Loxahatchee Groves, Florida

Last updated

Loxahatchee Groves, Florida
Town
Town of Loxahatchee Groves
Logo of The Town of Loxahatchee Groves, Florida.png
Seal
Motto: 
Florida's Last Frontier
Map of Florida highlighting Loxahatchee Groves.svg
Location in Palm Beach County and the state of Florida
Coordinates: 26°41′01″N80°16′47″W / 26.6836769°N 80.2797700°W / 26.6836769; -80.2797700 [1]
Country Flag of the United States.svg  United States
State Flag of Florida.svg  Florida
County Flag of Palm Beach County, Florida.png Palm Beach
Settled 1917
Incorporated November 1, 2006
Government
 • Type Council-Manager
 •  Mayor Laura Danowski
 •  Vice Mayor Robert Shorr
 •  Council Members Phillis Maniglia,
Marianne Miles, and
Margaret Herzog
 •  Town Manager Francine Ramaglia
 •  Town Clerk Lakisha Q. Burch
Area
[2]
 • Total12.53 sq mi (32.45 km2)
 • Land12.51 sq mi (32.40 km2)
 • Water0.02 sq mi (0.04 km2)
Elevation
[1]
5 ft (16 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total3,355
 • Density268.16/sq mi (103.54/km2)
Time zone UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
 • Summer (DST) UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code
33470
Area code(s) 561, 728
FIPS code 12-41577
GNIS feature ID286185 [1]
Website www.loxahatcheegrovesfl.gov OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg

Loxahatchee Groves is a town in Palm Beach County, Florida, United States. The town was incorporated November 1, 2006, as the 38th municipality in Palm Beach County. The first election for town council members was held on March 13, 2007. The area had been settled since 1917, although Loxahatchee Groves did not become a municipality until 2006. The town bills itself as "Florida's Last Frontier". It was incorporated primarily in order to protect the area from the encroaching urbanization of South Florida, as nearby cities continued to develop and to preserve the area's rural character. The town is part of the Miami metropolitan area. As of the 2020 US census, the town had a population of 3,355.

Contents

Etymology

Loxahatchee Groves derives its name from the Loxahatchee River. "Loxahatchee" is from the Seminole people's Muscogee language. It is a combination of two of their words lowchow (turtle) and hatchee (river), thus translating to "river of turtles". [3]

Geography

Loxahatchee Groves is bounded on the east by Royal Palm Beach, on the south by Wellington, and on the west and the north by The Acreage and Loxahatchee. It has an area of approximately 12.53 square miles (32.5 km2).

History

The area now known as Loxahatchee Groves was originally a portion of the 2,000,000 acres (8,100 km2) of land purchased by the Southern States Land and Timber Company in 1902. After the West Palm Beach Canal (C-51), which connected Lake Okeechobee at Canal Point to West Palm Beach, was completed in 1917, George Frederick Bensel, the Southern States sales manager, envisioned a "waterfront" farming community along the canal. Bensel, and company engineer Torvald Garfield "T. G." Thorgesen, created the first topographical map of Loxahatchee Groves during the following three years. Bensel, Thorgesen, and others then established the Palm Beach Loxahatchee Company, and bought 6,500 acres (26 km2) from the Southern States Land and Timber Company, naming the land "Loxahatchee Farms". The Palm Beach Loxahatchee Company built almost 30 mi (48 km) of canals and roads, which were to be maintained by the Loxahatchee Groves Drainage District, that now is known as the Loxahatchee Groves Water Control District. [4]

Bensel opened a combined gas station, grocery store, and post office in 1925. Loxahatchee Groves received extensive damage during the 1928 Okeechobee hurricane, with almost every home knocked off of its foundations. Bensel's brother Thomas began a project in the 1930s which encouraged the residents to plant citrus, resulting in about 56,000 new trees being planted. A water pump was built at State Road 80 (Southern Boulevard) and D Road during that time. The pump allowed water to be drawn from the West Palm Beach Canal. The Palm Beach Loxahatchee Company sold Loxahatchee Groves to Loxahatchee Investments in 1958. [4]

The production of citrus and tomatoes decreased following George Bensel's death in 1961. Significant development in Royal Palm Beach and Wellington took place in the 1980s and 1990s. Some residents of Loxahatchee Groves believed that the rural lifestyle and the landscape of the area were under threat. [4]

A movement for incorporating Loxahatchee Groves, for the purpose of preserving the rural lifestyle of the area, began in 2003 as a consequence. The residents voted 458–350 in favor of incorporation, on October 10, 2006, making Loxahatchee Groves the 38th municipality in Palm Beach County. [5] The first election for town council members was held on March 13, 2007. Dave Autrey, David Browning, Marge Herzog, Bill Louda, and Dennis Lipp were the first elected council members, while Browning was selected to be mayor and Herzog was chosen to be vice mayor at the first town council meeting on March 29. [6] Prior to the election, a political forum for the candidates was hosted at a naturist resort, drawing a crowd of about 100 people. [7]

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
2010 3,180—
2020 3,3555.5%
U.S. Decennial Census [8]

2020 census

Loxahatchee Groves racial composition
(Hispanics excluded from racial categories)
(NH = Non-Hispanic) [9]
RaceNumberPercentage
White (NH)2,33069.45%
Black or African American (NH)962.86%
Native American or Alaska Native (NH)10.03%
Asian (NH)762.27%
Pacific Islander or Native Hawaiian (NH)00.00%
Some other race (NH)190.57%
Two or more races/Multiracial (NH)1454.32%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)68820.51%
Total3,355

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 3,355 people, 1,160 households, and 929 families residing in the town. [10]

2010 census

Loxahatchee Groves Demographics
2010 Census Loxahatchee GrovesPalm Beach CountyFlorida
Total population3,1801,320,13418,801,310
Population density256.5/sq mi670.2/sq mi350.6/sq mi
White or Caucasian (including White Hispanic)87.2%73.5%75.0%
(Non-Hispanic White or Caucasian)74.2%60.1%57.9%
Black or African-American 3.1%17.3%16.0%
Hispanic or Latino (of any race) 18.7%19.0%22.5%
Asian 1.6%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) 1.9%2.3%2.5%
Some Other Race 0.1%3.9%3.6%

As of the 2010 United States census, there were 3,180 people, 1,051 households, and 857 families residing in the town. [11]

In 2010, 24.4% of the households had children younger than the age of 18 living with them. 55.0% were married couples living together; 8.4% had a female householder with no husband present; and 29.7% were non-families. Approximately 26.1% of the households had an individual who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.26, and the average family size was 3.02.

Education

Primary and secondary schools

The School District of Palm Beach County serves Loxahatchee Groves. Public schools in Loxahatchee Groves and schools serving Loxahatchee Groves include:

Colleges

Palm Beach State College (PBSC) opened a campus in Loxahatchee Groves in February 2017 to serve college students in The Acreage, Loxahatchee, Loxahatchee Groves, Royal Palm Beach, and Wellington. The college was named after former school president Dennis P. Gallon. The campus covers 50,000 sq ft (4,600 m2) of space. It features 20 classrooms and computer labs, a large multi-propose room, and a doctor's office simulation room. The campus does not include a cafe, nor a library, nor a bookstore. It is possible that those may be included in the construction of two additional buildings that have been planned, depending on enrollment numbers. [15]

Transportation

U.S. routes 98 and 441 and State Road 80 jointly move east-to-west along the southern end of the town, a road which is known locally as Southern Boulevard. [16] Okeechobee Boulevard, designated as State Road 704 to the east of Royal Palm Beach, also runs east-to-west through the town. [17] Palm Tran Route 40, which runs from downtown West Palm Beach to Belle Glade, has a few stops along Southern Boulevard in Loxahatchee Groves and just outside the town limits. [18]

Recreation

Loxahatchee Groves includes the following parks and recreational areas:

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hendry County, Florida</span> County in Florida, United States

Hendry County is a county in the Florida Heartland region of the U.S. state of Florida. As of the 2020 census, the population was 39,619, a 1.2% increase from 39,140 at the 2010 census. Its county seat is LaBelle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Martin County, Florida</span> County in Florida, United States

Martin County is a county located in the southeastern part of the state of Florida, in the United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 158,431. Its county seat is Stuart. Martin County is in the Port St. Lucie, FL Metropolitan Statistical Area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Palm Beach County, Florida</span> County in Florida, United States

Palm Beach County is a county in the southeastern part of Florida, located in the Miami metropolitan area. It is Florida's third-most populous county after Miami-Dade County and Broward County and the 26th-most populous in the United States, with 1,492,191 residents as of the 2020 census. Its county seat and largest city is West Palm Beach, which had a population of 117,415 as of 2020. Named after one of its oldest settlements, Palm Beach, the county was established in 1909, after being split from Miami-Dade County. The county's modern-day boundaries were established in 1963.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Palm Bay, Florida</span> City in Florida, United States

Palm Bay is a city in Brevard County, Florida, United States. The city's population was 119,760 at the 2020 United States census, up from 103,190 at the 2010 census, making it the most populous city in the county and the largest by land mass. The historic section of the city lies on the mouth of the Turkey Creek and the Palm Bay. Palm Bay has historically expanded south and to the west. The newer section is mostly situated west of Interstate 95 and south of the Tillman Canal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Canal Point, Florida</span> CDP in Florida, United States

Canal Point is a census-designated place (CDP) and unincorporated community in Palm Beach County, Florida, United States. It is part of the Miami metropolitan area of South Florida despite its local culture and location being way more similar to the Florida Heartland. Canal Point has a population of 344 people counted in the 2020 US census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lake Clarke Shores, Florida</span> Town in the state of Florida, United States

Lake Clarke Shores is a town in Palm Beach County, Florida, United States. The town is part of the Miami metropolitan area of South Florida. The 2020 census recorded a population of 3,564.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lake Harbor, Florida</span> CDP in Florida, United States

Lake Harbor is a census-designated place (CDP) in Palm Beach County, Florida, United States. It is part of the Miami metropolitan area of South Florida despite being physically and culturally closer to the Florida Heartland. The population was 49 at the 2020 US census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">South Bay, Florida</span> City in Florida, United States

South Bay is a city in Palm Beach County, Florida, United States. It is the westernmost municipality in the South Florida metropolitan area. As of 2020, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau was 4,860 residents. While the current estimates place South Bay's population in the incorporated city limits at more than 4,000 people, surrounding areas increase the population figures to 54,000 people in a 25-mile (40 km) radius and more than 1.4 million in a 50-mile (80 km) radius.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wellington, Florida</span> Village in Florida, United States

Wellington is a village west of West Palm Beach in Palm Beach County and 66 mi (106 km) north of Miami. It is part of the Miami metropolitan area and the fifth largest municipality in Palm Beach County by population. As of the 2020 census, the village had a population of 61,637 according to the U.S. Census Bureau, making it the most populous village in the state.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">West Palm Beach, Florida</span> City in southeast Florida, United States

West Palm Beach is a city in and the county seat of Palm Beach County, Florida, United States. It is located immediately to the west of the adjacent Palm Beach, which is situated on a barrier island across the Lake Worth Lagoon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Miami metropolitan area</span> Metropolis in the U.S. state of Florida

The Miami metropolitan area is a coastal metropolitan area in southeastern Florida. It is the ninth-largest metropolitan statistical area (MSA) in the United States, the fifth-largest metropolitan area in the Southern United States, and the largest metropolitan area in Florida. It is also known as South Florida, SoFlo, SoFla, the Gold Coast, Southeast Florida, the Tri-County Area, or Greater Miami, and officially as the Miami–Fort Lauderdale–West Palm Beach Metropolitan Statistical Area. With a population of 6.18 million, its population exceeds 31 of the nation's 50 states as of 2023. It comprises the three most populated counties in the state, Miami-Dade County, Broward County, and Palm Beach County, which rank as the first, second, and third-most populous counties in the state, respectively. Miami-Dade County, with 2,701,767 people in 2020, is the seventh-most populous county in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hillsboro Canal</span> Canal in Florida, United States

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 was entirely in Palm Beach County, until being recently annexed to Broward County-Parkland, FL. It begins at Lake Okeechobee at the S-2 water control structure in South Bay west of Belle Glade, Florida. It passes within the southern border of the Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge and flows southeast from there along Loxahatchee Road in a rural, lightly populated area. When it reaches the more heavily built-up region further east, it bends to head due eastward, forming the county line. Near its eastern end at the Intracoastal Waterway, with Boca Raton to the north and Deerfield Beach to the south, it departs from its straight course to go around several curves, but the county boundary continues to follow it at this point. 10 miles of the canal is navigable, and it is popular for recreational boating and fishing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Florida State Road 80</span> Highway in Florida

State Road 80 is a 123.5 miles (198.8 km) route linking US 41 Business in Fort Myers and State Road A1A in Palm Beach. The road is the northernmost of three linking Southwest Florida to South Florida via the Everglades. Due to increasing traffic, State Road 80 has experienced upgrades and widening in various sections since 2000.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Florida State Road 704</span> State highway in Florida, United States

State Road 704 (SR 704), also known as Okeechobee Boulevard, is a 10.199-mile-long (16.414 km) east–west boulevard in the West Palm Beach area, known for being dangerous to pedestrians and bicyclists. It extends from an intersection with SR 7 at the border of West Palm Beach and Royal Palm Beach and just south of The Acreage at the western end to an intersection with SR A1A in Palm Beach at the east end.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Florida's 20th congressional district</span> U.S. House district for Florida

Florida's 20th congressional district is a U.S. congressional district in Southeast Florida. It is currently held by Democrat Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, who was elected in a January 2022 special election, following the death of Alcee Hastings on April 6, 2021. With a Cook Partisan Voting Index (CPVI) rating of D+25, it is one of the most Democratic districts in Florida.

Loxahatchee is an unincorporated community in Palm Beach County, Florida, United States, located north of Wellington, and west and northwest of Royal Palm Beach, approximately 17 miles (27 km) west of West Palm Beach. Loxahatchee is also the name of the Post Office that serves this area, which is under the zip code of 33470.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Acreage, Florida</span> CDP in Florida, United States

The Acreage is a census-designated place (CDP) located in Palm Beach County, Florida, United States. It is part of the Miami metropolitan area of South Florida. The population of the CDP had 41,654 residents in the 2020 US census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Florida Heartland</span> Region in Florida

The Florida Heartland is a region of Florida located to the north and west of Lake Okeechobee, composed of six inland, predominantly rural counties—DeSoto, Glades, Hardee, Hendry, Highlands, and Okeechobee. In 2020, The US Census Bureau recorded the population of the Florida Heartland region at 251,927. The most populous county in the region is Highlands County. Highlands County also contains the region's two largest cities - Avon Park and Sebring. Unlike the coastal areas to the east and west, the rural nature of the Florida Heartland is culturally similar to that of the Florida panhandle and the Deep South in general rather than the rest of South Florida. The Florida Heartland region was originally settled and inhabited by Americans of predominantly English ancestry during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. While located in Palm Beach County, the nearby rural cities of South Bay, Belle Glade and Pahokee as well as the census-designated place of Lake Harbor, located on the southeastern shore of Lake Okeechobee, are more associated with the Florida Heartland than the remainder of South Florida. The same could also apply to the Collier County communities of Immokalee, Ave Maria and Harker as well as to the Martin County community of Port Mayaca. Occasionally included are the southern Polk County communities of Fort Meade, Frostproof and River Ranch as well as Yeehaw Junction in Osceola County.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Westlake, Florida</span> City in Florida, United States

Westlake is a city and the 39th municipality in Palm Beach County, Florida, United States. It is part of the Miami metropolitan area of South Florida. The population was 906 at the 2020 US Census.

Palm Beach County is a county in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Florida. Its history dates back to about 12,000 years ago, shortly after when Native Americans migrated into Florida. Juan Ponce de León became the first European in the area, landing at the Jupiter Inlet in 1513. Diseases from Europe, enslavement, and warfare significantly diminished the indigenous population of Florida over the next few centuries. During the Second Seminole War, the Battles of the Loxahatchee occurred west of modern-day Jupiter in 1838. The Jupiter Lighthouse, the county's oldest surviving structure, was completed in 1860. The first homestead claims were filed around Lake Worth in 1873. The county's first hotel, schoolhouse, and railway, the Celestial Railroad, began operating in the 1880s, while the first settlers of modern-day Lake Worth Beach arrived in 1885. During the 1890s, Henry Flagler and his workers constructed the Royal Poinciana Hotel and The Breakers in Palm Beach and extended the Florida East Coast Railway southward to the area. They also developed a separate city for hotel workers, which in 1894 became West Palm Beach, the county's oldest incorporated municipality. Major Nathan Boynton, Congressman William S. Linton, and railroad surveyor Thomas Rickards also arrived in the 1890s and developed communities that became Boynton Beach, Delray Beach, and Boca Raton, respectively.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Loxahatchee Groves". Geographic Names Information System . United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. October 19, 1979. Retrieved August 2, 2019.
  2. ↑ "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 31, 2021.
  3. ↑ Eliot Kleinberg (September 16, 1987). "What's in a name? Lots of history if it's a town". The Palm Beach Post. p. 35. Retrieved July 21, 2018– via Newspapers.com. Lock-green.svg
  4. 1 2 3 "Loxahatchee Groves". Historical Society of Palm Beach County. Archived from the original on November 4, 2021. Retrieved July 17, 2018.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  5. ↑ Mitra Malek (October 11, 2006). "Voters agree to create a new town". The Palm Beach Post. p. 1. Retrieved July 17, 2018– via Newspapers.com. Lock-green.svg
  6. ↑ Mitra Malek (March 30, 2007). "Town gets down to business". The Palm Beach Post. p. 18. Retrieved July 21, 2018– via Newspapers.com. Lock-green.svg
  7. ↑ Stephanie Horvath (March 2, 2007). "New town's political forum is unusually revealing". Sun-Sentinel. p. 30. Retrieved July 21, 2018– via Newspapers.com. Lock-green.svg
  8. ↑ "Census of Population and Housing". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  9. ↑ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved February 11, 2022.
  10. ↑ "S1101 HOUSEHOLDS AND FAMILIES - 2020: Loxahatchee Groves town, Florida". United States Census Bureau .
  11. ↑ "S1101 HOUSEHOLDS AND FAMILIES - 2010: Loxahatchee Groves town, Florida". United States Census Bureau .
  12. ↑ "Elementary School Attendance Boundaries SY2018–19" (PDF). School District of Palm Beach County. 2018. Retrieved July 29, 2018.
  13. ↑ "Middle School Attendance Boundaries SY2018–19" (PDF). School District of Palm Beach County. 2018. Retrieved July 29, 2018.
  14. ↑ "Planning GIS-Address Lookup". School District of Palm Beach County. Retrieved January 28, 2023.
  15. ↑ Scott Travis (February 24, 2017). "Palm Beach State opens long-awaited western campus". Sun-Sentinel. Retrieved July 15, 2018.
  16. ↑ "Straight-Line Diagrams Online GIS Web Application - Roadway: 93120000 SR 80/US 98 & 441". Florida Department of Transportation . Retrieved July 19, 2018.
  17. ↑ "Straight-Line Diagrams Online GIS Web Application - Roadway: 93120000 SR 80/US 98 & 441". Florida Department of Transportation . Retrieved July 19, 2018.
  18. ↑ "Central County Route 40" (PDF). Palm Beach County Government. Retrieved July 19, 2018.
  19. ↑ "Loxahatchee Groves Park". Palm Beach County Government. Retrieved July 29, 2018.
  20. ↑ "Contact Us". Sunsport Gardens. Retrieved July 29, 2018.
  21. ↑ "Palm Beach County Nudist Colony Overpopulated". WFLX. Retrieved June 27, 2024.
  22. ↑ "Lion Country Safari History". Lion Country Safari. Retrieved July 29, 2018.
  23. ↑ "Lion Country Safari in running for national award by USA Today". WPTV. Retrieved June 27, 2024.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.