W E L C O M E T O B O C A R A T O N
Cell: 954-592-3333 | E-Fax: 954-200-6895 | E-Mail: Brittany.Orr@aol.com | 2608 N Ocean Blvd., Hillsboro Shores, FL 33062
The meaning of the name Boca Raton has always aroused curiosity. Many people wrongly assume the name is simply Rat’s Mouth. The Spanish word boca, or mouth, often describes an inlet, while raton means literally, mouse. The term Boca de Ratones or Boca Ratones, was a navigational referring to a rocky or jagged inlet, but the original location of Boca de Ratones was Biscayne Bay near present day Miami Beach, according to eighteenth century maps. By the beginning of the nineteenth century, the term was mistakenly applied to the current Lake Boca Raton, whose inlet was closed throughout most of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. The “s” and later the “e” were dropped from this title by the 1920s, yet the correct pronunciation remains Rah-tone.
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 thousands of 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.
Today the city of Boca Raton, in 1903 a farming village of eighteen souls, is today home to 80,000 residents within city limits and another 120,000 in “West Boca.” It’s the core of the south Palm Beach County metropolitan community, offering beautiful parks and facilities, economic opportunities, and a unique quality of life that is the envy of its neighbors.
The official Boca Raton City Website: www.ci.boca-raton.fl.us/
N E I G H B O R H O O D S I N B O C A R A T O N
- Addison Estates
- Amberwoods Boca
- American Homes
- Antiqua Point
- Ascot
- Ashley Park
- Avalon
- Azura
- Balboa Point
- Banyans
- Barwood Estates
- Bay Isle
- Bay Pointe
- Bay Winds
- Baybury Boca Winds
- Bel Marra
- Bent Creek
- Bentbrook
- Bermuda Square
- Blue Inlet
- Boca Alta
- Boca Bath & Tennis
- Boca Bay Colony
- Boca Chase
- Boca Chica
- Boca Del Mar
- Boca East Estates
- Boca Falls
- Boca Falls
- Boca Fontana
- Boca Greens
- Boca Grove
- Boca Harbour
- Boca Islands
- Boca Isles
- Boca Lake Estates
- Boca Landings
- Boca Madera
- Boca Marina
- Boca Oaks
- Boca Pointe
- Boca Preserve
- Boca Raton Hills
- Boca Raton Por La Mar
- Boca Raton Riviera
- Boca Raton Square
- Boca Rio
- Boca Rosa Heights
- Boca Sailing
- Boca South
- Boca Springs
- Boca Square
- Boca Teeca
- Boca Tierra
- Boca Villas
- Boca Vista
- Boca West
- Boca Winds
- Boca Woods Country Club
- Bocaire Golf and Country Club
- Boniello Acres
- Brentwood of Boca
- Briarcliff
- Brookfield
- Caldwell Heights
- Cambridge Park
- Camino Gardens
- Camino Lakes
- Camino Woods
- Campus Heights
- Candlewood
- Cape Sable
- Captiva
- Caribbean Keys
- Carlyle Estates
- Carriage Hill
- Carriage Trade
- Casa Del Mar
- Cascades Boca Falls
- Cedar Cay
- Cedar Glen
- Cedar Ridge
- Chatham Hills
- Cimarron
- Cloisters
- Clubside
- Colonnade
- Colony At L Ermitage
- Colony L'Ermitage
- Colony Point
- Conference Ridge
- Confrence Lake
- Coral Bay
- Costa Brava
- Costa Del Sol
- Country Club Village
- Country Landing
- Coventry
- Crescent Lakes
- Crystal Cove Estates
- Crystal Point
- Del Mar Village
- Devon Place
- El Dorado
- Encantada
- Enclave
- Escondido At Boca Raton
- Esplanada
- Estancia
- Estates of Boca Lyons
- Esterly
- Estoville
- Fairfield At Boca Cedar
- Fairway Bend
- Fairway Lake
- Fairway Pointe
- Fieldbrook Estates
- Floresta Area
- Fox Landing
- Glen Oaks Colonnade
- Golden Harbour
- Grand Oaks
- Greens
- Hamilton Place
- Hamptons
- Harbour East
- Harbour Lakes
- Harbour Landing
- Harbour Springs
- Heritage Square
- Hidden Lake
- Hidden Valley
- Hillsboro Park
- Horseshoe Acres
- Huntington
- Indian Head
- Island Lakes
- Isle Of Mission Bay
- Kensington
- La Corniche
- La Costa Mission Bay
- La Joya
- La Vida
- Lago Mar
- Laguna
- Lake Floresta
- Lake Rogers
- Lakes At Boca Raton
- Landings
- Laurel Pointe
- Le Rivage
- Les Jardins
- Lexington Estates
- Lincolnwood Village
- Logger's Run
- Long Lake Estates
- Long Lake Palms
- Los Paseos
- Mahogany Bend
- Majestic Bay
- Manchester
- Marbella Lakes
- Marina Del Mar Estates
- Mayfair
- Meadow Lakes
- Mediterranea
- Millpond
- Mission Bay
- Mizner Pointe
- Montoya Estates
- Morningside
- Mystic Bay
- New Floresta
- Newport Bay
- Oak Run
- Oakbrook
- Old Floresta
- Oxford Estates
- Palladium
- Palm Beach Farms
- Palma Vista
- Palmetto Park Terrace
- Palmetto Park West
- Palms at Boca Pointe
- Palomar
- Panache
- Paradise Palms
- Parkside
- Parkview Estates
- Paseos Via Verde
- Pelican Cay
- Pheasant Walk
- Pinelands
- Pines At Boca Del Mar
- Polo Club
- Ponderosa
- Por La Mar
- Pradera
- Princeton Estates
- Raintree
- Regatta at Mission Bay
- Regents Square
- Royal Oak Hills
- Royal Palm Yacht
- Royal Poinciana
- Sandcastle Cove
- Santa Barbara
- Saturnia
- Seasons
- Shores At Boca Raton
- Sonata At Mission Bay
- South Hampton
- Southwind Lakes
- Spanish River Land
- Spanish Village
- St Andrews Country Club
- Steeple Chase
- Stonebridge
- Stratford Green
- Strathmore
- Sun & Surf
- Symphony Bay
- Tamarron
- Tanglewood
- Teeca Woods
- Terra Tranquila
- The Oaks
- The Pointe
- The Preserve
- The Sanctuary
- The Shores
- Thornhill Estates
- Thornhill Green
- Tides At Newport Bay
- Tiffany Trace
- Timbercreek
- Toledo Park
- Town Place Club Villas
- Trends
- Tropic Isle
- Tunison Palms
- University Park
- Valencia
- Varsity Heights
- Ventura
- Via Floria
- Victoria Isles
- Villa Del Sol
- Villa Flora
- Villa Nova
- Villa Portofino
- Villaggio
- Ville De Capri
- Vineyards
- Vintage Isle
- Vintage Place
- Vista Hills
- Vista Verde
- Walkers Cay
- Walkers Isles
- Waterford
- Waters Edge
- Waterside
- Wedgewood Estates
- Whisem Mizner Park
- Whisper Trace
- Whispering Woods
- Willow Greens
- Wimbledon
- Wind Drift
- Winding Lakes Estates
- Windsor Bay
- Winfield Park
- Woodbridge
- Woodbury
- Woodfield Hunt Club
- Woodlands Court
B U I L D I N G S I N B O C A R A T O N
- 200 East
- 5 Palms
- Addison Lakes
- Addison on the Ocean
- Admirals Walk Tower Condo
- Aragon
- Ashbourne
- Atlantic Cloisters Condo
- Atrium Condo
- Baywood
- Beresford
- Bermuda Village
- Blue Water Town Houses
- Boca Bayou
- Boca Chase
- Boca Cove
- Boca Gardens
- Boca Grand
- Boca Grove
- Boca House
- Boca Inlet
- Boca Mar
- Boca Marina
- Boca Patio Village
- Boca Pines
- Boca Pointe
- Boca Quay
- Boca Raton Harbour
- Boca Raton Riveria
- Boca Reef Condo
- Boca Teeca
- Boca Towers Condo
- Boca View Condo
- Bridgepointe
- Bridgewood
- Brighton Condo
- Brook Haven Boca Raton
- Cambridge Park
- Camino Gardens Villas
- Canary Palm Club
- Candlewood
- Caravelle
- Carlton
- Cedar Cay
- Central Park
- Chalfonte
- Charleston Place
- Charter Cay
- Chateau at Boca Grove
- Cloister Beach Towers
- Cloister Del Mar Condo
- Cloisters At Broken Sound
- Club Royale Condo
- Clubside
- Clubside Pointe
- Coach Houses
- Coco Pointe
- Coquina Isle
- Coral Lake
- Coronado At Boca Raton
- Cortina
- Courtside Villas
- Cypress Pointe Villas
- Cypress Walk
- Cypresses of Boca Lago
- Eastbrooke
- El Dorado
- El Viento
- Esplanade
- Estada
- Excelsior
- Fairfield At Boca
- Fairfield Gardens
- Fairway Oaks
- Fairway Point
- Fairway Village
- Fairways At Somerset
- Fairways Boca Lago Condo
- Fifth Avenue Place
- Forsyth Park
- French Village
- Glades Boca Lago Condo
- Grand Fairfield
- Greenbriar
- Greens
- Harbour Homes Boca Condo
- Harbour Terrace
- Horizons Boca Lago Condo
- Imperial Boca Pointe
- Imperial Royale
- Ironwedge
- Island Court
- Isles of Boca
- L' Ambiance
- La Font
- La Fontana
- La Mirada
- La Paz
- Lago Del Mar Condo
- Lake House
- Lake Wyman Estates
- Lakes at Boca Raton
- Lakewood
- Lakewood Gardens
- Lands End
- Las Brisas Boca
- Las Flores
- Laurel Oaks
- Laurel Pointe
- Luxuria
- Majorca
- Marbella Condo
- Mayfair
- Meridian
- Meridiana
- Mission Bay
- Mizner Court
- Mizner Grand Condo
- Mizner Pointe
- Mizner Tower
- Montego Bay
- Mykonos Court
- Nassau Bay
- Newth Gardens
- Ocean Reef Towers
- One Thousand Ocean
- Palmetto Place
- Palmetto Place Condo
- Patios Del Mar
- Patrician Condo
- Peninsula Village Greens
- Peppertree
- Pines of Boca Lago
- Placide
- Plantation Colony
- Planters Point
- Plum At Boca Pointe Condo
- Pointe Del Mar Condo
- Polo Club
- Porta Bella
- Presidential Place Condo
- Promenade
- Provence
- Reflections
- Regency
- Rogers House
- Royal Poinciana
- Royal Woods Condo
- Sabal Point
- Sabal Ridge
- Sabal Shores
- San De Vance
- San Remo Club
- San Simeon
- Sea Ranch
- Sierra Del Mar
- Somerset
- Southwinds
- Spanish River Land
- Spyglass Walk
- St Andrews Grand
- St. Tropez
- Stratford Arms
- The Cove
- Thornhill Village
- Three Thousand South
- Tiburon
- Tierra Del Mar Condo
- Timber Mill
- Town Place Condo
- Townsend Place
- Tres Vidas
- Trieste At Boca
- Tuscany Village
- Villa Del Verde Condo
- Villa Rica Rep
- Villa San Remo
- Village greens
- Village Homes at Town Pla
- Village of Boca Barwood
- Village Peppertree
- Vistazo At Boca Raton
- Waters Bend
- Waters Edge
- Waters Reach
- Waterside
- Whitehall
- Wind Key
- Windsor Park
- Woodcrest
- Yacht & Racquet Club
