West Palm Beach, Florida

{{Infobox settlement |official_name = West Palm Beach |settlement_type = City |nickname = Orchid City, West Palm, WPB |image_skyline = Downtownpanoramic2.jpg |imagesize = |image_caption = West Palm Beach Skyline |image_flag = |image_seal = West Palm Beach Seal.png |image_map = Map of Florida highlighting West Palm Beach.svg |mapsize = 250x200px |map_caption = Location in Palm Beach County and the state of Florida. |image_map1 = West_Palm_Beach.gif |mapsize1 = 250x200px |map_caption1 = U.S. Census Bureau map showing city limits |subdivision_type = Country |subdivision_type1 = State |subdivision_type2 = County |subdivision_name = United States |subdivision_name1 = Florida |subdivision_name2 = Palm Beach |government_type = |leader_title = Mayor |leader_name = Jeri Muoio (D) |established_title = Settled |established = 1859 |established_title = Incorporated |established |established_date = November 5, 1894 |unit_pref = Imperial |area_magnitude = 1 E8 |area_total_sq_mi = 58.2 |area_land_sq_mi = 55.1 |area_water_sq_mi = 3.1 |area_water_percent = |area_urban_km2 = |area_urban_sq_mi = |area_total_km2 = 150.7 |area_land_km2 = 142.8 |area_water_km2 = 7.9 |population_as_of = 2011 |population_footnotes = |population_note = 2010 |population_total = 101,043 |population_urban = 1,250,000 |population_metro = 5,413,212 |population_density_sq_mi = 1813.4 |population_density_km2 = |timezone = EST |utc_offset = -5 |timezone_DST = EDT |utc_offset_DST = -4 |coordinates_display = inline,title |coordinates_type = region:US_type:city |latd = 26 |latm = 42 |lats = 35 |latNS = N |longd = 80 |longm = 03 |longs = 51 |longEW = W |elevation_m = 6.4 |elevation_ft = 13 |website = http://www.cityofwpb.com/ |postal_code_type = ZIP codes |postal_code = 33401-33422 |area_code = 561 |area_code_type = Area code |area_code_type = Area code |blank_name = FIPS code |blank_info = 12-76600Template:GR |blank1_name = GNIS feature ID |blank1_info = 0293097Template:GR |footnotes =

help keep the beaches clean. many sea critters live there such as the sea turtle.

West Palm Beach, is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and is the most populous city in and county seat of Palm Beach County,Template:GR the third most populous county in Florida with a 2010 population of 1,320,134. The city is also the oldest incorporated municipality in South Florida, having been incorporated as a city two years before Miami. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, in 2011 the city proper had an estimated population of 101,043. The city is one of the principal cities in the South Florida metropolitan area, which has a population of 5,564,635 in 2010.

Demographics

West Palm Beach Demographics
2010 Census	West Palm Beach	Palm Beach County	Florida
Total population	99,919	1,320,134	18,801,310
Population, percent change, 2000 to 2010	+21.7%	+16.7%	+17.6%
Population density	1,807.1/sq mi	670.2/sq mi	350.6/sq mi
White or Caucasian (including White Hispanic)	56.7%	73.5%	75.0%
(Non-Hispanic White or Caucasian)	41.6%	60.1%	57.9%
Black or African-American	32.5%	17.3%	16.0%
Hispanic or Latino (of any race)	22.6%	19.0%	22.5%
Asian	2.3%	2.4%	2.4%
Native American or Native Alaskan	0.5%	0.5%	0.4%
Pacific Islander or Native Hawaiian	0.1%	0.1%	0.1%
Two or more races (Multiracial)	2.7%	2.3%	2.5%
Some Other Race	5.2%	3.9%	3.6%

As of 2000, there were 34,769 households out of which 22.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 34.3% were married couples living together, 13.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 47.5% were non-families. 37.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.8% 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 3.02.

In the city, in 2000, 21.3% of the population is under the age of 18, 9.8% from 18 to 24, 31.5% from 25 to 44, 21.4% from 45 to 64, and 16.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 97.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.8 males.

In 2000, the median income for a household in the city was $36,774, and the median income for a family was $42,074. Males had a median income of $30,221 versus $26,473 for females. The per capita income for the city was $23,188. About 20.5% of families and 23.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 29.2% of those under age 18 and 14.8% of those age 65 or over 95.

As of 2000, speakers of English as a first language accounted for 72.49% of all residents, while those who spoke Spanish made up 17.71%, French Creole 4.46%, French 1.27%, German 0.62%, and Italian 0.52% of the population.

As of 2000, West Palm Beach had the 65th-highest percentage of Cuban residents in the US, with 5.29% of the populace (tied with Cooper City.) It had the forty-third highest percentage of Haitian residents in the US, at 4.20% of the city's population (tied with Roosevelt, New York,) and the fifty-sixth highest percentage of Guatemalan residents in the US, at 2.24% of its population. There is a thriving Hispanic community just south of the Downtown area called Poinciana Park.

History

Population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1890	244		—
1900	564		131.1%
1910	1,743		209.0%
1920	8,659		396.8%
1930	26,610		207.3%
1940	33,693		26.6%
1950	43,162		28.1%
1960	56,208		30.2%
1970	57,375		2.1%
1980	63,305		10.3%
1990	67,764		7.0%
2000	82,103		21.2%
2010	99,919		21.7%

West Palm Beach in the 1880s

West Palm Beach in the 1960s

The area that was to become West Palm Beach was settled in the late 1870s and 1880s by a few hundred settlers who called the vicinity "Lake Worth Country." These settlers included founding families such at the Potters and the Lainharts, who would go on to become leading members of the business community in the fledgling city. At the time, most were engaged in the growing of tropical fruits and vegetables for shipment back to the north via Lake Worth and the Indian River. By 1890, the U.S. Census counted over 200 people settled along Lake Worth in the vicinity of what would become West Palm Beach. The area at this time also boasted a hotel, the "Cocoanut House", a church, and a post office. The city was platted by Henry Flagler as a community to house the servants working in the two grand hotels on the neighboring island of Palm Beach, across Lake Worth in 1893, coinciding with the arrival of the Florida East Coast railroad. Flagler paid two area settlers, Captain Porter and Louie Hillhouse, a combined sum of $45,000 for the original townsite, stretching from Clear Lake to Lake Worth.

The original spelling of the city was "Westpalmbeach", but it was feared that the 13-letter word would be an ominous omen for the fledgling community. On November 5, 1894, 78 people met at the "Calaboose" (the first jail and police station located at Clematis St. and Poinsettia, now Dixie Hwy.) and passed the motion to incorporate the Town of West Palm Beach in what was then Dade County (now Miami-Dade County). This made West Palm Beach the first incorporated municipality in Dade County and in South Florida. The town council quickly addressed the building codes and the tents and shanties were replaced by brick, brick veneer, and stone buildings. The city grew steadily during the 1890s and the first two decades of the 20th century, most residents were engaged in the tourist industry and related services or winter vegetable market and tropical fruit trade. In 1909, Palm Beach County was formed by the Florida State Legislature and West Palm Beach became the county seat. In 1916, a new neo-classical courthouse was opened, which has been painstainkingly restored back to its original condition, and is now used as the local history museum.

The city grew rapidly in the 1920s as part of the Florida land boom. Many of the city's landmark structures and preserved neighborhoods were constructed during this period. Originally, Flagler intended for his Florida East Coast Railway to have its terminus in West Palm but after the area experienced a deep freeze, he chose to extend the railroad to Miami instead.

The city fell into a steep depression after the 1928 Hurricane devastated the area and essentially ended the already faultering land boom of the era. The 1930s were a quiet time for the area, which saw a slowed population growth and property values lower than during the 1920s. The city recovered with the onset of World War II, which saw the construction of Palm Beach Air Base, which brought thousands of airmen and army personnel to the city. Palm Beach Air Base was vital to the allied war effort, as it provided an excellent training facility and had unparalleled access to North Africa for a North American city. Also during World War II, German U-Boats sank dozens of merchant marine supply ships and oil tankers just off the coast of West Palm Beach. Nearby Palm Beach was under black out conditions to minimize night visibility to German U-boats.

The 1950s saw another boom in population, partly due to the exposure of thousands of soldiers and airmen that served in the vicinity during the war, returning to the city to live. Also, the advent of air conditioning accelerated growth, as year round living in the tropical climate became more accepted by northern transplants. Through the 1950s, neary all the city's residents lived within a narrow six-block wide strip from the south to north end. The neighborhoods were strictly segregated between White and African-American populations, a legacy that the city still struggles with today. The primary shopping district remained downtown, centered around Clematis Street.

In the 1960s, Palm Beach County's first enclosed shopping mall, the Palm Beach Mall, and an indoor arena were completed. These projects led to a brief revival for the city, but in the 1970s and 1980s crime continued to be a serious issue and urban sprawl continued to drain resources and business away from the old downtown area. By the early 1990s there were very high vacancy rates downtown, and serious levels of urban blight.

Since the 1990s, developments such as CityPlace and the preservation and renovation of 1920s architecture in the nightlife hub of Clematis Street have seen a downtown resurgence in the entertainment and shopping district. The city has also placed emphasis on neighborhood development and revitalization, in neighborhood districts such as Northwood Village, Old Northwood, Flamingo Park and El Cid. Many neighborhoods still struggle with urban blight and crime, as well as lowered property values caused by the Great Recession, which hit the city particularly hard. The latest large scale development within the city is the re-development of the mostly abandoned 1,000,000 + square foot Palm Beach Mall, located at the Interstate 95/Palm Beach Lakes Boulevard interchange. Ironically, the very mall that initiated the original abandonment of the downtown, is itself now abandoned and considered by many an eyesore. Re-development of the mall into the Palm Beach Fashion Outlets has begun as of late 2012.

Historic neighborhoods and communities

West Palm Beach skyline from the north

Clematis Street

Comeau Building, Clematis Street

Hibiscus Street, downtown

Flamingo Park Historic Marker

Bel Air Historic District - Developed from 1925 to 1935 as a neighborhood for tradesmen and real estate salesmen who helped develop Palm Beach County, some of Belair was originally a pineapple plantation owned by Richard Hone. Hones's frame vernacular house, built around 1895, still stands at 211 Plymouth Road. After Hone was murdered in 1902, his property was sold to George Currie, who created Currie Development Co. But before it was developed, the land was sold to William Ohlhaber, who raised coconut palms and ferns. Eventually, Ohlhaber platted the subdivision and sold off lots. The first house built in the subdivision was Ohlhaber's mission-style home at 205 Pilgrim. Ohlhaber's grandson said Ohlhaber bought the tract to provide dockage for his 90-foot (27 m) yacht, but the yacht ran aground in the Gulf of Mexico and never reached Lake Worth. In 1947 Hone's house was bought by Max Brombacher, Henry Flagler's chief engineer, and it remains in the Brombacher family today. Belair became West Palm Beach's fourth historic district in August 1993.

Central Park - Central Park is a collective name for several subdivisions north of Southern Boulevard. It originally was part of the Estates of South Palm Beach (which went from Wenonah Place to Pilgrim Road east of Dixie Highway). Like other West Palm Beach neighborhoods, the Estates of South Palm Beach boomed after Henry Flagler's descent on Palm Beach. In 1884, James W. Copp, a bachelor in the boating business, borrowed $367.20 from Valentine Jones to buy the land. The ownership of what is now known as Central Park changed hands many times before being developed. Around 1919, the tropical wilderness was transformed into an exclusive neighborhood with curbed roads, sidewalks and a pier (at the foot of what is now Southern Boulevard). The neighborhood became part of West Palm Beach in 1926, and was named a city historic district in December 1993. In 1999 the neighborhood was listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

El Cid - Noted for its Mediterranean revival and mission-style homes, El Cid developed in the height of Florida's real estate boom. In the late 19th century, most of the land north of Sunset Road was pineapple fields, but the crop dwindled in the early 20th century. Pittsburgh socialite Jay Phipps subdivided the old pineapple fields in the 1920s. He named it El Cid, after the celebrated Spanish hero, Rodrigo Diaz de Bivar, who conquered Valencia in 1094. He was called "Cid", meaning "lord". El Cid became a city historic district in June 1993. In 1995 the neighborhood was listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

Flamingo Park - Originally a pineapple plantation, Flamingo Park was established by local contractors and developers, who saw the potential in this area—one of the highest coastal ridge sections from downtown West Palm Beach to Miami. Some ridge houses even had ocean views from upper floors. Houses cost about $10,000 to $18,000 in the boom era, and many buyers were owners of shops and businesses on fashionable Dixie Highway nearby. Recently, residents rallied to have stop signs installed throughout the neighborhood and have banded together to ward off commercial and industrial zoning. Property values are rising as residents renovate and restore Spanish-style houses. Most of the homes in the neighborhood, developed from 1921 to 1930, are mission style, but nearly every style is represented. There are many Mediterranean revival-style houses along the high ridge line. Only two buildings in the historic district are known to have been designed by architects: 701 Flamingo Drive designed by Harvey and Clarke, and the Armory Arts Center designed by William Manly King. The neighborhood became a West Palm Beach historic district in January 1993 and was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 2000.

Grandview Heights - One of the city's oldest neighborhoods still intact, Grandview Heights was built as an extension of Palm Beach Heights from around 1910 to 1925. Almost all of Palm Beach Heights and half of Grandview Heights was demolished in 1989 to make way for the proposed Downtown/Uptown project, which remains undeveloped. Grandview Heights originally attracted construction workers who helped build the luxury hotels, ministers and store owners. In recent years, residents rallied to stop random demolition of neighborhood homes. And they banded together to chase drug dealers and prostitutes from the neighborhood. New investors are helping bring back the neighborhood, which has one of the city's best collection of early craftsman-style bungalows, as well as some modest, Mediterranean revival-style homes. The neighborhood became a West Palm Beach historic district in 1995 and was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1999.

Mango Promenade - Mango Promenade became a West Palm Beach historic district in 1995 and was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1999. Lies just south of Palm Beach Atlantic University.

Northboro Park- An expansion of Old Northwood, Northboro Park was mostly custom houses for upper-middle-class professionals. Most of the houses are Mediterranean revival, mission and frame vernacular. Developed from 1923 to 1940, the neighborhood became the city's second historic district (November 1992) and the historic designation may soon expand north to 45th Street. The oldest building in the neighborhood is Northboro Elementary School at 36th Street and Spruce, built in 1925 by DaCamara and Chace. The demolition of Northboro Elementary School began in late 2009. The first home in Northboro Park is 418 36th St., built in 1923.

Northwest - West Palm Beach's first historic district to be included on the National Register of Historic Places (February 1992), the Northwest neighborhood was first settled in 1894, when the black community was moved from the Styx in Palm Beach to West Palm Beach. It also served as the city's segregated black community from 1929 to 1960 (along with Pleasant City). Northwest remains a predominantly black community but according to the city planning department, most middle- and upper-class blacks moved to other neighborhoods after desegregation. Tamarind and Rosemary Avenues were the commercial centers for blacks by 1915, but most commercial buildings have been demolished or remodeled so the architecture is no longer significant. There are still good examples of late 19th- and early 20th-century American bungalow/craftsman-style homes in this neighborhood, which also has mission, shotgun, Bahamian vernacular and American Foursquare styles. The Alice Frederick Mickens house, at 801 Fourth St., is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Mickens was a philanthropist and humanitarian who promoted education for black youth. Another notable house is the Gwen Cherry house at 625 Division Ave. Cherry, Florida's first black woman legislator and a resident of Miami, inherited the house from relative Mollie Holt, who built the house in 1926. Now it is the Palm Beach County Black Historical Society. The Northwest neighborhood was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1992. The next year the neighborhood became a West Palm Beach historic district in 1993.

Old Northwood Historic District- Old Northwood was developed from 1920 to 1927—the height of the city's real estate boom. The Pinewood Development Co., platted and developed the area. Old Northwood became a neighborhood of what was considered extravagant Mediterranean revival, mission and frame vernacular houses, at $30,000 to $36,000. The buyers were professionals, entrepreneurs and tradesmen. Among them was Dunkle, who was mayor of West Palm Beach. There are houses here designed by notable architects John Volk (best known for his Palm Beach houses), William Manly King (who designed Palm Beach High School and the Armory Arts Center) and Henry Steven Harvey (whose Seaboard Railroad Passenger Station on Tamarind Avenue is listed in the National Register of Historic Places). The neighborhood became a West Palm Beach historic district in 1991 and listed in the National Register of Historic Places in June 1994.

Northwood Hills Historic District- On August 4, 2003, the City Commission designated the Northwood Hills neighborhood as the 13th Historic District in the City of West Palm Beach. Northwood Hills comprises the area from 29th Street on the South to 39th Court on the North. The east side of Windsor is the Western boundary, and Greenwood Avenue is the Eastern boundary. The Neighborhood Association has worked several years to achieve the distinction of historic designation. This is the first district to be designated since 1996. Northwood Hills has a number of Mission Revival houses, a significant collection of Post-World War II architecture, a unique street layout, and one of the highest elevations in the City. The Northwood Hills neighborhood has also elected to allow the establishment of Bed and Breakfast establishments within the neighborhood.

Prospect Park- Promoted as a high-end neighborhood patterned after the prominent Prospect Park district in Brooklyn, this area consisted of mostly smaller estates for prominent businesspeople and northern investors. The neighborhood has a high concentration of Mediterranean revival and Mission revival houses. It was developed from 1920 to 1935 and became a city historic district in November 1993.

West Northwood Historic District- Cashing in on the real estate boom, developers of West Northwood built speculative and custom houses for upper-middle-class professionals from 1925 to '27. Dominant architectural styles are Mediterranean revival and mission. Although the area was declining, that has reversed in recent years, as more investors buy and restore the houses. West Northwood became a city historic district in August 1993.

West Palm Beach Census Designated Places and Urbanized Area

File:West Palm Skyline.jpg

An aerial view of Downtown West Palm Beach

The estimated 2008 population of West Palm Beach and the immediately adjacent Census Designated Places is 134,795. Much of this urbanized area lies directly west of the city and includes the neighborhoods of Westgate, Belvedere Homes, Lakeside Green, Century Village, Schall Circle, Lake Belvedere Estates, Plantation Mobile Homes, and Golden Lakes. These neighborhoods are not technically within the boundaries of West Palm Beach, being located in unincorporated Palm Beach County. However, residents possess a "West Palm Beach" address and urban services, such as police, fire, parks, water and sewer, are provided by a combination of Palm Beach County and the City of West Palm Beach in these areas. The City of West Palm Beach also provides water and sewer service to the Town of Palm Beach. The contiguous "urbanized" area, of which West Palm Beach is the core city, includes most of eastern Palm Beach County and has an estimated 2008 population of around 1,250,000.

Key incorporated cities and their populations within the West Palm Beach urbanized area include:

1. Boca Raton - 86,629
2. Boynton Beach - 67,071
3. Delray Beach - 64,095
4. Wellington - 55,564
5. Jupiter - 50,028
6. Palm Beach Gardens - 48,944
7. Lake Worth - 36,412
8. Riviera Beach - 33,408
9. Greenacres - 32,019
10. Royal Palm Beach - 30,334
11. Palm Springs - 14,512
12. North Palm Beach - 12,562
13. Palm Beach - 10,456
14. Lantana - 10,389
15. Lake Clarke Shores - 3,475
16. Atlantis - 2,005
17. Haverhill - 1,620
18. Mangonia Park - 1,289
19. Loxahatchee - 3,877

Education

K-12 education

K-12 public education is administrated by the School District of Palm Beach County, which is the eleventh-largest school district in the United States by enrollment. The district main office is located in unincorporated West Palm Beach.

Bak Middle School of the Arts is a magnet middle school in West Palm Beach, just south of Mangonia Park, Florida. The school's campus was formerly that of the Dreyfoos School of the Arts, a high school. The first auditions took place in July 1997. The campus property of Bak Middle School of the Arts was also home to North Shore High School from 1965-1989. In 2007, the new campus was completed and the original buildings were demolished. The school accepts students from all over Palm Beach County. Students may audition for two out of five art areas: communications, dance, music (consisting of band, keyboard, strings, and vocal arts), theater, and visual arts.

Post-secondary education

The original Palm Beach Junior College building was restored and is now part of the campus of the Dreyfoos School of the Arts, a magnet high school

Palm Beach Atlantic University lies along the Intracoastal Waterway Lake Worth Lagoon

Palm Beach Atlantic University (PBAU), a four-year private Christian university with approximately 3,200 students, is located in the city on seven blocks within the south end of downtown. The campus includes several historic structures converted to academic use. PBAU has recently added schools of nursing and of pharmacy.

Northwood University has a residential campus in West Palm Beach, Florida.

Keiser University is a regionally accredited school that offers a variety of degrees at the Associate, Bachelor, Master, and Doctoral levels. One of their 16 Florida campuses is located in West Palm Beach.

Various private for-profit institutions are located in the city, including the Lincoln College of Technology (formerly known as New England Institute of Technology) and Florida Culinary Institute, owned by the New Jersey-based Lincoln Group of Schools.

Libraries

The West Palm Beach Public Library serves the city. The new city public library opened in April 2009 at 411 Clematis Street, replacing the 1950s building which stood at the end of the street. That area is being developed as Centennial Park. A library had occupied that spot as far back as the 1930s when the city opened it as a place to discourage people from drinking during prohibition.

The Main Branch of the Palm Beach County Library System is also located in West Palm Beach.

Economy

Companies based in West Palm Beach include Florida Public Utilities, ION Media Networks, Ocwen, and The Palm Beach Post. Other major employers are Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne, Sikorsky Aircraft, General Dynamics, Cemex, and CSC.

Arts and culture

The exterior of the Raymond F. Kravis Center for the Performing Arts

Harriet Himmel Theater in CityPlace

Raymond F. Kravis Center for the Performing Arts – Built in 1992, the Kravis Center hosts performances of music, dance, opera and theatre.

Florida Stage – A professional theatre company in residence at the Kravis Center. (Out of business)

Norton Museum of Art – is the largest art museum in Florida and also organises travelling exhibits. The permanent collection features 19th and 20th century European and American art, Chinese, contemporary art and photography.

The Carefree Theatre – Built in 1940, in the historic Flamingo Park district, it was variously an art house cinema and alternative music performance venue until severely damaged by Hurricane Wilma. Thevenue has re-opened at a renovated church located nearby and under a new name, The Theater.

Meyer Amphitheatre – An abandoned Holiday Inn, demolished in 1993 and transformed into an amphitheatre.

Palm Beach County Convention Center – A complex with 350,000 square feet (33,000 m²) of exhibit halls and meeting rooms in downtown West Palm Beach.

Festivals and shows

SunFest is Florida's largest waterfront music festival

SunFest - is an annual music, art, and waterfront festival in Florida, founded in 1982 to draw visitors to the area during the ‘shoulder season’, or April and May. SunFest has an annual attendance of more than 275,000 people. Artists who have performed include Carrie Underwood, John Mayer, Ray Charles, Ludacris, Nelly, Lenny Kravitz, Dizzy Gillespie, Bob Dylan, Kenny G, Earth Wind and Fire, Cyndi Lauper, Pink Floyd, MGMT, and The Wailers. SunFest is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization.

Palm Beach International Film Festival

Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Auction – Classic car auction held every March in the South Florida Expo Center.

Transportation

The historic Seaboard Air Line Station serves both Amtrak and Tri-Rail

The Water Taxi is means of transportation in West Palm Beach

Air: The city is served by Palm Beach International Airport, located in unincorporated Palm Beach County. The airport attracts people from all over the county as well as from the Treasure Coast and Space Coast counties to the north. In 2006 there were 6,824,789 passengers who passed through the gates of PBIA making it the 58th busiest airport in the nation.

Highways: U.S. 1 passes though the city's downtown, commercial, and industrial districts. Interstate 95 bisects the city from north to south with multiple interchanges serving West Palm Beach, including an entrance to Palm Beach International Airport. Florida's Turnpike passes through West Palm Beach further west, connecting with the western suburbs of Royal Palm Beach and Wellington. State Road 80, running east-west, is a partial expressway, that runs from Interstate 95 to State Road 7.

Rail: Tri-Rail commuter rail system serves the city from a historical station located on the west side of Tamarind Avenue, just east of I-95. Tri-Rail provides commuter rides north to Mangonia Park and south to Miami. Amtrak has daily trains arriving and departing to points north. CSX Transportation and the Florida East Coast Railway also serve the city.

Trolley: There is a free downtown trolley that provides transportation around downtown including Clematis, City Place and Waterfront districts of the city.

Bus: Greyhound Lines operates scheduled intercity bus service out of the train station on the west side of Tamarind Avenue. Palm Tran, the Palm Beach County municipal bus service, operates scheduled service throughout the city and the suburban areas of Palm Beach County.

Port: The Port of Palm Beach is located on the northern edge of the city limits. It is the fourth busiest container port in Florida and the 18th busiest in the continental United States. In addition to intermodal capacity, the Port is a major modal point for the shipment of various goods as well as being the home to several small passenger cruise lines.

Water Taxi: As a waterfront city there is specific need for water transportation between points in the city and surrounding areas. Waterway transportation is available to and from the downtown Clematis Street District, Sailfish Marina Resort, waterfront attractions, Peanut Island and special events.

Sports

West Palm Beach does not host any professional sports teams, but the Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League play at BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise to the south. Major League Baseball's Miami Marlins, the National Football League's Miami Dolphins and the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association all play in nearby Miami-Dade County. In the past West Palm Beach has hosted various professional teams such as Arena Football, minor league hockey and baseball as well as semi-pro football.

Spring Training Baseball – The Miami Marlins and St. Louis Cardinals conduct spring training in suburban West Palm Beach in the town of Jupiter, Florida at Roger Dean Stadium. In the past West Palm Beach hosted the Atlanta Braves and Montreal Expos at the former Municipal Stadium and the Philadelphia Athletics and St. Louis Browns at Connie Mack Field, which was demolished in 1992.

Collegiate Athletics – Palm Beach Atlantic University competes in NCAA Division II basketball, baseball and soccer. PBAU has recently purchased a large tract of land just west of downtown where there will be built a multi-use athletic stadium. Indoor athletics play their home games at the Greene Complex which is an on campus arena. Florida Atlantic University's athletic programs are played in neighboring Boca Raton. FAU competes in the highest level of NCAA athletics including football, basketball, baseball, softball and tennis. Northwood University competes at the NAIA level, where their basketball coach Rollie Massimino, has given the athletic program national exposure.

Professional Golf – PGA National Resort & Spa in suburban Palm Beach Gardens hosts the PGA Tour Honda Classic.

Polo and Equestrian – Palm Beach Polo and Country Club counts 7 polo fields among its world-class facilities and many high-goal games are played in the area. The equestrian events at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center are the world-renowned Winter Equestrian Festival, the Global Dressage Festival and over 40 weeks a year of equestrian competitions, hosted in Wellington.

Tennis - The Delray Beach International Tennis Championships, a hard court stop on the ATP Tour, takes place annually in Delray Beach, slightly to the south of West Palm Beach.

Croquet – The National Croquet Center has 12 full sized croquet lawns, making it the largest dedicated croquet facility in the world. It hosts several national championships and in May 2009 will host the World Championship when representatives of up to 25 countries will be competing for the Wimbledon Cup.

BMX Racing – Okeeheelee park contains one of the most celebrated BMX race tracks in the state of Florida. Insured by USA BMX, the Okeeheelee track is host to State Qualifiers and National Races, it is also home to several National Champions.

Shopping areas/districts

Palm Beach Mall – an enclosed mall with JC Penney and a couple of other stores. The mall recently closed, however several stores remain open. The site, however, will be revamped into The Palm Beach Fashion Outlet Mall by 2013.

CityPlace – Opened in 2000 where single family homes and dilapidated apartments once stood. There is a multi-plex movie theater, IMAX Theater, several night clubs (comedy, dance), restaurants, clothing and home-decor retail outlets and multi-story town houses and apartments.

Clematis Street – is West Palm Beach's historic shopping venue, now home to Clematis by Night, an outdoor event held on the street with live music and food.

Antique Row – a shopping district on the south side of the city along Dixie Highway. Architectural Digest, The New York Times, Art & Antiques, and House Beautiful have all heralded Antique Row as one of the east coast's premier antique districts, considered the "antique design center" of Florida.

Notable buildings

West Palm Beach skyline from Okeechobee Blvd.

Tallest buildings

Name	Stories	Height
Trump Plaza	32	331 ft (101 m)
Tower 1515(demolished)	32	321 ft (98 m)
Palm Beach House	28	278 ft (85 m)
Placido Mar	30	278 ft (85 m)
Esperante	20	278 ft (85 m)
Northbridge Centre	25	272 ft (83 m)
One Clear Lake Center	20	270 ft (82 m)
Waterview Tower	25	250 ft (76 m)
Phillips Point	20	225 ft (69 m)

Attractions

I-95/PBIA Interchange, Downtown WPB in background

• Palm Beach Zoo at Dreher Park
• Rapids Water Park
• South Florida Science Museum
• Lion Country Safari
• International Polo Hall of Fame
• National Croquet Center
• Palm Beach Polo and Players Club
• Trump International Golf Club

Media

Newspapers:
The Palm Beach Post is owned by Atlanta-based Cox Enterprises. Its name notwithstanding, the Post is based in West Palm Beach, not Palm Beach. The Post is the 57th highest daily circulation in the country, according to the 2007 BurrellesLuce survey, and is the city's sole daily newspaper. It serves Palm Beach County and the Treasure Coast, the area north of Palm Beach County that includes Martin and St. Lucie Counties.

South Florida Sun-Sentinel: is based in Fort Lauderdale and covers portions of Southern Palm Beach County.

Palm Beach Daily News: sister publication of the Palm Beach Post serving the town of Palm Beach, it covers events and social affairs of the celebrities and wealthy residents of Palm Beach. Frequently extends coverage to events taking place in West Palm Beach.

New Times Broward-Palm Beach is an alternative weekly publication serving West Palm Beach along with Fort Lauderdale.

Radio:
West Palm Beach is ranked as the 46th largest radio market in the country by Arbitron.

Television:
West Palm Beach is ranked as the 38th largest television market in the country by Nielsen Media Research. The market is served by stations affiliated with major American networks including:
WPTV-TV/5 (NBC), WPEC/12(CBS), WTCN-CA/15(MYTV), WPBF/25 (ABC), WFLX/29 (FOX), WTVX/34 (CW), WXEL-TV/42 (PBS), WWHB/48 (Ind.), WFGC/61 (Ind.), WPXP/67 (ION)

The areas official Telemundo affiliate is WSCV in Miami, and WLTV is the areas Univision affiliate, also in Miami. In addition to those, many Miami/Ft. Lauderdale market TV and radio stations are also available and viewed in West Palm Beach.

Geography and climate

The Grassy Waters Preserve

According to the United States Census Bureau, this city has a total area of 58.2 square miles (151 km²). 55.1 square miles (143 km²) of it is land and 3.1 square miles (8.0 km²) of it (5.26%) is water.

Due to vast areas of swampland immediately to the west of the city's downtown, growth occurred to the north and south in a linear fashion. Until the 1960s, the city was no more than several blocks wide but over 100 blocks in length. Large scale development finally occurred to the west of the city with improved access and drainage in the 1960s. However, the city boundaries were not expanded much with the exception of the "Water Catchment Area", an uninhabited area in the northwest part of the city that serves as a reservoir for the city drinking supply.

Climate

West Palm Beach has a Tropical rainforest climate with mean temperatures each month above 64.4 °F (18.0 °C).

Summer (wet season) of May through October is hot, humid and wet with average high temperatures of 86–90 °F (30–32 °C) and lows of 70–75 °F (21–24 °C). During this period, more than half of the summer days bring afternoon thunderstorms and seabreezes that cool the air for the rest of the day.

Winter (dry season) of November through April are warm and mostly dry with average high temperatures of 75–82 °F (24–28 °C) and lows of 57–66 °F (14–19 °C). However, the city experiences occasional cold fronts during this period, bringing high temperatures in the 50s and 60s (10 - 16°C) and lows in the 40s and 50s (4 - 10°C) lasting only for few days. During a severe and prolonged cold snap in January 2010, the city recorded 12 consecutive days of low temperatures between 32° and 45° (0°-6°C) and nine of the twelve days below 40° (4°C) with several mornings at or near freezing.

Annual average precipitation is 63 in (1,600 mm), making it the fourth wettest city in the country after Mobile, Pensacola and New Orleans. Most of the precipitation occurs during the wet season of May through October, mainly as short-lived heavy afternoon thunderstorms. Occasionally, stalled cold fronts in the fall and spring can also lead to heavy and prolonged rainfall. West Palm Beach has an average of 133 wet days and 234 sunshine days annually. The hurricane season is officially from June 1 through November 30, with the peak months being August, September and October. The city has received direct or near direct hits from hurricanes in 1928, 1947, 1949, 1964, 1965, 1979, 1992, 1999, 2004, and 2005.

Climate data for West Palm Beach, Florida
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °F (°C)	89 (32)	90 (32)	95 (35)	99 (37)	97 (36)	98 (37)	101 (38)	99 (37)	96 (36)	95 (35)	91 (33)	90 (32)	101 (38)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C)	74.8 (23.8)	76.7 (24.8)	78.9 (26.1)	81.9 (27.7)	85.9 (29.9)	88.7 (31.5)	90.2 (32.3)	90.3 (32.4)	88.6 (31.4)	85.2 (29.6)	80.4 (26.9)	76.4 (24.7)	83.2 (28.4)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C)	56.9 (13.8)	59.3 (15.2)	62.3 (16.8)	66.0 (18.9)	71.1 (21.7)	74.4 (23.6)	75.6 (24.2)	76.0 (24.4)	75.3 (24.1)	71.8 (22.1)	65.6 (18.7)	60.0 (15.6)	67.9 (19.9)
Record low °F (°C)	27 (−3)	32 (0)	30 (−1)	43 (6)	51 (11)	61 (16)	68 (20)	65 (18)	66 (19)	46 (8)	36 (2)	28 (−2)	27 (−3)
Average precipitation inches (mm)	3.13 (80)	2.82 (72)	4.59 (117)	3.66 (93)	4.51 (115)	8.30 (211)	5.76 (146)	7.95 (202)	8.34 (212)	5.13 (130)	4.75 (121)	3.38 (86)	62.31 (1,583)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in)	8.1	7.6	8.9	7.1	9.7	15.3	15.1	17.4	16.7	12.1	9.2	8.7	136.0
Source: NOAA

Sister cities

West Palm Beach has two sister cities, as designated by Sister Cities International:

• Mersin, Türkiye
• Tzahar, Israel

Notable residents

• Hank Aaron, former all-time home run king. A street is named for him.
• Andy Abad, former Major League Baseball 1st baseman for the Oakland Athletics, Boston Red Sox and Cincinnati Reds
• Stephanie Abrams, Weather Channel meteorologist
• Timothy Lincoln Beckwith, the relative of former President Abraham Lincoln
• Tori Amos, singer-songwriter
• Otis Anderson former NFL New York Giants, Super Bowl MVP
• Jeff Atwater, State Senator, Florida Legislature, Palm Beach County
• Bob Barker, Entertainer/Gameshow Host
• Dickey Betts, former Allman Brothers Band member.
• Anquan Boldin, NFL player Baltimore Ravens and graduate of Pahokee High School in western Palm Beach County.
• Jason Bonham, drummer and son of Led Zeppelin's legendary drummer John Bonham
• Don Brewer, Grand Funk Railroad drummer
• Jimmy Buffett, singer/entertainer
• Andrés Galarraga, baseball player
• Virginia Spencer Carr, biographer and literary critic
• Diana Canova, actress
• Chris Carrabba, singer/song writer from Dashboard Confessional
• Anthony Carter, former NFL player
• Glenn Close, actress
• Bob Cousy, former NBA great and TV commentator
• Marshall Criser, former president of the University of Florida.
• Vic Damone, singer
• Dale Dawson, former NFL player
• Ted DiBiase, Jr., professional wrestler, currently working for WWE
• Celine Dion, singer
• Watson B. Duncan III, acting coach and mentor to Burt Reynolds
• Heath Evans, Fullback for the New Orleans Saints and graduate of The Kings Academy
• Mark Foley, former U.S. Congressman
• Kason Gabbard, MLB Pitcher with the Texas Rangers
• Willie E. Gary, Attorney and Co-Founder of the MBC Network
• Anthony Goldwire, former NBA player
• Jeff Gordon, NASCAR driver
• Ken Green, PGA golfer
• Deidre Hall, actress and graduate of Lake Worth High School in central Palm Beach County
• George Hamilton, Actor, graduate of Palm Beach High School
• Derek Harper, former NBA player for the Knicks and Mavericks
• William Harris, former tennis player
• Alcee Hastings, U.S. Congressman
• John Havlicek, former NBA great
• Ryan Hawblitzel, former Major League Baseball player
• Devin Hester, NFL Player with the Chicago Bears
• Bill Hicks, comedian
• Jay Howard, British professional race car driver in the IZOD IndyCar Series and Indianapolis 500
• Hey Monday, alternative rock band
• Alan Jackson, Country singer
• Tommy Lee Jones, actor
• Ron Klein, U.S. Congressman
• Joey Kramer, Aerosmith drummer
• Larry the Cable Guy, comedian
• Rush Limbaugh, Radio talk show host
• Theresa LePore, former Supervisor of Elections; designer of the butterfly ballot, which figured prominently in the U.S. presidential election, 2000
• David McCampbell, American Naval Aviator during World War II
• A.J. McLean, Backstreet Boy
• Marta Fernandez Miranda de Batista, First Lady of Cuba (1952–1959)
• Edgar Mitchell, astronaut who walked on the moon
• Ruthie Morris, guitarist of Magnapop
• Joe Namath, former NFL quarterback
• Olivia Newton-John, actress, singer
• Jim Palmer, baseball Hall of Famer
• Barbara Pariente, former Chief Justice and current Justice of the Florida Supreme Court
• James Patterson, author
• Cassadee Pope, winner of The Voice season 3 and lead singer of rock band Hey Monday
• Jamieson Price, actor:movies,TV,stage, voice over for animation and commercials
• Lilly Pulitzer, Fashion Designer
• Judge Reinhold, actor
• Burt Reynolds, actor, graduate of Palm Beach High School
• Randi Rhodes, radio talk show host
• Adrian Rogers, former president Southern Baptist Convention and pastor of Bellevue Baptist Church
• Jarrod Saltalamacchia, Catcher for the Boston Red Sox
• Ron Sellers,former NFL Dallas Cowboys
• Rod Stewart, singer
• Vinny Sutherland, former NFL Player and graduate of Palm Beach Lakes High School
• Fred Taylor, NFL Player New England Patriots and graduate of Pahokee High School in western Palm Beach County
• Otis Thorpe, former NBA player for the Houston Rockets and Pistons
• Tico Torres, Bon Jovi Drummer
• Donald Trump, real estate mogul, TV host
• Kyril Vassilev, Bulgarian-American portrait painter
• Steve Walsh, former NFL quarterback
• Robert Wexler, U.S. Congressman
• Serena Williams, former No.1 ranked Tennis Champion
• Venus Williams, former No.1 ranked Tennis Champion
• Tenth Avenue North, a contemporary Christian rock band
• Tiger Woods, Professional Golfer on the PGA Tour
• Yanni, composer
• Surfer Blood, Indie Rock Band
• Nick Zano, Actor
• Virginia Zeani, opera singer

Controversies

Political corruption - former City Commissioner Jim Exline was sentenced to 10 months in federal prison for not reporting to the IRS a $50,000 payment from a developer and then funneling it through a jewelry store.

Crime - According to Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) statistics, West Palm Beach is experiencing a steep drop in major crimes. In the past decade, crime has dropped more in West Palm Beach than in any other major city (approximately 100,000 residents or more) in the state of Florida. In 1993, West Palm Beach was featured in a 60 Minutes segment on urban decay. At the time, 80% of downtown properties were vacant. Since then, the city has done much to improve its image, at least in the physical sense. Occupancy is high, and housing prices have risen rapidly. FLDE stats show that the total crime rate per 100,000 residents has dropped by more than 50% since 2000, from 13,880 that year to 6,571 in 2008. In 2008 alone, there was a 17.9% drop in crime. Annual crime rates are always more than three times the national average. However, as of 2006, the city's crime average has been gradually decreasing while robbery was up 17 percent. West Palm Beach's northern neighbor, Riviera Beach, has an even higher violent crime rate.

The following are the crime rates, per 100,000 people, for West Palm Beach as of 2005.

Crime	West Palm Beach	National Average
Homicide	22.6	6.9
Forcible Rape	72.82	32.2
Robbery	541.6	195.4
Aggravated Assault	615.4	340.1
Burglary	1646.2	814.5
Larceny Theft	4728.4	2734.7
Vehicle Theft	991.8	526.5

2000 Election - West Palm Beach was the focal point of a controversy regarding voting irregularities that some claim may have affected the outcome of the U.S. presidential election, 2000.

Dunbar Village - In 2007, a resident was gang-raped by Jakaris Taylor and a group of 3 other teenagers in one of the City's public housing developments, Dunbar Village Housing Projects, with her son forced to participate, drawing national outrage.

Cityscapes

• 
  Downtown skyline at night
• 
  Flagler Drive
• 
  Downtown shops
• 
  Australian Avenue skyline on Clear Lake
• 
  Olive Avenue and Datura Street
• 
  North Bridge Centre
• 
  View of Palm Beach County Courthouse from Centennial Square

External links

• West Palm Beach official website