Boynton Beach, Florida
Encyclopedia
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. Boynton Beach is a principal city of the Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area
, which had a 2006 estimated population of 5,463,857. Despite the city's name, it has no beachfront; rather, it is located across the Intracoastal Waterway
from the oceanfront municipalities of Ocean Ridge
and Briny Breezes
.
built his railroad, a former American Civil War
major named Nathan Smith Boynton first set eyes on the area that now bears his name. Boynton hailed from Port Huron, Michigan. He was so impressed by the natural beauty of the year-round sunshine and pristine beaches, he built the famous Boynton Hotel, where he also spent winters with his family. The first settlers, whom Boynton had brought along from Michigan, soon realized that many fruits and vegetables thrived in the fertile climate. Pineapples, tomatoes, mangoes, and citrus fruit were packed in crates and shipped by the ton on the newly-built Florida East Coast Railroad
to satisfy the appetites of hungry Americans across the country. Major Boynton passed away on May 27, 1911 in Port Huron, but the hotel carried through until 1925.
Boynton Beach was originally incorporated in 1920 as the Town of Boynton. The name "Boynton Beach" actually was first used by a community that broke off from Boynton in 1931. In 1939 that first Boynton Beach changed its name to Ocean Ridge. The Town of Boynton itself took the name "Boynton Beach" in 1941.
In 1926, the Seaboard Air Line Railway
entered what was then simply Boynton, spurring land development a mile inland near the Seaboard station, including the town's first planned subdivision, Lake Boynton Estates. As land became more valuable, areas along the Intracoastal Waterway and the Federal Highway in Boynton also saw housing developments. To the west, many dairies were founded so that the Boynton area became the main milk supplier for Palm Beach County. By the 1970s, the dairies were no longer profitable and these lands too were converted to housing developments.
Hurricane Wilma
struck Boynton Beach on Monday, October 24, 2005, causing widespread damage to homes and businesses. In 2006, the city government authorized the demolition of the historic Seaboard rail station, which had survived intact in private hands since passenger service to the station halted in 1971. 2006 also saw an increase in gang-related violent crime. This increase mirrored a similar increase across Palm Beach County. A gang-related shooting at the city's popular Boynton Beach Mall
on Christmas Eve of 2006 caught national attention on many networks, such as CBS. As of 2009, countywide gang violence has fallen three percent.
, the city has a total area of 16.25 square miles (42 km²), of which 15.88 square miles (41 km²) is land and .37 square miles (1 km²) is water (2.3%).
As of 2010, there were 36,289 households out of which 19.8% were vacant. As of 2000, 22.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.4% were married couples living together, 10.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.2% were non-families. 33.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.8% 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 2.87.
In 2000, the city's population was spread out with 19.9% under the age of 18, 6.4% from 18 to 24, 28.1% from 25 to 44, 19.8% from 45 to 64, and 25.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 87.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.5 males.
In 2000, the median income for a household in the city was $39,845, and the median income for a family was $47,546. Males had a median income of $32,503 versus $26,399 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $22,573. About 7.4% of families and 10.2% of the population were below the poverty line
, including 17.9% of those under age 18 and 7.2% of those age 65 or over.
As of 2000, speakers of English
accounted for 80.09% of all residents, while French Creole
comprised 7.51%, Spanish
was at 7.30%, French
consisted of 1.02%, Italian
at 0.97%, and German
made up 0.87% of the population.
As of 2000, Boynton Beach had the twenty-eighth highest percentage of Haiti
ans in the US, with 6.50% of the city's population.
. As of 2006, it was the fifth largest school district in Florida and the twelfth largest school district in the United States
.
Elementary schools:
Middle schools:
High schools:
.
is based on the director's mother's experiences in Boynton Beach and was filmed (at least in part) on location.
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...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. 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. Boynton Beach is a principal city of the Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area
South Florida metropolitan area
The South Florida metropolitan area, also known as the Miami metropolitan area, and designated the Miami–Fort Lauderdale–Pompano Beach, FL Metropolitan Statistical Area by the U.S...
, which had a 2006 estimated population of 5,463,857. Despite the city's name, it has no beachfront; rather, it is located across 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...
from the oceanfront municipalities of Ocean Ridge
Ocean Ridge, Florida
Ocean Ridge is a town in Palm Beach County, Florida, United States. The population was 1,636 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 1,702.-Geography:Ocean Ridge is located at ....
and Briny Breezes
Briny Breezes, Florida
Briny Breezes is a town in Palm Beach County, Florida, United States. The population was 411 at the 2000 census. Briny Breezes is a small coastal community of approximately 488 mobile homes along State Road A1A. Briny is a private community consisting mostly of "Snowbirds" from the Northeast,...
.
History
In 1894, two years before Henry Morrison FlaglerHenry Morrison Flagler
Henry Morrison Flagler was an American tycoon, real estate promoter, railroad developer and partner of John D. Rockefeller in Standard Oil. He was a key figure in the development of the eastern coast of Florida along the Atlantic Ocean and was founder of what became the Florida East Coast Railway...
built his railroad, a former American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
major named Nathan Smith Boynton first set eyes on the area that now bears his name. Boynton hailed from Port Huron, Michigan. He was so impressed by the natural beauty of the year-round sunshine and pristine beaches, he built the famous Boynton Hotel, where he also spent winters with his family. The first settlers, whom Boynton had brought along from Michigan, soon realized that many fruits and vegetables thrived in the fertile climate. Pineapples, tomatoes, mangoes, and citrus fruit were packed in crates and shipped by the ton on the newly-built Florida East Coast Railroad
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...
to satisfy the appetites of hungry Americans across the country. Major Boynton passed away on May 27, 1911 in Port Huron, but the hotel carried through until 1925.
Boynton Beach was originally incorporated in 1920 as the Town of Boynton. The name "Boynton Beach" actually was first used by a community that broke off from Boynton in 1931. In 1939 that first Boynton Beach changed its name to Ocean Ridge. The Town of Boynton itself took the name "Boynton Beach" in 1941.
In 1926, the Seaboard Air Line Railway
Seaboard Air Line Railroad
The Seaboard Air Line Railroad , which styled itself "The Route of Courteous Service," was an American railroad whose corporate existence extended from April 14, 1900, until July 1, 1967, when it merged with the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad, its longtime rival, to form the Seaboard Coast Line...
entered what was then simply Boynton, spurring land development a mile inland near the Seaboard station, including the town's first planned subdivision, Lake Boynton Estates. As land became more valuable, areas along the Intracoastal Waterway and the Federal Highway in Boynton also saw housing developments. To the west, many dairies were founded so that the Boynton area became the main milk supplier for Palm Beach County. By the 1970s, the dairies were no longer profitable and these lands too were converted to housing developments.
Hurricane Wilma
Hurricane Wilma
Hurricane Wilma was the most intense tropical cyclone ever recorded in the Atlantic basin. Wilma was the twenty-second storm , thirteenth hurricane, sixth major hurricane, and fourth Category 5 hurricane of the record-breaking 2005 season...
struck Boynton Beach on Monday, October 24, 2005, causing widespread damage to homes and businesses. In 2006, the city government authorized the demolition of the historic Seaboard rail station, which had survived intact in private hands since passenger service to the station halted in 1971. 2006 also saw an increase in gang-related violent crime. This increase mirrored a similar increase across Palm Beach County. A gang-related shooting at the city's popular Boynton Beach Mall
Boynton Beach Mall
The Boynton Beach Mall is an enclosed short shopping mall in Boynton Beach, Florida. It features Macy’s, Dillard's, J. C. Penney, Sears, and about 135 specialty stores and eateries. It was built by the Edward J...
on Christmas Eve of 2006 caught national attention on many networks, such as CBS. As of 2009, countywide gang violence has fallen three percent.
Geography
Boynton Beach is located at 26.528099°N 80.076363°W. 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 16.25 square miles (42 km²), of which 15.88 square miles (41 km²) is land and .37 square miles (1 km²) is water (2.3%).
Demographics
| Boynton Beach 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... |
Boynton Beach | Palm Beach County | Florida |
| Total population | 68,217 | 1,320,134 | 18,801,310 |
| Population, percent change, 2000 to 2010 | |||
| Population density | 4,217.5/sq mi | 670.2/sq mi | 350.6/sq mi |
| White or Caucasian (including White Hispanic) | 62.4% | 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... ) |
53.6% | 60.1% | 57.9% |
| Black or African-American | 30.3% | 17.3% | 16.0% |
| Hispanic or Latino (of any race) | 12.8% | 19.0% | 22.5% |
| Asian | 2.2% | 2.4% | 2.4% |
| Native American or Native Alaskan | 0.3% | 0.5% | 0.4% |
| Pacific Islander or Native Hawaiian | 0.0% | 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... |
2.2% | 2.3% | 2.5% |
| Some Other Race | 2.6% | 3.9% | 3.6% |
As of 2010, there were 36,289 households out of which 19.8% were vacant. As of 2000, 22.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.4% were married couples living together, 10.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.2% were non-families. 33.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.8% 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 2.87.
In 2000, the city's population was spread out with 19.9% under the age of 18, 6.4% from 18 to 24, 28.1% from 25 to 44, 19.8% from 45 to 64, and 25.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 87.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.5 males.
In 2000, the median income for a household in the city was $39,845, and the median income for a family was $47,546. Males had a median income of $32,503 versus $26,399 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 $22,573. About 7.4% of families and 10.2% of the population were below the poverty line
Poverty threshold
The poverty threshold, or poverty line, is the minimum level of income deemed necessary to achieve an adequate standard of living in a given country...
, including 17.9% of those under age 18 and 7.2% of those age 65 or over.
As of 2000, speakers of 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...
accounted for 80.09% of all residents, while French Creole
Haitian Creole language
Haitian Creole language , often called simply Creole or Kreyòl, is a language spoken in Haiti by about twelve million people, which includes all Haitians in Haiti and via emigration, by about two to three million speakers residing in the Bahamas, Cuba, Canada, France, Cayman Islands, French...
comprised 7.51%, 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...
was at 7.30%, 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...
consisted of 1.02%, 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...
at 0.97%, and German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
made up 0.87% of the population.
As of 2000, Boynton Beach had the twenty-eighth highest percentage of Haiti
Haiti
Haiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island...
ans in the US, with 6.50% of the city's population.
Schools
Like all of Palm Beach County, Boynton Beach is served by the School District of Palm Beach CountySchool District of Palm Beach County
The School District of Palm Beach County is the thirteenth largest public school district in the United States, and the fifth largest school district in Florida. The District encompasses all of Palm Beach County. For the 2010-2011 academic year, enrollment totals 171,692 students in Pre-K through...
. As of 2006, it was the fifth largest school district in Florida and the twelfth largest school district in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Elementary schools:
- Citrus Cove Elementary School
- Crosspointe Elementary School
- Crystal Lakes Elementary School
- Forest Park Elementary
- Manatee ElementarySchool
- Freedom Shores Elementary School
- Galaxy Elementary School
- Hagen Road Elementary School
- Poinciana Elementary School Magnet schoolMagnet schoolIn education in the United States, magnet schools are public schools with specialized courses or curricula. "Magnet" refers to how the schools draw students from across the normal boundaries defined by authorities as school zones that feed into certain schools.There are magnet schools at the...
for math, science and technology. - Rolling Green Elementary School
- Sunset Palms Elementary School
Middle schools:
- Christa McAuliffeChrista McAuliffeChrista McAuliffe was an American teacher from Concord, New Hampshire, and was one of the seven crew members killed in the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster....
Middle School - Congress Middle School
- Odyssey Middle School
High schools:
- Boynton Beach Community High SchoolBoynton Beach Community High SchoolDemographicsStudent Ethnicity Source: FL Dept. of Education, 2010-2011 Ethnicity This School State Average Black 20% Hispanic 20% White 60% Asian/Pacific Islander 2% Multiracial 2%Success Stories at Boynton High...
- Park Vista Community High SchoolPark Vista Community High SchoolPark Vista Community High School is a public high school in Boynton Beach, Florida, United States.The school offers four Academies in which it takes great pride. These academies act as the school's Magnet Program and draws students all throughout Palm Beach County...
- South Tech Academy CharterCharter schoolCharter schools are primary or secondary schools that receive public money but are not subject to some of the rules, regulations, and statutes that apply to other public schools in exchange for some type of accountability for producing certain results, which are set forth in each school's charter...
High School
Sports
The East Boynton Beach Little League Baseball team was the 2003 U.S. National Champions, and was the runner-up in the 2003 Little League World Series2003 Little League World Series
-Champions path:The Musashi-Fuchu LL reached the LLWS with a undefeated record of four wins and no losses. In total, their record was 10-0.-Notes:*† Postponed *‡ Game ended by "mercy rule"...
.
Famous residents, past and present
- George BurnsGeorge Burns (golfer)George Francis Burns III is an American professional golfer who has won several tournaments at both the amateur and professional levels....
, PGA professional golfer - Marlon ByrdMarlon ByrdMarlon Jerrard Byrd , popularly known as The Position or The Possish or Sish, is a Major League Baseball outfielder for the Chicago Cubs...
, MLB player - C.J. Jones, NFL Wide Receiver
- Ryan KleskoRyan KleskoRyan Anthony Klesko , is a former Major League Baseball first baseman and corner outfielder, who played for the Atlanta Braves, San Diego Padres, and the San Francisco Giants...
, MLB player - Mario LemieuxMario LemieuxMario Lemieux, OC, CQ is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He is acknowledged to be one of the best players of all time. He played 17 seasons as a forward for the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League between 1984 and 2006...
, NHL hockey player (1984–2006) - Vincent MasonVincent MasonVincent Mason , is a rapper, producer, DJ, and one third of groundbreaking hip hop trio, De La Soul. He is also known as Maseo.-Career:...
, rapper, producer, DJ, and one third of groundbreaking hip hop trio, De La Soul. - Hilary McRaeHilary McRaeHilary McRae is an American pop singer-songwriter. She was the first ‘developing artist' to release an album on the Starbucks Cafe and Concord Music Group's label, Hear Music.-Career:...
, Singer, Songwriter - Mike PiazzaMike PiazzaMichael Joseph "Mike" Piazza ; born September 4, 1968) is an American former Major League Baseball catcher. He played in his career with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Florida Marlins, New York Mets, San Diego Padres and the Oakland Athletics....
, MLB player - Rick RhodenRick RhodenRichard Alan Rhoden is a professional golfer and was a Major League Baseball pitcher. During his 16 year baseball career, he played for the Los Angeles Dodgers , Pittsburgh Pirates and Houston Astros of the National League; and the New York Yankees of the American League.-Early years:Rhoden was...
, MLB player - Mike RumphMike RumphMichael Jamaine Rumph is a retired American football free safety and cornerback.-High school:...
, Former NFL player - SammieSammieSammie Bush , better known by Sammie, is an American soul and pop singer. He is best known for his hit, "I Like It" from his debut album, From the Bottom to the Top . He returned with his second studio album, Sammie in 2006...
, R&B singer - Otis ThorpeOtis ThorpeOtis Henry Thorpe is a retired American professional basketball player in the NBA.-Early years:...
, NBA basketball player - Kendra ToddKendra ToddKendra Todd is a real estate agent in Seattle, Washington. In 2005, she was the winner of season 3 of NBC's The Apprentice. She was the first female candidate, and the youngest, to be hired on the U.S. Apprentice.-Overview:...
, The Apprentice, winner - Karrie WebbKarrie WebbKarrie Ann Webb AM is Australia's most successful female professional golfer, and one of the top players in the history of global women's golf. She currently plays mainly on the U.S.-based LPGA Tour and also turns out once or twice a year on the ALPG Tour in her home country. She is a member of...
, LPGALPGAThe LPGA, in full the Ladies Professional Golf Association, is an American organization for female professional golfers. The organization, whose headquarters is in Daytona Beach, Florida, is best known for running the LPGA Tour, a series of weekly golf tournaments for elite female golfers from...
professional golfer - Christopher WilderChristopher WilderChristopher Bernard Wilder was a serial killer who abducted and raped at least ten women and killed at least eight of them during a spree across the United States in early 1984...
, serial killer - Vince WilforkVince Wilfork-2004–06 seasons:The Patriots drafted Wilfork with the 21st overall pick in the 2004 NFL Draft. In his rookie 2004 season with the Patriots, he compiled two sacks, 42 tackles, and three deflected passes...
, NFL defensive lineman for the New England PatriotsNew England PatriotsThe New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
Movie
The movie Boynton Beach ClubBoynton Beach Club
Boynton Beach Club is a 2005 film directed by Susan Seidelman, produced by her and her mother Florence. Based on experiences of Florence and her widowed friend David Cramer at an adult enclave in Boynton Beach , the film was scripted by Susan Seidelman and Coral Gables, Florida writer Shelly...
is based on the director's mother's experiences in Boynton Beach and was filmed (at least in part) on location.