What exactly is the ‘Whispering Bench?

There’s a lot of speculation about a structural “folly” along The Promenade, located behind 161 Gilchrist Ave., called “The Whispering Bench,” or “Whispering Circle.” It was part of the large Crowninshield compound that was once located along Gilchrist Avenue, which included the Frank Crowninshield art studio – located next door to the south – as well as Las Olas, horse stables and the swimming pool and pool house at 1st and Gilchrist. Most of the homes located on Gilchrist were once owned by the du Pont/Crowninshield families, in fact. They were all built around the same time as well, in the 1920s and ’30s.

There’s a lot of speculation about a structural “folly” along The Promenade, located behind 161 Gilchrist Ave., called “The Whispering Bench,” or “Whispering Circle.” It was part of the large Crowninshield compound that was once located along Gilchrist Avenue, which included the Frank Crowninshield art studio – located next door to the south – as well as Las Olas, horse stables and the swimming pool and pool house at 1st and Gilchrist. Most of the homes located on Gilchrist were once owned by the du Pont/Crowninshield families, in fact. They were all built around the same time as well, in the 1920s and ’30s.

Before taking that any further, though, it must be known that the Whispering Bench had no historic protection prior to the meeting that took place on Wednesday, April 12, in which the Boca Grande Historic Preservation Board heard the Certificate of Appropriateness regarding the building of a new home at 161 Gilchrist Avenue, the property where the bench sits. The property owner has expressed the desire to demolish the house and has attained the permits to do so. The bench was originally included in that demo, and at last look still is, whether the board denied the COA for the new house or not.

The bench currently has no historic protection, though it was discussed in the meeting. Because of that, the owner of the property is currently allowed to demolish the bench. According to people who understand how the bench is constructed, there is a chance the bench will make the move from the Gilchrist property to a new proposed location at the Rear Range Light. The homeowner has said he would allow that move to take place.

The Louise du Pont Crowninshield Award is the highest award given by the National Trust for excellence in historic preservation. Louise was very active in the preservation of many locations in the Northeast, as well as with the National Council of Historic Sites and Buildings. She was there in the beginning, working hard to preserve our country’s historic culture. The group later became the National Trust for Historic Preservation. 

When the executive committee of the National Council met at the National Gallery of Art on November 30, 1949, considerable discussion was held on the matter of trustees for the newly formed National Trust. The list of names proposed by the National Council was indeed formidable, and included Dwight Eisenhower, Mrs. Franklin D. Roosevelt, both John D. Rockefeller, Jr. and Sr., and others. The committee agreed that among the first to be approached would be Louise Crowninshield.

According to the National Trust for Historic Preservation, “The newly formed National Council asked Mrs. Crowninshield to join its Committee of Standards and Surveys which had the important job of determining what standards ought to govern the selection of the historic sites and buildings to be supported by the National Council and the proposed National Trust. Several years later Mrs. Crowninshield was in charge of the Ways and Means Committee. The National Council’s membership of 100 member organizations and nearly 500 private individuals was created largely through her efforts. In 1951 the National Council elevated Mrs. Crowninshield from board member to vice president.”

How does any of this come into play when discussing the Whispering Bench? It was one of Louise’s favorite parts of her property, primarily because of the architecture. It is believed that she took the idea from the “Whisper Bench” in Central Park, made of granite. There are whispering benches in other cities, too, such as Philadelphia.

The idea is that you can whisper into one end and the sound travels to the other end. A person sitting at one end of the bench can turn and whisper into the wall behind him. A second person sitting at the opposite end can clearly hear what is being said. If you have sat in the one on the Gulf in Boca Grande, you will find that it is true.It has also been speculated that Louise’s input into the renovation of The White House might have been, in part, why the Oval Office is constructed the way it is.

Instead of granite, though, Louise had this bench made of adobe. The Sligar family, who once owned the property, covered the bench with gold coat in an attempt to preserve it. 

One historian noted of her house in Eleutherian Mills, “Louise loved to entertain, and she loved to do it in her home, amongst the things that made her happy.”