Boca Raton, Florida
Encyclopedia
Boca Raton is a city in Palm Beach County
, Florida
, USA, incorporated in May 1925. In the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 74,764; the 2006 population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau was 86,396. However, the majority of the people under the postal address of Boca Raton, about 200,000 in total, are not actually within Boca Raton's municipal boundaries. It is estimated that on any given day, there are roughly 350,000 people in the city itself.
In terms of both population and land area, Boca Raton is the largest city between West Palm Beach
and Pompano Beach
, Broward County
.
word boca meaning inlet
and ratón being a Spanish
nautical term describing rocks that gnawed at a ship's cable
. Another explanation is that it refers metaphorically to a pirate's cove. The name Boca Ratones originally appeared on eighteenth century maps associated with an inlet in the Biscayne Bay
area of Miami
. By the beginning of the nineteenth century, the term was mistakenly moved north to its current location on most maps and applied to the inland waterway from the closed inlet north for 8.5 miles (13.7 km), which was called the "Boca Ratones Lagoon".
The first settler was T. M. Rickards in 1895 who resided in a house made of driftwood on the east side of the East Coast Canal south of what is now the Palmetto Park Road bridge. He surveyed and sold land from the canal to beyond the railroad north of what is now Palmetto Park Road.
, Addison Mizner
's Ritz-Carlton
Cloister Inn was built in 1926, later renamed the Boca Raton Resort & Club
. It is today often referred to as the "pink hotel" and a 1969 addition is visible from miles away as a towering building on the Intracoastal Waterway
.
farmers of the Yamato Colony
converted the land west of the city into pineapple
plantation
s beginning in 1904. During World War II
, much of their land was confiscated and used as the site of the Boca Raton Army Air Force Base, a major training facility for B-29 bomber crews and radar operators. Much of the airbase
was later donated to Palm Beach County and later become the grounds of Florida Atlantic University
, many of whose parking lots are former runways of the airbase; when viewed from above, the site's layout for its previous use as an airfield is plainly evident. Boca Raton Airport
's runway 5/23 was once part of the original airbase, and is still active to this day.
The Japanese heritage of the Yamato Colony survives in the name of Yamato Road (NW 51st Street) just north of the airport and at the Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens
northwest of the city. The headquarters building of the Army Air Forces Base has survived as the office building for the Cynthia Gardens apartment complex on Northwest 4th Avenue.
(IBM) announced their intentions to open a manufacturing plant in the area. In 1965, well before the extension of I-95
into Southern Florida, IBM, working in secret with the Arvida corporation, quietly purchased several-hundred acres of real estate just west of the CSX rail line and northwest of Florida Atlantic University
in University Park. Originally situated in unincorporated Palm Beach County, the site was controversially annexed into Boca Raton almost a year following its dedication in 1970.
Construction of IBM's main complex began in earnest in 1967, and the mammoth manufacturing and office complex was dedicated in March 1970. The campus was designed with self-sufficiency in mind, and to that end sported its own electrical substation
, water pumping
station, and rail-spur. Among other very noteworthy IT accomplishments, such as the mass manufacture of the System/360
and development of the Series/1
mainframe computers, IBM's main complex was the birthplace of the IBM PC
, which later evolved into the IBM Personal System/2, developed in nearby Delray Beach
. Starting in 1987, IBM relocated their manufacturing for what became the IBM PC division to Research Triangle Park
in Raleigh, North Carolina
, and converted the cavernous manufacturing facilities into offices and laboratories, later producing products such as the OS/2
operating system and VoiceType Dictation, later known as ViaVoice
voice-recognition software.
IBM maintained its facilities in the South Florida area until 1996, when the facility was closed and sold to Blue Lake Real Estate, who in turn sold it to T-REX Management Consortium. Today, T-REX has revitalized the facility and its surrounding real estate into a highly-successful and landscaped business/research park. What used to be IBM's Building 051, an annex separated from the former main IBM campus by Spanish River Boulevard was donated to the Palm Beach County School District and converted into Don Estridge High Tech Middle School
. It is named for Don Estridge, whose team was responsible for developing the IBM PC
. IBM later returned in July 2001 opening the current software development laboratory at Beacon Square off Congress Avenue.
Bluegreen Corporation
, a real-estate and timeshare resort developer, has had its main office in Boca Raton since 1966.
In the 1980s, because of an explosion of development to the west of the historical center of the city, some eastern areas began to decay, including the downtown corridor. For instance, the old Boca Raton Mall, a shopping mall
in the downtown area was beginning to experience higher vacancy, and occupancy by marginal tenants, due to the opening of Town Center at Boca Raton
west of the city in 1980.
In 1991, the new downtown outdoor shopping and dining center, Mizner Park
, was completed over the site of the old Boca Raton Mall. It has since become a cultural center for the southern Palm Beach County. Featuring a landscaped central park between the two main roads (collectively called Plaza Real) with stores only on the outside of the roads, Mizner Park resembles a Mediterranean suburban "town center" with a more contemporary look. It features many restaurant
s and is home to the Boca Raton Museum of Art
which moved to the new facility in 2001. In 2002, a new amphitheater was built replacing a smaller one, providing a large-capacity outdoor venue where concerts and other performances are held.
Mizner Park has significantly aided downtown revitalization. Many new eight to ten story mixed-use buildings have been constructed, are currently under construction or are proposed for the downtown area. The surrounding areas to the downtown have benefited from the downtown redevelopment.
The National Cartoon Museum
(formally the International Museum of Cartoon Art) built a 25000 square feet (2,322.6 m²) facility on the southwest edge of Mizner Park in 1996. Open for six years, the museum relocated to its original home in New York City
in 2002. Building renovations for public uses, including the local public TV station, and private uses, such as a locally-owned and operated bookstore were completed in 2008. In addition to the Mizner Park Cultural Arts Association's theater and space, the building is home to the Schmidt Family Foundation.
As development continued to focus to the west of the city in the 1980s and 1990s, the mall area, Town Center at Boca Raton
, became the geographic center of what is referred to as Boca Raton, though this mall was not actually annexed into the city until 2004. The area referred to as Boca Raton, including the unincorporated area west of the city (and discussed below), is now almost entirely built out.
In 1999, the Simon Property Group
bought Town Center at Boca Raton
and redeveloped it. Nordstrom
was added as the anchor department store for the new wing. Neiman Marcus
is the newest department store tenant as of 2006. In-late 2006, Simon began the construction stage of an outdoor lifestyle center
near the new wing. Town Center Mall
has become a tourist attraction and the largest indoor mall in Palm Beach County.
Boca Raton has a strict development code, including the size and types of commercial buildings, building signs and advertisements which may be erected within the city limits. No outdoor car dealerships are allowed in the municipality, according to the city zoning code. Additionally, no billboard
s are permitted in the city. The only billboard was grandfathered in during a recent annexation. Corporations such as McDonald's
have subdued their Golden Arches
due to the code. The unincorporated areas still contain restaurants with the classic arches, but the heights of the signs have also been reduced. Many buildings in the area have Mediterranean and Spanish architectural themes, initially inspired in the area by Addison Mizner. The strict development code has resulted in several major thoroughfares without large signs or advertisements in the traveler's view; significant landscaping is in its place.
, the city has a total area of 29.1 square miles (75.4 km²). 27.2 square miles (70.4 km²) of this is land and 1.9 square miles (5.0 km²) of it (6.63%) is water. Boca Raton is a 'principal city' (as defined by the Census Bureau) of the South Florida metropolitan area. Like most south Florida cities, Boca Raton has a water table
that does not permit building basements, but there are several high points in the city, such as 4th Avenue which is aptly named "High Street". The highest point in this area is the guard shack at Camino Gardens, which is 24 ft (7.3 m) above sea level. The Boca Raton Hotel's Beach Club rests at 23 ft (7 m) above sea level.
Several small tunnels run under roads in Boca, but the roads are built up several feet at these locations, or are located on dunes. Several of these tunnels are under State Road A1A at Spanish River Park, from the west side of the road where parking is available to beachgoers, to the east side of the road, which is where the beach is located. A1A is already higher than the surrounding land here due to sand dunes formed by erosion and other natural features.
(Köppen climate classification
Af), as its driest month (December) averages 62.5mm of precipitation, narrowly meeting the minimum standard of 60mm in the driest month needed to qualify for that designation.
As of 2010, there were 44,539 households, out of which 17.4% were vacant. As of 2000, 24.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.1% were married couples
living together, 7.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.2% were non-families. 29.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.26 and the average family size was 2.81.
In 2000, the city population was spread out with 18.9% under the age of 18, 8.1% from 18 to 24, 26.4% from 25 to 44, 26.7% from 45 to 64, and 19.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females there were 95.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.8 males.
According to a 2007 estimate, the median income for a household in the city was $67,531, and the median income for a family was $92,057. Males had a median income of $52,287 versus $33,347 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $45,628. About 4.1% of families and 6.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.0% of those under age 18 and 4.9% of those age 65 or over.
According to Forbes
, Boca Raton has three of the ten most expensive gated communities
in the U.S. The Royal Palm Yacht and Country Club holds the #1 spot, The Sanctuary takes #6, and Le Lac takes the #8 spot.
As of 2000, English
was spoken as a first language by 79.89% of the population, Spanish
by 9.28%, French
by 1.46%, Portuguese
by 1.45%, French Creole by 1.29%, and Italian
by 1.05% of the population. There is a substantial Jewish population in Boca Raton, and a small percentage of them add to the linguistic variety, with 0.36% of Boca Raton residents speaking Hebrew
and 0.27% of the population speaking Yiddish
at home.
Boca Raton was the site of two now vanished amusement park
s, Africa U.S.A.
(1953–1961) and Ancient America (1953–1959). Africa U.S.A. was a wild animal park in which tourists rode a "Jeep Safari Train" through the park. There were no fence
s separating the animals from the tourists on the "Jeep Safari Train". It is now the Camino Gardens subdivision one mile (1.6 km) west of the Boca Raton Hotel. A red wooden bridge from Africa USA can still be seen at the entrance to Camino Gardens. In the 1970s, peacocks
could still be found in the subdivision, having escaped from the attraction. Ancient America was built surrounding a real Indian burial mound. Today, the mound is still visible within the Boca Marina & Yacht Club neighborhood on U.S. 1
near Yamato Road.
Boca Raton is home to the Caldwell Theatre Company, the longest-running professional theater in South Florida, celebrating its 34th season in the recently inaugurated Count de Hoernle Theatre on South Federal Highway.
Boca Raton has beaches along its eastern shore, notably Red Reef Park, where snorkeling from the shore can bring a visitor to a living reef without the expense of renting a boat. Also in the 20 acres (80,937.2 m²) park is Gumbo Limbo, an Environmental Education Center. A small fee is charged to enter the park.
, the following offenses occurred in Boca Raton in 2006. The Federal Bureau of Investigation
assembles this data each year through the Uniform Crime Reporting Program
.
(an email
security
vendor), Boca Raton is the "spam
capital of the world", being the source of a significant proportion of all spam generated worldwide, not surprising given the area's appeal, the personal fortunes of typical spammers, and the area's notorious past as a favorite of organized crime
. According to the Miami Herald, the city has a long history of involvement in confidence trick
s. Richard C. Breeden
, former U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission chairman, once called the city "the only coastal city in Florida where there are more sharks on land than in the water". In the keynote address to a computer security conference
on June 8, 2004, Bruce Sterling
described the city as the "Capone-Chicago of cyber fraud".
On July 22, 2004, Boca Raton resident Scott Levine
was charged with the largest computer crime
indictment
in United States history. Federal prosecutors allege that Levine unlawfully accessed Acxiom
, a database
of consumer data
, to steal detailed personal information
of millions of people.
Boca Raton has a connection to the Mafia
. Although not known for violent crime, it is a popular hangout for many suspected Mafia members. According to a number of US Federal indictments, as of June 2004, the Gambino family
continues to operate in Boca Raton. The television show, The Sopranos
, featured the city in its plot ("Boca" and "...To Save Us All From Satan's Power"), and Mafia Wife author Lynda Milito resides in Boca Raton.
The city council, including Mayor Susan Whelchel, is nonpartisan. As of July 2011, incumbent Allen West, who represents the city in the United States Congress
, is a Republican
.
, a supplier of office products and services, has its global headquarters on a 28-acre campus in the city. The GEO Group
, a company that operates prisons, also has its headquarters in Boca Raton based out of One Park Place. Media companies American Media and FriendFinder Networks
, hotel company Luxury Resorts
and e-retailers Vitacost
plus BMI Gaming
are also based in Boca Raton.
Previously W. R. Grace and Company
had its headquarters in unincorporated
Palm Beach County
, near Boca Raton.
As of 2007, Boca Raton is served by four public high schools. Within the city's limits, Boca Raton Community High School
serves the eastern part of the city. Spanish River Community High School
serves the west-central part of the city limits and parts of unincorporated Boca Raton. Olympic Heights Community High School
serves the western unincorporated areas. Finally, West Boca Raton Community High School
serves the far-west unincorporated areas. Spanish River, Olympic Heights, and West Boca Raton also serve students from Delray Beach
and Boynton Beach
.
The area is served by five public middle schools:
The area is served by twelve public elementary schools:
An alternative to the Palm Beach County Public Schools in Boca Raton is the Alexander D. Henderson University School is located on the Florida Atlantic University campus. A. D. Henderson University School (ADHUS) is organized as a unique and separate school district; it is not part of the Palm Beach County School System. Henderson School is recognized as Florida Atlantic University School District #72, under the College of Education’s administrative oversight.
University schools in Florida are authorized to provide instruction for grades K-12 and university students, support university research efforts, and test educational reforms for Florida schools. ADHUS is a public school and thus does not charge tuition. It is open to children who reside in Palm Beach County or Broward County and admission is by lottery. Student characteristics of gender, race, family income and student ability are used to match the student population profile to that of the state.
The Glades Road Branch Library and the West Boca Branch Library serve Boca Raton residents who live outside the city limits. The West Boca Branch opened on February 20, 2009. It is located on State Road 7 just north of Yamato Road. The Glades Road Branch Library, formerly known as the Southwest County Regional Library, is located on 95th Street and Glades Road, between Lyons Road and State Road 7. It closed for renovations in early 2009 and reopened as the Glades Road Branch Library on May 29, 2010. County library card holders may use any of the sixteen branches in the Palm Beach County Library System and have access to many databases and downloadable e-books and audio books.
's coastal dune was the "Boca Ratones Lagoon", which extended south for nine miles (14.5 km) from just north of the present location of Atlantic Avenue in Delray Beach
. Along the southern half of the lagoon were three wide areas each called a "Lake", which are now named (north to south) Lake Rogers, Lake Wyman, and Lake Boca Raton. At the southeast end of the lagoon was a short protrusion toward the south which would become the Boca Raton Inlet after a sandbar at its mouth was removed. The lagoon and lakes were part of a half-mile (0.8 km) wide swamp, west of which was scrub land a mile (1.6 km) wide (part of the Atlantic coastal ridge) where the Florida East Coast Railway
(1896) and Dixie Highway
(1923) were built. To the west of the scrub was a half mile or wider swamp within which flowed north to south the "Prong of Hillsborough River", which is now the El Rio Canal. It now forms the eastern border of Florida Atlantic University
and the Old Floresta neighborhood. The prong entered the "Hillsborough River" at the present eastern end of the straight portion of the Hillsboro Canal
(dredged 1911–14), which is the southern city limits. The river flowed southeast in several channels along the western edge of the present Deerfield Island, formerly called Capone Island (named for Al Capone
who owned it during the 1930s), which did not become an island until the Royal Palm Canal was dredged along its northern edge in 1961. Flowing south from the lagoon to the river along the eastern edge of the 'island' was a "Small boat Pass into Hillsboro' River", also called the Little Hillsboro. The river continued due south about four and a half miles (7.2 km) just inland of the coastal dune until it emptied into the Atlantic Ocean at the "Hillsborough Bar", now the Hillsboro Inlet
.
The lagoon was dredged in 1894–95 to form part of the Florida East Coast Canal from Jacksonville
to Biscayne Bay
with a minimum depth of 5 feet (1.5 m) and a minimum width of 50 feet (15.2 m). After 1895, the lagoon and canal were sometimes called the Spanish River. Between 1930 and 1935 the canal was improved to 8×100 feet (2.4×30.5 m) by the federal government and renamed the Intracoastal Waterway
. It was improved again between 1960 and 1965 to 10×125 feet (3×38.1 m). All three versions were subject to shoal
ing which reduced their depths below the specified minimum. Forming part of the northern city limits is the C-15 canal, connecting the El Rio Canal to the Intracoastal Waterway.
in the area, including gated communities
, and a number of golf course
s. This is a result in the later start of development in these areas, and the availability of large tracts of land. Many of these affluent communities are large enough to be designated as census-designated place
s, including Boca Del Mar
and Boca Pointe
, geographically in Central Boca Raton, and Avalon at Boca Raton, Boca Falls, Boca Winds, Cimarron, Hamptons at Boca Raton
, Mission Bay
, Loggers' Run, The Polo Club Boca Raton, Sandalfoot Cove
, and Whisper Walk
as West Boca Raton.
On November 2, 2004, the voters of the Via Verde Association, Waterside, Deerhurst Association (Boca South), Marina Del Mar Association, Rio Del Mar Association (both originally Boca Del Mar communities), and Heatherwood of Boca Raton Condominium Association approved annexation
into the Boca Raton city limits
, increasing the city land area to 29.6 square miles (76.7 km²).
Boca has been mentioned in many movies, including All the President's Men
, Back to the Future
, Bewitched, Cats & Dogs
, Marley and Me, The Mexican
, Mr. 3000
, Music and Lyrics
, A Perfect Murder
, Wag the Dog
, and Wonderland
, and in many TV shows, such as American Dad!
, American Dragon: Jake Long
, Code Name: The Cleaner
, Dexter
, Lizzie McGuire
, Nip/Tuck
, The Golden Girls
, Histeria!
, Mad Men
, MADtv
, My Name Is Earl
, The Nanny
, Phil of the Future
, Robot Chicken
, The Sopranos, SpongeBob SquarePants
, Two and a Half Men
, The Venture Bros.
, Weeds
, and Wipeout. These references usually have something to do with the large number of luxury resorts and condominiums in Florida, or the considerable number of retired persons residing in Florida (especially in the case of Seinfeld
),.
Boca Raton is almost idiomatically used for indicating retirement. For example, Fran Drescher
's character in The Nanny
is always pushing her parents to move to Boca, and Chelsea Handler
frequently uses the city in reference to the elderly on her talk show, Chelsea Lately
.
Development of Boca Raton features prominently in the 2008 Stephen Sondheim/John Weidman musical, Road Show, which centers on the lives of Addison Mizner
and his brother Wilson Mizner
.
Boca Raton has also been the stage and background for many movies filmed on location in Boca Raton, including Paper Lion
(1968), Paper Moon
(1973), Caddyshack
(1980), Caddyshack II
(1984), Where the Boys Are '84
(1984), Stella
(1990), 2 Fast 2 Furious
(2003) and Sex Drive
(2008).
Palm Beach County, Florida
Palm Beach County is the largest county in the state of Florida in total area, and third in population. As of 2010, the county's estimated population was 1,320,134, making it the twenty-eighth most populous in the United States...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, USA, incorporated in May 1925. In the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 74,764; the 2006 population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau was 86,396. However, the majority of the people under the postal address of Boca Raton, about 200,000 in total, are not actually within Boca Raton's municipal boundaries. It is estimated that on any given day, there are roughly 350,000 people in the city itself.
In terms of both population and land area, Boca Raton is the largest city between West Palm Beach
West Palm Beach, Florida
West Palm Beach, is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and is the most populous city in and county seat of Palm Beach County, the third most populous county in Florida with a 2010 population of 1,320,134. The city is also the oldest incorporated municipality in South Florida...
and Pompano Beach
Pompano Beach, Florida
Pompano Beach ) is a city in Broward County, Florida, along the coast of the Atlantic Ocean just to the north of Fort Lauderdale. The nearby Hillsboro Inlet forms part of the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway. As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 99,845...
, Broward County
Broward County, Florida
-2000 Census:As of the census of 2000, there were 1,623,018 people, 654,445 households, and 411,645 families residing in the county. The population density was 1,346 people per square mile . There were 741,043 housing units at an average density of 615 per square mile...
.
History
The literal translation of "Boca Raton" is "Mouth of The Mouse" ("mouse" in Spanish is "ratón"), the SpanishSpanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
word boca meaning inlet
Inlet
An inlet is a narrow body of water between islands or leading inland from a larger body of water, often leading to an enclosed body of water, such as a sound, bay, lagoon or marsh. In sea coasts an inlet usually refers to the actual connection between a bay and the ocean and is often called an...
and ratón being a Spanish
Spanish people
The Spanish are citizens of the Kingdom of Spain. Within Spain, there are also a number of vigorous nationalisms and regionalisms, reflecting the country's complex history....
nautical term describing rocks that gnawed at a ship's cable
Hawser
Hawser is a nautical term for a thick cable or rope used in mooring or towing a ship. A hawser passes through a hawsehole, also known as a cat hole, located on the hawse....
. Another explanation is that it refers metaphorically to a pirate's cove. The name Boca Ratones originally appeared on eighteenth century maps associated with an inlet in the Biscayne Bay
Biscayne Bay
Biscayne Bay is a lagoon that is approximately 35 miles long and up to 8 miles wide located on the Atlantic coast of South Florida, United States. It is usually divided for purposes of discussion and analysis into three parts: North Bay, Central Bay, and South Bay. Its area is...
area of Miami
Miami, Florida
Miami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
. By the beginning of the nineteenth century, the term was mistakenly moved north to its current location on most maps and applied to the inland waterway from the closed inlet north for 8.5 miles (13.7 km), which was called the "Boca Ratones Lagoon".
The first settler was T. M. Rickards in 1895 who resided in a house made of driftwood on the east side of the East Coast Canal south of what is now the Palmetto Park Road bridge. He surveyed and sold land from the canal to beyond the railroad north of what is now Palmetto Park Road.
Land boom
During the city's early history during the Florida land boom of the 1920sFlorida land boom of the 1920s
The Florida land boom of the 1920s was Florida's first real estate bubble, which burst in 1925, leaving behind entire new cities and the remains of failed development projects such as Aladdin City in south Miami-Dade County and Isola di Lolando in north Biscayne Bay...
, Addison Mizner
Addison Mizner
Addison Cairns Mizner was an American resort architect whose Mediterranean Revival and Spanish Colonial Revival style interpretations left an indelible stamp on South Florida, where it continues to inspire architects and land developers. In the 1920s Mizner was the best-known and most-discussed...
's Ritz-Carlton
Ritz-Carlton
The Ritz-Carlton is a brand of luxury hotels and resorts with 75 properties located in major cities and resorts in 24 countries worldwide...
Cloister Inn was built in 1926, later renamed the Boca Raton Resort & Club
Boca Raton Resort & Club
The Boca Raton Resort, which opened February 6, 1926 as the Ritz-Carlton Cloister Inn, is a large resort and membership-based club located in Boca Raton, Florida. Originally designed by California-born architect, Addison Mizner, it was supposed to have been the latter of two hotels, the other being...
. It is today often referred to as the "pink hotel" and a 1969 addition is visible from miles away as a towering building on the Intracoastal Waterway
Intracoastal Waterway
The Intracoastal Waterway is a 3,000-mile waterway along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of the United States. Some lengths consist of natural inlets, salt-water rivers, bays, and sounds; others are artificial canals...
.
War
JapaneseJapanese people
The are an ethnic group originating in the Japanese archipelago and are the predominant ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide, approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent; of these, approximately 127 million are residents of Japan. People of Japanese ancestry who live in other countries...
farmers of the Yamato Colony
Yamato Colony, Florida
The Yamato Colony was an attempt to create a community of Japanese farmers in what is now Boca Raton, Florida, early in the 20th century. With encouragement from Florida authorities, young Japanese men were recruited to farm in the colony...
converted the land west of the city into pineapple
Pineapple
Pineapple is the common name for a tropical plant and its edible fruit, which is actually a multiple fruit consisting of coalesced berries. It was given the name pineapple due to its resemblance to a pine cone. The pineapple is by far the most economically important plant in the Bromeliaceae...
plantation
Plantation
A plantation is a long artificially established forest, farm or estate, where crops are grown for sale, often in distant markets rather than for local on-site consumption...
s beginning in 1904. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, much of their land was confiscated and used as the site of the Boca Raton Army Air Force Base, a major training facility for B-29 bomber crews and radar operators. Much of the airbase
Airbase
An airbase is a military airfield that provides basing and support of military aircraft....
was later donated to Palm Beach County and later become the grounds of Florida Atlantic University
Florida Atlantic University
Florida Atlantic University, also referred to as FAU or Florida Atlantic, is a public, coeducational, research university located in , United States. The university has six satellite campuses located in the Florida cities of Dania Beach, Davie, Fort Lauderdale, Jupiter, Port St. Lucie, and in Fort...
, many of whose parking lots are former runways of the airbase; when viewed from above, the site's layout for its previous use as an airfield is plainly evident. Boca Raton Airport
Boca Raton Airport
Boca Raton Airport is a state-owned public-use airport located two miles northwest of the central business district of Boca Raton, a city in Palm Beach County, Florida, United States...
's runway 5/23 was once part of the original airbase, and is still active to this day.
The Japanese heritage of the Yamato Colony survives in the name of Yamato Road (NW 51st Street) just north of the airport and at the Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens
Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens
The Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens is a center for Japanese arts and culture located west of Delray Beach in Palm Beach County, Florida, United States. The campus includes two museum buildings, the Roji-en Japanese Gardens: Garden of the Drops of Dew, a bonsai garden, a museum gift shop and...
northwest of the city. The headquarters building of the Army Air Forces Base has survived as the office building for the Cynthia Gardens apartment complex on Northwest 4th Avenue.
Post-war
In the late 1960s, the International Business Machines CorporationIBM
International Business Machines Corporation or IBM is an American multinational technology and consulting corporation headquartered in Armonk, New York, United States. IBM manufactures and sells computer hardware and software, and it offers infrastructure, hosting and consulting services in areas...
(IBM) announced their intentions to open a manufacturing plant in the area. In 1965, well before the extension of I-95
Interstate 95 in Florida
Interstate 95 is the main Interstate Highway on the east coast of the United States; it serves the Atlantic coast of Florida. It begins at a partial interchange with U.S. Highway 1 just south of downtown Miami, and heads north past Daytona Beach and Jacksonville to the Georgia state line at the St...
into Southern Florida, IBM, working in secret with the Arvida corporation, quietly purchased several-hundred acres of real estate just west of the CSX rail line and northwest of Florida Atlantic University
Florida Atlantic University
Florida Atlantic University, also referred to as FAU or Florida Atlantic, is a public, coeducational, research university located in , United States. The university has six satellite campuses located in the Florida cities of Dania Beach, Davie, Fort Lauderdale, Jupiter, Port St. Lucie, and in Fort...
in University Park. Originally situated in unincorporated Palm Beach County, the site was controversially annexed into Boca Raton almost a year following its dedication in 1970.
Electrical substation
A substation is a part of an electrical generation, transmission, and distribution system. Substations transform voltage from high to low, or the reverse, or perform any of several other important functions...
, water pumping
Water pumping
The pumping of water is a basic and practical technique, far more practical than scooping it up with one's hands or lifting it in a hand-held bucket. This is true whether the water is drawn from a fresh source, moved to a needed location, purified, or used for irrigation, washing, or sewage...
station, and rail-spur. Among other very noteworthy IT accomplishments, such as the mass manufacture of the System/360
System/360
The IBM System/360 was a mainframe computer system family first announced by IBM on April 7, 1964, and sold between 1964 and 1978. It was the first family of computers designed to cover the complete range of applications, from small to large, both commercial and scientific...
and development of the Series/1
IBM Series/1
The IBM Series/1 computer is a 16-bit minicomputer, introduced in 1976, that in many respects competed with other minicomputers of the time, such as the PDP-11 from Digital Equipment Corporation and similar offerings from Data General and HP...
mainframe computers, IBM's main complex was the birthplace of the IBM PC
IBM PC
The IBM Personal Computer, commonly known as the IBM PC, is the original version and progenitor of the IBM PC compatible hardware platform. It is IBM model number 5150, and was introduced on August 12, 1981...
, which later evolved into the IBM Personal System/2, developed in nearby Delray Beach
Delray Beach, Florida
Delray Beach is a city in Palm Beach County, Florida, USA. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 60,020. As of 2004, the population estimated by the U.S...
. Starting in 1987, IBM relocated their manufacturing for what became the IBM PC division to Research Triangle Park
Research Triangle Park
The Research Triangle Park is a research park in the United States. It is located near Durham, Raleigh, and Chapel Hill, in the Research Triangle region of North Carolina...
in Raleigh, North Carolina
Raleigh, North Carolina
Raleigh is the capital and the second largest city in the state of North Carolina as well as the seat of Wake County. Raleigh is known as the "City of Oaks" for its many oak trees. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city's 2010 population was 403,892, over an area of , making Raleigh...
, and converted the cavernous manufacturing facilities into offices and laboratories, later producing products such as the OS/2
OS/2
OS/2 is a computer operating system, initially created by Microsoft and IBM, then later developed by IBM exclusively. The name stands for "Operating System/2," because it was introduced as part of the same generation change release as IBM's "Personal System/2 " line of second-generation personal...
operating system and VoiceType Dictation, later known as ViaVoice
ViaVoice
IBM ViaVoice is a range of language-specific continuous speech recognition software products offered by IBM. The current version is designed primarily for use in embedded devices.-Editions:...
voice-recognition software.
IBM maintained its facilities in the South Florida area until 1996, when the facility was closed and sold to Blue Lake Real Estate, who in turn sold it to T-REX Management Consortium. Today, T-REX has revitalized the facility and its surrounding real estate into a highly-successful and landscaped business/research park. What used to be IBM's Building 051, an annex separated from the former main IBM campus by Spanish River Boulevard was donated to the Palm Beach County School District and converted into Don Estridge High Tech Middle School
Don Estridge High Tech Middle School
Don Estridge High Tech Middle School is a technology-infused public middle school in Boca Raton, Florida that opened in 2004. Integrating technology into all aspects of education, using SMARTBoards , Classroom Performance Systems , mobile laptop labs, and in-ceiling sound systems in every...
. It is named for Don Estridge, whose team was responsible for developing the IBM PC
IBM PC
The IBM Personal Computer, commonly known as the IBM PC, is the original version and progenitor of the IBM PC compatible hardware platform. It is IBM model number 5150, and was introduced on August 12, 1981...
. IBM later returned in July 2001 opening the current software development laboratory at Beacon Square off Congress Avenue.
Bluegreen Corporation
Bluegreen Corporation
Bluegreen Corporation is a public real-estate and timeshare resort developer headquartered in Boca Raton, FL. They are a leader in providing "Colorful Places to Live and Play" and currently have more than 3,500 associates in over 50 resorts nationwide...
, a real-estate and timeshare resort developer, has had its main office in Boca Raton since 1966.
In the 1980s, because of an explosion of development to the west of the historical center of the city, some eastern areas began to decay, including the downtown corridor. For instance, the old Boca Raton Mall, a shopping mall
Shopping mall
A shopping mall, shopping centre, shopping arcade, shopping precinct or simply mall is one or more buildings forming a complex of shops representing merchandisers, with interconnecting walkways enabling visitors to easily walk from unit to unit, along with a parking area — a modern, indoor version...
in the downtown area was beginning to experience higher vacancy, and occupancy by marginal tenants, due to the opening of Town Center at Boca Raton
Town Center at Boca Raton
Town Center at Boca Raton is an upscale super-regional shopping center in Boca Raton, Palm Beach County, Florida...
west of the city in 1980.
In 1991, the new downtown outdoor shopping and dining center, Mizner Park
Mizner Park
Mizner Park is an upscale lifestyle center in downtown Boca Raton, Florida. Besides upscale shops, Mizner is also composed of rental apartments and offices. The Centre for the Arts at Mizner Park is a cultural center on the north end of the development, which is embodied by an amphitheater and the...
, was completed over the site of the old Boca Raton Mall. It has since become a cultural center for the southern Palm Beach County. Featuring a landscaped central park between the two main roads (collectively called Plaza Real) with stores only on the outside of the roads, Mizner Park resembles a Mediterranean suburban "town center" with a more contemporary look. It features many restaurant
Restaurant
A restaurant is an establishment which prepares and serves food and drink to customers in return for money. Meals are generally served and eaten on premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and food delivery services...
s and is home to the Boca Raton Museum of Art
Boca Raton Museum of Art
The Boca Raton Museum of Art is located at 501 Plaza Real, Boca Raton, Florida in Mizner Park. It houses works of art by a number of the great masters.-About:...
which moved to the new facility in 2001. In 2002, a new amphitheater was built replacing a smaller one, providing a large-capacity outdoor venue where concerts and other performances are held.
Mizner Park has significantly aided downtown revitalization. Many new eight to ten story mixed-use buildings have been constructed, are currently under construction or are proposed for the downtown area. The surrounding areas to the downtown have benefited from the downtown redevelopment.
The National Cartoon Museum
National Cartoon Museum
The National Cartoon Museum was an American museum dedicated to the collection, preservation and exhibition of cartoons, comic strips and animation. It was the brainchild of Mort Walker, creator of Beetle Bailey. It opened in 1974, went through several name changes and relocations, finally closing...
(formally the International Museum of Cartoon Art) built a 25000 square feet (2,322.6 m²) facility on the southwest edge of Mizner Park in 1996. Open for six years, the museum relocated to its original home in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in 2002. Building renovations for public uses, including the local public TV station, and private uses, such as a locally-owned and operated bookstore were completed in 2008. In addition to the Mizner Park Cultural Arts Association's theater and space, the building is home to the Schmidt Family Foundation.
As development continued to focus to the west of the city in the 1980s and 1990s, the mall area, Town Center at Boca Raton
Town Center at Boca Raton
Town Center at Boca Raton is an upscale super-regional shopping center in Boca Raton, Palm Beach County, Florida...
, became the geographic center of what is referred to as Boca Raton, though this mall was not actually annexed into the city until 2004. The area referred to as Boca Raton, including the unincorporated area west of the city (and discussed below), is now almost entirely built out.
In 1999, the Simon Property Group
Simon Property Group
Simon Property Group, Inc. is an American commercial real estate company, ranked #1 in the United States as the largest real estate investment trust. Simon is a fully integrated real estate company which operates from five retail real estate platforms: regional malls, Premium Outlet Centers, The...
bought Town Center at Boca Raton
Town Center at Boca Raton
Town Center at Boca Raton is an upscale super-regional shopping center in Boca Raton, Palm Beach County, Florida...
and redeveloped it. Nordstrom
Nordstrom
Nordstrom, Inc. is an upscale department store chain in the United States, founded by John W. Nordstrom and Carl F. Wallin. Initially a shoe retailer, the company today also sells clothing, accessories, handbags, jewelry, cosmetics, fragrances, and in some locations, home furnishings...
was added as the anchor department store for the new wing. Neiman Marcus
Neiman Marcus
Neiman Marcus, formerly Neiman-Marcus, is a luxury specialty retail department store operated by the Neiman Marcus Group in the United States. The company is headquartered in the One Marcus Square building in Downtown Dallas, Texas, and competes with other department stores such as Saks Fifth...
is the newest department store tenant as of 2006. In-late 2006, Simon began the construction stage of an outdoor lifestyle center
Lifestyle center (retail)
A lifestyle center is a shopping center or mixed-used commercial development that combines the traditional retail functions of a shopping mall with leisure amenities oriented towards upscale consumers...
near the new wing. Town Center Mall
Town Center at Boca Raton
Town Center at Boca Raton is an upscale super-regional shopping center in Boca Raton, Palm Beach County, Florida...
has become a tourist attraction and the largest indoor mall in Palm Beach County.
Boca Raton has a strict development code, including the size and types of commercial buildings, building signs and advertisements which may be erected within the city limits. No outdoor car dealerships are allowed in the municipality, according to the city zoning code. Additionally, no billboard
Billboard (advertising)
A billboard is a large outdoor advertising structure , typically found in high traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertisements to passing pedestrians and drivers...
s are permitted in the city. The only billboard was grandfathered in during a recent annexation. Corporations such as McDonald's
McDonald's
McDonald's Corporation is the world's largest chain of hamburger fast food restaurants, serving around 64 million customers daily in 119 countries. Headquartered in the United States, the company began in 1940 as a barbecue restaurant operated by the eponymous Richard and Maurice McDonald; in 1948...
have subdued their Golden Arches
Golden Arches
The Golden Arches are the symbol of McDonald's, the global fast-food hamburger chain. Originally, real arches were part of the restaurant design...
due to the code. The unincorporated areas still contain restaurants with the classic arches, but the heights of the signs have also been reduced. Many buildings in the area have Mediterranean and Spanish architectural themes, initially inspired in the area by Addison Mizner. The strict development code has resulted in several major thoroughfares without large signs or advertisements in the traveler's view; significant landscaping is in its place.
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 29.1 square miles (75.4 km²). 27.2 square miles (70.4 km²) of this is land and 1.9 square miles (5.0 km²) of it (6.63%) is water. Boca Raton is a 'principal city' (as defined by the Census Bureau) of the South Florida metropolitan area. Like most south Florida cities, Boca Raton has a water table
Water table
The water table is the level at which the submarine pressure is far from atmospheric pressure. It may be conveniently visualized as the 'surface' of the subsurface materials that are saturated with groundwater in a given vicinity. However, saturated conditions may extend above the water table as...
that does not permit building basements, but there are several high points in the city, such as 4th Avenue which is aptly named "High Street". The highest point in this area is the guard shack at Camino Gardens, which is 24 ft (7.3 m) above sea level. The Boca Raton Hotel's Beach Club rests at 23 ft (7 m) above sea level.
Several small tunnels run under roads in Boca, but the roads are built up several feet at these locations, or are located on dunes. Several of these tunnels are under State Road A1A at Spanish River Park, from the west side of the road where parking is available to beachgoers, to the east side of the road, which is where the beach is located. A1A is already higher than the surrounding land here due to sand dunes formed by erosion and other natural features.
Climate
Boca Raton's climate barely qualifies as a Tropical rainforest climateTropical rainforest climate
A tropical rainforest climate, also known as an equatorial climate, is a tropical climate usually found along the equator...
(Köppen climate classification
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by Crimea German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen himself, notably in 1918 and 1936...
Af), as its driest month (December) averages 62.5mm of precipitation, narrowly meeting the minimum standard of 60mm in the driest month needed to qualify for that designation.
Demographics
| Boca Raton Demographics | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 Census United States Census, 2010 The Twenty-third United States Census, known as Census 2010 or the 2010 Census, is the current national census of the United States. National Census Day was April 1, 2010 and is the reference date used in enumerating individuals... |
Boca Raton | Palm Beach County | Florida |
| Total population | 84,392 | 1,320,134 | 18,801,310 |
| Population, percent change, 2000 to 2010 | |||
| Population density | 2,877.2/sq mi | 670.2/sq mi | 350.6/sq mi |
| White or Caucasian (including White Hispanic) | 88.5% | 73.5% | 75.0% |
| (Non-Hispanic White or Caucasian Non-Hispanic Whites Non-Hispanic Whites or White, Not Hispanic or Latino are people in the United States, as defined by the Census Bureau, who are of the White race and are not of Hispanic or Latino origin/ethnicity. Hence the designation is exclusive in the sense that it defines who is not included as opposed to who is... ) |
79.1% | 60.1% | 57.9% |
| Black or African-American | 5.2% | 17.3% | 16.0% |
| Hispanic or Latino (of any race) | 11.9% | 19.0% | 22.5% |
| Asian | 2.4% | 2.4% | 2.4% |
| Native American or Native Alaskan | 0.2% | 0.5% | 0.4% |
| Pacific Islander or Native Hawaiian | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| Two or more races (Multiracial) Multiracial American Multiracial Americans, US residents who identify themselves as of "two or more races", were numbered at around 9 million, or 2.9% of the population, in the census of 2010. However there is considerable evidence that the real number is far higher. Prior to the mid-20th century many people hid their... |
1.6% | 2.3% | 2.5% |
| Some Other Race | 2.0% | 3.9% | 3.6% |
As of 2010, there were 44,539 households, out of which 17.4% were vacant. As of 2000, 24.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.1% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 7.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.2% were non-families. 29.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.26 and the average family size was 2.81.
In 2000, the city population was spread out with 18.9% under the age of 18, 8.1% from 18 to 24, 26.4% from 25 to 44, 26.7% from 45 to 64, and 19.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females there were 95.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.8 males.
According to a 2007 estimate, the median income for a household in the city was $67,531, and the median income for a family was $92,057. Males had a median income of $52,287 versus $33,347 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $45,628. About 4.1% of families and 6.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.0% of those under age 18 and 4.9% of those age 65 or over.
According to Forbes
Forbes
Forbes is an American publishing and media company. Its flagship publication, the Forbes magazine, is published biweekly. Its primary competitors in the national business magazine category are Fortune, which is also published biweekly, and Business Week...
, Boca Raton has three of the ten most expensive gated communities
Gated community
In its modern form, a gated community is a form of residential community or housing estate containing strictly-controlled entrances for pedestrians, bicycles, and automobiles, and often characterized by a closed perimeter of walls and fences. Gated communities usually consist of small residential...
in the U.S. The Royal Palm Yacht and Country Club holds the #1 spot, The Sanctuary takes #6, and Le Lac takes the #8 spot.
As of 2000, English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
was spoken as a first language by 79.89% of the population, Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
by 9.28%, French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
by 1.46%, Portuguese
Portuguese language
Portuguese is a Romance language that arose in the medieval Kingdom of Galicia, nowadays Galicia and Northern Portugal. The southern part of the Kingdom of Galicia became independent as the County of Portugal in 1095...
by 1.45%, French Creole by 1.29%, and Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
by 1.05% of the population. There is a substantial Jewish population in Boca Raton, and a small percentage of them add to the linguistic variety, with 0.36% of Boca Raton residents speaking Hebrew
Hebrew language
Hebrew is a Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Culturally, is it considered by Jews and other religious groups as the language of the Jewish people, though other Jewish languages had originated among diaspora Jews, and the Hebrew language is also used by non-Jewish groups, such...
and 0.27% of the population speaking Yiddish
Yiddish language
Yiddish is a High German language of Ashkenazi Jewish origin, spoken throughout the world. It developed as a fusion of German dialects with Hebrew, Aramaic, Slavic languages and traces of Romance languages...
at home.
Culture and attractions
Boca Raton is known for its affluent social community and high income demographic.Boca Raton was the site of two now vanished amusement park
Amusement park
thumb|Cinderella Castle in [[Magic Kingdom]], [[Disney World]]Amusement and theme parks are terms for a group of entertainment attractions and rides and other events in a location for the enjoyment of large numbers of people...
s, Africa U.S.A.
Africa U.S.A. Park
Africa USA was an African wildlife tourist attraction that was open from 1953 until 1961. The park was located in Boca Raton, Florida on of land near U.S. 1. Africa USA was truly a theme park before its time, with animals allowed to roam free...
(1953–1961) and Ancient America (1953–1959). Africa U.S.A. was a wild animal park in which tourists rode a "Jeep Safari Train" through the park. There were no fence
Fence
A fence is a freestanding structure designed to restrict or prevent movement across a boundary. It is generally distinguished from a wall by the lightness of its construction: a wall is usually restricted to such barriers made from solid brick or concrete, blocking vision as well as passage .Fences...
s separating the animals from the tourists on the "Jeep Safari Train". It is now the Camino Gardens subdivision one mile (1.6 km) west of the Boca Raton Hotel. A red wooden bridge from Africa USA can still be seen at the entrance to Camino Gardens. In the 1970s, peacocks
Peacocks
Peacocks may refer to:*Peacock, one of two species also known as peafowl*Peacocks *Nickname for English football club, Leeds United*A song from Tallahassee by The Mountain Goats...
could still be found in the subdivision, having escaped from the attraction. Ancient America was built surrounding a real Indian burial mound. Today, the mound is still visible within the Boca Marina & Yacht Club neighborhood on U.S. 1
U.S. Route 1 in Florida
U.S. Route 1 in Florida runs along the state's east coast from Key West to its crossing of the St. Marys River into Georgia north of Boulogne, and south of Folkston. US 1 was designated through Florida when the U.S. Highway System was established in 1926.US 1 runs in the state of Florida, and...
near Yamato Road.
Boca Raton is home to the Caldwell Theatre Company, the longest-running professional theater in South Florida, celebrating its 34th season in the recently inaugurated Count de Hoernle Theatre on South Federal Highway.
Boca Raton has beaches along its eastern shore, notably Red Reef Park, where snorkeling from the shore can bring a visitor to a living reef without the expense of renting a boat. Also in the 20 acres (80,937.2 m²) park is Gumbo Limbo, an Environmental Education Center. A small fee is charged to enter the park.
Crime statistics
According to the Department of JusticeUnited States Department of Justice
The United States Department of Justice , is the United States federal executive department responsible for the enforcement of the law and administration of justice, equivalent to the justice or interior ministries of other countries.The Department is led by the Attorney General, who is nominated...
, the following offenses occurred in Boca Raton in 2006. The Federal Bureau of Investigation
Federal Bureau of Investigation
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is an agency of the United States Department of Justice that serves as both a federal criminal investigative body and an internal intelligence agency . The FBI has investigative jurisdiction over violations of more than 200 categories of federal crime...
assembles this data each year through the Uniform Crime Reporting Program
Uniform Crime Reports
The Uniform Crime Reports are published by the United States Department of Justice Federal Bureau of Investigation Uniform Crime Reporting Program...
.
- Murders and nonnegligent manslaughters 3
- Forcible rapes 13
- Robberies 72
- Aggravated assaults 150
- Total violent crimes 238
- Burglaries 799
- Larceny-thefts 2,232
- Motor vehicle thefts 170
- Arson 2
- Total property crimes 2,956
-
- Estimated population 88,093
Technological issues
According to MessageLabsMessageLabs
Symantec.cloud, is a major provider of integrated messaging and web security services , with over 19,000 clients ranging from small business to the Fortune 500 located in more than 86 countries and the United Kingdom Parliament...
(an email
Email
Electronic mail, commonly known as email or e-mail, is a method of exchanging digital messages from an author to one or more recipients. Modern email operates across the Internet or other computer networks. Some early email systems required that the author and the recipient both be online at the...
security
Computer security
Computer security is a branch of computer technology known as information security as applied to computers and networks. The objective of computer security includes protection of information and property from theft, corruption, or natural disaster, while allowing the information and property to...
vendor), Boca Raton is the "spam
E-mail spam
Email spam, also known as junk email or unsolicited bulk email , is a subset of spam that involves nearly identical messages sent to numerous recipients by email. Definitions of spam usually include the aspects that email is unsolicited and sent in bulk. One subset of UBE is UCE...
capital of the world", being the source of a significant proportion of all spam generated worldwide, not surprising given the area's appeal, the personal fortunes of typical spammers, and the area's notorious past as a favorite of organized crime
Organized crime
Organized crime or criminal organizations are transnational, national, or local groupings of highly centralized enterprises run by criminals for the purpose of engaging in illegal activity, most commonly for monetary profit. Some criminal organizations, such as terrorist organizations, are...
. According to the Miami Herald, the city has a long history of involvement in confidence trick
Confidence trick
A confidence trick is an attempt to defraud a person or group by gaining their confidence. A confidence artist is an individual working alone or in concert with others who exploits characteristics of the human psyche such as dishonesty and honesty, vanity, compassion, credulity, irresponsibility,...
s. Richard C. Breeden
Richard C. Breeden
Richard C. Breeden is a former Chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, hedge fund manager, and corporate chairman.-Early career:Breeden began his career practicing corporate and securities law in New York City...
, former U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission chairman, once called the city "the only coastal city in Florida where there are more sharks on land than in the water". In the keynote address to a computer security conference
Computer security conference
A computer security conference is a term that describes a convention for individuals involved in computer security. They generally serve as a meeting place for system and network administrators, hackers, and computer security experts....
on June 8, 2004, Bruce Sterling
Bruce Sterling
Michael Bruce Sterling is an American science fiction author, best known for his novels and his work on the Mirrorshades anthology, which helped define the cyberpunk genre.-Writings:...
described the city as the "Capone-Chicago of cyber fraud".
On July 22, 2004, Boca Raton resident Scott Levine
Scott Levine
Scott Levine is an American who on July 22, 2004, was charged with the largest computer crime indictment in United States history. Federal prosecutors alleged that Levine unlawfully accessed databases of consumer data aggregator Acxiom to steal detailed personal information about millions of...
was charged with the largest computer crime
Computer crime
Computer crime, or cybercrime, refers to any crime that involves a computer and a network. The computer may have been used in the commission of a crime, or it may be the target. Netcrime refers to criminal exploitation of the Internet. Such crimes may threaten a nation’s security and financial health...
indictment
Indictment
An indictment , in the common-law legal system, is a formal accusation that a person has committed a crime. In jurisdictions that maintain the concept of felonies, the serious criminal offence is a felony; jurisdictions that lack the concept of felonies often use that of an indictable offence—an...
in United States history. Federal prosecutors allege that Levine unlawfully accessed Acxiom
Acxiom
Acxiom is a global interactive marketing services company that uses consumer data, analytics, information technology, data aggregation, data integration, and consulting solutions to help companies conduct direct marketing programs...
, a database
Database
A database is an organized collection of data for one or more purposes, usually in digital form. The data are typically organized to model relevant aspects of reality , in a way that supports processes requiring this information...
of consumer data
Data mining
Data mining , a relatively young and interdisciplinary field of computer science is the process of discovering new patterns from large data sets involving methods at the intersection of artificial intelligence, machine learning, statistics and database systems...
, to steal detailed personal information
Consumer privacy
Consumer privacy laws and regulations seek to protect any individual from loss of privacy due to failures or limitations of corporate customer privacy measures...
of millions of people.
Organized crime
In 2007 it was reported that there were nine known gangs operating in Boca Raton.Boca Raton has a connection to the Mafia
Mafia
The Mafia is a criminal syndicate that emerged in the mid-nineteenth century in Sicily, Italy. It is a loose association of criminal groups that share a common organizational structure and code of conduct, and whose common enterprise is protection racketeering...
. Although not known for violent crime, it is a popular hangout for many suspected Mafia members. According to a number of US Federal indictments, as of June 2004, the Gambino family
Gambino crime family
The Gambino crime family is one of the "Five Families" that dominates organized crime activities in New York City, United States, within the nationwide criminal phenomenon known as the Mafia . The group is named after Carlo Gambino, boss of the family at the time of the McClellan hearings in 1963...
continues to operate in Boca Raton. The television show, The Sopranos
The Sopranos
The Sopranos is an American television drama series created by David Chase that revolves around the New Jersey-based Italian-American mobster Tony Soprano and the difficulties he faces as he tries to balance the often conflicting requirements of his home life and the criminal organization he heads...
, featured the city in its plot ("Boca" and "...To Save Us All From Satan's Power"), and Mafia Wife author Lynda Milito resides in Boca Raton.
Politics
The City of Boca Raton has a Council-Manager form of government. Information about the City government is available at the city website.The city council, including Mayor Susan Whelchel, is nonpartisan. As of July 2011, incumbent Allen West, who represents the city in the United States Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
, is a Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
.
Economy
Office DepotOffice Depot
Office Depot is a supplier of office products and provides many services. The company's selection of brand name office supplies includes business machines, computers, computer software and office furniture, while its business services encompass copying, printing, document reproduction, shipping,...
, a supplier of office products and services, has its global headquarters on a 28-acre campus in the city. The GEO Group
GEO Group
The GEO Group, Inc. is a company headquartered in One Park Place, Boca Raton, Florida. GEO is a multi-national provider of governmental services specializing in the management of correctional, detention and mental health and residential treatment in North America, Australia, South Africa and the...
, a company that operates prisons, also has its headquarters in Boca Raton based out of One Park Place. Media companies American Media and FriendFinder Networks
FriendFinder
FriendFinder Networks is an internet holding company for numerous internet companies including the flagship site FriendFinder.com with 30 million active members worldwide. FriendFinder owns a number of other sites, such as Adult FriendFinder and Cams.com....
, hotel company Luxury Resorts
Luxury Resorts
WHM, LLC d/b/a Luxury Resorts is a hospitality company the focuses on luxury hotels and owns The Golden Door Spa. It was formed when Blackstone split Wyndham Resorts and kept the Luxury Hotels and launched an IPO for Wyndham. It renamed all the properties...
and e-retailers Vitacost
Vitacost
Vitacost.com is a leading online retailer and direct marketer of health and wellness products includinge dietary supplements such as vitamins, minerals, herbs or other botanicals, amino acids and metabolites, as well as cosmetics, organic body and personal care products, sports nutrition and ...
plus BMI Gaming
BMI Gaming
BMI Gaming is a global distributor of arcade games, amusement devices, digital "out-of-home" entertainment and vending machine multichannel distributor and FEC / Arcade / LBE developer founded in 2002 by David L. Young, a serial entrepreneur, marketing professional and arcade games collector, and...
are also based in Boca Raton.
Previously W. R. Grace and Company
W. R. Grace and Company
W. R. Grace and Company is a Columbia, Maryland, United States based chemical conglomerate.The company has two main divisions, Davison Chemicals and Performance Chemicals. The Davison unit makes chemical catalysts, refining catalysts, and silica-based products that let other companies make...
had its headquarters in unincorporated
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
Palm Beach County
Palm Beach County, Florida
Palm Beach County is the largest county in the state of Florida in total area, and third in population. As of 2010, the county's estimated population was 1,320,134, making it the twenty-eighth most populous in the United States...
, near Boca Raton.
Top employers
According to the City's 2009 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:| # | Employer | # of Employees |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Florida Atlantic University Florida Atlantic University Florida Atlantic University, also referred to as FAU or Florida Atlantic, is a public, coeducational, research university located in , United States. The university has six satellite campuses located in the Florida cities of Dania Beach, Davie, Fort Lauderdale, Jupiter, Port St. Lucie, and in Fort... |
2,776 |
| 2 | Boca Raton Resort | 2,200 |
| 3 | Office Depot Office Depot Office Depot is a supplier of office products and provides many services. The company's selection of brand name office supplies includes business machines, computers, computer software and office furniture, while its business services encompass copying, printing, document reproduction, shipping,... |
2,100 |
| 4 | Boca Raton Regional Hospital | 2,100 |
| 5 | City of Boca Raton | 1,288 |
| 6 | National Council on Compensation Insurance National Council on Compensation Insurance The National Council on Compensation Insurance is a U.S. insurance rating and data collection bureau specializing in workers' compensation. Operating with a not-for-profit philosophy and owned by its member insurers, NCCI annually collects data covering more than four million workers compensation... |
872 |
| 7 | Campus Management | 750+ |
| 8 | Lynn University Lynn University Lynn University is a private, non-profit university in Boca Raton, Florida, founded in 1962.The university currently hosts students from 40 states and 90 nations... |
700 |
| 9 | The Continental Group FirstService - Subsidiaries :*Colliers International - Commercial Real Estate*FirstService Residential Management - Residential Property Management*The Continental Group, Inc.*TFC - Property Services**BrandPoint Services**California Closets**CertaPro Painters**College Pro... |
640 |
| 10 | IBM IBM International Business Machines Corporation or IBM is an American multinational technology and consulting corporation headquartered in Armonk, New York, United States. IBM manufactures and sells computer hardware and software, and it offers infrastructure, hosting and consulting services in areas... |
600 |
Public schools
Public education is provided and managed by The School District of Palm Beach County. Boca Raton is also home to several notable private and religious schools.As of 2007, Boca Raton is served by four public high schools. Within the city's limits, Boca Raton Community High School
Boca Raton High School
Boca Raton Community High School is a public, coeducational high school that is part of the School District of Palm Beach County, Florida. The school has been rated an "A" school each consecutive year by the Florida Department of Education since the year 2005. In 2010, Boca High ranked 62 in the...
serves the eastern part of the city. Spanish River Community High School
Spanish River Community High School
Spanish River Community High School is a public, coeducational high school serving the cities of Boca Raton and Delray Beach as part of the School District of Palm Beach County, Florida. It is currently rated as the most comprehensive school in Palm Beach County...
serves the west-central part of the city limits and parts of unincorporated Boca Raton. Olympic Heights Community High School
Olympic Heights Community High School
Olympic Heights Community High School is a public high school, located at 20101 Lyons Road, serving west Boca Raton, parts of Boynton Beach and parts of Delray Beach as part of the School District of Palm Beach County, Florida.- Academies :...
serves the western unincorporated areas. Finally, West Boca Raton Community High School
West Boca Raton Community High School
West Boca Raton Community High School is an unaccredited public high school in an unincorporated area west of Boca Raton, Florida. The school is part of the School District of Palm Beach County and is zoned for the far western area of Boca Raton, with students from any part of the Palm Beach County...
serves the far-west unincorporated areas. Spanish River, Olympic Heights, and West Boca Raton also serve students from Delray Beach
Delray Beach, Florida
Delray Beach is a city in Palm Beach County, Florida, USA. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 60,020. As of 2004, the population estimated by the U.S...
and Boynton Beach
Boynton Beach, Florida
Boynton Beach is a city in Palm Beach County, Florida, United States. The population was 60,389 at the 2000 census. As of 2006, the city had a population of 66,714 according to the University of Florida, Bureau of Economic and Business Research...
.
The area is served by five public middle schools:
- Boca Raton Community Middle School,
- Don Estridge High Tech Middle SchoolDon Estridge High Tech Middle SchoolDon Estridge High Tech Middle School is a technology-infused public middle school in Boca Raton, Florida that opened in 2004. Integrating technology into all aspects of education, using SMARTBoards , Classroom Performance Systems , mobile laptop labs, and in-ceiling sound systems in every...
, a technology magnet school named for Don Estridge, the leader of a small group of engineers who developed the IBM Personal Computer in Boca Raton. - Eagles Landing Middle School
- Loggers' Run Community Middle SchoolLoggers' Run Community Middle SchoolLoggers' Run Community Middle School is a middle school located in Boca Raton, Florida which opened in 1984. It offers a forensic/pre-med academy, a culinary program, a technology lab, and a news studio....
- Omni Middle School
The area is served by twelve public elementary schools:
- Addison Mizner Elementary (Founded in 1968. It is named after Addison MiznerAddison MiznerAddison Cairns Mizner was an American resort architect whose Mediterranean Revival and Spanish Colonial Revival style interpretations left an indelible stamp on South Florida, where it continues to inspire architects and land developers. In the 1920s Mizner was the best-known and most-discussed...
.) - Boca Raton Elementary
- Calusa Elementary
- Coral Sunset Elementary
- Del Prado Elementary
- Hammock Pointe Elementary
- J.C. Mitchell Elementary
- Sandpiper Shores Elementary
- Sunrise Park Elementary
- Verde Elementary
- Waters Edge Elementary
- Whispering Pines Elementary
An alternative to the Palm Beach County Public Schools in Boca Raton is the Alexander D. Henderson University School is located on the Florida Atlantic University campus. A. D. Henderson University School (ADHUS) is organized as a unique and separate school district; it is not part of the Palm Beach County School System. Henderson School is recognized as Florida Atlantic University School District #72, under the College of Education’s administrative oversight.
University schools in Florida are authorized to provide instruction for grades K-12 and university students, support university research efforts, and test educational reforms for Florida schools. ADHUS is a public school and thus does not charge tuition. It is open to children who reside in Palm Beach County or Broward County and admission is by lottery. Student characteristics of gender, race, family income and student ability are used to match the student population profile to that of the state.
Private schools
- Hillel Day School of Boca Raton
- Boca Raton Christian School
- Pine Crest SchoolPine Crest SchoolPine Crest School is a private college preparatory school with campuses in Boca Raton and Fort Lauderdale, Florida. It was founded in Fort Lauderdale in 1934 by Mae McMillan who began as a tutor to children of families spending the winter in South Florida, USA. In 1995, Dr. Lourdes Cowgill became...
, based in Fort LauderdaleFort Lauderdale, FloridaFort Lauderdale is a city in the U.S. state of Florida, on the Atlantic coast. It is the county seat of Broward County. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 165,521. It is a principal city of the South Florida metropolitan area, which was home to 5,564,635 people at the 2010...
, has a campus in Boca Raton. - Saint Jude Catholic School and Parish Saint Jude School and Parish is a Elementary and Middle School founded in 1985. The Parish also has a Preschool founded in 1995.
- Saint Andrew's SchoolSaint Andrew's School (Boca Raton, Florida)Saint Andrew's School – An Episcopal school founded in 1961, Saint Andrew’s School is a nationally recognized JK-12 day and boarding college preparatory school known for its academic excellence and education of the whole child – in mind, body, and spirit. It serves 1,300 students from local,...
- Pope John Paul II High SchoolPope John Paul II High School (Boca Raton, Florida)Pope John Paul II High School is a college preparatory Roman Catholic secondary school with a campus in East Boca Raton, Florida, adjacent to the main campus of Lynn University. The school opened in 1980, and has a co-ed student body consisting of 600 students and 75 lay and religious teachers as...
- Grandview Preparatory School is an independent college preparatory, nonsectarian, coeducational day school founded in 1997. Student enrollment is offered for Pre-Kindergarten through Grade 12.
- Donna Klein Jewish Academy
- Boca Prep International School
- Saint Joan of Arc Catholic School and Church
- Weinbaum Yeshiva High School
- Summit Private School, a Montessori school
- Spanish River Christian
- Saint Paul Lutheran School
- Advent Lutheran School
- Claremont Montessori School
- American Heritage School
Higher education
- Florida Atlantic UniversityFlorida Atlantic UniversityFlorida Atlantic University, also referred to as FAU or Florida Atlantic, is a public, coeducational, research university located in , United States. The university has six satellite campuses located in the Florida cities of Dania Beach, Davie, Fort Lauderdale, Jupiter, Port St. Lucie, and in Fort...
, founded in 1961, held its first classes in Boca Raton in 1964. FAU is a member of the State University System of FloridaState University System of FloridaThe State University System of Florida is a system of eleven public universities in the U.S. state of Florida. As of 2011, over 320,000 students were enrolled in Florida's state universities...
and is the largest university in Boca Raton. It has over 26,000 students, 3,000 of which are residential students, and a Division I athletics program. - Lynn UniversityLynn UniversityLynn University is a private, non-profit university in Boca Raton, Florida, founded in 1962.The university currently hosts students from 40 states and 90 nations...
(originally founded as Marymount College, then renamed the College of Boca Raton in 1974, and finally Lynn University in 1991) is a four year co-educational institution re-named to honor the Lynn (Eugene & Christine) family who continue to be benefactors of the university. - Palm Beach State College has had a Boca Raton campus, adjacent to Florida Atlantic UniversityFlorida Atlantic UniversityFlorida Atlantic University, also referred to as FAU or Florida Atlantic, is a public, coeducational, research university located in , United States. The university has six satellite campuses located in the Florida cities of Dania Beach, Davie, Fort Lauderdale, Jupiter, Port St. Lucie, and in Fort...
, since 1971. - Digital Media Arts CollegeDigital Media Arts CollegeDigital Media Arts College is a private college in Boca Raton, Florida. It was founded in 2001 by Cynthia Jakeway and Tony Palmieri, and offers Bachelor of Fine Arts degrees in Computer Animation, Game Art Design, Graphic Design and Advertising Design and Master of Fine Arts degrees in Visual...
, founded in 2001, offers bachelor's and master's degrees in computer animationComputer animationComputer animation is the process used for generating animated images by using computer graphics. The more general term computer generated imagery encompasses both static scenes and dynamic images, while computer animation only refers to moving images....
and graphic design. - Everglades UniversityEverglades UniversityEverglades University is a small private college located in Boca Raton, Florida, United States. The university is regionally accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award bachelor's and master's degrees....
Libraries
The Boca Raton Public Library serves city of Boca Raton residents. A second municipal library building on Spanish River Boulevard west of I-95 was opened in January 2008.The Glades Road Branch Library and the West Boca Branch Library serve Boca Raton residents who live outside the city limits. The West Boca Branch opened on February 20, 2009. It is located on State Road 7 just north of Yamato Road. The Glades Road Branch Library, formerly known as the Southwest County Regional Library, is located on 95th Street and Glades Road, between Lyons Road and State Road 7. It closed for renovations in early 2009 and reopened as the Glades Road Branch Library on May 29, 2010. County library card holders may use any of the sixteen branches in the Palm Beach County Library System and have access to many databases and downloadable e-books and audio books.
Air
- The Boca Raton AirportBoca Raton AirportBoca Raton Airport is a state-owned public-use airport located two miles northwest of the central business district of Boca Raton, a city in Palm Beach County, Florida, United States...
(BCT) is a general aviation airport located immediately adjacent to Florida Atlantic UniversityFlorida Atlantic UniversityFlorida Atlantic University, also referred to as FAU or Florida Atlantic, is a public, coeducational, research university located in , United States. The university has six satellite campuses located in the Florida cities of Dania Beach, Davie, Fort Lauderdale, Jupiter, Port St. Lucie, and in Fort...
and Interstate 95Interstate 95 in FloridaInterstate 95 is the main Interstate Highway on the east coast of the United States; it serves the Atlantic coast of Florida. It begins at a partial interchange with U.S. Highway 1 just south of downtown Miami, and heads north past Daytona Beach and Jacksonville to the Georgia state line at the St...
. It has a control tower which is manned from 0700 to 2300. The Boca Raton Airport is publicly owned and governed by a seven member Authority appointed by the City of Boca Raton and the Palm Beach CountyPalm Beach County, FloridaPalm Beach County is the largest county in the state of Florida in total area, and third in population. As of 2010, the county's estimated population was 1,320,134, making it the twenty-eighth most populous in the United States...
Commission. - Palm Beach International AirportPalm Beach International AirportPalm Beach International Airport is a public airport located 3 nautical miles west of Palm Beach, Florida, in West Palm Beach, Florida, and serves Palm Beach County. The airport is operated and maintained by Palm Beach County Department of Airports. Road access to the airport is available...
(PBI) is located to the north near West Palm BeachWest Palm Beach, FloridaWest Palm Beach, is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and is the most populous city in and county seat of Palm Beach County, the third most populous county in Florida with a 2010 population of 1,320,134. The city is also the oldest incorporated municipality in South Florida...
. - Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International AirportFort Lauderdale-Hollywood International AirportFort Lauderdale – Hollywood International Airport is an international commercial airport located in unincorporated Broward County, Florida, three miles southwest of the central business district of Fort Lauderdale...
(FLL) is located to the south in Dania BeachDania Beach, FloridaDania Beach is a city in Broward County, Florida, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 29,639. It is part of the South Florida metropolitan area, which was home to 5,564,635 people at the 2010 census. Dania Beach is the location of one of the largest jai alai frontons in...
.
Highways
- Florida State Road A1AFlorida State Road A1AState Road A1A is a Florida State Road that runs mostly along the Atlantic Ocean, with sections from Key West at the southern tip of Florida, to Callahan, just south of Georgia. It is the main road through most oceanfront towns. SR A1A is designated the A1A Scenic and Historic Coastal Highway, a...
is a north-south road lying between the Intracoastal Waterway and the Atlantic Ocean. - U.S. Highway 1U.S. Route 1 in FloridaU.S. Route 1 in Florida runs along the state's east coast from Key West to its crossing of the St. Marys River into Georgia north of Boulogne, and south of Folkston. US 1 was designated through Florida when the U.S. Highway System was established in 1926.US 1 runs in the state of Florida, and...
is a north-south highway passing through the city’s downtown, commercial, and industrial districts in the eastern part of the city. - U.S. Highway 441U.S. Route 441 in FloridaU.S. Route 441 in Florida is a north–south United States Highway. It runs from Miami in South Florida northwest to the Georgia border north of the Lake City area....
, also popularly known as State Road 7, is a north-south highway passing through commercial and residential districts west of the city limits. - Interstate 95Interstate 95 in FloridaInterstate 95 is the main Interstate Highway on the east coast of the United States; it serves the Atlantic coast of Florida. It begins at a partial interchange with U.S. Highway 1 just south of downtown Miami, and heads north past Daytona Beach and Jacksonville to the Georgia state line at the St...
bisects the city from north to south with four interchanges serving Boca Raton. - Florida's TurnpikeFlorida's TurnpikeFlorida's Turnpike , designated as the Ronald Reagan Turnpike, and originally known as the Sunshine State Parkway is a north–south toll road that runs through 11 counties in the Florida peninsula, from U.S...
is a north-south highway passing through unincorporated Boca Raton, forming part of the city limits in the north, with one interchange at Glades Road. - Florida State Road 808 (Glades Road) is an east-west road between US 441 and US 1.
- Other major east-west roads include Palmetto Park Road and Yamato Road.
- Other major north-south roads include Military Trail and Powerline Road.
Rail
- The Tri-RailTri-RailTri-Rail is a commuter rail line linking Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach, Florida, United States. It is run by the South Florida Regional Transportation Authority. The system has 18 stations along the South Florida coast...
commuter rail system serves the city with its Boca Raton station located on the south side of Yamato Road just west of I-95Interstate 95 in FloridaInterstate 95 is the main Interstate Highway on the east coast of the United States; it serves the Atlantic coast of Florida. It begins at a partial interchange with U.S. Highway 1 just south of downtown Miami, and heads north past Daytona Beach and Jacksonville to the Georgia state line at the St...
. - CSX TransportationCSX TransportationCSX Transportation operates a Class I railroad in the United States known as the CSX Railroad. It is the main subsidiary of the CSX Corporation. The company is headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, and owns approximately 21,000 route miles...
and the Florida East Coast RailwayFlorida East Coast RailwayThe Florida East Coast Railway is a Class II railroad operating in the U.S. state of Florida; in the past, it has been a Class I railroad.Built primarily in the last quarter of the 19th century and the first decade of the 20th century, the FEC was a project of Standard Oil principal Henry Morrison...
also serve the city.
Water
Long before any settlers arrived, the original 1870 government survey of the area showed that just west of and parallel to the Atlantic OceanAtlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
's coastal dune was the "Boca Ratones Lagoon", which extended south for nine miles (14.5 km) from just north of the present location of Atlantic Avenue in Delray Beach
Delray Beach, Florida
Delray Beach is a city in Palm Beach County, Florida, USA. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 60,020. As of 2004, the population estimated by the U.S...
. Along the southern half of the lagoon were three wide areas each called a "Lake", which are now named (north to south) Lake Rogers, Lake Wyman, and Lake Boca Raton. At the southeast end of the lagoon was a short protrusion toward the south which would become the Boca Raton Inlet after a sandbar at its mouth was removed. The lagoon and lakes were part of a half-mile (0.8 km) wide swamp, west of which was scrub land a mile (1.6 km) wide (part of the Atlantic coastal ridge) where the Florida East Coast Railway
Florida East Coast Railway
The Florida East Coast Railway is a Class II railroad operating in the U.S. state of Florida; in the past, it has been a Class I railroad.Built primarily in the last quarter of the 19th century and the first decade of the 20th century, the FEC was a project of Standard Oil principal Henry Morrison...
(1896) and Dixie Highway
Dixie Highway
The Dixie Highway was a United States automobile highway, first planned in 1914 to connect the US Midwest with the Southern United States. It was part of the National Auto Trail system, and grew out of an earlier Miami to Montreal highway. The final result is better understood as a small network of...
(1923) were built. To the west of the scrub was a half mile or wider swamp within which flowed north to south the "Prong of Hillsborough River", which is now the El Rio Canal. It now forms the eastern border of Florida Atlantic University
Florida Atlantic University
Florida Atlantic University, also referred to as FAU or Florida Atlantic, is a public, coeducational, research university located in , United States. The university has six satellite campuses located in the Florida cities of Dania Beach, Davie, Fort Lauderdale, Jupiter, Port St. Lucie, and in Fort...
and the Old Floresta neighborhood. The prong entered the "Hillsborough River" at the present eastern end of the straight portion of the Hillsboro Canal
Hillsboro Canal
The Hillsboro Canal is located in the southeastern portion of Florida within the South Florida Water Management District, and for much of its length forms the border between Broward and Palm Beach counties; however, its western end is entirely in Palm Beach County. It begins at Lake Okeechobee at...
(dredged 1911–14), which is the southern city limits. The river flowed southeast in several channels along the western edge of the present Deerfield Island, formerly called Capone Island (named for Al Capone
Al Capone
Alphonse Gabriel "Al" Capone was an American gangster who led a Prohibition-era crime syndicate. The Chicago Outfit, which subsequently became known as the "Capones", was dedicated to smuggling and bootlegging liquor, and other illegal activities such as prostitution, in Chicago from the early...
who owned it during the 1930s), which did not become an island until the Royal Palm Canal was dredged along its northern edge in 1961. Flowing south from the lagoon to the river along the eastern edge of the 'island' was a "Small boat Pass into Hillsboro' River", also called the Little Hillsboro. The river continued due south about four and a half miles (7.2 km) just inland of the coastal dune until it emptied into the Atlantic Ocean at the "Hillsborough Bar", now the Hillsboro Inlet
Hillsboro Inlet
Hillsboro Inlet in Pompano Beach, Florida, USA is an inlet from the Atlantic Ocean that connects the ocean to the Intracoastal Waterway.- External links :*...
.
The lagoon was dredged in 1894–95 to form part of the Florida East Coast Canal from Jacksonville
Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Florida in terms of both population and land area, and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States. It is the county seat of Duval County, with which the city government consolidated in 1968...
to Biscayne Bay
Biscayne Bay
Biscayne Bay is a lagoon that is approximately 35 miles long and up to 8 miles wide located on the Atlantic coast of South Florida, United States. It is usually divided for purposes of discussion and analysis into three parts: North Bay, Central Bay, and South Bay. Its area is...
with a minimum depth of 5 feet (1.5 m) and a minimum width of 50 feet (15.2 m). After 1895, the lagoon and canal were sometimes called the Spanish River. Between 1930 and 1935 the canal was improved to 8×100 feet (2.4×30.5 m) by the federal government and renamed the Intracoastal Waterway
Intracoastal Waterway
The Intracoastal Waterway is a 3,000-mile waterway along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of the United States. Some lengths consist of natural inlets, salt-water rivers, bays, and sounds; others are artificial canals...
. It was improved again between 1960 and 1965 to 10×125 feet (3×38.1 m). All three versions were subject to shoal
Shoal
Shoal, shoals or shoaling may mean:* Shoal, a sandbank or reef creating shallow water, especially where it forms a hazard to shipping* Shoal draught , of a boat with shallow draught which can pass over some shoals: see Draft...
ing which reduced their depths below the specified minimum. Forming part of the northern city limits is the C-15 canal, connecting the El Rio Canal to the Intracoastal Waterway.
Notable residents, past and present
- Reed AlexanderReed AlexanderReed Alexander is an American actor best known as Nevel Papperman on iCarly.- Career :Alexander has recurring roles as the villain Nevel Papperman on Nickelodeon's iCarly....
, actor - Jozy AltidoreJozy AltidoreJosmer Volmy "Jozy" Altidore is an American soccer player currently playing for Eredivisie side AZ Alkmaar, and for the United States national team....
, soccer player - Carling Bassett-SegusoCarling Bassett-SegusoCarling Kathrin Bassett-Seguso is a former Canadian professional tennis player. Bassett is the daughter of John F. Bassett and Susan Carling, and the granddaughter of media baron John Bassett and politician and brewery executive John Carling.-Tennis career:In 1981, Bassett won the Canadian junior...
with husband Robert SegusoRobert SegusoRobert Arthur Seguso is a former professional tennis player from the United States. A doubles specialist, he won 4 Grand Slam men's doubles titles . He also won the men's doubles Gold Medal at the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul, partnering Ken Flach. Seguso reached the World No...
, both tennis players - Derek BellDerek Bell (auto racer)Derek Reginald Bell MBE is a former racing driver from England who was extremely successful in sportscar racing, winning five times at Le Mans. He also raced in Formula One for the Ferrari, McLaren, Surtees and Tecno teams...
, motor racing driver - Marc BellMarc Bell (entrepreneur)Marc Bell is managing director of Marc Bell Capital Partners, a private equity firm based in Boca Raton, Florida founded by Mr. Bell in 2003. Marc Bell Capital Partners invests in entertainment ventures, publishing, internet, hospitality and real estate....
, entrepreneur - Yuniesky BetancourtYuniesky BetancourtYuniesky Betancourt is a Major League Baseball shortstop. He resides in Boca Raton, Florida.-Cuban leagues:...
, baseball player - Jeanne BiceJeanne BiceJeanne Bice was an entrepreneur, businesswoman and television personality. Bice was the founder of the Quacker Factory clothing line, which led to frequent appearances on QVC beginning in 1995. Her company, Quacker Factory, has grossed more than $50 million in sales, as of March 2011...
, founder of Quaker Factory - Ian BishopIan Bishop (footballer)Ian Bishop is a former footballer who played as a midfielder.He was born on the Cantril Farm housing estate in Liverpool and on leaving school in July 1981 he joined Everton, turning professional for the 1983-84 season under the management of Howard Kendall - who had taken over during the same...
, former English soccer player - Ryland BlackintonRyland BlackintonRyland Blackinton is the lead guitarist for the band Cobra Starship. He is from Wilmington MA, but was born in South Kingstown Rhode Island on March 31, 1982. Before joining Cobra Starship, Ryland, along with high school best friend Alex Suarez formed the folk/pop duo This Is Ivy League...
, musician/guitarist for Cobra Starship - Jon Bon JoviJon Bon JoviJon Bon Jovi is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and actor, best known as the founder, occasional rhythm guitarist, and lead singer of rock band Bon Jovi, which was named after him...
, singer & musician - Jason BonhamJason BonhamJason John Bonham is an English drummer. Jason's parents are Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham and his wife Pat Phillips. After his father's death in 1980, he has played with Led Zeppelin on different occasions, including the Ahmet Ertegün Tribute Concert at The O2 Arena in London in...
, rock and roll drummer & son of Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham - Ernest BorgnineErnest BorgnineErnest Borgnine is an American actor of television and film. His career has spanned more than six decades. He was an unconventional lead in many films of the 1950s, including his Academy Award-winning turn in the 1955 film Marty...
, actor - Don BrewerDon BrewerDon Brewer is the drummer and co-lead singer for American rock band Grand Funk Railroad.- Early life :Brewer was born in Flint, Michigan on September 3, 1948 and is a graduate of Swartz Creek High School....
, drummer for Grand Funk Railroad - Keith ByarsKeith ByarsKeith Alan Byars is an American sports broadcaster and former American football player in the National Football League for the Philadelphia Eagles, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots and New York Jets.-Early life:...
, former football player - Jennifer CapriatiJennifer CapriatiJennifer Marie Capriati is a former world number one ranked professional tennis player, and the winner of three women's singles championships in Grand Slam tournaments. Capriati made her professional debut in 1990 at the age of 14 when she reached the finals of the hard court tournament in Boca...
, tennis player - Chris CarrabbaChris CarrabbaChristopher Ender Carrabba is the lead singer and guitarist of the band Dashboard Confessional, and is the vocalist for the American emo/indie rock band Further Seems Forever.-Biography:...
, lead singer & guitarist of Dashboard Confessional - Cris CarterCris CarterCristopher D. Carter is a former American football player in the National Football League. He played wide receiver for the Philadelphia Eagles , the Minnesota Vikings and the Miami Dolphins ....
, All-Pro football player - Elena DementievaElena DementievaElena Viatcheslavovna Dementieva is a retired Russian professional tennis player. Dementieva is most notable for winning the singles gold medal at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. She won 16 WTA singles titles and reached the finals of the 2004 French Open and 2004 US Open. Dementieva achieved a...
, Russian tennis player - Dion DiMucciDion DiMucciDion Francis DiMucci , better known as Dion, is an American singer-songwriter whose work has incorporated elements of doo-wop, pop oldies music, rock and R&B styles....
, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame member - Chris EvertChris EvertChristine Marie "Chris" Evert is a former world number 1 professional tennis player from the United States. She won 18 Grand Slam singles championships, including a record seven championships at the French Open and a record six championships at the U.S. Open. She was the year-ending World No...
, tennis player - Dr. Frank Field, TV Personality, and NYC Meteorologist for 5 Decades
- Jeff GordonJeff GordonJeffery Michael "Jeff" Gordon is a professional NASCAR driver. He is the driver of the #24 Drive to End Hunger/DuPont/Pepsi Chevrolet Impala. He is a four-time Sprint Cup Series champion and a three-time Daytona 500 winner. He is third on the all-time wins list, with 85 career wins, and has the...
, NASCAR racer - Ariana GrandeAriana GrandeAriana Joan Grande is an American actress and singer. She currently plays the role of Cat Valentine in the American sitcom Victorious.-Early life:Grande was born and raised in Boca Raton, Florida...
, actress, model and singer - Taurean GreenTaurean GreenTaurean Green is an American-born professional basketball player who is a point guard for CB Gran Canaria, the Canary Islands affiliate of the Spanish basketball league Liga ACB. Green played college basketball for the University of Florida, where he was a member of the Florida Gators teams that...
, basketball player - John GroganJohn Grogan (journalist)John Grogan is an American journalist and non-fiction writer. His memoir Marley & Me was a best-selling book about his family's dog Marley.- Career :...
, author of Marley & Me - Sébastien GrosjeanSébastien GrosjeanSébastien René Grosjean is a retired tennis player from France. His career-high ATP Entry ranking is No. 4 . He retired from tennis on May 27, 2010.-Career:...
, French tennis player - Megan HausermanMegan HausermanMegan Hauserman is an American model and reality television personality, best known for her appearances on Vh1.-Modeling career:...
, model & reality television actress - John W. HenryJohn W. HenryJohn William Henry II is a futures and foreign exchange trading advisor who founded John W. Henry & Company . He is the principal owner of the Boston Red Sox and Liverpool F.C., and co-owner of Roush Fenway Racing. In March 2006, Boston Magazine estimated his net worth at $1.1 billion, but noted...
, one of the owners of the Boston Red Sox - Scott HirschScott Hirsch- Online marketing :Scott Hirsch is the founder of Appsbar a unique tool that empowers anyone to make complex mobile apps easily. Appsbar Inc is located in Deerfield Beach, Florida Hirsch got his start in online when he marketed contact lenses and other products on-line as early as 1992, well...
, boxing manager & former e-mail spammer - Ryan Hunter-ReayRyan Hunter-ReayRyan Hunter-Reay is a professional American race car driver best known as the only driver to have won races in each of North America's top open wheel formulas, CART the ChampCar World Series and the IndyCar Series...
, IndyCar Series driver - Žydrūnas IlgauskasŽydrunas IlgauskasŽydrūnas Ilgauskas , or "Big Z" , is a retired Lithuanian professional basketball center who played for the Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association...
, basketball player - Khori IvyKhori IvyKhori Ivy is a former Arena football Offensive specialist who is now a football coach at the Wide Receiver Academy as well as Boca Raton Community High School. He attended Boca Raton High School and played football, basketball and track & field. He then attended West Virginia where he played wide...
, former football player - Dennis KozlowskiDennis KozlowskiLeonard Dennis Kozlowski is a former CEO of Tyco International, convicted in 2005 of crimes related to his receipt of $81 million in purportedly unauthorized bonuses, the purchase of art for $14.725 million and the payment by Tyco of a $20 million investment banking fee to Frank Walsh, a former...
, former CEO of Tyco International - Bernhard LangerBernhard LangerBernhard Langer is a German professional golfer. He is a two-time Masters champion, and was one of the world's leading golfers throughout the 1980s and 90s, being the first official number one ranked player in 1986...
, golfer - Jesse LevineJesse LevineJesse Levine is a Canadian-born American professional tennis player. He achieved his career-high singles rank of No. 94 on November 3, 2008....
, tennis player
- Scott LevineScott LevineScott Levine is an American who on July 22, 2004, was charged with the largest computer crime indictment in United States history. Federal prosecutors alleged that Levine unlawfully accessed databases of consumer data aggregator Acxiom to steal detailed personal information about millions of...
, computer criminal - Rush LimbaughRush LimbaughRush Hudson Limbaugh III is an American radio talk show host, conservative political commentator, and an opinion leader in American conservatism. He hosts The Rush Limbaugh Show which is aired throughout the U.S. on Premiere Radio Networks and is the highest-rated talk-radio program in the United...
, Conservative radio talk show host - Marilyn MansonMarilyn MansonMarilyn Manson may refer to:* Marilyn Manson , an American rock musician* Marilyn Manson , the American rock band led by the singer of the same name...
, shock rocker - Leonard MarshallLeonard MarshallLeonard Allen Marshall Jr. is a former American football defensive lineman who played twelve seasons in the National Football League . Marshall played defensive end for the New York Giants for ten seasons, then played a season each as a defensive tackle for the New York Jets and Washington Redskins...
, football player - Tucker MaxTucker MaxTucker Max is an American author and public speaker. He chronicles his drunken and sexual encounters in the form of short stories on his website TuckerMax.com, which has received millions of visitors since Max launched it for a bet in 2002, making him an Internet celebrity.Max's book I Hope They...
, writer - Nicko McBrainNicko McBrainMichael Henry "Nicko" McBrain is an English musician, best known as the drummer for Iron Maiden, which he joined in 1982, prior to which he had played for Streetwalkers, Pat Travers, and the French political band, Trust.-Biography:...
, Iron Maiden drummer - Vince McMahonVince McMahonVincent Kennedy "Vince" McMahon is an American professional wrestling promoter, announcer, commentator, film producer, actor and former occasional professional wrestler. McMahon is the current Chairman, CEO and Chairman of the Executive Committee of professional wrestling promotion WWE...
, professional wrestler & promoter - Scott MersereauScott MersereauScott Robert Mersereau born is a former defensive end for the New York Jets of the National Football League. He attended college at Southern Connecticut State University...
, professional football player for the New York Jets - Corina MorariuCorina MorariuCorina Marie Morariu is a former American female professional tennis player of Romanian heritage.Morariu turned professional in 1994. Mainly known as a doubles specialist, she won the women's doubles title at Wimbledon in 1999 with Lindsay Davenport. She also won the mixed doubles title at the...
, tennis player - Jaclyn NesheiwatJaclyn NesheiwatJaclyn Nesheiwat Stapp is an actress, beauty queen, philanthropist, fashion model, and children’s book author with pageant roots in Florida and New York. She is one of five children raised in Umatilla, Florida...
, beauty queen, fashion model - Paul NewmanPaul NewmanPaul Leonard Newman was an American actor, film director, entrepreneur, humanitarian, professional racing driver and auto racing enthusiast...
, entrepreneur - Greg NormanGreg NormanGregory John Norman AO is an Australian professional golfer and entrepreneur who spent 331 weeks as the world's Number 1 ranked golfer in the 1980s and 1990s...
, golfer - Terrence PegulaTerrence PegulaTerrence M. "Terry" Pegula is an American businessman. Pegula founded East Resources, a natural gas drilling company, before selling the company to Royal Dutch Shell for approximately $4.7 billion....
, billionaire natural gas tycoon and owner of the Buffalo Sabres - Sabby PiscitelliSabby PiscitelliSabatino "The Goat" Piscitelli is an American football safety for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League. He was originally drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the second round of the 2007 NFL Draft...
, football player for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Maury PovichMaury PovichMaurice Richard "Maury" Povich is an American TV talk show host who currently hosts his self-titled talk show Maury.-Personal background:...
and wife, Connie ChungConnie ChungConnie Chung, full name: Constance Yu-Hwa Chung Povich is an American journalist who has been an anchor and reporter for the U.S. television news networks NBC, CBS, ABC, CNN, and MSNBC. Some of her more famous interview subjects include Claus von Bülow and U.S...
, Tabloid and News Media Personalities - Morgan PresselMorgan PresselMorgan Pressel is an American professional golfer, currently playing on the LPGA Tour. She turned pro at age 17 and is the youngest-ever winner of a modern LPGA major championship. Pressel has reached as high as fourth in the world rankings....
, golfer - Mark RichtMark RichtMark Richt is the head coach of the University of Georgia Bulldogs football team. His previous affiliations include fourteen years at Florida State University, where he served as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, and one year as offensive coordinator at East Carolina University.-Early...
, head football coach of the University of Georgia - Andy RoddickAndy RoddickAndrew Stephen "Andy" Roddick is an American professional tennis player and a former World No. 1. He is currently the second highest-ranked American player, behind Mardy Fish....
, tennis player - Pete RosePete RosePeter Edward Rose , nicknamed "Charlie Hustle", is a former Major League Baseball player and manager. Rose played from 1963 to 1986, and managed from 1984 to 1989....
, baseball player - Frank RosenthalFrank RosenthalFrank Lawrence "Lefty" Rosenthal was a professional sports bettor, former Las Vegas casino executive and organized crime associate. The film Casino is loosely based on his life.-Early years:...
, ex-Las Vegas casino owner & handicapper - Marion RyanMarion RyanMarion Ryan was a popular British singer in the 1950s.-Career:Born Marian Ryan in Middlesbrough, England, and once called "the Marilyn Monroe of popular song", Marion Ryan was a pop singer of the 1950s in the early years of British Independent Television...
, 1950s British singer - Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook
- Stephanie Moulton SarkisStephanie Moulton SarkisStephanie Moulton Sarkis is a specialist in the treatment of ADD/ADHD and the author of four books on adult ADHD. She is a practicing Licensed Mental Health Counselor and National Certified Counselor based in Boca Raton, FL. She specializes in ADHD and its impact on college performance and...
, psychotherapist and author - Ryan ShoreRyan ShoreRyan Shore is a Grammy Award nominated composer for film, television, records and games. He is a graduate of the Berklee College of Music and is the nephew of Academy Award winning composer Howard Shore.-Music career:...
, contemporary film composer - Vince SpadeaVince SpadeaVincent Spadea [SPAY-dee-ya] is an ATP Tour professional tennis player from the United States. He is one of only four players in history to defeat Roger Federer 6–0 in set, at a major event....
, tennis player - Scott StappScott StappScott Alan Stapp is an American musician and singer-songwriter best known as the lead vocalist and lyricist of the rock band Creed, of which he is a founding member. His debut solo album, The Great Divide, was released in 2005. A second album, Between Lust and Love, is currently in production...
, lead singer for the rock band Creed - Howard StelzerHoward StelzerHoward Stelzer is a composer and live performer of electronic music whose work is made primary from sounds generated by cassette tapes...
, avant-garde composer & founder of Intransitive RecordingsIntransitive RecordingsIntransitive Recordings is an independent record label for experimental music, founded in Gainesville, Florida in 1997 by the artist Howard Stelzer and currently based in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Intransitive publishes electro-acoustic music, free improvisation, sound art, sound poetry, and noise... - Horia TecăuHoria TecauHoria Tecău is a Romanian tennis player who turned pro in 2003, and is a doubles specialist. Tecău is currently ranked 9th in ATP's doubles ranking, being also his highest doubles ranking achieved on August 8, 2011....
, tennis player - Sahaj Ticotin, lead singer for the rock band Ra
- Donald TrumpDonald TrumpDonald John Trump, Sr. is an American business magnate, television personality and author. He is the chairman and president of The Trump Organization and the founder of Trump Entertainment Resorts. Trump's extravagant lifestyle, outspoken manner and role on the NBC reality show The Apprentice have...
, billionaire real estate mogul, has a second residence in Boca Raton - Danny ValenciaDanny ValenciaDaniel Paul Valencia is a third baseman for the Minnesota Twins.In high school, he was all-county three times and all-state twice. In college, he was Southern Conference Freshman of the Year, second-team all-conference, and on his all-regional team...
, baseball player - Anna TatishviliAnna TatishviliAnna Tatishvili is a professional Georgian tennis player. Her highest WTA singles ranking is No. 84, which she reached on 4 July, 2011. Her career high in doubles is 107, which she reached on April 12, 2010...
, tennis player - Brian VossBrian VossBrian Voss of Kennesaw, GA, is a professional ten-pin bowler and member of the Professional Bowlers Association since 1982. The right-hander currently owns 25 PBA titles...
, bowler - Ernie WiseErnie WiseErnest Wiseman OBE , known by his stage name Ernie Wise, was an English comedian, best known as one half of the comedy duo Morecambe and Wise, who became an institution on British television, especially for their Christmas specials.-Career:Ernest Wiseman was the eldest of five children, and changed...
, UK comedian & half of the double act Morecambe and Wise had a holiday home here, where he spent much of his time after Morecambe's death in 1984.
Greater Boca Raton
A majority of postal Boca Raton lies outside of the actual city limits. This large unincorporated area to the west of the city limits is included in the Boca Raton mailing address and local telephone calling area. There are many large planned developmentsPlanned Unit Development
A planned unit development , is both a type of building development as well as a regulatory process. A PUD is a designed grouping of varied and compatible land uses, such as housing, recreation, commercial centers, and industrial parks, all within one contained development or...
in the area, including gated communities
Gated community
In its modern form, a gated community is a form of residential community or housing estate containing strictly-controlled entrances for pedestrians, bicycles, and automobiles, and often characterized by a closed perimeter of walls and fences. Gated communities usually consist of small residential...
, and a number of golf course
Golf course
A golf course comprises a series of holes, each consisting of a teeing ground, fairway, rough and other hazards, and a green with a flagstick and cup, all designed for the game of golf. A standard round of golf consists of playing 18 holes, thus most golf courses have this number of holes...
s. This is a result in the later start of development in these areas, and the availability of large tracts of land. Many of these affluent communities are large enough to be designated as census-designated place
Census-designated place
A census-designated place is a concentration of population identified by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes. CDPs are delineated for each decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places such as cities, towns and villages...
s, including Boca Del Mar
Boca Del Mar, Florida
Boca Del Mar is a census-designated place located in an unincorporated area near Boca Raton in Palm Beach County, Florida. The population was 21,832 at the 2000 census...
and Boca Pointe
Boca Pointe, Florida
Boca Pointe is a census-designated place located in an unincorporated area near Boca Raton in Palm Beach County, Florida. The population was 3,302 at the 2000 census...
, geographically in Central Boca Raton, and Avalon at Boca Raton, Boca Falls, Boca Winds, Cimarron, Hamptons at Boca Raton
Hamptons at Boca Raton, Florida
Hamptons at Boca Raton is a census-designated place located in an unincorporated area near Boca Raton in Palm Beach County, Florida. The population was 11,306 at the 2000 census...
, Mission Bay
Mission Bay, Florida
Mission Bay is a census-designated place located in an unincorporated area near Boca Raton in Palm Beach County, Florida. The population was 2,926 at the 2000 census...
, Loggers' Run, The Polo Club Boca Raton, Sandalfoot Cove
Sandalfoot Cove, Florida
Sandalfoot Cove is a census-designated place located in an unincorporated area near Boca Raton in Palm Beach County, Florida. The population was 16,582 at the 2000 census...
, and Whisper Walk
Whisper Walk, Florida
Whisper Walk is a census-designated place located in an unincorporated area near Boca Raton in Palm Beach County, Florida. The population was 5,135 at the 2000 census...
as West Boca Raton.
On November 2, 2004, the voters of the Via Verde Association, Waterside, Deerhurst Association (Boca South), Marina Del Mar Association, Rio Del Mar Association (both originally Boca Del Mar communities), and Heatherwood of Boca Raton Condominium Association approved annexation
Annexation
Annexation is the de jure incorporation of some territory into another geo-political entity . Usually, it is implied that the territory and population being annexed is the smaller, more peripheral, and weaker of the two merging entities, barring physical size...
into the Boca Raton city limits
City limits
The terms city limits and city boundary refer to the defined boundary or border of a city. The area within the city limits is sometimes called the city proper. The terms town limits/boundary and village limits/boundary mean the same as city limits/boundary, but apply to towns and villages...
, increasing the city land area to 29.6 square miles (76.7 km²).
Boca Raton in popular culture
Boca figures in many forms of popular culture.Boca has been mentioned in many movies, including All the President's Men
All the President's Men
All the President's Men is a 1974 non-fiction book by Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward, two of the journalists investigating the first Watergate break-in and ensuing scandal for The Washington Post. The book chronicles the investigative reporting of Woodward and Bernstein from Woodward's initial...
, Back to the Future
Back to the Future
Back to the Future is a 1985 American science-fiction adventure film. It was directed by Robert Zemeckis, written by Zemeckis and Bob Gale, produced by Steven Spielberg, and starred Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson, Crispin Glover and Thomas F. Wilson. The film tells the story of...
, Bewitched, Cats & Dogs
Cats & Dogs
Cats & Dogs is a 2001 American-Australian action-comedy film directed by Lawrence Guterman. The screenplay by John Requa and Glenn Ficarra centers on the relationships between cats and dogs. It was shot in Victoria and Vancouver. The film was released on July 4, 2001 by Warner Bros...
, Marley and Me, The Mexican
The Mexican
The Mexican is a 2001 American romantic comedy film directed by Gore Verbinski and starring Brad Pitt and Julia Roberts, with a plot that is an unusual mixture of romantic comedy and road movie....
, Mr. 3000
Mr. 3000
Mr. 3000 is a 2004 American sports comedy film starring Bernie Mac and Angela Bassett. The film's plot surrounds a retired Major League Baseball player who makes a comeback at age 47 in order to attain 3,000 hits.-Plot:...
, Music and Lyrics
Music and Lyrics
Music and Lyrics is a 2007 American romantic comedy film written and directed by Marc Lawrence. It focuses on the relationship that evolves between a former pop music idol and an aspiring writer as they struggle to compose a song for the reigning pop diva.-Plot:Alex Fletcher enjoyed...
, A Perfect Murder
A Perfect Murder
A Perfect Murder is a 1998 American thriller film directed by Andrew Davis and starring Michael Douglas, Gwyneth Paltrow and Viggo Mortensen. It is a modern remake of Alfred Hitchcock's 1954 film, Dial M for Murder, though the characters' names are all changed, and over half the plot is completely...
, Wag the Dog
Wag the Dog
Wag the Dog is a 1997 black comedy film starring Dustin Hoffman and Robert De Niro, co-starring Anne Heche, Denis Leary and William H. Macy about a Washington spin doctor who, merely days before a presidential election, distracts the electorate from a sex scandal by hiring a Hollywood film producer...
, and Wonderland
Wonderland (film)
Wonderland is a 2003 American crime and drama film co-written and directed by James Cox, and based on the real-life Wonderland Murders that occurred in 1981. The film stars Val Kilmer, Kate Bosworth, Lisa Kudrow, Dylan McDermott, Josh Lucas, Christina Applegate, and Tim Blake Nelson...
, and in many TV shows, such as American Dad!
American Dad!
American Dad! is an American animated television series created by Seth MacFarlane and owned by Underdog Productions and Fuzzy Door Productions. It is produced in association with 20th Century Fox Television...
, American Dragon: Jake Long
American Dragon: Jake Long
American Dragon: Jake Long is an American animated television series produced by Walt Disney Television Animation. The show had premiered on January 21, 2005 and ended on September 1, 2007. The show currently airs on Disney XD in the United States...
, Code Name: The Cleaner
Code Name: The Cleaner
Code Name: The Cleaner is an action/comedy starring Cedric the Entertainer, Lucy Liu, Callum Keith Rennie and Nicollette Sheridan. The film was released by New Line Cinema on January 5, 2007.-Synopsis:...
, Dexter
Dexter (TV series)
Dexter is an American television drama series, which debuted on Showtime on October 1, 2006. The sixth season premiered on October 2, 2011. The series centers on Dexter Morgan , a bloodstain pattern analyst for the Miami Metro Police Department who moonlights as a serial killer...
, Lizzie McGuire
Lizzie McGuire
Lizzie McGuire is an American teen sitcom which premiered on the Disney Channel on January 12, 2001 and ended February 14, 2004. A total of 65 episodes were produced and aired. Its target demographic was preteens and adolescents...
, Nip/Tuck
Nip/Tuck
Nip/Tuck is an American drama series created by Ryan Murphy, which aired on FX in the United States. The series focuses on McNamara/Troy, a plastic surgery practice, and follows its founders, Sean McNamara and Christian Troy...
, The Golden Girls
The Golden Girls
The Golden Girls is an American sitcom created by Susan Harris, which originally aired on NBC from September 14, 1985, to May 9, 1992. Starring Bea Arthur, Betty White, Rue McClanahan and Estelle Getty, the show centers on four older women sharing a home in Miami, Florida...
, Histeria!
Histeria!
Histeria! is a 1998 American animated series created by Tom Ruegger and produced by Warner Bros. Animation. Unlike other animated series produced by Warner Bros. in the 1990s, Histeria! stood out as the most explicit edutainment program in order to meet FCC requirements for...
, Mad Men
Mad Men
Mad Men is an American dramatic television series created and produced by Matthew Weiner. The series premiered on Sunday evenings on the American cable network AMC and are produced by Lionsgate Television. It premiered on July 19, 2007, and completed its fourth season on October 17, 2010. Each...
, MADtv
MADtv
MADtv is an American sketch comedy television series. It licensed the name and logo of Mad, but otherwise had no connection with the humor magazine outside the animated Spy vs. Spy and Don Martin cartoon shorts and images of Alfred E. Neuman that the show featured during the late 1990s. Its first...
, My Name Is Earl
My Name Is Earl
My Name Is Earl is an American television comedy series created by Greg Garcia that was originally broadcast on the NBC television network from September 20, 2005, to May 14, 2009, in the United States...
, The Nanny
The Nanny
Nanny may refer to:* Nanny, a child's caregiver* A grandmother * A Cajun word for godmother * A female goat* Nanny , a 1981–83 British drama series starring Wendy Craig* Nanny of the Maroons...
, Phil of the Future
Phil of the Future
Phil of the Future is an American situation comedy that originally aired on Disney Channel from June 18, 2004, to August 19, 2006 for a total of two seasons. The series was created by Tim Maile and Douglas Tuber and produced by 2121 Productions, a part of Brookwell McNamara Entertainment...
, Robot Chicken
Robot Chicken
Robot Chicken is an American stop motion animated television series created and executive produced by Seth Green and Matthew Senreich along with co-head writers Douglas Goldstein and Tom Root. Green provides many voices for the show...
, The Sopranos, SpongeBob SquarePants
SpongeBob SquarePants
SpongeBob SquarePants is an American animated television series, created by marine biologist and animator Stephen Hillenburg. Much of the series centers on the exploits and adventures of the title character and his various friends in the underwater city of "Bikini Bottom"...
, Two and a Half Men
Two and a Half Men
Two and a Half Men is an American television sitcom that premiered on CBS on September 22, 2003. Starring Charlie Sheen, Jon Cryer, and Angus T. Jones, the show was originally about a hedonistic jingle writer, Charlie Harper; his uptight brother, Alan; and Alan's growing son, Jake...
, The Venture Bros.
The Venture Bros.
The Venture Bros. is an American animated television series that premiered on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim on February 16, 2003. The series mixes action and comedy together while it chronicles the adventures of the Venture family: well-meaning but incompetent teenagers Hank and Dean Venture; their...
, Weeds
Weeds
Weeds may refer to:* Weed, a type of common plant* Weeds , an American comedy drama series, starting 2005* Weeds , a 1987 film starring Nick Nolte* "Weeds" , an episode of the TV series Millennium...
, and Wipeout. These references usually have something to do with the large number of luxury resorts and condominiums in Florida, or the considerable number of retired persons residing in Florida (especially in the case of Seinfeld
Seinfeld
Seinfeld is an American television sitcom that originally aired on NBC from July 5, 1989, to May 14, 1998, lasting nine seasons, and is now in syndication. It was created by Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld, the latter starring as a fictionalized version of himself...
),.
Boca Raton is almost idiomatically used for indicating retirement. For example, Fran Drescher
Fran Drescher
Francine Joy "Fran" Drescher is an American film and television actress, comedian, screenwriter, director, producer, author, singer, talk show host, political lobbyist and health activist...
's character in The Nanny
The Nanny
Nanny may refer to:* Nanny, a child's caregiver* A grandmother * A Cajun word for godmother * A female goat* Nanny , a 1981–83 British drama series starring Wendy Craig* Nanny of the Maroons...
is always pushing her parents to move to Boca, and Chelsea Handler
Chelsea Handler
Chelsea Joy Handler is an American stand-up comedian, humorist, television host, actress, model and best-selling author. She currently hosts a late-night talk show titled, Chelsea Lately on the E! Cable Television Network. In 2009 she won a Bravo A-List Award...
frequently uses the city in reference to the elderly on her talk show, Chelsea Lately
Chelsea Lately
Chelsea Lately is an American late night comedy talk show hosted by comedian Chelsea Handler on E!. The show debuted on July 16, 2007, and is produced by Handler's production company, Borderline Amazing Productions...
.
Development of Boca Raton features prominently in the 2008 Stephen Sondheim/John Weidman musical, Road Show, which centers on the lives of Addison Mizner
Addison Mizner
Addison Cairns Mizner was an American resort architect whose Mediterranean Revival and Spanish Colonial Revival style interpretations left an indelible stamp on South Florida, where it continues to inspire architects and land developers. In the 1920s Mizner was the best-known and most-discussed...
and his brother Wilson Mizner
Wilson Mizner
Wilson Mizner was an American playwright, raconteur, and entrepreneur. His best-known plays are The Deep Purple, produced in 1910, and The Greyhound, produced in 1912...
.
Boca Raton has also been the stage and background for many movies filmed on location in Boca Raton, including Paper Lion
Paper Lion
Paper Lion, published in 1966, is a non-fiction book by prominent American writer George Plimpton.In 1960, Plimpton, not a professional athlete, arranged to pitch to a lineup of baseball stars in an All-Star exhibition, presumably to answer the question, "How would the average man off of the street...
(1968), Paper Moon
Paper Moon (film)
Paper Moon is a 1973 American comedy film directed by Peter Bogdanovich and released by Paramount Pictures. The screenplay was adapted from the novel Addie Pray by Joe David Brown, and the film was shot in black-and-white. The film is set during the Great Depression in the U.S. states of Kansas and...
(1973), Caddyshack
Caddyshack
Caddyshack is a 1980 American comedy film directed by Harold Ramis and written by Brian Doyle-Murray, Ramis, and Douglas Kenney. It stars Chevy Chase, Rodney Dangerfield, Ted Knight, Michael O'Keefe, Cindy Morgan, and Bill Murray...
(1980), Caddyshack II
Caddyshack II
Caddyshack II is the 1988 sequel to the 1980 golf comedy film Caddyshack. The film stars Jackie Mason, Dan Aykroyd, Robert Stack, Dyan Cannon, Chevy Chase, Jonathan Silverman, and Jessica Lundy.-Plot:...
(1984), Where the Boys Are '84
Where the Boys Are '84
Where the Boys Are '84 is a 1984 remake of the 1960 teen sex comedy film Where the Boys Are, starring Lisa Hartman, Lorna Luft, Wendy Schaal and Lynn-Holly Johnson...
(1984), Stella
Stella (1990 film)
Stella is a 1990 American drama film produced by The Samuel Goldwyn Company and released by Touchstone Pictures. The screenplay by Robert Getchell is the third feature film adaptation of the 1920 novel Stella Dallas by Olive Higgins Prouty....
(1990), 2 Fast 2 Furious
2 Fast 2 Furious
2 Fast 2 Furious is a 2003 street racing action film directed by John Singleton. It is the second film in The Fast and the Furious film series following The Fast and the Furious . It stars Paul Walker, Tyrese Gibson, Eva Mendes, Devon Aoki, and Chris Bridges; and was directed by John Singleton. The...
(2003) and Sex Drive
Sex Drive (film)
Sex Drive is a 2008 sex comedy film about a high school graduate who goes on a cross-country road trip to hook up with a girl he met online. It is based on the novel All the Way, by Andy Behrens. The film was directed by Sean Anders, and stars Josh Zuckerman, Clark Duke, Amanda Crew, and Katrina...
(2008).