The Flagler Mansion and The Breakers in Palm Beach have long been on our "to do short list!" Both were worth the wait and anticipation. We had toured Flagler College and the Flagler Museum in St. Augustine a few years ago but loved hearing more about Mr. Flagler from Don our impeccably dressed docent with Gucci loafers and no socks. Henry Flagler was John D. Rockefeller's partner. It was his "new idea" to incorporate Standard oil across state lines. He was the visionery who made Florida the agriculture and tourism center that it is today. He was quite the businessman and very generous. His method of philanthropy was to build towns - total infrasturctures with utilities, schools, hospitals, libraries, parks, municiple buildings, etc. - and turn them over to the people. The Palm Beach mansion, Whitehall,
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