Bok Tower in Lake Wales is one of Central Florida’s most recognizable icons. Planning to take a weekend trip to see it for yourself? Get to know the history behind Bok Tower Gardens.
Before we dive into the history of Bok Tower Gardens, let’s first talk about the man who started it all. Edward W. Bok was born in the Netherlands in 1863 and immigrated to Brooklyn, NY at age six. With a love of education and writing, he worked in advertising + publishing, and was published 12 times in his lifetime. In 1889, he became the editor of the Ladies’ Home Journal — the first magazine in the world with one million subscribers.
Edward was very interested in architecture, and was actually one of the first to promote house plans from architect Frank Lloyd Wright, another Central Florida legend, in his magazine. While we’re sharing fun facts, did you know that Edward was also the first person to coin the term “living room”?
Spending winters in Lake Wales, Edward fell in love with Florida’s natural beauty. He would look out across Polk County and marvel at the peaceful landscape from Iron Mountain, a spot on the Lake Wales Ridge that’s 295-ft above sea level. It was then that he decided to build a sanctuary for birds + wildlife and call it the “Mountain Lake Sanctuary and Singing Tower.”
An aerial view of Bok Tower Gardens in 1953 | Photo by Florida Memory
Once Edward had an idea, he needed a team to bring it to life. He reached out to landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted Jr. for help designing the 157-acre gardens. Of course, Frederick wasn’t just any architect — his father designed Central Park, and he himself had worked at the White House + the Biltmore Estate.
Over five years, Frederick worked to plant native and exotic plants that would thrive in Florida’s humid climate and welcome migrating birds. You can also see his touch in the Reflection Pool, which mirrors the image of the Bok Singing Tower.
The Bok Singing Tower was designed by another big name, president of the American Institute of Architects, Milton B. Medary. Milton was inspired by art deco and neo-Gothic design for the tower. The structure of the tower was built with steel, then covered by coquina stone from St. Augustine, FL and pink + gray marble from Georgia.
Instead of the typical gargoyles, Edward Bok wanted something more natural and inviting to top the 205-ft tall bell tower. Sculptor Lee O. Lawrie sculpted marble birds, plants, and humans to show the balance between nature and man. With a huge brass door and tile grilles from some more of the nation’s top makers, the tower just needed one thing: The carillon bells.
The tower has seven levels and holds 60 bronze carillon bells, the smallest weighing 16 pounds and the largest coming in at over 11 tons. It gets its “Singing Tower” moniker from the way the bells seem to sing throughout the gardens. The bells are played by musicians known as “carillonneurs” that specialize in playing these large instruments. The park has had only four full-time carillonneurs since 1928.
President Coolidge, Bok, and their wives at the dedication ceremony | Photo by Florida Memory
Mountain Lake Sanctuary and Singing Tower officially opened in February of 1929. President Calvin Coolidge was present to dedicate the gardens. They were dedicated by Edward Bok to thank America for the opportunities that he had been given here. Edward died shortly thereafter in 1930, but he was buried in the gardens he loved so much at the base of the Singing Tower. The sanctuary was renamed to Bok Tower Gardens in 1986 to honor Edward Bok’s philanthropic contributions to the world, and it is still one of Florida’s most peaceful havens.
Be a part of Edward’s legacy by visiting the Gardens 365 days a year from 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Pro tip: You can hear the daily carillon concerts at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m., and grab a bite from the Blue Palmetto Café for a picnic. Take advantage of Wawa Summer Fun Days with free admission coming up on Thurs., July 7 and Fri., July 8.
