National Register of Historic Places

El Retiro

Lake Wales, Polk County, Florida
Listed
December 12, 1985
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
85003331

About this property

El Retiro (also known as Encierro, and as Pinewood Estate) is a historic residence at 1151 Tower Boulvard in Lake Wales, Florida, United States. On December 12, 1985, it was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. The 12,900 square foot house was designed by architect Charles R. Wait for the original owner, Charles Austin Buck, a Bethlehem Steel executive. The design specified a "barrel-tile roof, thick walls, substantial carved doors and woodwork, and intricately detailed wrought iron ... and three large porches". The gardens were designed by William Lyman Phillips of the Olmsted Brothers firm. The work on the property was completed in 1929–1930. Buck owned the home until 1945. It was purchased by Nellie Lee Holt Bok in 1970, and renamed Pinewood Estate. A subsequent restoration of the gardens, to their original design, was completed by landscape architect Rudy Favretti. Since 1970, the estate has been part of Bok Tower Gardens, a garden and bird sanctuary, and is again known as El Retiro. Visitors to the Bok Tower Gardens may tour the home for an additional fee. Polk County listings at National Register of Historic Places Polk County listings at Florida's Office of Cultural and Historical Programs Pinewood Estate History Archived 2020-05-11 at the Wayback Machine at Bok Tower Gardens

Location

Lake Wales, Polk County, Florida
27.93800, -81.56921

Categories

LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTUREARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Native Heritage
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Settlement
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The Community
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Nearby Historic Sites

Bok Mountain Lake Sanctuary and Singing Tower
Industrial
0.5 mi
Mountain Lake Estates Historic District
Listed
1.4 mi
Mountain Lake Colony House
Industrial
1.4 mi
Lake of the Hills Community Club
Industrial
1.9 mi
Spook Hill
Listed
1.9 mi

Questions about this property

When was El Retiro listed on the National Register?

El Retiro was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on December 12, 1985.

What type of historic resource is El Retiro?

El Retiro is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for El Retiro?

The period of significance for El Retiro is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near El Retiro?

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