Delray Beach

Delray Beach Communities

Incorporated in October of 1911, the City of Delray Beach is the 4th largest city in Palm Beach County, Florida.  According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Delray is home to around 66,846 residents as of April of 2020.  Delray Beach runs west to the Everglades, with Boynton Beach to the north, Boca Raton to the south, and nearly 4 miles of pristine beaches on the Atlantic coastline.  The City of Delray Beach offers a wide variety of residential units, including condominium complexes directly on the ocean, adorable old Florida single-family homes walking distance to Atlantic Ave with a mini Miami vibe, to waterfront villas with tranquil tropical views from the pool, to name a few.

Lifestyle

The city offers beautiful nature, cultural diversity, locally owned businesses, non-profits, and charities paired with a community full of warm, friendly, unique, and interesting people.  City parks are top-notch, offering something for everyone, whether it be by road bike, foot, seaplane, charter boat, horseback, train, trolley, car, golf cart, skates, or fins.  Nature enthusiasts can check out rare animal sightings, including the only species of Stork that breed in the U.S. - the Wood Stork.  From October to June, catch groups of them nesting in Delray at the Wakodahatchee Wetlands.  The arts scene is exploding, with the Pineapple Grove Arts District just off of Atlantic, plus smaller galleries and artwork sprinkled throughout the entire city, plus live events, music, and theater at places like the Arts Garage and the Delray Beach Playhouse.  plus top-tiered theater at the Delray Beach Playhouse and Arts Garage.  There's the Sandoway Discovery Center offering families a chance to get to know some of the fun Florida creatures and critters, the recently re-opened Spady Museum, and even the Silver Ball Retro Arcade and Museum.  According to the City of Delray Beach Florida's government website, the mission is: "To foster an authentic and inspiring community that celebrates our history while building toward the future.  This dynamic city keeps in line with the mission, using the past as a bridge to build towards the future - join in the fun!  Search for your Delray Beach dream home here.

Delray Beach History

In 1885, making preparations for the Florida East Coast Railway intended to connect the entire east coast of Florida, Henry Flagler purchased hundreds of acres of land where the City of Delray Beach now sits.  Prior to this time, occupants included Native Americans (Seminoles), Spaniards, and Africans, with European and Japanese settlers slowly joining the melting pot.  In 1894, Michigan Congressman William S. Linton joined the party, buying tracts of land from Flagler's Model Land Company with his buddies David Swinton and Major Nathan Boynton and a handful of others, including a handful E. Burslem Thompson, a civil engineer.  The town was named Linton then, and the first school was established.  Flagler's railway is completed in 1896 connecting the town of Linton to the entire east coast of Florida.  In 1898 the town of Linton changed to Delray, inspired by a neighborhood in SW Detroit, Michigan.  In 1902 the Ladies Improvement Association is created, assisting the city's development, including implementation and construction of the Delray Beach Public Library, cemetery, Atlantic Avenue, and the town hall.  The dynamic cultural diversity shown in modern Delray continues to grow and in 1904, Jo Sakai heads a group of Japanese settlers who find home in Southern Delray/northern Boca Raton.  This agricultural colony was named "Yamato" - a revered name in Japan.  The Colony later attracts George Morikami, whose namesake and donation of over 200 acres of land makes the beautiful Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens still attracting people from all over the world today.

1905, a cooperative of local farmers start canning seasonal crops like tomatoes and pineapples, at which point Delray starts to see a bit of national attention.  In 1911, the city became incorporated as the "Town of Delray" and the first bridge was built over the Intracoastal.  That same year the first newspaper, the "Delray Progress" was created by Mrs. James M. Cromer and Mrs. T Allen Tasker, and a theater called the Bijou was constructed for silent film viewing.  This steady development contributes to the entire area uniting under "The City of Delray Beach" in 1927.  By 1964, The Delray Historical Society is created with a mission "to collect, preserve and share materials from Delray Beach’s past, so that present and future generations can comprehend more fully their predecessors, their communities, and themselves. The society encourages and assists people of all backgrounds and interests to learn more about Delray Beach’s diverse history" according to their website.

In 1985 the city's Community Redevelopment Agency, or CRA, is created and the Cason Cottage Museum opens in 1989.  By the 1990s, the National Historic District Old School Square is revamped, home to the Cornell Art Museum, Crest Theatre, Pavilion, Creative Arts School, and Fieldhouse offering residents a plethora of fun, diverse, interesting things to do.  Additionally, by 2017, the city is the first in the state to win the All-America City award three different times, honoring excellence in youth literacy and education.