Belford Shoumate (1903-1991)
Title
Belford Shoumate (1903-1991)
Description
Belford Shoumate was born in Aberdeen, Ohio. He studied at the University of Pennsylvania and worked with architect Joseph Urban in New York City. Shoumate worked in Miami for one year with Carlos B. Schoeppl before coming to Palm Beach. Since the late 1930s, Belford Shoumate has left his architectural imprint, in either design or restoration, on more than 500 buildings of many styles in South Florida, from Bermuda and Colonial to Art Deco. Shoumate became very interested and active in the preservation of Palm Beach’s architectural heritage and presided over and contributed to the organizational efforts of preservation committees, including that of the Preservation Foundation of Palm Beach.
Creator
Belford Shoumate, architect
Source
Belford Shoumate collection, Preservation Foundation of Palm Beach.
Rights
All applicable rights reserved by the Preservation Foundation of Palm Beach. Written permission from the Preservation Foundation of Palm Beach Archives must be obtained before using an item for publishing or commercial purposes.
Collection Items
North Lake Way Residence (Palm Beach, FL)
One of Shoumate’s first recorded commissions was this Art Moderne residence for the Stechers. The avant-garde structure resembles a ship and features many Moderne elements such as a flat roof, scalloped details, and rounded corners. It’s believed…
Peruvian Avenue Residence (Palm Beach, FL)
Built for Jack M. Davis, the manager of the Hotel Mayflower, in the Art Moderne style. The residence is rich in whimsical features such as scalloped details on the primary façade leading up to the roof and the reoccurrence of the porthole shape. The…
Wagner House (West Palm Beach, FL)
Ralph Wagner, the president of the Palm Beach Art League and engineer designed the concept for his home on South Flagler Drive facing the Intracoastal. He commissioned Shoumate to design the Art Deco house known for its opulence and stylized water…
WJNO Radio Station, (Palm Beach, FL)
Shoumate provided alterations and additions to this modern radio station.
Shoumate’s Phipps Plaza Residence (Palm Beach, FL)
Shoumate designed this Bermuda style residence for himself and his wife, Betsy; he lived and worked there until he died in 1991. Each wing of the house is flanked by a small pavilion or buttery and separated by an open courtyard. His home was…
Mt. Vernon Motor Lodge (West Palm Beach, FL)
Mt. Vernon Motor Lodge was built for E.B. Walton and R.B. Wagner in the Neocolonial (or Palladian) style. Walton was greatly influenced by elements of President Washington’s famous residence, Mount Vernon--including the two story-porch columns,…
Penn Castle Apartments (West Palm Beach, FL)
Shoumate designed the Penn Castle studio apartment building for the Pennocks in Phipps Plaza. The building was designated as a landmark in 1982.
Sam A. Stephens Inc, Insurance (West Palm Beach, FL)
Built for Sam Stephens, Shoumate envisioned this modern building to have several stories in one of the earlier sketches.
Middle Road Residence (Palm Beach, FL)
This Bermuda style residence, built for the Kings, features welcoming arms staircase in the front façade.