Old Pompano Beach Historic Homes Tour
1. Kester Cottages
The Kester cottages, owned and restored
by the Pompano Beach Historical Society, offer a slice of
life from the 1930's. The two cottages at Founders Park
were moved from other locations in the city, but a few are
still lived in throughout Pompano Beach and Deerfield Beach.
The cottages are named for William
Livingston Kester (1873-1954), who moved to Pompano Beach
in 1925 after a career with Westinghouse in the United States,
Mexico and France. A man of some wealth, Kester bought large
pieces of property in the area and soon became involved
in local politics. He was elected to the Pompano Beach City
Council in 1927 and served for two years, promoting tourism
and growth.
Kester's fortunes and the fortunes
of his neighbors took a hit in the 1929 stock market crash
and the Great Depression that followed. Still, he maintained
his interests in local farming and real estate. He was instrumental
in reopening the local bank as Farmers Bank of Pompano Beach
in 1934. The historic building still stands at NE First
Street and First Avenue.
As the nation's economy recovered,
interest resumed in South Florida as a vacation spot. Kester
saw this as the perfect time to build cottages that could
be used as vacation getaways and as homes for local workers.
About 150 were constructed on lots owned by Kester. Most
were built of Dade County pine, a dense wood resistant to
rot and termites. The cottage open to the tour has been
restored in period furniture, giving us a glimpse of what
life was like in the early days of Pompano Beach.
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