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Palm Beach Gardens
Historical Society
Preserving our history since 2008
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...
pbghistory
Nov 17, 20243 min read
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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....
pbghistory
Nov 6, 20242 min read
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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...
pbghistory
Jul 14, 20243 min read
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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...
pbghistory
Jun 15, 20243 min read
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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...
pbghistory
Mar 17, 20243 min read
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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...
pbghistory
Mar 13, 20241 min read
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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...
pbghistory
Mar 12, 20241 min read
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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...
pbghistory
Feb 18, 20244 min read
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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...
pbghistory
Feb 11, 20241 min read
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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...
pbghistory
Jan 21, 20243 min read
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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...
pbghistory
Jan 4, 20244 min read
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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...
pbghistory
Jan 3, 20241 min read
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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...
pbghistory
Dec 17, 20232 min read
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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...
pbghistory
Dec 15, 20231 min read
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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...
pbghistory
Dec 14, 20232 min read
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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...
pbghistory
Dec 14, 20232 min read
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