Following Florida becoming a state in 1845, the first person elected to represent the state in the U. S. House of Representatives was David Levy Yulee. However, Yulee never took his seat in the House.
Rather, he was elected as U. S. Senator from Florida later that year and he accepted that office. He served in the Senate from 1845 to 1851 and from 1855 to 1861.
In Florida, both Levy County and the town of Yulee are named for him.
Based on information from the 1964 Pompano Beach City Directory, there is only one automobile dealer that was operating then that is still in business at the same location and using the same name: Endicott Buick at 1345 South Federal Highway.
The Volkswagen dealership is in the same location (700 North Federal Highway), but in the intervening years its name was changed from Autohaus to Vista.
Today it is occupied by Ward’s City and other businesses, but the building located on the southeast corner of Flagler Avenue and NE 3rd Street was originally the home of Kilgore Seed Company. Kilgore Seed was founded in 1909 and sold seeds, fertilizers and other farming/lawn supplies.
The idea of providing a market place for the large number of independent, limited-acreage farmers in Florida was conceived by Nathan Mayo, then State Commissioner of Agriculture. Necessary legislative authority was obtained and the State Marketing Board was set up. The need for such a market was seen for the Broward-Palm Beach (east) County area. The market facility was built at Pompano on land given by Blount Bros. A shed 100’ x 1008’ was opened on November 16, 1939.
Nathan Mayo was appointed to serve as Florida’s Agriculture Commission in 1923. He subsequently won eight elections to retain his office, which he held until his death in 1960.
Excerpt from Pepper Production in Florida — A Historic Data Series by G. Norman Rose (University of Florida Food and Resource Economics Department, Economic Report 64, 1974), pp. 16-17.
During the first 50 years of pepper production in Florida many growers were operating on a tenant or share cropping basis. Mostly acreages were small and families could take care of planting and culture.
The land owner or operator growing a multiple of vegetable commodities and having a need for large numbers of harvest laborers encouraged a migration of black families from north Florida and nearby southeastern states. The need for regular workers in clearing and ditching land and seedbed preparation over an extended period soon became apparent. The crews, often women and children, were needed for drawing plants and transplanting or, if the crop was seeded direct to the row, for thinning and raking or hoeing. Later these crews could be used for harvesting the crop.
Excerpt from Pepper Production in Florida — A Historic Data Series by G. Norman Rose (University of Florida Food and Resource Economics Department, Economic Report 64, 1974), pp. 51-52.
During the ‘teens and ‘twenties many north Florida farmers, particularly from Madison, Columbia and Suwannee Counties, migrated to the Pompano area to grow vegetables. These families, most of whom stayed to become bonafide pepper farmers, were aggressive and successful. They bought cheap, raw land, cleared and improved it and became established land owners and civic-minded, well-respected citizens in the community. These families or their descendants — Allison, Bailey, Cheshire, Craig, Delegal, Fletcher, Goodbread, Hawkins, Helton, Keen, Johnson, McNabb, Sigler, to name a few — are familiar names today. Some are still active in farming in the area.
Excerpt from Pepper Production in Florida — A Historic Data Series by G. Norman Rose (University of Florida Food and Rescource Economics Department, Economic Report 64, 1974), p. 15
In 1981 a new commuter airline was established with the name of Pompano Airways. Although based in Broward County, the airline had no Pompano Beach connections. It went out of business in 1985.
Due to Florida’s mild climate that allowed year-round training, 172 military installations were located within the state during World War II. At least 40 training airfields were operational during the war, from the huge Jacksonville Naval Air Station (where over 10,000 pilots received flight instruction) to small satellite airfields such as Pompano’s.
In 1881, the state of Florida passed a statute outlawing interracial marriages (miscegenation). The law provided that the individual performing the ceremony would be liable for a fine of up to $1,000, with half the amount going to whoever informed the authorities about the marriage.
On October 10, 1933, Florida became the 33rd state voting to repeal the 18th amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Eighty percent of Floridians voting approved the proposed 21st amendment, ending national Prohibition.