Boca Raton Real Estate-A History of Boca Raton Posted by Nicole.James Jun 05, 2008 @ 3:53 pm
The meaning of the name Boca Raton has always aroused curiosity. Many people wrongly assume the name is simply Rat's Mouth.The Spanish word Boca (or mouth) often described an inlet, while Raton (literally mouse) was used as a term for a cowardly thief. But the "Thieves Inlet, " Boca ratones, appeared on eighteenth century maps associated with an inlet in the Biscayne Bay area of Miami. By the beginning of the nineteenth century, the term was mistakenly applied to Lake Boca Raton, whose inlet was closed at the time.
In May of 1925, the Town of Boca Raton was incorporated at the height of the Florida land boom. The town council commissioned noted society architect Addison Mizner to plan a world - class resort community. His exclusive hotel, know as the Cloister Inn, was completed in 1926 and continues its reign as a city landmark as the Boca Raton Resort & Club.
In the 1930's and 40's, Boca was known for it's winter vegetable crop, particularly the green beans which commanded a premium in northern markets. In 1942, the Army Air Corps established its only war-time radar training school at the site of what is today's Florida Atlantic University and the Boca Raton Airport. The facility brought thousands of servicemen as well as families and civilian employees to the tiny community of Boca Raton, with a population of 723 in 1940.
In the 1960's, South Florida experienced another great land boom, with developments pushing the Everglades and former farmlands increasingly westward. The population grew to almost 30,000 residents by 1970, continuing to increase well outside city limits to this day. In 1962, Boca Raton attracted the newest state university, Florida Atlantic, to the site of the old army airbase.IBM moved one of its computer facilities to Boca Raton in 1967, and in 1981, it was there the first IBM PC, or personal computer, was developed.
Today the city of Boca Raton, in 1903 a farming village of eighteen souls, is today home to 80,000 residents within city limits and another 120,000 in "West Boca".It's the core of the south Palm Beach County metropolitan community, offering beautiful parks and facilities, economic opportunities, and a unique quality of life that is the envy of its neighbors.
Courtesy of Boca Raton Historical Society