell Center – (561) 745-5551.

Park Concessionaire - (561) 746-1466 for information on times and prices for the river cruise or boat rentals.

THE LOXAHATCHEE RIVER CENTER

805 N. US Hwy # 1, Jupiter

The Loxahatchee River Environmental Center presents the history and environmental value of the Loxahatchee River through a series of displays, interactive exhibits, and captivating live tanks including touch tanks for children. It showcases the Loxahatchee river system from its freshwater reaches through the estuarine zone to its link to the Atlantic at Jupiter Inlet.

The center is designed for all interest levels from school children to long-time residents to seasonal visitors.

The Loxahatchee is among the best preserved rivers in Florida, largely due to local efforts. The headwaters along the Northwest Fork are designated as a federal Wild and Scenic River – the first river in Florida to achieve this recognition.

A small gift shop displays books, clothing, gifts , music, educational items and low-cost jewelry related to the river, nature or environment.

Directions:  Bridge Road to US #1. Turn south and drive to Jupiter, crossing high bridge over Loxahatchee River. Quickly cross over a 2^nd low concrete bridge to reach Burt Reynolds Park (a large Palm Beach County boat launching park on both sides of road). Turn left at light to enter Reynolds Park; River Center is just beyond fire station

Driving Time: 20 minutes

Hours:  Tue-Sat: 9am - 4pm

Fees: None. Donations welcome

Additional Information:

Website:  www.loxahatcheeriver.org/environmental_center.php

Phone:    (561) 743-7123

BUSCH WILDLIFE SANCTUARY

2500 Jupiter Park Drive, Jupiter

          The Busch Wildlife Sanctuary is located on the grounds of the Loxahatchee River District. Funded entirely by donations, the renown center rescues injured or endangered Florida species for rehabilitation and return to the wild. At the sanctuary, a short nature trail and outdoor displays of more than two dozen native wildlife species captivate both young and old.

The Sanctuary maintains an active educational program, including traveling exhibits and presentations, and have made several presentations on Jupiter Island, as well as rehabilitated species found here.

Directions:  Bridge Road west to I-95. Take I-95 south to next exit at Jupiter (exit 87A) At Jupiter exit, go east on Indiantown Road to the third traffic light (Central Blvd.), turn right and go to the next traffic light (Jupiter Park Drive). Turn right and make your first left into the Loxahatchee River District and follow the signs to the Busch Wildlife Sanctuary.

or

Bridge Road to Us #1. Turn left (south) on US #1.From U.S. Highway 1, go to Indiantown Road in Jupiter, head west to Central Blvd., turn left and go to the first traffic light (Jupiter Park Drive). Turn right and make your first left into the Loxahatchee River District and follow signs to the Sanctuary.

Driving Time: 20 minutes

Hours:        Mon-Sat, 10:00am - 4:30pm

Fees:           None, but donations greatly appreciated

Additional Information:

                   Website:  www.bushwildlife.com

          Phone:     (561) 575-3399

RIVERBEND (BATTLEFIELD) PARK

9060 Indiantown Road, Jupiter

          Located on the headwaters of the Loxahatchee River, the 680 acre Riverbend (Battlefield) Park marks the location of a major Seminole encampment and the site of the last major battle of the 3^rd Seminole War.

          Developed and managed by Palm Beach County, the passive park has a network of almost 10 miles of hard shell bicycle/walking paths through pine and cypress woodlands - providing easy loops of varying lengths through the tract. The park has restrooms, kiosk, large and small picnic pavilions and office, but no major facilities

          Canoe Outfitters of Florida maintains a concession in the park renting bicycles (Thur-Mon) and kayaks and canoes. The outfitter has been established here for more than 20 years and rents canoes and kayaks for individuals or groups to canoe the federally designated Wild and Scenic River corridor down the Loxahatchee River. Paddlers may either take short out-and-back excursions from Riverbend, or paddle the entire river corridor down into Jonathan Dickinson State Park. The outfitter provides a shuttle service to return paddlers to Riverbend from the state park. The trip is an unguided all-day affair with paddling varying from the twisting, canopied cypress confines of the upper section to open sunlit paddling through open mangrove channels further downstream. The trip, 8.5 miles in length, typically requires 5-6 hours. It is moderately strenuous and not suggested for wholly inexperienced paddlers. A short out-and-back on the Loxahatchee, or the loop route through the restored natural flow-way in Riverbend, is suitable for less skilled paddlers.

Directions:  Bridge Road west to I-95. Take I-95 south to next exit at Jupiter (exit 87A) At Jupiter exit, turn right on Indiantown Road. Proceed 1 mile. Riverbend Park entrance on left.

Driving Time: 20 minutes

Hours: Park - sunrise to sunset. Outfitter – Closed Tue and Wed – otherwise 9-5 weekdays, 8-5 weekends

Fees:  Free; no entrance charge.  For canoe rates, contact outfitter Canoe Outfitters:  www.canoeoutfittersofflorida.com - Phone:   (561) 746-7053

Add’l Information:  Riverbend ParkWebsite: http://pbcgov.com/parks/riverbend Phone:  (561) 966-6617

LOGGERHEAD MARINE LIFE CENTER OF JUNO BEACH

14200 Hwy # 1, Juno Beach

          The Loggerhead Marinelife Center is a non-profit education and conservation facility located on the oceanfront in Juno Beach. The superb facility is dedicated to marine conservation, especially sea turtles. It is the only sea turtle “hospital” in SE Florida and includes a state-of-the-art medical facility and rehabilitation program.

Built around a new “green” facility of 12,000 square feet, the Center includes research labs, an outdoor classroom, an indoor exhibit hall, and a large gift shop of many marine-related items including jewelry, apparel and books. An array of outdoor saltwater tanks hold a variety of live sea turtles with staff always present to explain their activities and answer questions.

For children, a nature trail through the dune community and a playground are close by, and the public ocean beach across the street is staffed with lifeguards.

Directions:  Bridge Road to US1. Turn south and proceed to Juno Beach. Loggerhead Marinelife Center is located in Loggerhead Park in Juno Beach, just north of Donald Ross Road on U.S. Highway 1. The park is situated between U.S. 1 and Alt. A1A and has direct beach access.

Driving Time: 25 minutes

Hours: Open 7 days/week, 10:00 am – 5:00 pm M-Sat, 11:00-5:00 Sun

Fees: None, Donations welcome

Additional Information:

                   Website: http://marinelife.org

Phone:  (561) 627-8280

JOHN D. MacARTHUR BEACH STATE PARK

10900 Jack Nicklaus Drive, North Palm Beach

          Located on Singer Island, MacArthur Beach State Park has two miles of undeveloped beach and acres of tidal sea grass flats in Lake Worth.  A long boardwalk spans a tidal lagoon within the park affording close-up views of the mangrove community and beach access. A tram runs across boardwalk to shuttle beach visitors

 The William Kirby Nature Center has aquariums and videos interpreting the barrier island communities. A variety of natural history programs are also hosted here.

Both double and single kayaks may be rented for self-guided or ranger guided tours. The guided tours last 2 hours and are scheduled around high tides; call number below for more details. Kayak rentals were $12/hr or $30/half day at time this was written.

A small gift shop feature ocean/beach related merchandise for both education and fun.

Directions:  Bridge Road to US #1. Turn south on US #1 and proceed to PGA Blvd. intersection with US #1 in North Palm Beach. Turn left onto PGA (Jack Nicklaus Drive) and follow road to MacArthur State Park entrance on left.

Driving Time: 35 minutes

Hours: Park:  Sunset to sundown, 7 day/week

             Nature Center: 9:00am to 5:00 pm daily

Fees: State Park -$5.00/vehicle, max 8 people

Additional Information:

          State Park Website: www.macarthurbeach.org  see “Things to Do for kayak concessionaire information

State Park Phone: (561) 624-6950

FLORIDA OCEANOGRAPHIC COASTAL CENTER

890 N.E. Ocean Blvd. Hutchinson Island, Stuart

          Located on south Hutchinson Island, the Florida Oceanographic Coastal Center is a 57-acre tract housing the non-profit Florida Oceanographic Society’s headquarters and environmental education center. The game fish lagoon is a 750,000-gallon outdoor viewing tank showcasing native fishes of SE Florida’s inshore waters. The center also has touch tanks of stringrays (with barbs safely clipped), and starfish that fascinate all ages. Feeding programs are held several times a day. The Center provides educational programs for thousands of students from the four surrounding counties.

          A one-mile nature trail leads to the Indian River Lagoon; guided walks are held several times each day.

Directions:  US Hwy One north to SE Monterey Road, turn right (east) onto SR-714 E/SE Monterey Road and follow to SE Ocean Blvd., turn right go over bridge and arrive at 890 NE Ocean Blvd.  If you reach NE Doubloon Drive, you've gone too far.

Driving Time:  30 minutes

Hours: Mon- Sat, 10am to 5 pm, Sun, 12noon to 4pm

Fees: Admission: Adults - $10.00, Children 3-12 - $5.00, <3 free.="free." span="span">

Additional Information:

                   Website:  www.floridaocean.org

Phone:  (772) 225-0505

BARLEY BARBER SWAMP

Seminole Inn, 15885 SW Warfield Blvd. Indiantown

Barley Barber Swamp is a stunning 400-acre cypress swamp located on the grounds of Florida Power and Light’s Indiantown power generation facility. A 5800’ boardwalk makes a loop through the swamp, bringing visitors close to some of the largest cypress trees remaining in Florida.

Because of post-911 concerns, the popular swamp is now only open to guided tours hosted by the Treasured Lands Foundation. These tours are only available from October through May. The tours are free of charge, but require pre-registration. Tours last about 3 hours and are conducted twice daily from Wednesday through Sundays.  Visitors must assemble at the Seminole Inn in Indiantown (directions below), and are then transported by tour guides to Barley Barber. Visitors must have a photo ID.

The Seminole Inn welcomes Barley Barber visitors to their dining room for lunch from 11am-3pm on Tue-Sat and dinner from 5pm-8:30pm on Fri and Sat nights from October until March. Please call number below to confirm restaurant hours and schedule.  Advance dining reservations not required.  Call 772-597-3777 to make your reservations.

Directions:  From Bridge Road; continue westward across US# 1 and proceed to junction of Bridge Road (SR   ) with the Kanner Highway (SR76) approximately 8 miles west. Turn left onto Kanner Highway and continue 15 miles to intersection with the Beeline Highway (Hwy 710). Note that the Beeline crosses above the Kanner Highway at this junction such that a left turn and then curve back to right are required to access the Beeline Highway and the immediate bridge over the St. Lucie Canal. After crossing the canal, the Beeline Highway is renamed Warfield Blvd. in Indiantown. The Seminole Inn is located on right about 1 mile beyond the high bridge over the St. Lucie canal.

Driving Time:  Driving time is about 40 minutes; visitors are expected to arrive 30 minutes before departure so plan for about an hour and 15 minutes from Jupiter Island

Hours: Between October and May, Wed through Sundays at 8:30 am and 1:30 pm

Fees: None - Additional Information:  Website: www.barleybarber.org

                   Tour Info and reservations phone: (772) 597-3777

LOXAHATCHEE NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE

10216 Lee Road, Boynton Beach

          The Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge encompasses over 220 square miles of Everglades habitat and is the northernmost remaining portion of the Everglades. Home to more than 33,000 alligators, the refuge, a mosaic of wetland habitats, also supports a vast diversity of wading birds and waterfowl during the winter months. More than 250,000 people visit each year.

          The refuge visitor center has exhibits and information and a boardwalk trail nearby. Walking paths also extend along the grass levee adjacent to the Everglade marsh. Guided tours and audiovisual programs are also provided at the Visitor Center and are listed in their newsletter on the refuge website      

          The refuge outfitter, Canoe the Everglades, provides rental canoes for guided or unguided paddling along a 5.5-mile trail marked with interpretive signs.

Directions:  Bridge Road to I-95, south to Glades Road, head west to 441, then south two miles.  Turn right onto Lee Road and enter refuge headquarters area.

Driving Time:  Approximately one hour

Hours:        Refuge – Dawn to dusk

Visitor Center – From Nov-April the center is open 9am-4pm 7days/wk. During summer (May-Oct.) it is closed on Mon. and Tue.

Fees:           Refuge entrance fee - $5.00 per vehicle

Additional Information:

                   Refuge Website: www.fws.gov/loxahatchee

Phone:   Visitor Center (561) 734-8303

                   Outfitter Website: http://canoetheeverglades.com

                   Phone             Outfitter  (561) 733-0192

         

JUPITER INLET LIGHTHOUSE AND MUSEUM

500 Captain Armours Way, Jupiter

          Completed in 1860, the Jupiter lighthouse towers 105 feet above the almost 50 foot Indian shell midden upon which it was constructed. Still operational today, the beacon can be seen 25 miles at sea.

The Jupiter Lighthouse Historical Society has restored the lighthouse and manages the site. In addition to providing the spectacular guided climbing tours of the lighthouse, with its breathtaking views over the Loxahatchee River and Atlantic, the Society also maintains a superb local history museum on site including a relocated and restored 1892 pioneer Jupiter home. Located on the shore of the Loxahatchee with views out the inlet, the shaded grounds offer a pleasant view of the waterway activity.

The Society also maintains a lighthouse/history related gift shop with books, clothing, memorabilia and snacks.

Special private group tours and evening climbs of the light can be arranged.

Children less than 48” tall may not climb lighthouse. Cameras are welcome in lighthouse but not museum. No camera tripods in lighthouse due to challenge of circular stair and priceless irreplaceable glass Fresnel lens. Allow 2 hours for museum visit and lighthouse climb.

Directions:  From Bridge Road. Two choices: Drive south on Beach Road to Jupiter. Approaching US #1 traffic light, turn left into Lighthouse Park and proceed to museum parking lot. Other option: Bridge Road to US #1. Turn south (left) on US #1 and drive to Jupiter. At traffic light intersection with Alt. A1A/Bridge Road (also called SR 811/702), turn left. Turn right in one block into Lighthouse Park.

Driving Time: 15 minutes

Hours: Jan-Apr: open 7 days. May-Dec:  Tue-Sun.

Hours 10am-5pm. Lighthouse tours throughout day weather permitting; last tour at 4:00pm.

Fees: Admission: $9.00 adults, $5.00 children ages 6-18. Under 5 are free (see note on height limit for climbing light)

Additional Information:

                   Website: www.jupiterlighthouse.org - Phone: (561) 747-8380

HOUSE OF REFUGE MUSEUM AT GILBERTS BAR

301 SE MacArthur Blvd, Stuart

          Built in 1876, the House of Refuge Museum is the oldest structure in Martin County and the last remaining of ten such buildings once built along the Florida East Coast. Originally staffed by the United States Lifesaving Service, they were designed as refuges for shipwrecked sailors during the era when sailing vessels plied the treacherous coast and shipwrecks were not uncommon. The stations had no real rescue capabilities, only a keeper who could guide survivors reaching shore to these few refuges along the then largely undeveloped east coast.

Today it is owned by Martin County, and is managed and operated by the operated by the Martin County Historical Society. It has been restored to display historical lifesaving equipment and the Keepers Quarters as they would have appeared in 1904. Both self-guided or guided group tours are available.

A small gift shop has artwork, gifts, books, and souvenirs.

           

Directions:  North on US Hwy One to Indian Street in Stuart.  Follow Indian Street to East Ocean Blvd.  Turn right on East Ocean Boulevard, and continue east across two bridges to reach Hutchinson Island. Turn right on MacArthur Boulevard from East Ocean Boulevard (at the Marriott Indian River Plantation Resort).  Follow the road south approximately 1.2 miles to the House of Refuge on your left.

Driving Time:  30 Minutes

Hours: 10am-4pm, Mon-Sat. 1pm-4pm Sun. Closed major holidays.

Fees: Adults - $6.00, children (5-12) $3.00, under 5 free.

Additional Information:

                   Website: http://www.houseofrefugefl.org/index.htm

Phone:  (772) 225-1961 ext. 110

 

RICHARD AND PAT JOHNSON HISTORY MUSEUM

300 No. Dixie Hwy, West Palm Beach

          The Museum is housed in the historic 1916 Palm Beach County courthouse, restored at a cost of more than $18 million by Palm Beach County and opened as the Richard and Pat Johnson Museum in 2008.

          The Museum houses both a People gallery and a Place gallery; The People Gallery traces residents from the pre-Columbian inhabitants through pioneers settlers to recent families utilizing kiosks, displays, and videos. The Place gallery showcases Palm Beach County’s unique history, natural resources and growth.

          The Museum also includes a Rotating Exhibits Gallery highlighted noteworthy moments of Palm Beach County history.

          The Museum also houses the offices of the Palm Beach County Historical Society, which maintains a very extensive collection of historical material, including more than one million photographs.

Directions:  Bridge Road to I-95. South on I-95 to the Palm Beach Lakes Blvd exit.  Exit East on Palm Beach Lakes. Proceed to Dixie Hwy (US #1). Turn right (south) on Dixie Hwy.  Go to 3^rd Street: turn left. The Johnson History Museum (in old Courthouse) is on the southeast corner of Dixie Hwy and 3^rd Street. P arking Lot on left.

Driving Time: 45 min.

Hours: 10:00 am – 5:00 pm, Tue-Sat.

Fees: Free

Additional Information:

                   Website: www.historicalsocietypbc.org

Phone:  (561) 832-4146

HENRY MORRISON FLAGLER MUSEUM

One Whitehall Way, Palm Beach

          Henry Flagler, a partner in Standard Oil, used his vast fortune to construct the railroad down the Florida East Coast and a series of destination resorts along the route. He built the Breakers Hotel and Royal Poinciana Hotel in Palm Beach, and his personal winter home known as Whitehall. Built in 1902 as a wedding present for his wife, it set the benchmark for Palm Beach mansions. Restored by his granddaughter, this Gilded Age Mansion encompasses 60,000 square feet and 75 rooms. The mansion is indeed breathtaking, and houses fascinating exhibits of Flagler and his works in Florida. One of his private rail cars is displayed on the grounds, restored to the elegance of the era.

Directions:  Bridge Road to I-95. Take I-95 south to Okeechobee Blvd. (Exit 70) in West Palm Beach. Exit east on Okeechobee Blvd. Continue east about 3 miles, crossing bridge across Lake Worth to enter Palm Beach. Okeechobee becomes Royal Palm Way. Turn left onto Cocoanut Row at first traffic light in Palm Beach. Continue north on Cocoanut Row about ½ mile to reach museum parking lot on left.

Driving Time:  45 min.

Hours: Tue-Sat; 10-5pm, Sun 12-5pm

Fees: Adult $18.00, Youth (13-17 years –with adult) $10.00

          Child (6-12 years – with adult) $3.00, Child (under 6) Free.

         Reserved groups of 20 or more $14.00/person

Additional Information:

                   Website:  www.flaglermuseum.us

                   Phone:    (561) 655-2833

 MOUNTS BOTANICAL GARDEN

559 No. Military Trail, West Palm Beach

          The oldest and largest public botanical garden in either Palm Beach or Martin counties, the Mounts Botanical Garden. Covering about 14 acres, it includes over 2000 species of tropical and subtropical plants from six continents, grouped into 18 plant collections. Native Florida species and fruit trees are also within the garden.

          A Garden Shop includes a good collection of horticultural materials.

          The Garden hosts a variety of gardening seminars, as well as plant sales in April and November. These plant sales have been very popular with Island residents for many years, as a large number of local growers offer a vast array of colorful and unusual plants adapted to our environment.

          Visit the website for a calendar of scheduled events.

Directions:  Bridge Road to I-95.  Take I-95 South to Southern Blvd.  Exit west to Military Trail, then go north on Military Trail 1/2 mile to Mounts Botanical Garden (on your left, across from Palm Beach International Airport).

Driving Time:  45 min

Hours: Mon-Sat; 8:30-4:00pm, Sun; noon- 4:00pm.  Closed holidays.

Fees: $5.00 admission suggested

Additional Information:  Website: www.mounts.org

                                         Phone:  561-233-1757

FAIRCHILD TROPICAL BOTANICAL GARDEN

10901 Old Cutler Road, Coral Gables

          An all-day adventure including a two- plus hour drive to South Miami, but for serious gardeners a not-to-be-missed experience! One of the premier conservation and educational gardens in the world.

          Walking the entire garden requires at least two hours. A narrated tram tours through the extensive garden is part of admission fee. These last about 45 minutes.  A free shuttle also transports visitors between key areas of the garden. A variety of guided walking tours are also available.

         

Directions:  To avoid coastal traffic en route to Maimi, it is suggested that the Forida Turnpike (toll) be used. Take Bridge Road to I-95. Take I-95 South to Jupiter (next exit on I-95). Exit West and immediately reach turnpike entrance on left. Take Florida turnpike south. Proceed to end in Miami. At end of turnpike, merge onto I-95 south. Take I-95 south to US 1 (S. Dixie Hwy.) Go south on US 1 to SW 42nd Ave. (LeJeune Rd.). Turn left on SW 42nd Ave., and drive south to roundabout. Enter roundabout and take 2nd right onto Old Cutler Rd. Drive 2 miles on Old Cutler Road. Fairchild entrance will be on your left. 

Driving Time:  2.5-3 Hours

Hours: 9:30am-4:30pm

Fees: Adults: $25.00, Seniors (>65): $18.00, Children 6-17: $12.00, Children<6: free="free" span="span">

Additional Information:

                   Website:  www.fairchildgarden.org

          Phone:  (305) 667-1651

LAKE OKEECHOBEE AND THE EVERGLADES by Nathaniel Reed

Billions of gallons of polluted water are flowing into the St. Lucie River, the Indian River and the Caloosahatchee Estuary from Lake Okeechobee.

The environmental damage is massive.  After four years of drought and no large releases of excess water from Lake Okeechobee, the near record rainy season again has quickly filled the lake.  Every time there is a wet tropical storm or series of hurricanes such as those that hit Florida in 2004-5, the lake rapidly rises 3-4 feet within days threatening the Hoover Dike and the communities south of the lake.

The Corps has no options.  They must reduce the water level in Lake Okeechobee in case of a potential wet hurricane, common in even October like Hurricanes Wilma and Isaac.

Before we collectively blame the Corps for the incredible damage that is being inflicted on our once productive waters, especially the remarkable recovery of sea grasses and inland fisheries since the Okeechobee flood gates were last opened in 2010, we collectively need a short history lesson and then a firm guide on how to stop these all too frequent environmental outrages.

The great everglades ecosystem has been brutalized by a number of thoughtless decisions.

The private construction of Tamiami Trail by the Collier family to open up Naples to east coast tourists in the 1915-20’s formed a dike preventing natural water flow from the northern everglades marshes into what have become Everglades National Park (ENP) and the great fishery of Florida Bay.

Although there are gated discharge structures and culverts under Tamiami Trail, they allow a fraction of the excess rain water to flow south as the everglades system once functioned.  Water is backed up throughout the Florida Everglades known as Water Conservation Areas (WCA).

Overly high water is inundating the unique ‘Tree Islands’, a major feature of the everglades system which provides essential habitat for deer and other mammals indigenous to the everglades during times of excessive rain water.  The Tree Islands are also ‘sacred sites’ for the Miccosukee Native Americans.

Before the 1928 great hurricane that destroyed the small dike that then surrounded much of Lake Okeechobee, small farming communities grew around the south side of the lake.  Winter vegetables were the main crop, but thousands of acres were devoted to raising cattle on the lush grass that the muck fields provided.  U.S. Sugar grew a total of 50,000 plus acres of sugar cane. Their main profit was made from the sale of some of the finest Brahma cattle raised in the world for warm weather cattle ranches in Cuba, Central America and South America.  The King Ranch had a similar operation for their famous crossbred cattle.

The low dike failed during a 1926 hurricane, and once again in 1928, drowning 3,000 people.  President Herbert Hoover requested the Congress to pass legislation authorizing the construction of a high dike around Lake Okeechobee.

When there were long, wet summer rain seasons and fall hurricanes in the 1940’s, excess water flowed through the everglades and even over Tamiami Trail into what is now the Everglades National Park.  The Corps of Engineers studied the average size of Lake Okeechobee and designed a dike to surround it.  The dike was made from local sand and gravel.  The Corps then made a fateful engineering decision to cut off the natural flow-way from Lake Okeechobee to the downstream everglades and dump it more ‘efficiently’ to the east and west estuaries.

Perhaps the near 700,000 acres now known as the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) of rich organic soils, the byproduct of centuries of dying marsh grasses was the incentive, but this error in judgment has created a conflict that will continue until sufficient land is acquired to restore a flow-way from Lake Okeechobee to the northern Florida Everglades and is then ‘allowed’ to flow south and under Tamiami Trail into ENP.

The decision by the ‘power brokers’ to persuade the then governor of Florida and the congressional delegation to dredge the Kissimmee River to allow drainage in the headwaters of Lake Okeechobee was an ecological disaster.  Thousands of acres of wetlands that served as storage for Lake Okeechobee and slowed down rain driven floods moving south into the Kissimmee chain of lakes allowed developers to sell real estate around those lakes guaranteeing an unnatural low water level.  The Kissimmee chain of lakes during high rainfall periods used to hold billions of gallons of water that was slowly released down the Kissimmee into Lake Okeechobee naturally.  The wetland marshes flanking the Kissimmee two mile wide flood plain were ‘wildlife treasures’ that were drained and turned into cattle pastures when the project was completed.  Excessive rainwater then flowed at unnatural speed into the lake raising it to dangerous levels and carrying a pollution-filled muck that now covers half the lake’s bottom.

The Caloosahatchee River first was connected to Lake Okeechobee by Hamilton Disston, one of Florida’s pioneer speculators who envisioned steamboats moving up from Ft. Myers and then the Kissimmee River to pick up winter crops and bring their loads back to Ft. Myers for shipment north.

After about ten years, the St. Lucie Canal was completed in 1926 to provide easy access from the lake to Stuart where ships would carry vegetables and fruit to the upper east coast and provide access for the east to the west coast for pleasure boats.

It did not take any length of time for the Corps to realize that an over flowing Lake Okeechobee threatened the ‘suspect construction’ of the Hoover Dike and that the two outlets: the St. Lucie Canal and the Caloosahatchee River would serve as ‘escape valves’ whenever there was excessive rainfall and a rising lake that could threaten the integrity of the Hoover Dike, especially on the south side where farming communities had grown in size.  With the connection to the everglades now severed, the present day Colonel of the Corps of Engineer and his staff have no options other than releasing billions of gallons of water that is polluted from years of agricultural back pumping from the EAA and now large amounts of nutrients flowing down the Kissimmee and the other headwaters of the lake.

During his tenure, Governor Bob Graham announced in the early 1980’s a major effort to restore the everglades system.  Each successive governor has made a contribution toward that goal.  The state has spent $1.8 billion acquiring land to clean up the excess water flowing from the 500,000 acres of sugar cane.  A crop that ‘enjoys’ a federal taxpayer ‘guaranteed’ price.  The amount of cane sugar that is permitted to be imported into the United States is ‘controlled’ by the Sugar Cartel to guarantee them maximum profit.  Their leadership is unrelenting in their efforts to produce maximum profits at the everglades expense.

Unless excessive Lake Okeechobee water is cleansed through a vast series of pollution control artificial marsh systems built principally by the taxpayers of the 16 counties of south Florida for the sugar cane and winter crop growers, drainage cannot be allowed to flow into the everglades, as it will change the botanical makeup of the ‘the River of Grass’ within months.

So where are ‘we’?

Before the flow way and the pollution control marshes are built and are operational, additional storage both upstream in the lake’s headwaters  and within the Everglades Agricultural Area must be acquired and a number of other ‘priorities’ must be addressed.

First, Tamiami Trail must be modified to allow massive amounts of water to flow southward into the park.  A one-mile bridge and limited road raising are currently under construction; while this is a very positive first step, more needs to done!  The Trail needs more bridges and road raising (up to another 2 feet) so that it is 'protected' when the Everglades and the lake are once again connected.

Additionally the southeast corner of the vast everglade system known as Water Conservation Area 3B has a vital role in delivering Okeechobee and Florida Everglade’s excess water to flow under the proposed five mile bridge.  The Corps admits that when the eastern dike of Water Conservation Area 3B was constructed they did not consider ‘leakage’ to be a potential problem, as no one farmed or lived near the dike.  Now there are hundreds of acres of fruit trees and thousands of homes that could be impacted if the dike allowed significant seepage.

This problem must be solved before excess water can be released into ENP relieving the entire system of too much water which forces the discharges of billions of gallons of water down the Caloosahatchee and St. Lucie Rivers.

We also have some local ‘problems’ that must be faced with ‘private drainage systems’ that drain millions of gallons of excess water into the St. Lucie River.  Canals C-23, 24 and 25 were built at the urging of the Martin and St. Lucie County citrus growers and developers who wanted their lands drained at public expense.  Together with the C-44 and the St. Lucie Canal over 498,000 acres drain through canals into the estuary and lagoon.

These decisions have all combined to seriously add damaging amounts of polluted runoff into the St. Lucie and Indian Rivers.  There are plans to complete a pair of reservoirs: one on the St Lucie the other on the Caloosahatchee to capture local runoff, hold it and clean it before slowly releasing it to flow into the two estuaries.

What is the ‘hope’ for the two rivers that are being used as drainage escape routes?

The federal and state governments must pay for the costs of modifications of the eastern dike of Water Conservation 3B to prevent seepage.

The Federal government should use fuel tax revenue to raise Tamiami Trail and build additional bridges to allow water to flow into ENP.

The State of Florida must acquire significant amounts of additional land both north and south of the lake or a minimum, enforceable easements to contain excessive water until it can be ‘leaked’ slowly down to the lake from the north and south through a flow-way into the everglades system.

The gross pollution of Lake Okeechobee must become a state priority.  Recent phosphorus loads to Lake Okeechobee have been in the 500-ton range, more than three times the goal of 140 tons.  Today estimates are that so much phosphorus has already been spread in the watershed to keep these heavy loads coming for decades.  Today, nutrients from the EAA are less than 5% of the total into Lake Okeechobee.  More than 90% is from the northern Lake Okeechobee watersheds.  The failure of control phosphorus runoff is shared by the Florida’s Department of Agriculture and the Department of Environmental Regulation.

Agricultural and water utility interests must accept the fact that Lake Okeechobee’s level must be held below 16 feet and that ‘back pumping’ polluted water from the EAA even in times of drought must not be permitted. Lake Okeechobee cannot continue to be considered a sewer.

Additional lands within the vast EAA must be acquired by the state and the South Florida Water Management District to construct major additional storage capacity and pollution control marshes that will dramatically reduce the nutrients flowing off the sugar cane plantations into the everglades system

The sugar cane plantations should be forced to control and treat the thousands of gallons of polluted water on their land before they discharge it into the ‘waters of the state’.  They should pay a far greater share of cleaning up their wastes for the needed additional pollution control marshes.

These are tall orders, but think for a moment before we continue to rail against the Corps’ decision to lower Lake Okeechobee to protect the integrity of the Hoover Dike.

Everything on my ‘must do list’ represents one week of the Afghanistan war expenses.

Everything on my ‘wish list’ is obtainable.

Our congressional delegation has significant power in the Congress.  Our Governor and Florida Commissioner of Agriculture are very persuasive with our legislature even in times of recession.

Despite the need to reduce the incredible national deficit, don’t you think man-made disasters like what is threatening our rivers and the everglades ecosystem are worthy of national and state investments?

-Nathaniel Reed

Remarks by Nathaniel Reed before the Greenwich Country Day School on October 12, 2012

Good Morning!

Headmaster Rohdic, distinguished faculty, fellow alumni, parents, and guests, and most importantly, students of the Greenwich Country Day School.

I am both deeply honored and truly delighted to join you today on the 65^th anniversary of my graduation from the Greenwich Country Day School.

I invite you students to take a moment and try to envision this school as it existed when I attended:

Neither television, nor educational movie films existed then.  Computers, portable phones, and mercifully portable video games, had not yet arrived.  Satellites were not yet whirling above us allowing instant internet communication with every corner of the world and were so still far in the future as to be barely imagined!

In the classroom, we sat with notebooks and pencil facing our teacher who often stood before a large chalkboard.  We practiced our penmanship on writing tablets with 3-line spacing to help us correctly size each letter.  My worst fear realized was to be called by the teacher to put my work on that chalkboard before the entire class!

The school was comprised of grades 1-8; there was no kindergarten, nor 9^th grade.

The entire student body numbered but 103 students.  

I would ask you students to bear with me a moment as I seemingly digress, but allow me to share some names with you.  I don’t expect you students to recognize them, but others here today may recall them.

Helen Jacobus, Arthur Grant, Arthur Luther, John Healy, Leland Johnson, Walter Davis Jr., Mlle. Rose Marie Rouvel, Hector Hart and Edward Hillard.

                                         

I have just read a list of some of the teachers who invested their lives as MY teachers at the Greenwich Country Day School.  For myself and my classmates, some of whom are here today, these were the individuals who first prepared us for the future through the rigors of continuing scholastic education, discipline in the hallways and classrooms and good sportsmanship on the athletic fields.

I recognize that my campus environment was one that you students today can hardly envision.  Today your school encompasses pre-kindergarten through the 9^th grade.  Your student body this year numbers 893 students.  Today, the Greenwich Country Day School is the largest independent elementary and middle school in the United States!  I’m dumfounded that today a single grade could be almost as large as the entire school was during my tenure.  The internet gives you instant access to the world, and the laptop computer literally brings anything, and everything, right to your desk.  The computer stylus now seems to be as common as the pencil. My grandchildren don’t write letters from school; they send me emails, or put posts on Facebook and Twitter – I admit to being somewhat baffled by it all.

Some things have not changed at the Greenwich Country Day School:

The dress code seems quite similar to me, although perhaps more fashionable and comfortable than we enjoyed.  I began school here in the first grade and distinctly remember tightly woven, very itchy, crew-necked black wool sweaters with the orange circles on one sleeve.  In the Upper School, boys were required to wear coat and tie, while girls wore dresses.

Most importantly, the quality of education, and the high standards of your teachers remain a benchmark of the school ever-as-much today as they were 65 years ago.  Their challenging mission today remains the same as that of my instructors; to prepare you in the best way possible to face the ever-changing world beyond the school gates; truly a most formidable on-going responsibility when you consider how much has changed since I was here, and will continue to change for your futures.

As I’ve outlined, the Greenwich Country Day School has changed a great deal from when I was here, as has indeed the entire world.  As you contemplate the magnitude of changes I’ve outlined compared to your world today, I would ask you each to imagine for a moment what your world will be like 65 years from now.  I would suggest that breathtaking breakthroughs will continue to advance our culture at a rate that will make what you today experience as cutting edge technology perhaps as obsolete as the blackboard is today.  In another 65 years you students might well look back at the iPad, the automobile, or even the internet as if they were related to dinosaurs.

The distinguished writer Tom Friedman has written extensively about what he calls the “Flat Earth”, his characterization of our world today where countries borders are now perhaps more like sieves than fences.  A world where international goods, ideas, and even germs race about the globe at an ever-increasing pace as technologies ranging from computers to aircraft to inter-dependent economies forge bonds that make all of us feel more tightly linked and closer together.

That’s the world that you students will inherit, and the one in which you must be able make your way.

And that’s what the Greenwich School strives to prepare you for; not OUR world of today, but YOUR world of tomorrow.

Your desire to learn - and excel - everywhere from the classroom to the sports fields - should be considered one of the greatest gifts that the schools’ faculty can offer - or perhaps even force-feed you!

Perhaps no-one illustrates this fact better than myself!  My first four school years were spent here.  My father was a trustee and briefly acting headmaster.  On December 8, my father, volunteered for World War II, was assigned to a base in Lexington, Virginia, far from our home in Greenwich.  The Reed children were enrolled in public schools there, but my parents quickly recognized that the situation was wholly unacceptable – we were doomed to illiteracy if we remained there - and decided that my brother and I would be sent back here.  Our Greenwich house was closed, so I lived with a remarkable Maine couple, Edith and Arthur Grant.  The Grants made us members of their family; a loving family not dissimilar to our parents love and abiding interest in our growth as human beings.  We all lived above the old Greenwich Day School gymnasium.  My brother Adrian spent one year, and I two years with the Grants, catching up for the years lost in Lexington.  At war’s end, my parents returned to Greenwich and I continued as a student here through my graduation in 1947.

This spectacular campus is the result of the commitment to excellence by generous graduates and parents.  They have all believed in a fundamental fact: your early education forms the foundation on which each of you will build your future education, and it also instills the basic ethics that will guide you the rest of your lives.

The journey of life is filled with a vast number of experiences and my memory bank is full of the care and motivation that highlighted my years at this school.

I have fond memories of every teacher, including those who frankly intimidated me – for my own good.

I vividly remember Mr. Locke, the head of the Music Department who taught us as a student body how to sing in modestly good harmony to hopefully impress our parents!

I also remember the extraordinary beauty of Mr. Bartholomew’s playing of the piano at many of the daily school meetings that began the school day.  I also remember the sheer terror of standing before the whole assembled Upper Classes when, as 8^th graders, we were required to give a 5-minute speech.  I still distinctly recall one of my best friends, smart and articulate, stepping forward in front of his classmates, taking a long breath, and then stiffening and becoming unable to utter any sound - for a very long two minutes before the Headmaster gracefully took him back to his seat.  We all thought “Oh, what if we are hit with the same plight of stage fright!”

One of the most important changes in the school life occurred in 1943 when John Webster was appointed Headmaster.  He met every student at the front door as we poured from our Ford Station wagons into school, shook hands with each of us, looked squarely into our eyes and, with a pat on the back, sent us to our classrooms.  After dropping our books at our desks, we then marched behind our teacher to our designated seats in the meeting room for school assembly where the Headmaster briefly addressed us all as a group.  The Headmaster met us each again every afternoon as we left for our cars.  He always stood by the door, shook hands with every student, remembering everyone’s name, requiring of us a firm handshake and a returned look into his penetrating eyes.  He took time to have one-on-one meetings with every member of the upper school well before the term’s end.  He read to us from a folder each student’s report which included their academic standing and comments on the students work habits, deportment, determination and aptitude.  He was a major figure in our collective lives.  Usually calmly, but occasionally more demandingly, he conveyed the need for better deportment in the corridors, excellence in the school rooms and sportsmanship on the playing fields.  Failure - neither academic nor behavioral - was acceptable.  We truly feared the potential meeting with our parents if we committed serious misdemeanors or were lax in our studies.

Homework was carefully analyzed.  Our reading schedule was checked and rechecked.  We wrote compositions weekly and the teacher’s rigorous comments – written in red ink with frequent circles about spelling, punctuation and the subject matter could nearly bring tears to our eyes. Sometimes an encouraging note was appended, or sometimes in my case, a more intimidating one!

We were ultimately sent forth on a glorious spring day, marching to receive our diplomas.  After a forgettable address, possibly like this one, parents and grandparents circled us and gave us individual ovations of congratulations.

We were now off to a new world.  In most cases our umbilical cords were severed and we went on to preparatory schools where the Country Day School foundation would be tested very quickly.

Today I’ve been honored as a distinguished alumnus of the school; given the many truly distinguished individuals who are school alumni, I indeed feel very honored by the award.

For you students, perhaps my career illustrates what opportunities might lay ahead for each of you.  I always admonish students to “Follow Your Passion”, that is; find what you really, really WANT to do and then dedicate yourself to it.  I’ve had the great good fortune to do just that.

I am actually one of four Reed boys to attend Greenwich Country Day School, as all three of my brothers were also students here.

Our paths all have the common ground of beginning here, but each of us pursued different interests in life from our foundation here.

My brother Joseph, the Reed family ‘baby’ served as Assistant to the Chairman of one of the world’s most important banks.  He was then appointed and served as Ambassador to Morocco.  Following that stint of duty, he was then appointed Ambassador to the United Nations serving as Under Secretary-General.  He was given “leave” to serve as Chief of Protocol for President George Herbert Walker Bush.  He returned to his position at the United Nations where he is in his 30th year of service to that institution and the American people.

My brother Samuel had multiple careers including becoming the publisher of the famous American Heritage Magazine which won a Pulitzer Prize.  He served on important boards protecting and managing Shelburne Farms and Thomas Jefferson’s home, Monticello.

My brother Adrian graduated from West Point and after military service moved first to Wall Street and then became a successful farmer on the eastern shore of Maryland.  He was a highly successful breeder of Charolaise cattle.  He was vitally interested in education and was a trustee of a small private school on the Chesapeake.  He served on every imaginable board that promoted wise land use and enhancement of the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem.

Following my graduation from Greenwich, I graduated from the Deerfield Academy, then from Trinity College.  Following military service as an Air Force Intelligence Officer, I returned to my family’s winter home in Hobe Sound, Florida.

My initial plan was to join my parents in their management of a family company responsible for developing a small residential community on Jupiter Island.  I also became a partner in cattle ranching and a major citrus grove and juice processing plant.

I also hoped to spend as much time as possible fishing.

Very quickly upon my arrival in Florida I became interested in the environment of that state, and the challenges faced in managing such as diverse tropical paradise in the face of burgeoning growth.

After a year of touring the state and learning of the environmental problems, and opportunities, I discovered that I had found my passion!  I resolved to devote my efforts to protecting Florida’s fragile environments.

Very shortly thereafter, a truly maverick individual named Claude Kirk pulled off an astounding political upset and was elected Florida’s governor.  He wanted Florida’s environmental problems to be addressed, not ignored as they had been for years.  I had advised him on environmental issues during his campaign and he asked me to join him in the state capital as his Environmental Advisor.  He offered me an office next to his and a salary of $1.00 year.  I accepted and moved to Tallahassee.  I actually commuted frequently from Hobe Sound, as I had left my young bride at our home there!

Governor Kirk and I attacked every conceivable problem from air and water pollution to wetland destruction.  The legislature created the first regulatory agency to address air and water pollution in Florida and he named me to chair the group.  We established the first protective rules in Florida and the programs to abate these serious pollution and health problems.

Some Florida issues became national environmental issues and I was soon traveling to Washington on Florida’s behalf, learning of national issues and meeting a wide array of scientists, activists, and politicians.

President Richard Nixon offered me the opportunity to come to Washington as one of the Assistant Secretaries of Interior.  My responsibility was to oversee the National Park Service and the Fish and Wildlife Service.  Who would not want the opportunity to manage and grow our national park system and protect America’s wildlife!  It was indeed the very best of times!  I served under Presidents Nixon and Ford, and was invited to remain under President Carter, but decided that I wanted to spend more time with my family and returned to Florida.

Back in Florida, I returned to my interest in state issues and have spent the years to date appointed to more state commissions and boards than I can now recall.  Today, I am especially active as the Vice-Chairman of the Everglades Foundation dedicated to restoring the vast Everglades ecosystem.  I’ve also had the extraordinary privilege to serve on the boards of a number of national organizations such as the National Audubon Society, the Nature Conservancy, National Resources Defense Council, Atlantic Salmon Federation, National Geographic Society and many more.

And I’ve kept fishing!

To you students I can only say ‘Follow Your Dreams’.  I’m an example of how personally rewarding it can be.  The fact that my three brothers and I went in four totally different directions, all with success, just shows you that Greenwich Country Day School can indeed prepare you for almost anything!

Go forth, with energy and determination.  As Churchill advised the students of his preparatory school; “Don’t Give Up; Never, Never Give Up!”

Heads up; it’s a fascinating world out there.  Your life’s journey is based on a strong foundation. You will leave here prepared and ready for the next challenges.  Be of good cheer and be determined to excel in whatever field of endeavor you choose.  Be prepared to shift gears if you fail to find interests that truly fascinate you, captivate you and challenge you.

And, don’t leave here without thanking the men and women who have dedicated their energies to building your Greenwich Day School foundation.  You might not realize it now, but this extraordinary faculty will become the foundation of your future memories, for you truly ‘Start Here’.

Trust me; someday you will remember your faculty just as I remember mine!

God Bless You - and go forth to do good deeds!   

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