TOWER TOPICS

A publication of Coral Ridge Towers South

April, 2009

Contents copyrighted 2009 Marie Altenburg

      

Bonnet House 35 Acre Estate
Bonnet House 35 Acre Estate
With our daughter about to be married in a few short months, my husband and I sincerely hope that she doesn’t expect the same type of wedding gift that Hugh Taylor Birch gave to his daughter, Helen, upon her marriage to Frederic Bartlett, in 1919. For it was on that occasion that Mr. Birch gave the newlyweds a 35-acre parcel of property on which they could build a home. The property was located in a quiet locale where Helen could compose poetry and music, and Frederic could work on his art. The following year, construction was begun on the home that would become their winter getaway. It was named for the yellow water lilies that grew on the site and was called Bonnet House.

East Facade
The House - East Facade
Unfortunately, Helen died just a few years later. In 1931, Frederic remarried—this time, to Evelyn Fortune Lilly. The couple created a beautifully decorated home that still attracts the admiration of its many visitors today. Its beautiful and pristine grounds reflect an informal Southern charm, and are in stark contrast to the city that surrounds it today. The property is an ideal setting for the many weddings, concerts, art shows, and other cultural events which are held there.

Click To Bonnet House In 1983, Evelyn gave Bonnet House to the Florida Trust for Historic Preservation. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984, and in 2002, the city of Ft. Lauderdale declared it a historic landmark. In 2004, the trust included it in its Save America’s Treasures program. In 2008, because of the threat posed by the massive amount of nearby development that had taken place, the trust listed the estate as one of America’s eleven most endangered sites. Speaking about Bonnet House, Evelyn Bartlett once stated “I want it to stay like it was in the old days...I don’t want it to change.” Hopefully, it never will.

 

BOARD MEETINGS  

 

The Board of Directors of Coral Ridge Towers South has appointed five new board members. We would like to welcome the following individuals to the CRTS Board of Directors: Richard Bower, Kenneth Bucher, Jacques Desautels, Al Erb, and Sister Mary O’Brien.

At a Special Meeting of the Board of Directors held on Monday, March 23, 2009, the following officers were elected:

  • President: Charles Gilbride
  • Vice President: Ralph Hamaker
  • Treasurer: Michael Fontanarosa
  • Asst. Treasurer: Al Erb
  • Secretary: Sister Mary O’Brien
  • Asst. Secretary: Richard Bower
  • Director: Kenneth Bucher
  • Director: Jacques Desautels
  • Director: John DiBrino

An Open Forum will serve as an update on major building projects and concerns, such as elevators, concrete restoration, windows, and insurance, and will be held on Tuesday, April 14 at 7 PM in the Community Room.

The next regular board meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, April 28 at 7 PM in the Community Room. Please mark your calendar and try to attend these important meetings.

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If you would like to receive emailed announcements or minutes of meetings, please email your request to: CRTSsecretary@Comcast.net

 

DID YOU KNOW…

about the following activities that are held on a regular basis at CRTS?

 

Water Aerobics

Mon.-Sat. at 9:30 AM in the pool

Knitting/Crocheting

           Tuesdays at 7:00 PM in the Community Room

Poker

Tuesdays through Fridays at 7:00 PM in the Community Room. Additional days and locations may also be available.

 

           Bingo, the Photography Club, and the Tuesday Morning Coffee Hour have been suspended for the season. 

           If you would like your group’s activities listed in this column, please let us know and we’ll include it in the next edition of Tower Topics.

 

HUMOR

 

A couple in their early sixties was celebrating their wedding anniversary when a genie appeared before them and offered to grant each of them a wish. The wife was ecstatic. “I want to travel around the world with my wonderful husband!” The genie raised his hands and—poof—2 tickets for the Queen Mary II appeared in his hands!

The husband thought for a moment. Then he said, “Well, this is all very romantic, but an opportunity like this will never come again. I’m sorry, my love, but my wish is to have a wife that is 30 years younger than me.” The genie raised his hands again and—poof—the man became 92 years old.

The moral of this story is “Be careful what you wish for!”

 

 

IMPORTANT

           Be sure to clear your balcony of ALL items when you leave your home for even a few days during hurricane season. Even a small flowerpot can become a projectile when blown by hurricane-force winds. And please remember to turn off your water and hot water heater, too.

           Also, please do NOT throw any wood, metal, or large items down the trash shoot. They will cause major blockages and major problems.

 

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This will be the final copy of Tower Topics until next season. I hope you’ve enjoyed reading it. Have a wonderful summer!

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This edition of Tower Topics was written and edited by

Marie Altenburg

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           If you have any comments about our publication or suggestions for future issues, please drop a note in the Tower Topics mailbox. It’s located at the end of the top row of in-house mailboxes near the service elevator. Please be sure to include your name and unit number so we can reach you if further information is needed. Thank you!