Lawrence Lewis - St. Augustine, FL
N 29° 53.626 W 081° 18.928
17R E 469541 N 3307055
A blue plaque honoring Lawrence Lewis is located at the Lewis House, a Men's Residence Hall for Flagler College, in St. Augustine, Florida, USA.
Waymark Code: WMAP1B
Location: Florida, United States
Date Posted: 02/06/2011
Views: 11
The blue plaque for Lawrence Lewis was created as part of The Great Floridians 2000 Program. According to the Florida Department of State website about this program
(visit link): "The Great Floridians 2000 program was designed to recognize individuals who distinguished themselves through their philanthropy, public service or personal or professional service, and who have enhanced the lives of Florida's citizens. In 1998, the Florida Department of State and the Florida League of Cities, to help celebrate the approaching turn of the century, initiated the program to dedicate a special series of commemorative plaques in cities throughout the state. These plaques recognized "Great Floridians 2000" by honoring men and women who made significant contributions to the history and culture of our state."
"Anyone could nominate an individual to be designated a Great Floridian 2000 by submitting a Great Floridians 2000 application. These applications were periodically reviewed by the appointed Great Floridians 2000 Committee, a group of seven distinguished historians from throughout Florida. The applications included the listing of an historical property where the plaque was affixed that was associated with the Great Floridian. Once the decisions were made, nominators were notified and advised on how and where to purchase the commemorative plaque."
The following is a biography of Lawrence Lewis posted on the Great Floridians 2000 Program website (visit link): "Lawrence Lewis, Jr. was born in Wilmington, North Carolina, July 6, 1918. That same year he moved with his family to St. Augustine. He attended the University of Virginia. During the 1960s he rose from executive president to chairman of the Flagler Systems, a company formed by the merger of the Florida East Coast Hotel Company and the Model Land Company. Lewis established Flagler College, an independent liberal arts college in St. Augustine in 1968. The college is housed in the former Hotel Ponce de Leon, built by Henry Flagler in 1888. Renovation and transformation costs of the hotel as Flagler College totaled more than $14 million. This undertaking was planned and executed under the leadership of Lewis and was funded by him and the members of his family, the Flagler Foundation and the Kenan Charitable Trust. Lewis’ contributions to the college included scholarships, endowments and new buildings. Lewis was the president of both the Historic St. Augustine Preservation Board and the St. Augustine Foundation. In 1995 Lewis was made an Honorary Member of the American Institute of Architects, the highest honor given to a non-architect by the organization. The University of Virginia later established the Lewis Chair in Architecture. Lawerence Lewis died in 1995. His Great Floridian plaque is located at the Lewis House, 18 Valencia Street, St. Augustine."