Jane Volk
Lillian Jane Kinney Volk (1922-2010) was a preservationist and an artist who devoted her life to protecting the work of her late husband, architect John L. Volk. Jane was raised in Springfield, Massachusetts where she received a Bachelor’s of Art and later an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from the American International College. She became familiar with South Florida after visiting relatives in Miami and eventually married John Volk in 1947. The couple shared a love for architecture and traveled extensively. Jane’s primary focus, one she shared with her husband, was a devotion to the Town of Palm Beach and maintaining the unique, historic charm of the island. The couple resided in a designated residence renovated by Volk in Phipps Plaza, the town’s first historic district. The property, named Casa de Los Arcos, served as both Volk’s home and office.
Along with participating in Palm Beach society, Jane gravitated towards preservation efforts, especially after the loss of her husband in 1984. Jane was particularly concerned with preserving her husband’s work, most notably La Ronda, which was unfortunately demolished in 2003. However, Jane’s advocacy protected Volk’s Regency style shopping center, the Royal Poinciana Plaza and Playhouse, which was designated as a landmark in 2008. Jane served as a member of the Landmarks Preservation Commission from 1987 to 1995, with several years as chairman. She also served on the Board of Trustees at the Norton Gallery of Art — now the Norton Museum of Art — from 1966 to 1993, serving as president of the board from 1979 to 1981. At the time of her death, she was on the board of trustees at the Preservation Foundation of Palm Beach.
In memory of late husband, Jane established the John L. Volk Archives, the John L. Volk Foundation and co-authored a book on his life and work. In 2018, the John L. Volk Collection was donated to the Preservation Foundation of Palm Beach by Jane and John Volk’s son, John K. Volk Jr. The collection contains over 24,000 architectural drawings, 300 volumes from his personal library, 4,000 photographs, and a collection of Volk family correspondence and social history documentation.
