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USA - FLORIDA : HISTORIC BOK SANCTUARY AT LAKE WALES by Cindy Turner   As the world has grown more complex and its pace more hurried, there is one spot in the heart of Central Florida where time stands still and a sense of peace and tranquility prevail. Historic Bok Sanctuary has offered some of Florida’s most remarkable experiences to more than 23 million visitors since 1929. Through its historic landscape gardens, unique Singing Tower and palatial 1930s winter estate, the Sanctuary offers unparalleled opportunities for artistic, cultural, personal and spiritual enrichment.
When its founder, Edward W. Bok, immigrated to America from Den Helder, Netherlands, at age 6, he did not understand the language, customs or culture. Through determination and hard work, he became a highly successful publisher, Pulitzer Prize-winning author, respected humanitarian and an advocate of world peace and the environment. During visits from their Pennsylvania residence to their winter retreat near Lake Wales, Florida, Mr. Bok became enchanted with the beauty and vistas from nearby Iron Mountain. At 298 feet above sea level, peninsular Florida’s highest point offered views of dramatic sunsets. Awed by the tranquility of the area, Bok wanted to create a place that would "touch the soul with its beauty and quiet,” and chose it as a perfect setting for a bird sanctuary. Today, Historic Bok Sanctuary is a sanctuary for birds, animals and the human spirit. It blends the beauty of nature and the intrigue of history with an outstanding collection of musical, artistic and architectural masterpieces that enrich the hearts, minds and souls of all who visit. The Sanctuary features beautifully landscaped gardens, a belltower with a 60-bell carillon and the charming seven and a half-acre Pinewood Estate. The Sanctuary’s award-winning Education and Visitor Center features permanent exhibits that provide insight and historical perspectives on Edward Bok’s life and influence as well as offerings of the Sanctuary and a nine-minute orientation film. Also, temporary exhibits showcase artists’ interpretations of Florida’s flora and fauna. Historic Bok Sanctuary boasts one of the greatest works of famed landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted Jr. The historic landscape garden was designed to be a contemplative and informal woodland setting offering a series of romantic recesses and tranquil resting spots, picturesque vistas and breathtaking views of the Tower. Acres of ferns, palms, oaks and pines fashion a lush backdrop for flowering foliage and the spectacular seasonal color of azaleas, camellias and magnolias showcasing an ever-changing work of art. One of the wonderful attributes of Historic Bok Sanctuary’s gardens and natural habitats is its wildlife population. It includes 126 different species of birds as well as the threatened gopher tortoise and endangered eastern indigo snake. The Sanctuary is a designated site on the Great Florida Birding Trail. At “Window By The Pond”, a small observatory overlooking a Florida bog, visitors can watch birds, reptiles, butterflies and native species in their natural habitat. A sign proclaims, “This is nature’s show, not ours. No scheduled performances.” The Pine Ridge Nature Preserve provides a rare opportunity to explore one of the nation’s few remaining longleaf pine-turkey oak habitats. Many of its rare plant species are found nowhere else in the world. Bok remembered the music of the carillons from his childhood in the Netherlands, and commissioned a Singing Tower and world-class carillon to serve as the focal point of the gardens. Historic Bok Sanctuary’s carillon is today one of only four in Florida. The 60 bell Taylor Carillon has bells ranging in weight from 16 pounds to nearly 12 tons. Brief recorded carillon music fills the Sanctuary every 30 minutes and recitals are featured daily at 1 and 3 p.m. Famed Philadelphia architect Milton B. Medary designed a uniquely original 205-foot carillon Tower. Sanctuary visitors are swept back in time when they enter Pinewood Estate. It illustrates one of the finest examples of Mediterranean Revival architecture in the state of Florida and surrounding grounds designed by Fredrick Law Olmsted Jr. There are daily guided walking tours of Pinewood Estate. Call Historic Bok Sanctuary 863.676.1408 for more information. Photo courtesy Historic Bok Sanctuary
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