This document summarizes the history of West Palm Beach, Florida from its frontier years in the 1870s to the present day. It divides the city's history into 8 periods: frontier years, Flagler years, boom years, bust years, war years, prime time years, sprawl years, and the new century. During each period, it discusses things like pioneering families, Henry Flagler's development, booms and busts, wartime impacts, suburban expansion plans and agreements, and growth into the 21st century. The presentation was given in 2001 to a West Palm Beach neighborhood forum by an attorney.

1. The History of
the City of
West Palm Beach
“A rich diversity of natural, human
and cultural resources and urban
and suburban lifestyles”
A presentation by
Michael Wm. Morell
Attorney at Law
206 Pershing Way
West Palm Beach, Florida 33401

2. The History of the City of West Palm Beach
“A rich diversity of natural, human and cultural resources
and urban and suburban lifestyles”
A presentation made on October 27, 2001 to
the West Palm Beach Neighborhood Forum by
Michael Wm. Morell
Attorney at Law
206 Pershing Way
West Palm Beach, Florida 33401
561-832-0530

3. Introduction

4. Vedado Neighborhood Association, Inc.
El Cid/Prospect Park/Southland Park
Home Owners Association, Inc.
Southside Neighborhood Association, Inc.
Central Park Neighborhood Association, Inc.
Conservation Alliance of Palm Beach County,
Inc.
1000 Friends of Florida, Inc.
Mango Promenade Historic Neighborhood
Association, Inc.
El Cid Historic Neighborhood Association, Inc.
John L. Volk Foundation, Inc.
Lands of the President
Presidential Way Association, Inc.
Embassy Drive Homeowners Association, Inc.
The President Country Club, Inc.

6. 8 Historical Periods
• Frontier Years 1870 - 1893
• Flagler Years 1893 - 1913
• Boom Years 1913 - 1926
• Bust Years 1926 - 1941
• War Years 1941 - 1945
• Prime Time Years 1945 - 1964
• Sprawl Years 1964 - 1980
• The New Century 1980 - ????

7. 8 Historical Periods

8. Frontier Years
1870 to 1893

10. The Flagler
Years
1893 to 1913

12. The Boom
Years
1913 to 1926

15. Pioneer Families have
lived in the Mango
Promenade Neighborhood
Since 1876
• Benjamin Lanehart was the first
permanent resident on the west
shore of Lake Worth. In 1876,
Lanehart homesteaded Government
Lots 2 through 5 in Section 27 under
the federal Homestead Act of 1862.
Lanehart's homestead was bounded
by the west shore of Lake Worth and
by the present-day centers of
Okeechobee Boulevard, South Dixie
Highway, and Belvedere Road.
Therefore, Lanehart was the first
owner of all the land in the Mango
Promenade Historic District east of
South Dixie Highway.

16. Pioneers who bought
Flagler’s first lot later moved to
the Mango Promenade
Neighborhood
• In November 1893,
Flagler filed the
original plat for the
Town of West Palm
Beach...The first lots in
the Town of West Palm
Beach were sold in
February 1894 and
construction was soon
underway. The very
first lot was purchased
by Louis W. Burkhardt.
who later moved from
there to the Mango
Promenade Historic

18. 325 Cranesnest Way

24. The Bust Years
1926 to 1941

29. The War Years
Years
1941 to 1945

31. The Prime Time
Years
1945 to 1964

33. West Palm Beach
in the early1950s

35. Vis ions of a
“City-within-a-City”

38. The Bartholomew Report’s
balance of social policy considerations
• Potable wate r supply, environmenta l and dra inage cons ide ra tions .
• Land development opportunitie s to grow to the City we s twa rd
protecting re source s that would be ne ce s sa ry for the City’s future
(including 18,000 a cre wa te r ca tchment a re a ).
• Revenue opportunitie s to re tire bonds to purcha se wa te r supply, to
comple te the sewe ring of the City’s older grid s tre e t system which was
la rge ly unfinished a t the time (public hea lth concerns & the 1950’s polio
scare ) and to improve dra inage .
• Housing, job opportunitie s and equa lity for minority and low-income
persons .

40. West Palm Beach Register of
Historic Places, EL Cid Nomination Form
1995
• “In 1955, the City purchased 4,200 acres of undeveloped
swamp land west of Australian Avenue to be developed as a
“city within a city.” Part of the impetus for this purchase
came from a 1951 study conducted by the University of
Miami which characterized the City’s black neighborhood
as a congested slum. In 1957, the City sold the 4200 acres
to the Perini Land Development Company, with the proviso
that the first area to be developed would be residential,
and exclusively for blacks. Over 500 acres just west of the
black neighborhood were developed as promised, and
called Roosevelt Estates. The Perini Company’s
subsequent developments, built during the 1960’s and
known as the Westward Expansion Area, were a catalyst for
suburban growth and marked the beginning of the shift in
the City’s population and economic base away from the
downtown.”

48. The Westward Expansion
Purchase and
Development Agreement

49. The
RF
P

50. The
Agreemen
t

51. Revenue
to pay off
bonds

52. Revenue
to
improve
the Grid
System

53. Development
westward is
in the best
interests of
the City and
its
inhabitants

54. 14 phases or release
areas

55. A 25 - 30
year
commitmen
t

57. The Sprawl
Years
1964 to 1980

59. The New
Century
1980 to ????

61. The History of the City of West Palm Beach
“A rich diversity of natural, human and cultural resources
and urban and suburban lifestyles”
A presentation made on October 27, 2001 to
the West Palm Beach Neighborhood Forum by
Michael Wm. Morell
Attorney at Law
206 Pershing Way
West Palm Beach, Florida 33401
561-832-0530