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    Delray Beach
    Delray Beach
    Delray Beach
    Ebook188 pages41 minutes

    Delray Beach

    By McCall Credle-Rosenthal

    ()

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    About this ebook

    Beautiful Delray Beach lies on Florida's Atlantic coast, nestled between a sea grape-filled beach to the east and rich farmland to the west.


    Throughout its prosperous history, this "Village by the Sea," as it is often called, has maintained its mystical, quaint charm. The numerous stories of Delray Beach, kept alive through many of the town's elders, are rich depictions of the American experience. The importance of the past continues to reveal itself in the stories and images of the courageous pioneers who came from Michigan, the Bahamas, and nearby Southern states in the late 1800s. Early pioneers were attracted to Delray Beach for many of the same reasons that bring people there today. The history of Delray Beach is intrinsically linked to the community support of and appreciation for agriculture, art, and architecture. The area is known for fertile soil, diverse crops, and the large colony of artists that call their bungalows and cottages along the Delray beaches home. Thousands of visitors annually flock to attend the numerous festivals held in the city's historic downtown streets. In both 1993 and 2001, Delray Beach received the prestigious "All America City" award from the National Civic League.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherArcadia Publishing
    Release dateOct 15, 2003
    ISBN9781439612460
    Delray Beach
    Author

    McCall Credle-Rosenthal

    Author McCall Credle-Rosenthal has a diverse background in the arts. While calling Delray Beach home, she remains an active participant in numerous cultural and civic organizations.

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      Book preview

      Delray Beach - McCall Credle-Rosenthal

      Esq.

      INTRODUCTION

      Delray Beach, located in Palm Beach County with a population of approximately 62,000, lies 20 minutes south of Palm Beach and 50 miles north of Miami. Often referred to as The Village By the Sea, farming had been its main industry, though now service and retail trade have become the main source of income for its residents. Nestled between the sea-grape vegetation on the Atlantic Ocean and farmland on the west, this quaint, charming city continues to have the same vibrant spirit as it had in the early 1900s, with its festivals and carnivals on Main Street, now known as Atlantic Avenue.

      Vast farmland attracted people here from the Bahamas and other nearby Southern states to work in the fields by 1894, when Michigan congressman W.S. Linton led a group of pioneers traveling on Henry Flagler’s Florida East Coast Railway as far as West Palm Beach. They arrived in Delray Beach by barge. Linton and the Model Land Company named the town Linton in 1895. According to the United States Post Office archives, Linton was renamed Delray (after a town in Michigan by the same name) in 1897 to erase memories of unsuccessful financial speculations and a bad farming season. In 1911, the town was incorporated as Delray; in 1927, it was incorporated as Delray Beach. The endurance, strength, and courage of the diverse population of black settlers and white pioneers enabled them to overcome many hardships. A small group of Japanese farmers along with the Seminole Indians already here contributed to change and progress.

      By 1896, the FEC railroad facilitated the shipment of vegetables and fruit to the north. The famous Florida real estate boom started attracting people to Delray Beach around 1924. Mesmerized by the fun and comfort of this beach community, the people in the arts flocked to Delray Beach in the 1920s and continued to come through the 1950s. Delray Beach was known as a haven for artists and writers. Many nationally known cartoonists and writers made Delray Beach a seasonal destination and eventually made this artsy, sleepy town a permanent residence. The town was known as The Artists and Writers Colony. Many of the events of World War II were recorded in the drawings of well-known cartoonist Herb Roth for the Delray News.

      Delray has a rich and diverse architectural history, and through perseverance, many of the historic structures have been protected. While much of the country was feeling the impact of the Depression, many buildings were constructed in the golden age of Delray Beach architecture, 1927–1940, and have been preserved. In the 1950s, Delray Beach struggled with the civil rights of African Americans and their desire to swim at the local beach and swimming pool. It was a period of growth for Delray Beach on many levels. Gladiolas sprung up as a major industry during that time, celebrated with Gladiola Festival parades.

      By the 1970s Delray Beach was experiencing rapid population growth; however less of its architectural integrity had been compromised than in some of the neighboring cities. By the late 1980s, and continuing today, historical appreciation and commercial vision have given downtown Delray Beach a vibrant merchant and pedestrian ambiance. Considered the bestrun city in Florida in 1995 by the business publication Florida Trend, Delray Beach was also bestowed the honor of being named an All-America City in 1993 and 2001 by the National Civic League. The festive celebrations continue. The Delray Affair has replaced the Gladiola Festivals of the 1950s. The parades continue and the lively atmosphere of the street carnivals on Atlantic Avenue in the early 1900s has taken on the form of art festivals. Jazz on the Avenue and other street-related events, generated by the local merchants, restaurant owners, and artists attracts thousands to Delray Beach, thus sustaining tourism and its important role in the city’s economic base. Delray Beach continues to be a haven for artists and writers who come to display their talents at the annual festivals and local museums. Local authors and poets are known locally and nationally.

      As I write, the Delray Beach Cultural Loop project is evolving, serving as a 1.3-mile historical path connecting cultural institutions, businesses, churches, and people. Linked into this Cultural Loop is the Pineapple Grove Artwalk, a walking gallery display of sculptures within the boundaries of the walking trails of this historical path. Today, in the western part of Delray Beach, the cucumbers and peppers have replaced the pineapples and gladiolas,

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