Barbara Hoffstot
In her obituary, Barbara D. Hoffstot (1919-1984) was deemed the mother of Palm Beach preservation. Born in Pittsburgh, Hoffstot was a graduate of the Ethel Walker School and attended Rollins College. She was already entrenched in preservation in her hometown, where she founded the Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation in 1964 and served as a trustee for the National Trust for Historic Preservation for three terms beginning in 1963. Distraught by the prevailing demolition trend in Palm Beach during the late 1950s, Hoffstot was encouraged to start a documentation process that would lead to the publication of Landmark Architecture of Palm Beach. Hoffstot’s seminal work set the stage for the development of the Landmarks Preservation Ordinance, which established the policy for the “protection, enhancement, and perpetuation” of historic properties.
Biking the streets of Palm Beach, Hoffstot photographed and recorded the understated beauty and historic character of the town. She initially identified 200 buildings that she believed worthy of preservation. The culmination of her findings was then published in Landmark Architecture of Palm Beach in 1974 and convinced many town citizens for the first time that Palm Beach has significant architectural heritage. Two subsequent editions were published in her lifetime; the second edition, released before the ordinance, contained pages hand stamped with “demolished” to emphasize the loss of historic properties. Her important work continued after her passing, with the publication of the third and fourth editions.
Hoffstot was a founding member of the Landmarks Preservation Commission, serving on the board until 1983. She was integral in drafting the Landmarks Preservation Ordinance with her lawyer husband and fellow preservationist Philip Huiltar in 1979 to ensure the protection of Palm Beach’s most significant architectural achievements. The first years of the commission were tumultuous, however the commissioners held steadfast in their commitment to preserve the beauty and architectural charm of Palm Beach. As Hoffstot once said, “Don’t let your very fine past be taken away uncaringly or without your knowledge and consent. Be prepared to fight when necessary.” Hoffstot was also involved in the Sea Gull Cottage Restoration Committee, the Town Hall Square Beautification Committee, and was a founding member of the Preservation Foundation of Palm Beach, where she served as vice president until her death in 1984.
The Hoffstot photography collection was donated to the Preservation Foundation of Palm Beach in the late 1990s and includes over 200 original photographs from the publication of Landmark Architecture in Palm Beach. The photographs are part of the Property Files collection at the Foundation which document vital information about the built environment of Palm Beach.
