Pioneering Palm Beach: The Deweys and the South Florida Frontier

Palm Beach’s sunny and idyllic shores had humble beginnings as a wilderness of sawgrass and swamps only braved by the hardiest of souls. Two such adventurers were Fred and Byrd “Birdie” Spilman Dewey, who pioneered in central Florida before discovering the tropical beauty of Palm Beach in 1887. Though their story was all but lost, this dynamic couple was vital in transforming the region from a rough backcountry into a paradise poised for progress. Authors Ginger Pedersen and Janet DeVries trace the remarkable history of the Deweys in South Florida from their beginnings on the isolated frontier to entertaining the likes of the Flaglers, Vanderbilts, Phippses, Cluetts, Clarkes and other Palm Beach elite. Using Birdie’s autobiographical writings from her best-selling books to fill in the gaps, Pedersen and DeVries narrate a chapter in Florida’s history that has remained untold until now.

Ginger L. Pedersen is a Palm Beach County native. She writes a local history blog and serves on the City of Boynton Beach Historic Preservation Board as Vice Chair, is the VP for membership for the Boynton Beach Historical Society, and is a member of the Historical Society of Palm Beach County. Janet M. DeVries serves as the historian and archivist for both the Boynton Beach City Library and the Boynton Beach Historical Society. She is also the curator for the Children's Schoolhouse Museum in Boynton Beach, and the author of four books. Harvey E. Oyer III is the President of the Lake Worth Pioneers Association. He previously served as the Chairman for the Historical Society of Palm Beach County.