Bok Tower - The Singing Tower At Bok Tower Gardens - BOKTOW973A1
by Frank J Benz
Title
Bok Tower - The Singing Tower At Bok Tower Gardens - BOKTOW973A1
Artist
Frank J Benz
Medium
Photograph - Photography
Description
The Bok Singing Tower
Bok Tower Gardens
Lake Wales, Florida.
The Bok Tower, often referred to as The Singing Tower, is the main focal point of the Bok Tower Gardens, founded by Edward W. Bok, the Singing Tower was dedicated and presented to the America people by Clavin Coolidge on February 1, 1929. Edward Bok became ill and passed away on January 9, 1930 within sight of the Tower. His wife had convinced Mr. Bok that he should be buried at the place that he loved, his grave rests directly in front of the Towers beautiful massive golden brass entrance door. Bok Tower Gardens is a National Historic Landmark and is located on the top of the 295 foot high Iron Mountain within a 50 acre garden that was designed by the celebrated landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr.
The gardens provide for a quiet place among all of the old massive Oak trees, Pine trees, ferns and flowers for meditation and pondering, unhurried walks, eye opening moments and enchanting activities. Spending a few hours, or the whole day in the gardens is a most relaxing and rewarding experience. The Bok Tower is an architecturally beautiful designed structure designed by Miltron B. Medary of Philadelphia and was constructed during the 1927 to 1929 time period. The beautiful neo-Gothic and Art Deco Singing Tower is 205 feet in height, weighs 5,500 tons, and rests upon the top of the 295 foot high Iron Mountain in central Florida.
The Tower sits upon 118 reinforced concrete pilings ranging in depth from 13 to 24 feet with a cement cap of 2.5 feet in depth. The structure of the Tower is a steel frame with brick walls and outer facing walls of pink and gray Georgia marble and Florida limestone comprised of shell and coral fragments often referred to as Florida Coquina. At the top of the Tower there are beautiful grilles with colorful ceramic tiles on the grilles exterior surfaces. There are sculptures of birds, animals and floral depictions in the Tower exterior and it is said that all sculptures were to have been carved on the site by sculptor Lee Lawrie.
At the Towers top is the Carillon comprised of 60 bronze bells, the smallest bell weighing 16 pounds and the largest bell weighing a little over 11 tons and is one of the worlds finest Carillons. The total weight of all the bells is in excess of 63 tons. The bells chime the hours of the day and there are normally Carillon Concerts given twice during the day - absolutely beautiful sounds flow from the top of the tower and flow down through the massive Oaks and into the surrounding garden areas enhancing the relaxing atmosphere that one experiences in the gardens.
Uploaded
September 21st, 2016
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