The earliest known inhabitants of the Boca Raton area were the Tequesta Indians, who lived in communities near the ocean as long ago as one thousand years until the eighteenth century. The construction of the Florida East Coast Canal (today’s Intracoastal) and the Florida East Coast Railway in the 1890s made the region accessible to a group of resourceful pioneers. By the early 1900s Boca Raton was a tiny agricultural community, many of the farmers specializing in pineapple cultivation. Amongst these were a group of Japanese immigrants under the leadership of Joseph Sakai, who formed a community along today’s Yamato Road in 1904.

In May of 1925, the Town of Boca Raton was incorporated at the height of the Florida land boom. The town council commissioned noted society architect Addison Mizner to plan a world-class resort community. His exclusive hotel, known as the Cloister Inn, was completed in 1926 and continues its reign as a city landmark as the Boca Raton Resort and Club. Although many of Mizner’s plans for the young community were squelched by the demise of the land boom in 1926, a few survive today—and his architectural style continues to influence the city.

One of Mizner’s projects was a design for a city hall for Boca Raton. Completed by Delray architect William Alsmeyer in 1927, Old Town Hall at 71 North Federal Highway still bears the original footprint of the Mizner design, and was constructed using ironwork, tile, and woodwork supplied by Mizner Industries. Today the restored Town Hall is the home of the Boca Raton Historical Society.

In the 1930s and 40s, Boca was known for its winter vegetable crop, particularly the green beans which commanded a premium in northern markets. In 1942, the Army Air Corps established its only war-time radar training school at the site of what is today F.A.U. and the Boca Raton Airport. The facility brought over 30,000 servicemen as well as families and civilian employees to the tiny community of Boca Raton, with a population of 723 in 1940.

In the 1950s, the still small town played host to a safari park called Africa USA which opened where the Camino Gardens development stands now. E. G. Barnhill offered an attraction called Ancient America on the site of prehistoric burial mounds on U.S. One in the area of today’s Sanctuary neighborhood. And the Winter Bible Conference Grounds—Bibletown—was established in buildings of the former Air Field.

In the 1960s, South Florida experienced another great land boom, with developments pushing the Everglades and former farmlands increasingly westward. The population grew to almost 30,000 residents by 1970, continuing to increase well outside city limits to this day. In 1962, Boca Raton attracted the newest state university, Florida Atlantic, to the site of the old army airbase. IBM moved one of its computer facilities to Boca Raton in 1967, and in 1981, it was there the first IBM PC, or personal computer, was developed.

During the 1980s and 1990s, the city focused much of its attention on downtown redevelopment, and a number of important historical properties, such as Boca Raton’s original Town Hall and F.E.C. Railway Station were restored and opened to the public. Many fine cultural facilities, such as the Boca Raton Museum of Art, have grown up to meet the needs of the growing population.

Boca Raton Geography

Boca Raton was incorporated as a town in 1925 and since that time has experienced steady and substantial growth. As of 2004, the City had 83,960 residents. Boca Raton is the 25th most populous city in the State of Florida, and United States Census statistics from 2000 show Boca Raton to be the second largest city in Palm Beach County.

Geographically the City encompasses 29.6 square miles (18,572 acres). The City has five miles of ocean frontage and the park system covers approximately 1,080 acres. The last piece of available vacant beachfront property was purchased in 1994. This acquisition of the Ocean Strand parcel by the Greater Boca Raton Beach Tax District completed the purchase of more than five miles of publicly owned beachfront property.

The City provides police services, fire-rescue services, municipal services (sanitation, roads, and traffic and animal control), recreation services (parks, beaches, golf courses, tennis courts, a library and a municipal swimming pool), and utility services (water, wastewater, storm water and reclaimed water). Boca Raton is known nationally and internationally as an originator in the area of comprehensive zoning. Both the low density, i.e. dwelling units per acre, character of the City and the innovative Park of Commerce Industrial Park have influenced development around the country. The sign code, which was initiated in the late 1960s, gives the City a unique look with minimal commercial intrusion into landscaping and streetscapes.

Our City is enjoying the results of the economic expansion of the 1990s. After weathering the economic storms of the 1980s and the loss of a major employer, the City has seen a steady increase in its industrial base. Boca Raton has become a Mecca for innovative computer development, using a well-educated, computer literate community as its base. Because of its initiative, the City has reaped the benefits of effective land use planning -- a stable tax base with increasing property values.

Boca Raton Downtown Redevelopment

After watching the deterioration of the downtown areas of other cities, the City of Boca Raton determined that it would create an atmosphere conducive to redevelopment. The City became the master developer as the Boca Raton Community Redevelopment Agency. In March of 1988 the CRA obtained approval for a Downtown Development of Regional Impact (DDRI) for the Community Redevelopment area. The DDRI included master plans for roads, infrastructure and landscaping to identify downtown as an attractive destination for its citizens and tourists.

In 1989 the CRA entered into a public-private partnership which brought about the development of one of the pivotal elements of Boca Raton's redevelopment strategy. Mizner Park, which was developed as a mixed use residential, commercial and cultural center, became the catalyst necessary to give people a reason to come to the downtown.

The Mizner Park grounds are beautifully landscaped with decorative walkways and fountains that entice pedestrians to stroll throughout the site. In addition to various restaurants, cinemas and entertainment opportunities, Mizner Park provides an amphitheater, which is located on the north end of the grounds. This outdoor venue is the scene of many free concerts and other family recreational events throughout the year.

Downtown continues to thrive with the improvements to Palmetto Park Road. Now completed, what was once strictly a vehicular thoroughfare has been transformed into a unique, pedestrian-friendly promenade. The Palmetto park road promenade streetscape consists of wider decorative paved sidewalks, tree-lined vistas, decorative benches, trash receptacles and light fixtures. The Palmetto Park Road project and other downtown streetscape improvements, such as those planned along Dixie Highway, are part of the City's Visions 90 Downtown Capital Improvement Program to beautify the downtown area and improve its infrastructure.

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