The Bok Singing Tower - Hurricane Irma Damage Restoration & Preservation

FAIN: PB-261001-18

Bok Tower Gardens (Lake Wales, FL 33853-3470)
Jaime Fogel (Project Director: November 2017 to June 2019)

The repair of collections storage spaces and the critical restoration of papers and artifacts related to the history of the Bok Singer Tower Gardens, the Bok family, and a large campanology library damaged by flooding during Hurricane Irma.

As Hurricane Irma passed through Florida, the storm damaged the Bok Singing Tower, a National Historic Landmark.  On the first floor of the Tower, a large window was broken and the falling glass impaled a large, antique wooden hutch that needs repair. The historic tapestries displayed in the room were exposed to the elements for several days so they require cleaning and repair. Water entered the tower on the 6th, 5th, and 2nd levels as well, more than 30 gallons of standing water was vacuumed out. In the library, the combination of water and sustained high temperatures and humidity (due to extended power loss) resulted in the formation of mold, needing remediation. Dehumidifiers have been purchased to alleviate the additional formation of mold. The materials contained within the Chao Research Center Archives include historical records of Mr.Bok, the American Foundation, and the planning and creation of Bok Tower Gardens. We want to ensure preservation of these records for the future.