DID YOU KNOW? | PBG History

Loehmann’s Plaza, opened in 1982, demolished in 2024

pbghistory

Nov 173 min read

Loehmann’s Plaza, opened in 1982, demolished in 2024

Site cleared in October and November by owner Drury Development, which has not announced its plans. When PGA Cinema VI opened at...

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The legend of Trapper Nelson: What brought him here and how he died

pbghistory

Nov 62 min read

The legend of Trapper Nelson: What brought him here and how he died

In the mid 1920s, fleeing difficult childhoods in New Jersey, Vince and step-brother Charlie Nelson took to the rails to see the country....

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Palm Beach Gardens' brush with Disney World

pbghistory

Jul 143 min read

Palm Beach Gardens' brush with Disney World

John D. MacArthur knew how to sell. He became one of the richest men in the world in the 1940s by selling insurance policies through the...

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How John D. MacArthur started Palm Beach Gardens 65 years ago

pbghistory

Jun 153 min read

How John D. MacArthur started Palm Beach Gardens 65 years ago

On June 20, 1959 — 65 years ago — the city of Palm Beach Gardens came into existence. The news was not heralded with fanfare in local...

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The flyover: How it paved the way to modern PGA Boulevard

pbghistory

Mar 173 min read

The flyover: How it paved the way to modern PGA Boulevard

In the early 2000s, Legacy Place, Downtown at the Gardens and many other developments could not be built until the state elevated PGA...

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1980: PGA National becomes home to the PGA

pbghistory

Mar 131 min read

1980: PGA National becomes home to the PGA

With a snip of gold-plated scissors, the PGA National Resort community became the new home of the Professional Golfers’ Association of...

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pbghistory

Mar 121 min read

Gardens home built in world record time

In 1981, Otto "Buz" Divosta developed a quick-setting cement to aid in the construction of a move-in-ready, three-bedroom, two-bath...

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The MacArthur land sale: Development unleashed 25 years ago

pbghistory

Feb 184 min read

The MacArthur land sale: Development unleashed 25 years ago

In 1999, Palm Beach Gardens faced a cataclysmic event: The sudden surge of highly developable land entering the market after two decades...

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Towering over Hood Road: How the Seacoast water storage tank evolved

pbghistory

Feb 111 min read

Towering over Hood Road: How the Seacoast water storage tank evolved

The Seacoast Utility Authority water tower on Hood Road — technically known as an elevated storage tank — has been a landmark in the city...

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How the MacArthur Foundation tried to build a city in the Loxahatchee Slough

pbghistory

Jan 213 min read

How the MacArthur Foundation tried to build a city in the Loxahatchee Slough

Did you know the city of Palm Beach Gardens once supported building a Florida Atlantic University campus and thousands of homes in the...

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How a nudist beach became a revered state park

pbghistory

Jan 44 min read

How a nudist beach became a revered state park

The area now known as the John D. MacArthur State Beach Park used to be called Air Force Beach, where billionaire John D. MacArthur...

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pbghistory

Jan 31 min read

Annual Christmas parade

The annual Christmas parade was sponsored by the town of Lake Park. The inaugural event was organized in 1954 in Riviera Beach by Jerry...

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How Gardens hospital sat empty for nearly 3 years

pbghistory

Dec 17, 20232 min read

How Gardens hospital sat empty for nearly 3 years

Palm Beach Gardens Community Hospital in undated photo from the Palm Beach Gardens Historical Society archives. Palm Beach Gardens...

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Sign of Gardens Lanes bowling alley lives on

pbghistory

Dec 15, 20231 min read

Sign of Gardens Lanes bowling alley lives on

The Garden Lanes bowling alley in Palm Beach Gardens was located at 3167-3169 Northlake Blvd. The popular entertainment venue existed...

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pbghistory

Dec 14, 20232 min read

The art project that set them straight

The artwork circa 2023 In 1988, the Palm Beach Gardens City Council required that all future commercial construction projects in the city...

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pbghistory

Dec 14, 20232 min read

The city's historic hotel

The Holiday Inn, Palm Beach Gardens' first hotel, opened in 1970. Located at the corner of PGA Boulevard and Military Trail, it was also...

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