Bertha Palmer
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Bertha Palmer (May 22, 1849–May 5, 1918) was an American businesswoman, socialite, and philanthropist.
Born Bertha Honoré in Louisville, Kentucky, her father was businessman Henry Honoré. Bertha studied in her home town and achieved a reputation as a skilled musician, a proficient linguist, a brilliant writer, a skilled politician, and a fine administrator.
She married Chicago real estate developer Potter Palmer in 1871. She was twenty-one, he was forty-four. Following her marriage, she quickly rose to the nexus of Chicago society. "She was beautiful, dashing, quick, and smart; and more than that, she was sure of herself," wrote historian Ernest Poole.
In 1874, she gave birth to son Honoré, and in 1875, she gave birth to son Potter Palmer II. Both sons went on to have sons named Potter Palmer III, as well as other children. See Who's Who in Chicago (1931).
She was an early member of the Chicago Woman's Club, a mix of wealthy and working women who met to study social problems. They supported kindergartens until the city made them part of the school system, and campaigned for inexpensive milk for impoverished children and better care for children of imprisoned mothers.
In 1891 Bertha Palmer was selected as president of the Board of Lady Managers of the World's Columbian Exposition The board was meant largely to be honorary, but Bertha used her influence to expand her role and to heighten awareness of women's achievements at the fair. The women of the board made certain that there would be a large Women's Building, filled with examples of women's work, and saw to it that similar exhibits were featured in every one of the state pavilions as well.
Soon after this appointment, Bertha Palmer travelled to Europe to promote interest in the Exposition. While there she began her passion for collecting new Impressionist paintings — when she returned home two years later she had twenty-nine Monets and eleven Renoirs in tow. Many of these now form the core of the Art Institute of Chicago's Impressionist collection.
She also maintained homes in London and Paris and following her husband's death in 1902 rumours abounded that she would marry a titled man. Among the suspected suitors were the earl of Munster, the duke of Atholl, the prince of Monaco, and the king of Serbia. However, these rumours all proved to be unfounded when she remained unmarried.
Bertha Palmer became interested in the winter climate of Florida and in 1910 bought up tens of thousands of acres of land in and around Sarasota, Florida — about one-third of the land in what was then the massive county named, Manatee. She became a progressive rancher, land developer, and farm developer who introduced many innovations to encourage the Florida ranching, citrus, dairy, and farming industries. Palmer was one of the first famous people to winter in Florida, beginning a now-common practice. She encouraged wealty friends and associates in her international social circles to spend winters along Sarasota Bay and promoted the development of many land parcels. The major roads through her property were named by her as well as some connecting to the existing communities. Those names remain unchanged as, Honore, Lockwood Ridge, Tuttle, Webber, and MacKintosh. She proved herself to be an astute businesswoman: within sixteeen years after her husband's death she managed to double the value of the estate he had left her. Later, a large parcel of her land was donated to become Myakka River State Park.
Upon her death in Osprey, Florida, her body was returned to lie in state at "the Castle," the sumptuous mansion Potter Palmer had built on Chicago's Gold Coast. Bertha Palmer is buried alongside her husband in Graceland Cemetery.
