History of the Brazilian Court Hotel

soon change altering the social Palm Beach scene into a war zone with action taking place just off the beaches. The Palm Beach Post, November 23, 1941: What ’ ll I Do? — After Sundown, After Dark

overnight. Japan attached Pearl Harbor and the Unit- ed States was suddenly in it all.

1942

The Brazilian Court and the Whitehall were the only luxury hotels in Palm Beach to remain open to the public during World War II. The Breakers, Biltmore and others were taken over by the government for military use. The BC was swamped with reservation requests. Many had to be turned down because the BC had a regular clientele that already had most rooms reserved for the season. The Palm Beach Post, November 22, 1942: All Southbound Trains Jammed: Apartment Queries Up Gauged by any yard - stick you want to apply, the Palm Beach season looks like an early and busy one.

You might swerve down Brazilian Avenue as you travel southward and drop by the Brazilian Court to listen to Dudley Doe ’ s orchestra, while you sip your cocktail in the tropical patio.

The Palm Beach Post, November 23, 1941: BRAZILIAN COURT OPEN FOR SEASON The Brazilian Court this winter will ob- serve its tenth anniversary under the man- agement of Elliott Bishop, who had trans- formed it into one of the resort ’ s most popular residential hotels for a number of persons who like to arrive early and re- main late into the spring. The Brazilian Court opened two days ago for the season, although a number of guests have been arriving throughout the month for the informal pre - season period. The dining–room is now open and all 154 hotel bedrooms and six penthouses have been made ready for the season. On Christmas Eve the hotel ’ s social sea- son gets underway when Dudley Doe and orchestra begin their nightly dinner con- certs. The orchestra plays during the sea- on at the cocktail hour and for dinner, in the patio, except when weather does not permit outdoor dining. About the middle of January, the distinctive Sunday night buffet suppers, which have become an integral part of the Brazilian Court pro- gram, will be resumed. Mr. Bishop spent the summer at Montauk Manor, which he manages, many of whose guests come each winter to the Brazilian Court. He returned early to get the hotel into readiness. The task of re- modeling and refurnishing the old half of the Brazilian Court to correspond to fur- nishings and equipment of the new half was completed this summer. War had been raging in Europe for several years as the United States made every effort to stay out of the fray. December 7, 1941 would change everything

It won ’ t be the carefree, playtime sessions of old with little thought beyond the en- tertainment of winter visitors. But it should be a comfortable, warm one, with plenty of persons here, hotels, shops and clubs operating much as usual; plenty of sunshine, outdoor sports and recreational facilities, in addition to opportunity for war activities. The folks are coming if it ’ s humanly pos- sible to get here. Every southbound train is jammed, and though railroad men aren ’ t leading the life of Riley trying to wrangle all the problems facing them, they have got the concession of two extra sections a day for Florida travel. A recent order that scared many did NOT freeze travel after Dec. 5: merely did not permit the making of reservations past that date, until schedules and trains were definitely established for winter traffic. Applica- tions were placed on fill to be filled when schedules and accommodations were def- inite. The Palm Beach Gas Rationing Board is allowing extra gas rations to bring one to Floridaa, provided the applicant is a bona fide resident with a home or business here. Inquiries on hotels and apartments are from five to 10 percent in advance of the usual season, early arrivals are estimated at approximately 20 per cent up, accord- ing to R. L. Ray, secretary of the Palm

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