The Seminole are a Native American people who developed in Florida in the 18th century. Today, they live in Oklahoma and Florida, and comprise three federally recognized tribes : the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma , the Seminole Tribe of Florida , and the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida , as well as independent groups. The Seminole people emerged in a process of ethnogenesis from various Native American groups who settled in Spanish Florida beginning in the early 1700s, most significantly northern Muscogee Creeks from what are now Georgia and Alabama .
116-543: Morikami Park is a park in Palm Beach County, Florida . The park is named for George Morikami , a Japanese immigrant to Florida who donated the land for the park to the county. It is the site of the Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens and includes picnic areas and playgrounds. The American Orchid Society Visitor Center and Botanical Garden also used to be located in the park, but the orchid collection
232-632: A billion dollars to construct. The word "Seminole" may be derived from the Creek word simanó-li . This has been variously translated as "frontiersman", "outcast", "runaway", "separatist", and similar words. The Creek word may be derived from the Spanish word cimarrón , meaning "runaway" or "wild one", historically used for certain Native American groups in Florida. The name "Seminole" likely
348-596: A category-2 hurricane. With wind gusts in Palm Beach County peaking at 91 mph (146 km/h), the storm inflicted structural damage on about 15,000 houses and 2,400 businesses. Six deaths occurred in the county. Jeanne struck near the same location as a category-3 hurricane on September 26, 2004. The storm also brought strong winds, with an official wind gust of 94 mph (151 km/h). About 4,160 homes were damaged and 60 were destroyed. Jeanne left about $ 260 million in damage in
464-664: A company in the field, this letter shows how the Confederacy attempted to use Seminole warriors against the Union. Other leaders, such as Halleck Tustenuggee and Sonuk Mikko (Billy Bowlegs), refused to sign, withdrew from Florida, and joined with the Union. After the war, the United States government declared void all prior treaties with the Seminoles of Indian Country because of the "disloyalty" of some in allying with
580-468: A deliberate grounding so as to obtain an insurance payout has been proposed. The coconuts were salvaged, too many to be eaten, and thousands were planted. A lush grove of palm trees soon grew on what was later named Palm Beach. According to the U.S. Census Bureau , the county has a total area of 2,383 square miles (6,170 km ), of which 1,970 square miles (5,100 km ) are land and 413 square miles (1,070 km ) (17.3%) are covered by water. It
696-469: A halt to international fashion trade), all contributed to a major decline in the demand for Seminole goods. In 1930, they received 5,000 acres (20 km ) of reservation lands. Few Seminoles moved to these reservations until the 1940s. They reorganized their government and received federal recognition in 1957 as the Seminole Tribe of Florida . During this process, the more traditional people near
812-547: A heterogeneous tribe made up of mostly Lower Creeks from Georgia, who by the time of the Creek War (1813–1814) numbered about 4,000 in Florida. At that time, numerous refugees of the Red Sticks migrated south, adding about 2,000 people to the population. They were Creek-speaking Muscogee, and were the ancestors of most of the later Creek-speaking Seminole. In addition, a few hundred escaped African-American slaves (known as
928-647: A high-stakes bingo game on their reservation in the late 1970s, winning court challenges to initiate Native American gaming , which many tribes have adopted to generate revenues for welfare, education, and development. After removal, the Seminoles in Oklahoma and Florida had little official contact until well into the 20th century. They developed along similar lines as the groups strove to maintain their culture while struggling economically. Most Seminoles in Indian Territory lived on tribal lands centered in what
1044-577: A pre- Great Depression peak of $ 89 million in 1929. The city's population quadrupled between 1920 and 1927. Early on September 17, 1928, the Okeechobee hurricane made landfall near West Palm Beach as a category-4 storm and crossed Lake Okeechobee shortly thereafter. While the hurricane caused catastrophic impact in eastern portions of the county, the Lake Okeechobee region suffered a much heavier loss of life. Wind-driven storm surge in
1160-459: A secret blast shelter was built on Peanut Island during his presidency because escalating Cold War tensions. Hurricane David struck near West Palm Beach late on September 3, 1979, with sustained winds of 100 mph (155 km/h). The storm's winds shattered windows in stores near the coast and caused property damage. A few roofs were torn off, and numerous buildings were flooded from over 6 in (150 mm) of rainfall. Damage in
1276-680: A significant number of aerospace facilities in the county, operated by United Technologies , Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne , Sikorsky Aircraft , General Dynamics , Lockheed Martin , and B/E Aerospace . Many of these companies rank among the top 100 employers for the county. The largest employer in Palm Beach County is the School District of Palm Beach County , with 27,168 employees, including more than 12,800 teachers. Previously W. R. Grace and Company had its headquarters in unincorporated Palm Beach County, near Boca Raton , employing about 130 staff. On January 27, 2011, it announced it
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#17327973915201392-475: A society based on a matrilineal kinship system of descent and inheritance: children are born into their mother's band and derive their status from her people. To the end of the nineteenth century, they spoke mostly Mikasuki and Creek. Two of the fourteen are "Freedmen Bands," composed of members descended from Black Seminoles, who were legally freed by the U.S. and tribal nations after the Civil War. They have
1508-554: A syncretic Christianity that has absorbed some tribal traditions. In 1946, the Department of Interior established the Indian Claims Commission , to consider compensation for tribes that claimed their lands were seized by the federal government during times of conflict. Tribes seeking settlements had to file claims by August 1961, and both the Oklahoma and Florida Seminoles did so. After combining their claims,
1624-747: A syncretic indigenous-Western practice. For example, Seminole hymns sung in the indigenous (Muscogee) language are inclusive of key Muscogee language terms (for example, the Muscogee term "mekko" or chief conflates with "Jesus"). Also, hymns are frequently led by a song leader (a traditional indigenous song practice). In the 1950s, federal projects in Florida encouraged the tribe's reorganization. They created organizations within tribal governance to promote modernization. As Christian pastors began preaching on reservations, Green Corn Ceremony attendance decreased. This created tension between religiously traditional Seminoles and those who began adopting Christianity. In
1740-469: A thriving trade business with white merchants during this period, selling alligator hides, bird plumes, and other items sourced from the Everglades. Then, in 1906, Governor Napoleon B. Broward began an effort to drain the Everglades in attempt to convert the wetlands into farmland. The plan to drain the Everglades, new federal and state laws ending the plume trade, and the start of World War I (which put
1856-560: A tradition of accepting escaped slaves from Southern plantations , infuriating planters in the American South by providing a route for their slaves to escape bondage. After the United States achieved independence, the U.S. Army and local militia groups made increasingly frequent incursions into Spanish Florida to recapture escaped slaves living among the Seminole. American general Andrew Jackson 's 1817–1818 campaign against
1972-483: A tradition of extended patriarchal families in close communities. While the elite interacted with the Seminoles, most of the Freedmen were involved most closely with other Freedmen. They maintained their own culture, religion and social relationships. At the turn of the 20th century, they still spoke mostly Afro-Seminole Creole , a language developed in Florida related to other African-based Creole languages. The Nation
2088-538: A village known as Red Bays on Andros. Under colonists' pressure, the U.S. government made the 1823 Treaty of Camp Moultrie with the Seminoles, seizing 24 million acres in northern Florida. They offered the Seminoles a much smaller reservation in the Everglades , of about 100,000-acre (400 km ). They and the Black Seminoles moved into central and southern Florida. In 1832, the U.S. government signed
2204-665: Is a dialect. This is the primary traditional language spoken today by the Miccosukee in Florida. Joining them were several bands of Choctaw , many of whom were native to western Florida. Some Chickasaw had also left Georgia due to conflicts with colonists and their Native American allies. Also fleeing to Florida were African Americans who had escaped from slavery in the Southern Colonies . The new arrivals moved into virtually uninhabited lands that had once been peopled by several cultures indigenous to Florida, such as
2320-547: Is composed of roughly 4,200 employees, including approximately 1,600 sworn law enforcement personnel, 700 sworn corrections personnel, 1,900 civilian personnel and 1,800 volunteers. The annual operating budget for the PBSO is more than $ 800 million, as of 2023. Ric Bradshaw has been sheriff for Palm Beach County since 2005. There are two jail facilities operated by the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office. One
2436-500: Is derived from the Spanish cimarones , meaning "wild or untamed", as opposed to the christianized natives who had previously lived in the mission villages of Spanish Florida (In the 17th century the Spanish in Florida used cimaron to refer to christianized natives who had left their mission villages to live "wild" in the woods. ). Some of the Hitchiti - or Mikasukee -speakers who had settled in Florida identified themselves to
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#17327973915202552-485: Is expressed through the stomp dance and the Green Corn Ceremony held at their ceremonial grounds. Indigenous peoples have practiced Green Corn rituals for centuries. Contemporary southeastern Native American tribes, such as the Seminole and Muscogee Creek , still practice these ceremonies. As converted Christian Seminoles established their own churches, they incorporated their traditions and beliefs into
2668-616: Is in Belle Glade, called the West Detention Center, which houses all custody levels from minimum to maximum security. At any one time it can contain up to 991 inmates (total bed capacity), with a staff of 188. The facility has a video visitation program which allows families to communicate with inmates remotely. The largest jail is the Main Detention Center. Three towers - South, East, and West, make up
2784-543: Is not native to Florida (nor anywhere else in the United States). Its presence in what is today Palm Beach County is due to the shipwreck of the Spanish ship Providencia in 1878, near today's Mar-a-Lago . It was traveling from Havana to Cádiz, Spain with a cargo of coconuts. The shipwreck was within walking distance of the shore—the Florida State Archives conserves a picture of a painting —and
2900-472: Is now Seminole County of the state of Oklahoma. The implementation of the Dawes Rolls in the late 1890s parceled out tribal lands in preparation for the admission of Oklahoma as a state, reducing most Seminoles to subsistence farming on small individual homesteads. While some tribe members left the territory to seek better opportunities, most remained. Today, residents of the reservation are enrolled in
3016-489: Is now restricted to Florida, where it was the native language of 1,600 people as of 2000, primarily the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida . The Seminole Nation of Oklahoma is working to revive the use of Creek among its people, as it had been the dominant language of politics and social discourse. Muscogee is spoken by some Oklahoma Seminoles and about 200 older Florida Seminoles. The youngest native speaker
3132-751: Is one of the three counties that make up the Miami metropolitan area , which was home to 6.14 million people in 2020. The area has been increasing in population since the late 19th century, with the incorporation of West Palm Beach in 1894 and after Henry Flagler extended the Florida East Coast Railway and built the Royal Poinciana Hotel , The Breakers , and Whitehall . In 1928, the Okeechobee hurricane struck Palm Beach County and caused thousands of deaths. More recently,
3248-476: Is significant tropical agricultural production, especially nurseries , truck crops (vegetables), and sugar cane . Palm Beach County has been called the "Winter Vegetable Capital" of the nation. Around 12,000 years ago, Native Americans began migrating into Florida. An estimated 20,000 Native Americans lived in South Florida when the Spanish arrived. Their population diminished significantly by
3364-470: Is the second-largest county in Florida by land area and third-largest by total area. Much of the water is the Atlantic Ocean and Lake Okeechobee . The county has an estimated 526,000 acres (213,000 ha) of farmland. The eastern third of Palm Beach County is highly urbanized, while the central and western portions of the county are suburban or rural. Palm Beach County is one of three counties in
3480-470: The 21st district , Lois Frankel of the 22nd district , and Jared Moskowitz of the 23rd district . Nine districts of the Florida House of Representatives represent parts of Palm Beach County, with the seats held by Kelly Skidmore (D) of 81st district, John Snyder (R) of the 82nd district, Rick Roth (R) of the 85th district, Matt Willhite (D) of the 86th district, David Silvers (D) of
3596-559: The American Civil War , the Confederate government of Florida offered aid to keep the Seminoles from fighting on the side of the Union. The Florida House of Representatives established a Committee on Indian Affairs in 1862 but, aside from appointing a representative to negotiate with the Seminole tribe, failed to follow its promises of aid. The lack of aid, along with the growing number of Federal troops and pro-unionists in
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3712-477: The Apalachee , Timucua , Calusa and others. The native population had been devastated by infectious diseases brought by Spanish explorers in the 1500s and later colonization by additional European settlers. Later, raids by Carolina and Native American slavers destroyed the string of Spanish missions across northern Florida . Most of the survivors left for Cuba when the Spanish withdrew, after ceding Florida to
3828-707: The Black Seminoles ) had settled near the Seminole towns and, to a lesser extent, Native Americans from other tribes, and some white Americans. The unified Seminole spoke two languages: Creek and Mikasuki (mutually intelligible with its dialect Hitchiti ), two among the Muskogean languages family. Creek became the dominant language for political and social discourse, so Mikasuki speakers learned it if participating in high-level negotiations. The Muskogean language group includes Choctaw and Chickasaw , associated with two other major Southeastern tribes. In part due to
3944-578: The Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller, Palm Beach County 's annual financial report, Checks & Balances: Your Guide to County Finances. The County collected $ 1.1 billion in property tax revenue in FY 2018, an increase of 6 percent over the previous year. Sales tax collections rose to $ 175.8 million, marking the eighth consecutive year of growth. Revenue from Tourist Development Tax receipts
4060-519: The Everglades to land that was not desired by settlers. They were finally left alone and they never surrendered. Several treaties seem to bear the mark of representatives of the Seminole tribe, including the Treaty of Moultrie Creek and the Treaty of Payne's Landing . The Florida Seminoles say they are the only tribe in America never to have signed a peace treaty with the U.S. government. During
4176-694: The Florida land boom of the 1920s . Many local historic districts and landmarks listed in the National Register of Historic Places in Palm Beach County were designed and constructed during the 1920s, with the main contributors being architects Maurice Fatio , Addison Mizner , Marion Sims Wyeth , and the firm Harvey and Clarke , which included Gustav Maass . Total property value in West Palm Beach skyrocketed from $ 13.6 million in 1920 to $ 61 million in 1925, before briefly reaching
4292-799: The Jupiter Hammerheads , an affiliate of the Miami Marlins, and the Palm Beach Cardinals , an affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals. Prior to the construction of Roger Dean Stadium, the Montreal Expos and Atlanta Braves held their spring training at Municipal Stadium in West Palm Beach. The West Palm Beach Expos , a Single-A affiliate of the Montreal Expos, also played their games there. The Ballpark of
4408-466: The Miami metropolitan area . However, the county's western communities along Lake Okeechobee, such as Belle Glade , South Bay , and Pahokee , have also been considered more part of the rural Florida Heartland . The Atlantic coastline of Palm Beach County is about 47 mi (76 km) in length. It consists mainly of barrier islands and peninsulas, including Jupiter Island , Singer Island , and Palm Beach Island . These islands are separated from
4524-542: 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. Palm Beach County
4640-870: The Palm Beach Outlets , CityPlace , Boynton Beach Mall , The Gardens Mall , Town Center at Boca Raton , The Mall at Wellington Green and Mizner Park . Formerly, the Palm Beach and Cross County Malls operated in the county, though they closed in 1997 and 2010, respectively. The Florida Department of Corrections operates the Glades Correctional Institution in an unincorporated area in Palm Beach County near Belle Glade. Palm Beach County's revenue from property taxes, sales taxes and tourist development taxes reached record levels in Fiscal Year (FY) 2018, according to
4756-547: The Second Seminole War . Drawing on a population of about 4,000 Seminoles and 800 allied Black Seminoles, he mustered at most 1,400 warriors (President Andrew Jackson estimated they had only 900). They countered combined U.S. Army and militia forces that ranged from 6,000 troops at the outset to 9,000 at the peak of deployment in 1837. To survive, the Seminole allies employed guerrilla tactics with devastating effect against U.S. forces, as they knew how to move within
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4872-669: The Seminole Tribe of Florida in 1957. The more traditional people living near the Tamiami Trail received federal recognition as the Miccosukee Tribe in 1962. The Seminoles were organized around itálwa , the basis of their social, political and ritual systems, and roughly equivalent to towns or bands in English. They had a matrilineal kinship system, in which children are considered born into their mother's family and clan, and property and hereditary roles pass through
4988-705: The Seminoles , the former slaves or descendants of former slaves fought alongside them against white settlers and bounty hunters during the Seminole Wars . Portions of the Second Seminole War occurred in Palm Beach County, including the Battles of the Loxahatchee in 1838. The county's oldest surviving structure, the Jupiter Lighthouse , was built in 1860, after receiving authorization to
5104-592: The Tamiami Trail defined themselves as independent. They received federal recognition as the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians in Florida in 1962. During World War II , roughly sixty-five Seminoles fled into the Everglades to avoid registering for the draft. The superintendent of the Seminole Indian agency in Dania was able to convince all but two of the group to eventually register. In the 1950s,
5220-484: The Treaty of Payne's Landing with a few of the Seminole chiefs. They promised lands west of the Mississippi River if the chiefs agreed to leave Florida voluntarily with their people. The Seminoles who remained prepared for war. White colonists continued to press for their removal. In 1835, the U.S. Army arrived to enforce the treaty. The Seminole leader Osceola led the vastly outnumbered resistance during
5336-541: The U.S. government , including the Treaty of Moultrie Creek and the Treaty of Paynes Landing . Seminole culture is largely derived from that of the Creek. One of the more significant holdovers from the Creek was the Green Corn Dance ceremony. Other notable traditions include use of the black drink and ritual tobacco . As the Seminoles adapted to Florida environs , they developed local traditions, such as
5452-784: The Yamasee War in South Carolina, migrated into Spanish Florida in the early 18th century. More arrived in the second half of the 18th century, as the Lower Creeks , part of the Muscogee people, began to migrate from several of their towns into Florida to evade the dominance of the Upper Creeks and pressure from encroaching colonists from the Province of Carolina . They spoke primarily Hitchiti , of which Mikasuki
5568-455: The 1700s, the various new arrivals intermingled with each other and with the few remaining indigenous people. In a process of ethnogenesis , they constructed a new culture which they called "Seminole", a derivative of the Mvskoke' (a Creek language ) word simano-li , an adaptation of the Spanish cimarrón which means "wild" (in their case, "wild men"), or "runaway" [men]. The Seminole were
5684-614: The 18th century by Cowkeeper . Beginning in 1825, Micanopy was the principal chief of the unified Seminole, until his death in 1849, after removal to Indian Territory. This chiefly dynasty lasted past Removal, when the US forced the majority of Seminole to move from Florida to the Indian Territory (modern Oklahoma) after the Second Seminole War . Micanopy's sister's son, John Jumper , succeeded him in 1849 and, after his death in 1853, his brother Jim Jumper became principal chief. He
5800-500: The 18th century, due to warfare, enslavement, and diseases from Europe. In 1513, Juan Ponce de León became the first European in modern-day Palm Beach County when he landed at the Jupiter Inlet. Among the first non-Native American residents were African Americans , many of whom were former slaves or immediate descendants of former slaves, arriving in what was then Spanish Florida in the late 17th century. Finding refuge among
5916-720: The 1960s and 1970s, some tribal members on reservations, such as the Brighton Seminole Indian Reservation in Florida, viewed organized Christianity as a threat to their traditions. By the 1980s, Seminole communities were even more concerned about loss of language and tradition. Many tribal members began to revive the observance of traditional Green Corn Dance ceremonies, and some shifted away from Christian observance. By 2000, religious tension between Green Corn Dance attendees and Christians (particularly Baptists) decreased. Some Seminole families participate in both religions; these practitioners have developed
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#17327973915206032-493: The 2013–14 season. USL Palm Beach is an upcoming American professional soccer team based in Palm Beach County. Founded in 2023, the team plans to make its debut in the USL Championship . The Palm Beach Imperials are an American Basketball Association 2006 expansion franchise. Tourists can visit these attractions and annual events: A number of shopping malls exist throughout Palm Beach County, including
6148-463: The 25 electoral votes to Bush, as Harris's tally prior to the state-ordered recounts placed him ahead of Gore by 537 popular votes. In turn, this gave Bush victory in the national election. Following the September 11 attacks in 2001, a Federal Bureau of Investigation investigation revealed that 12 of the 19 hijackers trained or resided in Palm Beach County during the months prior to
6264-460: The 31st district. As of 2023, the county has a slight Democratic plurality, with large Republican and independent minorities, respectively. In gubernatorial races, the county had been a stronghold for Democrats, a trend that began in 1990 and continued up until 2022 , when incumbent Republican governor Ron DeSantis won a majority of the vote in the county. Seminole Old crafts and traditions were revived in both Florida and Oklahoma in
6380-422: The 87th district, Omari Hardy (D) of the 88th district, Mike Caruso (R) of the 89th district, Joseph Casello (D) of the 90th district, and Emily Slosberg (D) of the 91st district. Additionally, the county has four seats in the Florida Senate , which are represented by Gayle Harrell (R) of the 25th district, Tina Polsky (D) of the 29th district, Bobby Powell (D) of the 30th district, and Lori Berman of
6496-401: The American Civil War, the members and leaders split over their loyalties, with John Chupco refusing to sign a treaty with the Confederacy . From 1861 to 1866, he led as chief of the Seminole who supported the Union and fought in the Indian Brigade. The split among the Seminoles lasted until 1872. After the war, the United States government negotiated only with the loyal Seminole, requiring
6612-488: The Black Seminoles also owned or controlled land that was seized in this cession, they were not acknowledged in the treaty. In 1976, the groups struggled on allocation of funds among the Oklahoma and Florida tribes. Based on early 20th century population records, at which time most of the people were full-blood, the Seminole Tribe of Oklahoma was to receive three-quarters of the judgment and the Florida peoples one-quarter. The Miccosukee and allied Traditionals filed suit against
6728-448: The British as "cimallon" ( Muskogean languages have no "r" sound, replacing it with "l"). The British wrote the name as "Semallone", later "Seminole". The use of "cimallon" by bands in Florida to describe themselves may have been intended to distinguish themselves from the primarily Muskogee -speakers of the Upper Towns of the Muscogee Confederacy (called the "Creek Confederacy" by the British). After 1763, when they took over Florida from
6844-458: The British in 1763, following Britain's victory in the French and Indian War . While John Swanton stated in the mid-20th century that the Seminole encountered and absorbed the Calusa who had remained in southwest Florida after the Spanish withdrew, more recent scholarship since the turn of the 21st century holds that there is no documentary evidence of that assertion. As they established themselves in northern and peninsular Florida throughout
6960-457: The Commission awarded the Seminole a total of $ 16 million in April 1976. It had established that, at the time of the 1823 Treaty of Moultrie Creek , the Seminole exclusively occupied and used 24 million acres in Florida, which they ceded under the treaty. Assuming that most blacks in Florida were escaped slaves, the United States did not recognize the Black Seminoles as legally members of the tribe, nor as free in Florida under Spanish rule. Although
7076-431: The Confederacy. They required new peace treaties, establishing such conditions as reducing the power of tribal councils, providing freedom or tribal membership for Black Seminoles (at the same time that enslaved African Americans were being emancipated in the South), and forced concessions of tribal land for railroads and other development. The 1868 Florida Constitution , developed by the Reconstruction legislature, gave
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#17327973915207192-427: The Everglades and use this area for their protection. Osceola was arrested (in a breach of honor) when he came under a flag of truce to negotiations with the US in 1837. He died in jail less than a year later. He was decapitated, his body buried without his head. Other war chiefs, such as Halleck Tustenuggee and John Jumper, and the Black Seminoles Abraham and John Horse , continued the Seminole resistance against
7308-462: The Florida Legislature reduced Palm Beach County's share of Lake Okeechobee from about 80 percent to less than 40 percent and divided the lake more equitably among Glades , Hendry , Martin, and Okeechobee counties. A final change to the county's boundaries occurred in 2009, when a small portion of land was given to Broward County. The 1910s and much of the 1920s brought prosperity and rapid population growth to South Florida, coinciding with
7424-417: The Florida judicial district include the state attorney and public defender . All positions are 4-year terms, requiring direct election by voters in presidential election years. Five former county commissioners have been accused or found guilty of corruption from 2006 to 2009. A grand jury recommended a strong inspector general . This position was approved by county voters in 2010. A county judge found that
7540-425: The Oklahoma and Florida Seminole tribes filed land claim suits, claiming they had not received adequate compensation for their lands. Their suits were combined in the government's settlement of 1976. The Seminole tribes and Traditionals took until 1990 to negotiate an agreement as to division of the settlement, a judgment trust against which members can draw for education and other benefits. The Florida Seminoles founded
7656-457: The Palm Beaches , opened in February 2017 in West Palm Beach, accommodates both the Washington Nationals and the Houston Astros for spring training. Also popular are the Florida Atlantic Owls , an NCAA Division I school that participates in American Athletic Conference . The FAU football team plays at FAU Stadium , and averaged 17,941 fans during the 2017 season. The FAU basketball team plays at FAU Arena , and averaged 1,346 fans during
7772-456: The Seminole Tribe of Oklahoma and one-quarter to the Seminoles of Florida, including the Miccosukee. By that time the total settlement was worth $ 40 million. The tribes have set up judgment trusts, which fund programs to benefit their people, such as education and health. As a result of the Second Seminole War (1835–1842), about 3,800 Seminoles and Black Seminoles were forcibly removed to Indian Territory (the modern state of Oklahoma ). During
7888-534: The Seminoles became known as the First Seminole War . Though Spain decried the incursions into its territory, the United States effectively controlled the Florida panhandle after the war. In 1819, the United States and Spain signed the Adams-Onís Treaty , which took effect in 1821. According to its terms, the United States acquired Florida and, in exchange, renounced all claims to Texas . President James Monroe appointed Andrew Jackson as military governor of Florida. As European American colonization increased after
8004-417: The Seminoles one seat in the house and one seat in the senate of the state legislature. The Seminoles never filled the positions. After white Democrats regained control over the legislature, they removed this provision from the post-Reconstruction constitution they ratified in 1885. In the early 20th century, the Florida Seminoles re-established limited relations with the U.S. government. The Seminoles maintained
8120-593: The Spanish, the British called all natives living in Florida "Seminoles", "Creeks", or "Seminole-Creeks". The people who constituted the nucleus of this Florida group either chose to leave their tribe or were banished. At one time, the terms "renegade" and "outcast" were used to describe this status, but the terms have fallen into disuse due to their negative connotations. The Seminole identify as yat'siminoli or "free people" because for centuries their ancestors had successfully resisted efforts to subdue or convert them to Roman Catholicism . They signed several treaties with
8236-423: The U.S. of Florida in 1821, many American slaves and Black Seminoles frequently escaped from Cape Florida to the British colony of the Bahamas , settling mostly on Andros Island . Contemporary accounts noted a group of 120 migrating in 1821, and a much larger group of 300 enslaved African Americans escaping in 1823. The latter were picked up by Bahamians in 27 sloops and also by travelers in canoes. They developed
8352-666: The aforementioned "butterfly ballot" and the closeness of the statewide results between Gore and Texas Governor George W. Bush , the Florida Supreme Court mandated manual recounts in all counties with disputed results. However, the Supreme Court of the United States overturned the decision in Bush v. Gore on December 12, allowing Florida Secretary of the State Katherine Harris to award
8468-405: The area for work, vacation, or retirement. The base was closed and became a commercial airport again in 1962. Migration to the county by workers, tourists, and retirees continued into the 21st century. On August 28, 1949, a category-4 hurricane struck Lake Worth Beach with maximum sustained winds of 130 mph (215 km/h), causing considerable damage. Throughout Palm Beach County,
8584-566: The army. After a full decade of fighting, the war ended in 1842. Scholars estimate the U.S. government spent about $ 40,000,000 on the war, at the time a huge sum. An estimated 3,000 Seminoles and 800 Black Seminoles were forcibly exiled to Indian Territory west of the Mississippi, where they were settled on the Creek reservation. After later skirmishes in the Third Seminole War (1855–1858), perhaps 200 survivors retreated deep into
8700-675: The arrival of Native Americans from other cultures, the Seminole became increasingly independent of other Creek groups and established their own identity through ethnogenesis . They developed a thriving trade network by the time of the British and second Spanish periods (roughly 1767–1821). The tribe expanded considerably during this time, and was further supplemented from the late 18th century by escaped slaves from Southern plantations who settled near and paid tribute to Seminole towns. The latter became known as Black Seminoles , although they kept many facets of their own Gullah culture. During
8816-676: The attacks. Later that month, during the anthrax attacks , a letter containing spores of this substance was mailed to the American Media, Inc. building in Boca Raton. Three people were exposed to the anthrax, including Robert Stevens , a photo editor who later died after an infection induced by exposure. Three hurricanes severely impacted Palm Beach County in 2004 and 2005: Frances , Jeanne , and Wilma . On September 5, 2004, Frances made landfall in Martin County as
8932-665: The cause of the Confederacy. After the Civil War ended, the Jupiter Lighthouse was relit in 1866. In October 1873, a hurricane caused a shipwreck between Biscayne Bay and the New River . The crew survived the wreck but nearly died due to starvation because of the desolation of the area. In response, five Houses of Refuge were built along the east coast of Florida from the Fort Pierce Inlet southward to Biscayne Bay. Orange Grove House of Refuge No. 3
9048-598: The center. The largest is the South Tower, constructed in 1993 from concrete and steel at a cost of $ 52 million. The East and West Towers were built in 1983; they now flank the South Tower, completing the Main Detention Center. The Main Detention Center's primary function is to hold high risk inmates, federal inmates, and those inmates who are in need of special medical attention or are otherwise unable to operate at other facilities. The total number of beds at
9164-611: The colonial years, the Seminole were on relatively good terms with both the Spanish and the British . In 1784, after the American Revolutionary War , Britain came to a settlement with Spain and transferred East and West Florida to it. The Spanish Empire 's decline enabled the Seminole to settle more deeply into Florida. They were led by a dynasty of chiefs of the Alachua chiefdom, founded in eastern Florida in
9280-479: The commissioners is elected County Mayor and one of them is elected Vice Mayor. Commissioners serve staggered terms, and commissioners from Districts 1, 3, 5, and 7 are elected during presidential election years, while the commissioners from Districts 2, 4, and 6 are elected in gubernatorial election years. Elected county officers include a clerk of courts and comptroller, sheriff , property appraiser, tax collector , and supervisor of elections. State officers serving
9396-460: The construction of open-air, thatched-roof houses known as chickees . Historically the Seminoles spoke Mikasuki and Creek , both Muskogean languages . Florida had been the home of several indigenous cultures prior to the arrival of European explorers in the early 1500s. However, the introduction of Eurasian infectious diseases, along with conflict with Spanish colonists, led to a drastic decline of Florida's original native population. By
9512-433: The county acquired national attention during the 2000 presidential election , when a controversial recount occurred . In 2004, Palm Beach County was Florida's wealthiest county, with a per capita personal income of $ 44,518. It leads the state in agricultural productivity; agriculture is Palm Beach County's second-largest industry, after real estate development. In undeveloped (central and western) Palm Beach County there
9628-410: The county reached $ 30 million, most of which was incurred to agriculture. The county became the center of controversy during the 2000 presidential election . Allegedly, the "butterfly ballot" , designed by Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections Theresa LePore , led to an unexpectedly large number of votes for Reform Party candidate Pat Buchanan , rather than for Democrat Al Gore . Due to
9744-620: The county was $ 33,610. About 8.6% of families and 12.2% of the population were below the poverty line , including 18.5% of those under age 18 and 7.7% of those aged 65 or over. The St. Louis Cardinals and the Miami Marlins conduct their spring training at Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter . Two teams in the Class A-Advanced Florida State League also play their home games at Roger Dean Stadium:
9860-595: The county. On October 24, 2005, Hurricane Wilma struck Collier County as a category-3 hurricane. The storm moved northeastward, directly crossing Palm Beach County. Several locations reported hurricane-force winds, including a wind gust of 117 mph (188 km/h) in Belle Glade. Over 90% of Florida Power & Light customers lost electricity. Two deaths occurred in Palm Beach County. The storm inflicted some degree of impact to more than 55,000 homes and 3,600 businesses. Palm Beach County suffered about $ 2.9 billion in damages. In August 2012,
9976-502: The decade also brought an airport to the county. Morrison Field, later renamed the Palm Beach International Airport , opened in 1936. After the U.S. entered World War II , it was converted to an Air Force Base in 1942. During the war, thousands of servicemen arrived in Palm Beach County for training and supporting the war effort. Following the conclusion of World War II, a number of veterans returned to
10092-463: The early 1700s, much of La Florida was uninhabited apart from Spanish colonial towns at St. Augustine and Pensacola . A stream of mainly Muscogee Creek began moving into the territory at that time to escape conflict with English colonists to the north and established their own towns, mainly in the Florida panhandle. Native American refugees from northern wars, such as the Yuchi and Yamasee after
10208-478: The establishment of many new businesses. The Royal Poinciana Hotel , constructed by Flagler and his constructed crews to accommodate wealthy tourists, opened for business in February 1894. About a month later, the Florida East Coast Railway , owned by Flagler, reached West Palm Beach. On November 5, 1894, Palm Beach County's oldest city, West Palm Beach, was incorporated. In 1896, another hotel built by Flagler
10324-604: The facility is 2,166. The South Tower can hold 1,285 inmates, the East Tower has 418 beds, and the West Tower has 404 beds. Since the founding of Palm Beach County in 1909, 16 people have served as county sheriff. In the United States House of Representatives , Palm Beach County is represented by three Democrats and one Republican: Sheila Cherfillus-McCormick of the 20th district , Brian Mast of
10440-616: The family vacationed in Palm Beach in December ;1960. On December 11, Pavlick forwent his attempt because Kennedy was with his wife, Jacqueline , and their two children. Four days later, Pavlick's car, which had sticks of dynamite inside, was surrounded by police and he was arrested. Charges against Pavolick were dropped on December 2, 1963, 10 days after Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas . Additionally,
10556-407: The federally recognized Seminole Nation of Oklahoma , while others belong to unorganized groups. The Florida Seminole re-established limited relations with the U.S. government in the early 1900s and were officially granted 5,000 acres (20 km ) of reservation land in south Florida in 1930. Members gradually moved to the land, and they reorganized their government and received federal recognition as
10672-670: The former dug in the 1890s and the latter created between 1926 and 1927. Several other islands exist within the Intracoastal Waterway, including Hypoluxo Island, Munyon Island , and Peanut Island . In addition, the county has an abundance of coral reef patches along its coastline and has made efforts to preserve them. Companies headquartered in Palm Beach County include Office Depot , The ADT Corporation , TBC Corporation , G4S Secure Solutions , NextEra Energy , The GEO Group , American Sugar Refining , Carrier , Globalsat Group , and Bluegreen Vacations . There are
10788-476: The hurricane destroyed 65 homes and damaged 13,283 others. The area's first television station, WIRK -TV Channel 21, began broadcasting on September 13, 1953. It went off the air less than three years later. However, NBC affiliate WPTV-TV and CBS affiliate WPEC first aired in 1954 and 1955, respectively – both of which are still in existence today. Richard Paul Pavlick nearly attempted to assassinate then President-elect John F. Kennedy while
10904-599: The lake inundated hundreds of square miles, including the nearby communities of Belle Glade , Pahokee , and South Bay . At least 2,500 deaths occurred, many of whom were black migrant farmers. An assessment of impact throughout the county reported 552 businesses destroyed, 1,447 businesses damaged, 3,584 homes destroyed, and 11,409 homes damaged, leaving 4,008 families homeless. However, several cities were excluded, such as Boca Raton, Greenacres , Lantana , and South Palm Beach . Damage in South Florida totaled roughly $ 25 million. In response to
11020-547: The land from President Franklin Pierce in 1854. During the American Civil War , Florida was a member of the Confederate States of America . Two Confederate adherents removed the lighting mechanism from the lighthouse. One of the men who removed the light, Augustus O. Lang, was also the first white settler in Palm Beach County. He built a palmetto shack along the eastern shore of Lake Worth in 1863 after abandoning
11136-475: The late 20th century, the Seminole Tribe of Florida has been particularly successful with gambling establishments, attracting many of the numerous tourists to the state. In 2007 it purchased the Hard Rock Café and has rebranded or opened several casinos and gaming resorts under that name. These include two large resorts on its Tampa and Hollywood reservations; together these projects cost more than
11252-957: The mainland by the Intracoastal Waterway , with much of the waterway locally known as the Lake Worth Lagoon . The main barrier landmasses are split by four inlets: the Jupiter Inlet , the Lake Worth Inlet , the South Lake Worth Inlet , and the Boca Raton Inlet. Two of the four inlets are natural, but significantly altered – the Jupiter and Boca Raton inlets – while the Lake Worth and South Lake Worth inlets are man-made, with
11368-417: The mandate covered municipal government in 2015. The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office ( PBSO ) provides police services to the county's unincorporated areas and the 13 municipalities covered by PBSO. PBSO also oversees the county jail system, provides security at all four of the county courthouses, and is the primary law enforcement agency covering Palm Beach International Airport . The Sheriff's Office
11484-494: The maternal line. Males held the leading political and social positions. Each itálwa had civil, military and religious leaders; they were self-governing throughout the nineteenth century, but would cooperate for mutual defense. The itálwa continued to be the basis of Seminole society in Oklahoma into the 21st century. Historically, the various groups of Seminoles spoke two mutually unintelligible Muskogean languages : Mikasuki (and its dialect, Hitchiti) and Muscogee . Mikasuki
11600-471: The mid-20th century as the Seminole began seeking revenue from tourists traveling along the new interstate highway system . In the 1970s, Seminole tribes began to run small bingo games on their reservations to raise revenue. They won court challenges to initiate Indian gaming on their sovereign land. Many U.S. tribes have likewise adopted this practice where state laws have gambling, in order to generate revenues for welfare, education, and development. Since
11716-567: The outer bands of Hurricane Isaac dropped at least 15.86 in (403 mm) of rain near Lion Country Safari . The consequent flooding left neighborhoods in The Acreage , Loxahatchee , Loxahatchee Groves , Royal Palm Beach , and Wellington stranded for up to several days. As Hurricane Irma approached in September 2017, mandatory or voluntary evacuations were ordered for more than 290,000 residents of Palm Beach County. Although
11832-401: The settlement in 1976 to refuse the money; they did not want to give up their claim for return of lands in Florida. The federal government put the settlement in trust until the court cases could be decided. The Oklahoma and Florida tribes entered negotiations, which was their first sustained contact in the more than a century since removal. In 1990, the settlement was awarded: three-quarters to
11948-418: The state, led the Seminoles to remain officially neutral throughout the war. In July 1864, Secretary of War James A. Seddon received word that a man named A. McBride had raised a company of sixty-five Seminole who had volunteered to fight for the Confederacy. McBride claimed to have an understanding of Florida because of the time he had spent there fighting during the Seminole wars. While McBride never put such
12064-438: The storm passed well west of the county, much of the area experienced hurricane-force wind gusts, with a peak gust of 91 mph (146 km/h) in West Palm Beach. Impact was generally limited to widespread power outages and damaged trees and vegetation, though isolated property damage was reported. The storm left about $ 300 million in damage in the county, as well as five fatalities. The coconut palm , Cocos nucifera ,
12180-723: The storm, the Herbert Hoover Dike was constructed to prevent a similar disaster. As a result of 1926 Miami hurricane and the 1928 storm, Palm Beach County, along with the rest of South Florida, began suffering economic turmoil and pushed the region into the Great Depression, even before the Wall Street Crash of 1929 . Housing prices dropped dramatically in the county, with the total real estate value in West Palm Beach falling to $ 41.6 million in 1930 and then to $ 18.2 million in 1935. However,
12296-401: The treaty, colonists pressured the federal government to remove Natives from Florida. Slaveholders resented that tribes harbored runaway black slaves, and more colonists wanted access to desirable lands held by Native Americans. Georgian slaveholders wanted the " maroons " and fugitive slaves living among the Seminoles, known today as Black Seminoles , returned to slavery. After acquisition by
12412-410: The tribe to make a new peace treaty to cover those who allied with the Confederacy, to emancipate the slaves , and to extend tribal citizenship to those freedmen who chose to stay in Seminole territory. The Seminole Nation of Oklahoma now has about 16,000 enrolled members, who are divided into a total of fourteen bands; for the Seminole members, these are similar to tribal clans . The Seminole have
12528-543: Was $ 53.8 million, up from $ 48.5 million in FY 2017. Meanwhile, Local Option Gas Taxes paid by motorists for gasoline decreased for the first time in five years, partially due to higher gasoline prices, which reduced the number of miles driven, according to the Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller's Checks & Balances report. The county is governed by a board of commissioners , consisting of seven commissioners, who are all elected from single-member districts. One of
12644-552: Was born in 1960. Today, English is the predominant language among both Oklahoma and Florida Seminoles, particularly the younger generations. Most Mikasuki speakers are bilingual. The Seminole use the spines of Cirsium horridulum (also called bristly thistle) to make blowgun darts. During the Seminole Wars, the Seminole people began to divide among themselves due to the conflict and differences in ideology. The Seminole population had also been growing significantly, though it
12760-445: Was built near Delray Beach in 1876. Very few people lived in modern-day Palm Beach County prior to the arrival of Henry Flagler , who first visited in the early 1890s. A Standard Oil tycoon, Flagler was instrumental in the county's development around the turn of the century. First, he purchased land on both sides of Lake Worth . Other investors followed suit, causing a small boom and bringing in existing businesses and resulting in
12876-555: Was closing the Boca headquarters and moving its administrative staff out of state along with some employees. Likewise, A360 Media, LLC , publisher of the National Enquirer , was headquartered in Boca Raton, but moved New York in 2014. For 2010, the median income for a household in the county was $ 53,242, and for a family was $ 64,445. Males had a median income of $ 44,324 versus $ 37,337 for females. The per capita income for
12992-691: Was diminished by the wars. With the division of the Seminole population between Indian Territory (Oklahoma) and Florida, they still maintained some common traditions, such as powwow trails and ceremonies. In general, the cultures grew apart in their markedly different circumstances, and had little contact for a century. The Seminole Nation of Oklahoma , and the Seminole Tribe of Florida and Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida , described below, are federally recognized, independent nations that operate in their own spheres. Seminole tribes generally follow Christianity, both Protestantism and Catholicism . They also observe their traditional Native religion , which
13108-474: Was in power through the American Civil War, after which the U.S. government began to interfere with tribal government, supporting its own candidate for chief. After raids by Anglo-American colonists on Seminole settlements in the mid-18th century, the Seminole retaliated by raiding the Southern Colonies (primarily Georgia ), purportedly at the behest of the Spanish. The Seminoles also maintained
13224-421: Was moved to Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden in 2011, and the visitor center was sold. 26°25′45″N 80°09′23″W / 26.42907°N 80.15646°W / 26.42907; -80.15646 This Florida state location article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Palm Beach County, Florida Palm Beach County is a county in the southeastern part of Florida , located in
13340-572: Was opened, the Palm Beach Inn, later renamed The Breakers . He also constructed his own winter home , which he and his wife moved into in 1902. The arrivals of Major Nathan Boynton , Congressman William S. Linton , and railroad surveyor Thomas Rickards in the 1890s also proved important because they developed communities that later became Boynton Beach , Delray Beach, and Boca Raton , respectively. The Florida Legislature voted to establish Palm Beach County in 1909, carving it out of what
13456-472: Was then the northern portion of Dade County and initially including all of Lake Okeechobee . The southernmost part of Palm Beach County was separated to create the northern portion of Broward County in 1915, the northwestern portion became part of Okeechobee County in 1917, and southern Martin County was created from northernmost Palm Beach County in 1925. The boundaries remained the same until 1963, when
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