A resident 
organist was hired each
season to
play the 1,249 pipe organ created by the J.H. & C.S. Odell Co.
installed at one end of the room. The music was piped throughout
the house. The instrument rivaled any I had ever seen in churches. As
we perused the ornate wall decorations, the melodious deep tones
of the organ came forth to fill the entire building. It was
Christmas and the carols were a delightful addition to an already
delightful day. We continued to the center of the house.
Following traditional design, the home had been built around a
central courtyard. Built to take advantage of the ocean breezes
in order to keep the house as cool as possible, the area was
often used by the Flaglers to host dinner parties. The center of
the courtyard is occupied by a reproduction of Giovanni da
Bologna's "Venus" fountain at the Boboli Gardens in
Florence. The work is superb, strong but eloquent. The genteel
and innocent expression on Venus is offset by the leering faces
of her pool side admirers. Each slightly different in expression,
while all
four present the epitome of lustful intention. The contrast is
quite impressive. The statue's presence, again, would demonstrate
the desire of the new wealth in America, to gather and possess
the finest art of Europe as a symbol of their new status in the
world. Refreshments were being served and we partook of a glass
of cider while we took in the surrounding crowd. It produced a
feeling of being at one of the gala garden parties of an age gone
past. The grand ballroom continued the elegance 
with its Louis XV
style decor. Paintings above the doors and windows were
specifically created for Whitehall and alternate between
Watteau-style pastoral scenes and Boucher-style scenes with
Cupids. A historic photograph is displayed on a stand at one end
of the room. The picture is of the 1903 Bal Poudre, an
extravagant party given in honor of George Washington. The New
York Herald described the event where the
guests danced the Minuet and the Virginia Reel.
There were many more rooms and more things to marvel at, but I
don't want to give away all the secrets nestled in the corners of
bedrooms and down hallways. We ended our tour with a walk through
the grounds, which were extensive. In the side yard, set up on a
section of railroad tracks, is Flagler's personal 1886 railcar.
It is open to the public and offers an insight into the luxurious
travel at the turn of the century. Our final moments at this
grand mansion was back in the Great Hall where the
great-great-great granddaughters of Henry Flagler threw the
switches that lit the 25 foot Christmas tree, while the "One
Voice" choral group, of the Wellington Christian School,
filled the room with a cappella carols of the season. Our timing
had been very good on this tour. The additional activity added a
feeling of reality, not always available in such Mansions. For
information about hours or times, check out their website at: http://www.flagler.org
