February 2005
22 posts
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How Pompano Got its Name
Excerpt from a letter written by Pompano resident Mrs. Ollie Tinney, dated December 13, 1914: Fifteen years carries us back to when the Government surveyor, Frank Sheen first put Pompano on the map. At that time there were large schools of pompano fish in the ocean and canal near town. So after studying over an appropriate name, it is said that while feasting on one of the delicious fish, the...
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Mosquitos
Some say Florida’s state bird should be the mosquito. But most Floridians would rather forget about the pesky insect, and that includes on the map. Until 1845, Florida had a Mosquito County — but at that time it was changed to Orange County. Likewise, what was once called the Mosquito River was renamed by the British the Halifax River. Detail from a 1825 map of Florida showing...
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Bud Garner to Speak on Old Pompano
This coming Sunday, February 27th, the public is invited to hear local historian Bud Garner speak for the Friends of the Library on stories of Old Pompano. The talk will begin at 2:00 PM in the auditorium at John Knox Village. Admission is free.
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Sample-McDougald House Roast
Bill Keith provides the audience with information on the “real” Kristin Jacobs during the Sample-McDougald House’s roast of the Broward County Mayor on February 18th. Other roasters included Broward County Commissioner Diane Wasserman-Rubin, State Rep. Jack Seiler, Rick Sheffield and Elissa Grande, with Tom DiGiorgio, Jr.—last year’s roastee—serving as Master...
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Book Signing
On Tuesday, March 15th, the historic Stranahan House of Fort Lauderdale will host a book review and book signing by Susan Gillis, the author of the recently published Fort Lauderdale: The Venice of America. The event will begin at 6:00 PM. Ms. Gillis, author and co-author of several books on Fort Lauderdale history, is currently the archivist at the Boca Raton Historical Society. For many years...
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War Planning at Cap's
Cap’s Place restaurant traces its history back over seventy-five years at the same location. Listed in the National Register of Historic Places, it is a South Florida landmark, albeit a secluded one. The restaurant’s website includes a detailed history of the establishment and the people who owned and worked there, including “Cap” Knight, Al Hasis and Chef Sylvester Love...
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Centennial Committee Meeting
The Pompano Beach Centennial Celebration Committee will meet on Wednesday, February 23rd, 6:30 PM at the Dick & Miriam Hood Center, 217 NE 4th Avenue, Pompano Beach. Individuals interested in participating the planning for the city’s 100th year birthday party in 2008 are invited to attend.
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Barefoot Mailman Statue
This sculpture by Frank Varga was dedicated on the grounds of the Hillsboro Lighthouse in 2003.
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Crossing the State
By taking I-95 or the Turnpike, Alligator Alley and I-75, one can drive from Pompano Beach to the Fort Myers area in little more than two hours. This is a considerable improvement over the days when a person had to take Tamiami Trail or travel south of Lake Okeechobee and then on State Road 80. In the early years of the twentieth century, crossing the state was even more complicated. In his...
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Hillsboro Beach
Few municipalities have only a single road running through town, but highway A1A is the only public road in Hillsboro Beach. Pompano Beach’s neighboring city is best known for being home to the Hillsboro Light House, the Hillsboro Club and the “Millionaire’s Mile” of beachfront luxury homes. The Town of Hillsboro Beach’s origins go back to the 1920s:In 1922, Herbert...
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Presidential History Trivia
Traditionally, the presidential oath of office is administered by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. At times, it has been administered by some other member of the federal judiciary. Only two presidents, however, have been given the oath of office by an individual who was not a federal judge: George Washington and Calvin Coolidge. Robert Livingston, Chancellor of State of New York, swore in...
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Hollywood Home Tour
The Hollywood Historical Society will conduct its Fourth Annual Home Tour on Sunday, February 20th. The tour will feature historic homes in the Hollywood Lakes neighborhood. Tour hours are from 12:00 PM to 5:00 PM (last tickets sold at 4:00 PM). Tickets are $12.00 in advance and $15.00 the day of the tour. For information, visit the Hollywood Historical Society’s website.
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Historical Society Program
The Pompano Beach Historical Society’s monthly public program will feature local historian Bud Garner speaking on Pompano Beach’s aviation history. Bud will recount stories of the barnstormers and crop dusters who flew fabric and wood bi-planes from makeshift fields, and the kids who dreamed of becoming aviators. The program will be held on Wednesday, February 16th, 7:00 PM, at the...
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Leroy's Air Force
Bud Garner remembers one of Pompano’s preeminent aviators: Leroy Brown (Beanpicker ‘42) learned to fly at an early age while “hanging around” the dusting field South on Dixie, at about SW 6th street — where John Knox Village has its main entrance. Leroy began crop-dusting while still in high school and he would fly on his out-of-school periods. After World War II,...
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The Other Florida
One of the most feared naval vessels of the Civil War was the Confederate commerce raider, CSS Florida. Although overshadowed in history by its sister-ship, CSS Alabama, the Florida was responsible for the capture of over fifty Union naval and merchant ships.
There was, however, another Civil War vessel with the same name — the USS Florida.Florida, a 1261-ton wooden side-wheel steamship,...
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Draining the Everglades
James Ingraham worked for both of Florida’s railroad magnates — Henry Plant and Henry Flagler. Both Plant and Flagler realized that to extend their railways into the southern part of the peninsula, they would have to deal with the water on the land. In 1911, Ingraham reflected on this problem:The project of draining the Everglades attracted the attention of Henry B. Plant in the early...
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Early Photo of Pompano
The photograph shown here was sent to the Historical Society several years ago by W. H. Blount, now of Irmo, South Carolina.
Although the photograph was not identified, it likely is a view of Pompano’s early business district. The unpaved road would be Flagler Avenue, the building partially visible to the right could be the original Bevil building, with the railroad and packing sheds to...
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History Workshops for Teachers
The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) will sponsor a series of fifteen Landmarks of American History teacher workshops scheduled to take place this summer. Classroom teachers in public, private, parochial, and charter schools, as well as home-schooling parents are eligible to participate. Those selected to attend a workshop will receive a $500 stipend to help cover living expenses,...
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Historic Preservation Easements
From the National Trust for Historic Preservation:For property owners looking to permanently protect their historic properties, one of the most effective legal tools available is the preservation easement - a private legal interest conveyed by a property owner to a preservation organization or to a government entity. The decision to donate a preservation easement is almost always voluntary, but,...
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Broward County Population
YearPopulation19205,135193020,094194039,794195083,9331960333,9461970620,10019801,018,20019901,255,48820001,623,018
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Lighthouse Tour
The Hillsboro Lighthouse Preservation Society will offer a tour of the Hillsboro Lighthouse on Saturday, February 5, 2005.
There is no direct access to the site — tours will leave by chartered boat from the Sands Harbor Marina, from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM.
For more detailed information, admission fees and directions, visit the HLPS website.
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Black History Month
The origins of designating February as Black History Month dates back to 1926. The father of this commemorative period was Dr. Carter G. Woodson one of the pioneers of the study of black history in America.
Woodson, the son of former slaves, grew up poor. Although his early education was largely “self taught,” he eventually became the second African-American to earn a Ph.D. from...
