HISTORY Of Delray Beach

For more than 100 years, Delray Beach has grown and prospered. A small group of Michigan settlers, led by William Linton and David Swinton began settling in the area in 1894. Inspired by the natural riches of the area, they tilled the land and grew crops year round. The environment also provided them with plenty of fresh fish, crab and lobster from the ocean.


Delray's early history was dominated by agriculture. By the turn of the century, a number of Japanese farmers came to the area to grow pineapples. They formed the Yamato Colony and farmed on land now occupied by the Boca Raton Airport and FAU. You can learn more of the Yamato Colony at the 200-acre Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens, a scenic park that draws more than 150,000 visitors a year.


In 1898 the area was named Delray, a Spanish derivative meaning "of the king". When the railroad system built by Henry Flagler expanded from West Palm Beach to Miami, farmers began exporting their harvest of pineapples, tomatoes, peppers, beans and other fruits and vegetables. The Delray Beach Chamber of Commerce was founded in 1925 and the town was booming with tourist trade and a healthy, self-supporting economy. The same is true today. The very reasons people came to our town in 1894 are the same reasons Delray Beach is such a nice place to live and grow today.

As the 20th century progressed Delray Beach grew from a farming community into a bustling city known for its unique architecture and thriving downtown. Delray Beach became a winter resort where artists, writers and cartoonists came to escape the brutal winters and hone their crafts. Nationally known cartoonists Fontaine Fox and W.E. Pat Enright were among the luminaries who called Delray home.

Today, history plays a big role in the city's identity and future direction. Delray Beach is considered a leading figure in the state's growing historic preservation movement. The city has designated several neighborhoods as historic districts; places where residents are encouraged to preserve old homes as a living link to Delray's illustrious past.

Recent Years

In recent years, Downtown Delray, located in the eastern part of the city, primarily along East Atlantic Avenue and stretching to the beach, has undergone a large scale renovation. This area is now home to several upscale restaurants and several different assorted shops. Major driving factors in this renovation have been the business brought to the area by the Delray Beach Tennis Center, which has hosted several major international tennis events such as the April 2005 Fed Cup (USA vs. Belgium), the April 2004 Davis Cup (USA vs. Sweden), the Millennium ITC (ATP Event), and the Chris Evert / Bank of America Pro Celebrity. Concurrent with the new construction of the Tennis Center, several local historic landmark structures were renovated during the last decade of the 20th century. These include Old School Square, formerly Delray Elementary School and Delray High School, since turned into a thriving cultural center; and the Colony Hotel. Old School Square comprises the Crest Theatre, a venue for the performing arts, in the former High School building; the 1925 Gymnasium, restored to maintain its appearance, which has since become a popular venue for local events such as wedding receptions and dances; the Cornell Museum of Art and History, built in the restored Elementary School; and a recently constructed outdoor entertainment pavilion, which serves as a venue for musical performances and has also been used for events such as political rallies. More recently, the historic home of teacher/principal Solomon D. Spady was renovated and turned into the Spady Cultural Heritage Museum. The Spady Museum houses a black archives and hosts exhibits and programs designed to recognize the efforts of all ethnic groups who were instrumental in shaping Delray Beach and Palm Beach County. Atlantic Community High School was rebuilt in 2005.

The effect of these efforts is clear- the downtown area is now a thriving center of commerce, and Delray Beach was named an All-America City in both 1993 and 2001.

Hurricane Wilma struck Delray Beach on Monday, October 24, 2005 causing widespread damage to homes and businesses.

The current mayor of Delray Beach is Jeff Perlman.