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[[File:Skyline 1968.jpg|thumb|right|West Palm Beach in the 1960s]]
[[File:Skyline 1968.jpg|thumb|right|West Palm Beach in the 1960s]]


The city was founded by [[Henry Morrison Flagler|Henry Flagler]] as a community to house the servants working in the two grand [[hotel]]s on the neighboring island of [[Palm Beach, Florida|Palm Beach]], across [[Lake Worth Lagoon|Lake Worth]].<!-- It is located near the former settlement of Styx, Florida, which was destroyed in a hurricane. --> The original spelling 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]]).<ref name="cityofwpb.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.cityofwpb.com/history/history.htm |title=Historic Gallery |publisher=The City of West Palm Beach |date= |accessdate=2010-11-28}}</ref> This made West Palm Beach the oldest incorporated [[municipality]] in the 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 rapidly in the 1920s as part of the [[Florida land boom of the 1920s|Florida land boom]]. Many of the city's landmark structures and preserved neighborhoods were constructed during this period.
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 familes 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 Morrison Flagler|Henry Flagler]] as a community to house the servants working in the two grand [[hotel]]s on the neighboring island of [[Palm Beach, Florida|Palm Beach]], across [[Lake Worth Lagoon|Lake Worth]]in 1893, with the arrival of the Florida East Coast railroad.Flagler paid two area settlers, Captain Porter and Louie Hillhouse, a combined $45,000 for the original townsite, stretching from Clear Lake to Lake Worth. <!--The original spelling 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]]).<ref name="cityofwpb.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.cityofwpb.com/history/history.htm |title=Historic Gallery |publisher=The City of West Palm Beach |date= |accessdate=2010-11-28}}</ref> This made West Palm Beach the oldest incorporated [[municipality]] in the 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 rapidly in the 1920s as part of the [[Florida land boom of the 1920s|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 [[Terminal station|terminus]] in West Palm but after the area experienced a deep freeze, he chose to extend the railroad to Miami instead.
Originally, Flagler intended for his [[Florida East Coast Railway]] to have its [[Terminal station|terminus]] in West Palm but after the area experienced a deep freeze, he chose to extend the railroad to Miami instead.

Revision as of 21:19, 16 October 2012

West Palm Beach
City
West Palm Beach Skyline
West Palm Beach Skyline
Official seal of West Palm Beach
Seal
Nickname(s): 
Orchid City, West Palm, WPB
Location in Palm Beach County and the state of Florida.
Location in Palm Beach County and the state of Florida.
U.S. Census Bureau map showing city limits
U.S. Census Bureau map showing city limits
CountryUnited States
StateFlorida
CountyPalm Beach
IncorporatedNovember 5, 1894
Government
 • MayorJeri Muoio (D)
Area
 • City58.2 sq mi (150.7 km2)
 • Land55.1 sq mi (142.8 km2)
 • Water3.1 sq mi (7.9 km2)
Elevation
13 ft (6.4 m)
Population
 (2011)
 • City101,043
 • Density1,813.4/sq mi (700.2/km2)
 • Urban
1,250,000
 • Metro
5,413,212
 2010
Time zoneUTC-5 (EST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP codes
33401-33422
Area code561
FIPS code12-76600Template:GR
GNIS feature ID0293097Template:GR
Websitehttp://www.cityofwpb.com/

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.[1]

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.)[2] 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,)[2] and the fifty-sixth highest percentage of Guatemalan residents in the US, at 2.24% of its population.[3] There is a thriving Hispanic community just south of the Downtown area called Poinciana Park.[4]

History

Population
CensusPop.Note%±
1890244—
1900564131.1%
19101,743209.0%
19208,659396.8%
193026,610207.3%
194033,69326.6%
195043,16228.1%
196056,20830.2%
197057,3752.1%
198063,30510.3%
199067,7647.0%
200082,10321.2%
201099,91921.7%
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 familes 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 Worthin 1893, with the arrival of the Florida East Coast railroad.Flagler paid two area settlers, Captain Porter and Louie Hillhouse, a combined $45,000 for the original townsite, stretching from Clear Lake to Lake Worth.

  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.[5] The district main office is located in unincorporated West Palm Beach.[6]

Bak Middle School of the Arts is a magnet middle school in West Palm Beach, just south of Mangonia Park, Florida.[7] 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.[8] 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.[citation needed]

The Main Branch of the Palm Beach County Library System is also located in West Palm Beach.[9]

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.[10]

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.[11]

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.[12]

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[12] as well as being the home to several small passenger cruise lines.[13]

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.[14] 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.[15]

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

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).[16][17]

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.[18]

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.[18] 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.[19]

Annual average precipitation is 63 in (1,600 mm), making it the fourth wettest city in the country after Mobile, Pensacola and New Orleans.[20] 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.[18]

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 [21]

Sister cities

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

Notable residents

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.[24]

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.[25] West Palm Beach's northern neighbor, Riviera Beach, has an even higher violent crime rate.[26]

The following are the crime rates, per 100,000 people, for West Palm Beach as of 2005.[27]

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[28] 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.[29]

Cityscapes

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

References

  1. ^ "MLA Data Center Results of West Palm Beach, Florida". Modern Language Association. Retrieved 2007-11-14.
  2. ^ a b "Ancestry Map of Haitian Communities". Epodunk.com. Retrieved 2007-11-14.
  3. ^ "Ancestry Map of Guatemalan Communities". Epodunk.com. Retrieved 2007-11-14.
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  5. ^ "Largest 100 School Districts". Proximityone.com. Retrieved 2010-11-28.
  6. ^ "Private Schools in Palm Beach County, Florida". Floridasmart.com. Retrieved 2010-11-28.
  7. ^ "Bak Middle School of the Arts". Bak MSOA. Retrieved 2012-10-10.
  8. ^ "Hours of Operation." West Palm Beach Public Library. Retrieved on July 13, 2010.
  9. ^ http://www.pbclibrary.org/branch-main.htm
  10. ^ Palm Beach County Top Employers
  11. ^ "SunFest". SunFest of Palm Beach County. Retrieved 2010-11-29.
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  14. ^ "University Finalizes Local Land Deal". Palm Beach Atlantic University. 2009-02-13. Retrieved 2010-11-28.
  15. ^ "Florida Antiques Shopping Design Center". Antique Row West Palm Beach. Retrieved 2010-11-28.
  16. ^ "Köppen Classification Map". .johnabbott.qc.ca. Retrieved 2010-11-28.
  17. ^ "Normal Daily Mean Temperatures of Select Cities". Erh.noaa.gov. Retrieved 2010-11-28.
  18. ^ a b c "Historical Weather for West Palm Beach, Florida, United States of America". Weatherbase. Retrieved 2010-11-28.
  19. ^ "National Weather Service Forecast Office: Miami-South Florida". Weather.gov. Retrieved 2010-11-28.
  20. ^ Thompson, Andrea (2007-05-18). "Study Reveals Top 10 Wettest U.S. Cities". LiveScience. Retrieved 2010-11-28.
  21. ^ "NOWData - NOAA Online Weather Data". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved 2012-08-21.
  22. ^ "Sister city of West Palm Beach: Mersin, Turkey". Turkish American Chamber of Commerce. Retrieved 2011-03-10.
  23. ^ "About the Tzahar Project". edugal.org/. Retrieved 2011-03-10.
  24. ^ Abramson, Andrew (2009-11-19). "Former city commissioner and ex-convict Jim Exline starts over as real estate professional". Palm Beach Post. Retrieved 2011-03-10.
  25. ^ "West Palm Beach, Florida (FL) Detailed Profile - relocation, real estate, travel, jobs, hospitals, schools, crime, news, sex offenders". City-data.com. Retrieved 2010-11-28.
  26. ^ "Crime Rate Comparison: West Palm Beach Vs. Riviera Beach". Areaconnect.com. 2006. Retrieved 2010-11-28.
  27. ^ "Crime Rate Comparison: West Palm Beach Vs. West Palm Beach". Areaconnect.com. 2006. Retrieved 2010-11-28.
  28. ^ Tejedor, Chrystian (2007-11-26). "Dunbar rape defendant pleads guilty, gets 20 years - Firearms, Volusia County - South Florida". Sun-sentinel.com. Retrieved 2010-11-28.
  29. ^ "Topic Galleries - South Florida". Sun-sentinel.com. Retrieved 2010-11-28.

External links

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