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Boynton Beach, Florida

Coordinates: 26°31′41″N 80°4′35″W / 26.52806°N 80.07639°W / 26.52806; -80.07639
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Boynton Beach, Florida
City
City of Boynton Beach
Marina Village of Boynton Beach
Marina Village of Boynton Beach
Nickname(s): 
Boynton, Btown
Motto: 
America's Gateway to the Gulfstream
Location within Palm Beach County and the state of Florida
Location within Palm Beach County and the state of Florida
Coordinates: 26°31′41″N 80°4′35″W / 26.52806°N 80.07639°W / 26.52806; -80.07639
Country United States
State Florida
CountyPalm Beach
Settled (Boynton Settlement)1895
Incorporated1920
Government
 • TypeMayor-Commission
 • MayorTy Penserga
 • CommissionersJustin Katz, Woodrow Hay, and Christina Romelus
 • City ManagerJim Stables [1]
 • City ClerkCrystal Gibson, MMC
Area
[2]
 • Total16.57 sq mi (42.91 km2)
 • Land16.16 sq mi (41.85 km2)
 • Water0.41 sq mi (1.06 km2)  2.3%
Elevation
[3]
20 ft (6 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total80,380
 • Density4,974.93/sq mi (1,920.85/km2)
 2010 Census
Time zoneUTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC-4 (EDT)
Zip Code
33424–33426, 33435–33437, 33472–33474
Area code561
FIPS code12-07875[4]
GNIS feature ID0279303[3]
Websitewww.boynton-beach.org

Boynton Beach is a city in Palm Beach County, Florida, United States. It is situated about 57 miles north of Miami. The population was 68,217 at the 2010 census. In 2019, the city had an estimated population of 78,679 according to the University of Florida, Bureau of Economic and Business Research.[5] Boynton Beach is a principal city of the Miami metropolitan area, which was home to 6,138,333 people at the 2020 census.

History

Nathan S. Boynton
See also William S. Linton

In 1894, two years before Henry Morrison Flagler built his railroad, a former American Civil War major named Nathan Boynton first set eyes on the area that now bears his name. Boynton hailed from Port Huron, Michigan. He was so impressed by the natural beauty of the year-round sunshine and pristine beaches, he built the famous Boynton Hotel, where he also spent winters with his family. The first settlers, whom Boynton had brought along from Michigan, soon realized that many fruits and vegetables thrived in the fertile climate. Pineapples, tomatoes, mangoes, and citrus fruit were packed in crates and shipped by the ton on the newly built Florida East Coast Railroad to satisfy the appetites of hungry Americans across the country. Major Boynton died on May 27, 1911 in Port Huron, but the hotel lasted until 1925.

Boynton Beach was founded on September 26, 1898 when Byrd Spilman Dewey and her husband Fred S. Dewey filed the original plat in the Dade County courthouse for the Town of Boynton.[6] The town was incorporated in 1920 as the Town of Boynton. The name "Boynton Beach" was first used by a community that broke off from the Town of Boynton in 1931. In 1939, that community changed its name to "Ocean Ridge" while The Town of Boynton took the name "Boynton Beach" in 1941.[7]

A 1940s view of the Boynton Beach Seaboard Air Line Railroad depot, whose demolition was authorized by the city in 2006

In 1926, the Seaboard Air Line Railway entered what was then simply Boynton, spurring land development a mile inland near the Seaboard station, including the town's first planned subdivision, Lake Boynton Estates.[8] As land became more valuable, areas along the Intracoastal Waterway and the Federal Highway in Boynton also saw housing developments. To the west, many dairies were founded so that the Boynton area became the main milk supplier for Palm Beach County.[9] By the 1970s, the dairies were no longer profitable and these lands too were converted to housing developments.

Boynton Beach Oceanfront Park is located just north of the original Boynton Hotel site. In 1921, the Town of Boynton acquired the beach site from Lewis S. Howe by eminent domain for park and recreation purposes. The beach casino was built in 1928 and featured a large dining hall, locker rooms and showers and residents used the casino for parties and social gatherings. The casino was demolished in 1967 and the property remained part of the beach park.

From the 1920s to today, Boynton Beach Oceanfront Park has been popular with residents and visitors alike. In the mid-1990s, the park underwent a major renovation during which the boardwalk was rebuilt out of recycled plastic. Boynton Beach's Oceanfront Park was voted the best family beach in Palm Beach County by The Palm Beach Post in 2001. In 2011 the boardwalk was renovated again, replacing the plastic with ipe (pronounced ee-pay) wood (commonly known as Brazilian walnut). In 2012 improvements were made to the buildings along the boardwalk, including total refurbishment of the restrooms.

Hurricane Wilma struck Boynton Beach on October 24, 2005, causing widespread damage to homes and businesses. In 2006, the city government authorized the demolition of the historic Seaboard rail station, which had survived intact in private hands since passenger service to the station halted in 1971.[8]

On March 8 2022, Ty Penserga was elected mayor of Boynton Beach in Florida, making him the first openly gay mayor of the city as well as the first out LGBTQ Asian American mayor elected in Florida state history. A high school biology and chemistry teacher, Penserga was sworn into office by State Attorney Dave Aronberg.[10]

Crime

2006 saw an increase in gang-related violent crime. This mirrored a similar increase across Palm Beach County. A gang-related shooting that resulted in a death at the city's popular Boynton Beach Mall on Christmas Eve of 2006 caught the national attention on many news networks, such as CBS.[11] There were ten known operating gangs in the city as of 2007, according to police, including the notorious South Florida Haitian Zoe Pound gang.[12] As of 2009, countywide gang violence had fallen three percent.[13]

On January 27, 2012, Mayor Jose Rodriguez was suspended from office by the state governor for trying to influence a police investigation into his personal affairs.[14]

The crime rate started decreasing in 2017 and hit its lowest number in 20 years in 2020.[15] According to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement's 2020 Annual Crime Report, the total crime rate decreased by 28 percent in the city compared to 2019 and 64 percent compared to 2001. Violent crime, which includes murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault, decreased 8.5 percent. Property crime, which includes burglary, larceny and motor vehicle theft, dropped by 32.2 percent. Florida’s total crime volume dropped 14.1 percent compared to 2019.[16]

Boynton Beach Police Chief Michael G. Gregory attributed the decrease to focused efforts, an all-hands-on-deck approach and "using a multitude of tactics and crime fighting strategies that are constantly evolving based on crime patterns".[15]

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
19301,053—
19401,32625.9%
19502,54291.7%
196010,467311.8%
197018,11573.1%
198035,62496.7%
199046,19429.7%
200060,38930.7%
201068,21713.0%
202080,38017.8%
U.S. Decennial Census[17]

2020 census

Boynton Beach racial composition
(Hispanics excluded from racial categories)
(NH = Non-Hispanic)[18]
Race Number Percentage
White (NH) 37,989 47.26%
Black or African American (NH) 24,604 30.61%
Native American or Alaska Native (NH) 92 0.11%
Asian (NH) 1,896 2.36%
Pacific Islander (NH) 18 0.02%
Some Other Race (NH) 602 0.75%
Mixed/Multi-Racial (NH) 2,763 3.44%
Hispanic or Latino 12,416 15.45%
Total 80,380

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 80,380 people, 31,863 households, and 17,482 families residing in the city.

2010 census

Boynton Beach Demographics
2010 Census Boynton Beach Palm Beach County Florida
Total population 68,217 1,320,134 18,801,310
Population, percent change, 2000 to 2010 +13.0% +16.7% +17.6%
Population density 4,217.5/sq mi 670.2/sq mi 350.6/sq mi
White or Caucasian (including White Hispanic) 62.4% 73.5% 75.0%
(Non-Hispanic White or Caucasian) 53.6% 60.1% 57.9%
Black or African-American 30.3% 17.3% 16.0%
Hispanic or Latino (of any race) 12.8% 19.0% 22.5%
Asian 2.2% 2.4% 2.4%
Native American or Native Alaskan 0.3% 0.5% 0.4%
Pacific Islander or Native Hawaiian 0.0% 0.1% 0.1%
Two or more races (Multiracial) 2.2% 2.3% 2.5%
Some Other Race 2.6% 3.9% 3.6%

As of 2010, there were 36,289 households, out of which 19.8% were vacant. As of 2000, 22.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.4% were married couples living together, 10.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.2% were non-families. 33.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.26 and the average family size was 2.87.[citation needed]

2000 census

In 2000, the city's population was spread out, with 19.9% under the age of 18, 6.4% from 18 to 24, 28.1% from 25 to 44, 19.8% from 45 to 64, and 25.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 87.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.5 males.[citation needed]

In 2021 the median income was $73,083.[citation needed]

In 2000, the median income for a household in the city was $39,845, and the median income for a family was $47,546. Males had a median income of $32,503 versus $26,399 for females. The per capita income for the city was $22,573. About 7.4% of families and 10.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.9% of those under age 18 and 7.2% of those age 65 or over.[citation needed]

In 2000, native speakers of English accounted for 80.09% of all residents, while speakers of French Creole comprised 7.51%, Spanish was at 7.30%, French consisted of 1.02%, Italian at 0.97%, and German made up 0.87% of the population.[19]


Schools

Like all of Palm Beach County, Boynton Beach is served by the School District of Palm Beach County. As of 2006, it was the fifth largest school district in Florida and the twelfth largest school district in the United States.

Elementary schools:

  • Citrus Cove Elementary School
  • Crosspointe Elementary School
  • Crystal Lakes Elementary School
  • Forest Park Elementary
  • Manatee Elementary School
  • Freedom Shores Elementary School
  • Galaxy Elementary School
  • Hagen Road Elementary School
  • Poinciana Elementary School (magnet school for math, science and technology)
  • Rolling Green Elementary School
  • Sunset Palms Elementary School

Middle schools:

  • Christa McAuliffe Middle School
  • Congress Middle School
  • Somerset Academy Canyons Middle School

High schools:

Public transportation

Tri-Rail Station in Boynton Beach

Boynton Beach is served by a Tri-Rail station of the same name linking Boynton Beach to West Palm Beach to the north and Miami to the south. It is also serviced by local buses provided by PalmTran.[20]

Controversy

Boynton Beach commissioned a mural showing three of its firefighters, unveiled in 2020, for a window covering at a new fire station. The mural depicted former fire chief Glenn Joseph, and former deputy fire chief Latosha Clemons, both of whom are Black. Clemons was the city's first Black female fire fighter. The mural depicted both of them as white, and Clemons sued the city for defamation, libel and negligence. The city has since removed the mural and settled the lawsuit.[21][22]

Notable people

See also

References

  1. ^ "Boynton Beach announces new police, fire chiefs".
  2. ^ "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 31, 2021.
  3. ^ a b U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Boynton Beach, Florida
  4. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  5. ^ "Florida Estimates of Population 2017". US Census Bureau. Archived from the original (XLS) on 2009-02-07. Retrieved 2007-08-15.
  6. ^ Pedersen, Ginger L. (April 9, 2013). When Curiosity Changes your Life. palmbeachpast.org. Retrieved September 28, 2013.
  7. ^ "History of Ocean Ridge". Archived from the original on 2012-03-21.
  8. ^ a b Pesantes, Erika (June 14, 2007). "Angry neighborhood challenges City Hall". South Florida Sun-Sentinel. Retrieved 2011-05-12.
  9. ^ Pedersen, Ginger L. "The Last Cows of Boynton". Palmbeachpast.org. Retrieved 2013-08-15.
  10. ^ Galassi, Josh (19 May 2022). "Ty Penserga's historic mayoral win made Florida even gayer". Queerty. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
  11. ^ "Shooting At Fla. Mall Leaves One Dead". CBS News. 25 December 2006. Retrieved 2007-08-15.
  12. ^ "Gangs in Palm Beach County". 2007-05-21. Archived from the original on 2007-05-21. Retrieved 2017-08-17.
  13. ^ "Gang violence falls in Palm Beach County as law enforcement focuses on prevention". South Florida Sun-Sentinel. 15 February 2009. Archived from the original on 18 February 2009. Retrieved 2009-02-15.
  14. ^ Kleinberg, Eliot (30 January 2012). "Boynton city attorney suggests timetable for mayor's temporary replacement". The Palm Beach Post. Retrieved February 8, 2013.
  15. ^ a b "Crime rate drops again in Boynton Beach". BBPD. 2021-06-24. Retrieved 2021-07-09.
  16. ^ "UCR". www.fdle.state.fl.us. Retrieved 2021-07-09.
  17. ^ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2016.
  18. ^ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved 2022-02-11.
  19. ^ "MLA Data Center Results for Boynton Beach, Florida". Modern Language Association. Retrieved 2007-08-15.
  20. ^ "Palm Tran Maps and Schedules". Archived from the original on 2015-07-04. Retrieved 2015-06-30.
  21. ^ Vigdor, Neil (October 11, 2021). "Florida City Sued Over Mural Depicting First Black Female Firefighter as White". The New York Times. Retrieved 13 October 2021.
  22. ^ "Boynton Beach settling lawsuit with Black female firefighter". Sun-sentinel.com. 2021-10-13. Retrieved 2022-08-14.
  23. ^ "Having Words With: James Greco". nrn.com. February 20, 2012
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