Firsts Of Delray Beach, Florida

by | Apr 6, 2013 | ARC

As history goes, our City of Delray Beach has grown up very quickly. The settlements, businesses and population grew faster than most other towns. As we continue through our baby boomers years, we can look back at some of our historic firsts and interesting facts. We have had many first and great accomplishments.

Here are a few of the highlights:

  • Florida attains statehood, 1845
  • Area named Orange Grove Haulover, circa 1845
  • First White land purchase, by George H Gleason, 1868
  • First US Coast guard station, House of refuge, 1876
  • First white birth, Lilly Pierce (daughter of Hannibal Pierce south of Jupiter), 1876
  • Barefoot Mailman mail service began, named Zion, 1885
  • East Coast Canal/Florida Coats Line Canal (Intracoastal) built, Henry Flagler, 1890-96
  • First colored school established, Dade County School #4 Colored, 1894
  • Town named Linton, 1895
  • First commissary established, by Henry Sterling, 1895
  • First passenger train stop, Florida East Coast Railroad, 1896
  • Olive Baptist Church established, 1896
  • Tabor (now St. Paul’s AME) Church established, 1897
  • First white school built (now Old School Square), 1898
  • Town of Delray named, circa 1900
  • First hotel built, by Frank W Chapman, 1902
  • Evangelishe Lutherische Dreiengkeits Gemeide (now Trinity Lutheran Church) established, 1904
  • Yamato, a Japanese agricultural colony begun, 1904
  • First parochial school built, Trinity Lutheran, 1905
  • Telephone service began, 1908
  • Palm Beach County established, 1909
  • First US Federal census listing Delray, 1910
  • First mayor, J.S. Sundy, 1911
  • First bridge over Intracoastal, 1911
  • Bank of Delray established, by JL Troop, President, 1911
  • Library established, by Ladies Improvement Association, 1911
  • First newspaper circulated, The Delray Progress by Mrs. J.M. Cromer, 1912
  • Delray Elementary School built, 1913
  • Delray Beach Library built, Ladies Improvement Association, 1913
  • Electricity began, 1914
  • Bijou Theatre built, 1914
  • Vital records centralized at Tallahassee, 1917
  • Town named Delray Beach, 1923
  • Chamber of commerce formed, 1925
  • Kiwanis Club chartered, 1925
  • Delray High School built, 1925
  • Marriages Records centralized at Tallahassee, 1927
  • Name changed to City of Delray Beach, 1927

As the decades continue, more and more firsts have been established. As we move toward the second decade of the new millennia, let’s continue to bring new and innovative ideas and services to our quaint but progressive town.