Why go
The area is useful for understanding how transport and resort building transformed South Florida. West Palm Beach was incorporated in 1894, as Henry Flagler’s railway and hotel developments helped bring visitors and settlement north of Miami. The Royal Poinciana Hotel, The Breakers and Whitehall belong to that regional story, rather than to one compact city sightseeing route.
The full story
West Palm Beach was incorporated in November 1894, two years before Miami. Its development belongs to a larger story of railway expansion and resort construction in South Florida. Henry Flagler extended the Florida East Coast Railway and built the Royal Poinciana Hotel, The Breakers and Whitehall, helping stimulate growth in the surrounding area. Those names explain a regional connection rather than a list of buildings all within West Palm Beach. Looking at the city alongside Palm Beach makes the relationship between transport, hotels and settlement easier to understand. Palm Beach County itself was created in 1909 from part of Dade County. The region’s growth also carried vulnerability. The Okeechobee hurricane of 1928 struck West Palm Beach and caused widespread loss of life. That disaster adds an essential chapter to the story of a place shaped by both development and its coastal setting.
Useful to know
- Distinguish West Palm Beach from the Palm Beach landmarks when planning individual visits.