Our History
Peace & Plenty
a Bahamian Icon
The Peace & Plenty boasts a rich history dating back to the American Revolution. Since then, it’s become an iconic landmark and central hub of Great Exuma. Scroll through our historical highlights.
October 12th, 1492
Christopher Columbus landed on San Salvador in the Bahamas - believed to be either San Salvador or Long Island. Soon after, he reportedly sailed to Great Exuma and upon arriving in spectacular Elizabeth Harbour (which The Peace & Plenty overlooks) Columbus observed that the "harbour was large enough to anchor all the ships in Christendom."
October 1783
Lord Denys Rolle, a British Loyalist seeking to flee Florida after its cession to Spain that year, set sail from Savannah, Georgia for Great Exuma on board an English trading ship, Peace and Plenty. Upon arrival, he established a cotton plantation covering much of the island but with its main buildings on our site. Much of the Exuma population today bears the Rolle name.
1783 to 1958
Over the next 175 years, the property served as part of a larger cotton plantation, then a sponge warehouse, and later the home of a prominent island family, The Minns, whose descendants still live here and own the marina and grocery store across the street.
January 14th, 1958
Lawrence Lewis, heir to the Henry Flagler railroad and Standard Oil fortune, opened "Club Peace and Plenty" - a 32-room colonial style hotel. The old plantation cookhouse became the club bar and the former sponge warehouse/Minns' family home was converted into the main lobby.
April 25th, 1959
His Royal Majesty, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, during his visit to Peace and Plenty for the Out-Island Regatta.
April 1967
Peace and Plenty" of the Peace & Plenty pool by famed photographer, Slim Aarons. George 'Slim' Aarons, a WWII Army photographer, returned from the war with a mission to photograph 'attractive people doing attractive things in attractive places.' From 1947 to 1993, on assignment for Holiday, LIFE, Vogue and Town & Country, he traveled the world documenting the rich and famous at home and play. Source - Photos.com
September 12th, 1969
Stanley Benjamin and Charlie Pflueger re-opened Club Peace & Plenty after purchasing the hotel from Lawrence Lewis. Charlie kicked off his self-described "40-year love affair" as General Manager (from his autobiography, Island Fever). Group photo from the Club Bar in 1970 with Charlie on the right, looking like a real life James Bond.
1959 to Present
Since the 1970's, a "Who's Who" list of actors, musicians, and athletes have visited The Peace & Plenty - many of whom were regulars and became friends of Charlie Pflueger. Some of these celebrities include baseball greats Ted Williams (seen here with Charlie) and Mickey Mantle, golfers Jack Nicklaus, Ray Floyd, Greg Norman, and Tom Weiskof; actors Robert Mitchum, Gene Hackman, Sam Elliott, Johnny Depp, Hume Cronyn and wife Jessica Tandy; NFL legends Joe Namath and Coach Don Shula plus, more recently, Nick and Joey Bosa; plus others such as Jimmy Buffet, Ted Kennedy, Jackie Kennedy Onassis, and Al Roker.
Frank & Gertrude Denison – Modern Yacht-building Pioneers
While on their honeymoon in 1948, Frank & Gertrude Denison bought a shipyard in Ft. Lauderdale that they renamed “Broward Marine”. After first building minesweepers for the US Navy during the Korean War, they soon began building custom yachts for the world’s elite. They are credited with not only making Ft. Lauderdale the yacht-building capital of the world that it is today but also pioneering the entire modern yacht-building industry. Coincidentally, for over 50 years starting in the early 1960’s, the Peace & Plenty was one of their favorite spots to visit. Photo of Frank & Gertrude at the Peace & Plenty in 1965.
1970's
1970's photo of "The Jetstreamers" band performing at the Peace & Plenty.
1970's
Peace & Plenty pool deck circa 1970
August 6th, 2006
Johnny Depp accepted the 2006 People's Choice Award for "Favorite Male Movie Star" live via satellite from the Peace & Plenty's Club Bar while on site fillming Pirates of the Caribbean 3
October 30th, 2014
The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism unveiled four commemorative stamps in honor of its 50th Anniversary. As described at the time, the stamps featured four of the best known hotels in the country - Atlantis, Baha Mar Resort, The Princess Resort, and The Peace & Plenty Hotel. Highlighting the iconic nature of The Peace & Plenty within the Bahamas, the other three hotels commemorated were large mega resorts vs. our small 34-room boutique hotel.
September 21st, 2017
A group led by brothers Steve and Patrick Harrington and native Exumian, Burton Rodgers, purchased The Peace & Plenty from the Benjamin family, who had owned it for nearly 50 years. Steve, Patrick, and their sister Ann have been visiting The Peace & Plenty since the mid-1990's. Like most who visit Exuma, they fell in love with its spectacular beauty, tranquility, and warm culture. As this page illustrates, the Harringtons feel a strong responsibility to steward this storied property well by celebrating its rich history while simultaneously modernizing it for new generations to fully enjoy. May 2021 photo of Steve and Patrick Harrington with the Honorable Prime Minister Minnis and Senator Isaacs-Dotson.
October 2018
The same group led by the Harringtons purchased the property on Stocking Island which is now the Peace & Plenty Beach Club and Island Cottages. Located just one mile across Elizabeth Harbour, this property provides a short boating adventure for guests to "another world" on Stocking Island including the spectacular beach club.
December 2019
The group partnered with another property owner to purchase a newly-built beach resort. Located immediately next to the Peace & Plenty Beach Club and renamed "Kahari", this resort offers a more luxurious private island experience including an exceptional restuarant, The Beacon (visit kahariresort.com).
2019
The essence of The Peace & Plenty is enjoying the peace and natural wonder of Exuma with good friends, both old and new. With that ethos in mind, the Harringtons have been delighted to create a social club of partners who enjoy doing exactly that and introducing this very special place to the rest of the world.
1970 to 2019
In addition to the stunning natural beauty of Exuma, a passionate and wise owner for 40 years in Stanley Benjamin, and a talented and charismatic GM in Charlie PFlueger, a very big part of the legend that is The Peace & Plenty can be attributed to an extraordinary gentleman by the name of Lermon Rolle. For over 40 years, Lermon served as head bartender and as Charlie described "a more gregarious and welcoming individual would be hard to find." Lermon, better known as the "Doctor of Libations" or just "Doc" was the face of The Peace & Plenty for over 40 years and had a natural gift to make every guest feel welcomed and special. Guests returning after 20 or 30 years still ask about our beloved "Doc". Therefore, in January 2021 it only seemed befitting to name our outdoor bar "Doc's" after this warm soul who brought so much joy to so many people.