Palm Beach, Florida

Infobox Settlement
official_name = Palm Beach, Florida
settlement_type = Town
nickname =
motto = The Best of Everything

imagesize = 250px
image_caption = Memorial Fountain Park in Palm Beach designed by Addison Mizner


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mapsize = 250x200px
map_caption = Location of Palm Beach, Florida

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mapsize1 = 250x200px
map_caption1 = U.S. Census Bureau map showing town boundaries

subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = flag|United States
subdivision_type1 = State
subdivision_name1 = flag|Florida
subdivision_type2 = County
subdivision_name2 = noflag|Palm Beach
government_footnotes =
government_type =
leader_title =
leader_name =
leader_title1 =
leader_name1 =
established_title =
established_date =

unit_pref = Imperial
area_footnotes =
area_magnitude =
area_total_km2 = 27.0
area_land_km2 = 10.2
area_water_km2 = 16.9
area_total_sq_mi = 10.4
area_land_sq_mi = 3.9
area_water_sq_mi = 6.5

population_as_of = 2000
population_footnotes =
population_total = 10468
population_density_km2 = 1030.6
population_density_sq_mi = 2669.2

timezone = Eastern (EST)
utc_offset = -5
timezone_DST = EDT
utc_offset_DST = -4
elevation_footnotes =
elevation_m = 2
elevation_ft = 7
latd = 26 |latm = 42 |lats = 54 |latNS = N
longd = 80 |longm = 2 |longs = 22 |longEW = W

postal_code_type = ZIP code
postal_code = 33480
area_code = 561
blank_name = FIPS code
blank_info = 12-54025GR|2
blank1_name = GNIS feature ID
blank1_info = 0288390GR|3
website =
footnotes =

Palm Beach is an upscale incorporated town in Palm Beach County, Florida, United States. The Intracoastal Waterway separates it from the neighboring cities of West Palm Beach and Lake Worth. As of 2000, Palm Beach had a year-round population of 10,468, with an estimated seasonal population of 30,000. As of 2004, the year-round population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 9,860. [http://www.census.gov/popest/cities/tables/SUB-EST2004-04-12.xls]

History

Palm Beach was established as a resort by Henry Morrison Flagler, a founder of Standard Oil, who made the Atlantic coast barrier island accessible via his Florida East Coast Railway. The nucleus of the community was established by Flagler's two luxury resort hotels, the Royal Poinciana Hotel and The Breakers Hotel. West Palm Beach was built across Lake Worth as a service town, and has become a major city in its own right.

Flagler's houselots were bought by the beneficiaries of the Gilded Age, and in 1902 Flagler himself built a Beaux-Arts mansion, Whitehall, designed by the New York-based firm Carrère and Hastings and helped establish the Palm Beach winter "season" by constant entertaining. The town was incorporated on April 17 1911.

Geography

Palm Beach is the easternmost town in Florida, located on a convert|16|mi|adj=on long barrier island.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 27.0 km² (10.4 mi²). 10.2 km² (3.9 mi²) of it is land and 16.9 km² (6.5 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 62.45% water.

Demographics

As of the 2000 census, over half the population (52.6%) are 65 years of age or older, with a median age of 67 years. 9.4% are under the age of 18, 1.5% are from 18 to 24, 11.5% are from 25 to 44, and 25.0% from 45 to 64. For every 100 females there are 79.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 77.0 males.

The per capita income for the town is $109,219. Males have a median income of $71,685 versus $42,875 for females. 5.3% of the population and 2.4% of families are below the poverty line. 4.6% of those under the age of 18 and 2.9% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.

The racial makeup of the town is 96.00% White (93.8% were Non-Hispanic White,) [cite web |url=http://www.muninetguide.com/states/florida/municipality/Palm_Beach.php |title=Demographics of Palm Beach, FL |publisher=MuniNetGuide.com |accessdate=2007-11-14] 2.57% Black or African American, 0.53% Asian, 0.04% Native American, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.21% from other races, and 0.63% from two or more races. 2.56% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.

The 10,468 people in the town are organized into 5,789 households and 3,021 families. The population density is 1,031.1/km² (2,669.2/mi²). There are 9,948 housing units at an average density of 979.8/km² (2,536.6/mi²). 7.7% of the households have children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.1% are married couples living together, 3.3% have a female householder with no husband present, and 47.8% are non-families. 42.6% of all households are made up of individuals and 27.6% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 1.81 and the average family size is 2.38.

Many of Palm Beach's residents are affluent, with a median household income of $94,562 and a median family income of $137,867. The town's affluence, and its "abundance of pleasures" and "strong community-oriented sensibility" were cited when it was selected in June, 2003 as America's "Best Place to Live" by "Robb Report" magazine.

As of 2000, speakers of English was the first language of 87.81% of all residents, while French comprised 4.48%, Spanish consisted of 3.65%, German made up 2.16%, Italian speakers made up 0.45%, Yiddish made up 0.36%, Russian was at 0.30% (even though those of Russian ancestry made up 10.30% of the population), Arabic and Swedish at 0.25%, and Polish was the mother tongue of 0.24% of the population. [cite web |url=http://www.mla.org/map_data_results&state_id=12&county_id=&mode=&zip=&place_id=54025&cty_id=&ll=&a=&ea=&order=r |title=MLA Data Center Results of Palm Beach, FL |publisher=Modern Language Association |accessdate=2007-11-14]

As of 2000, Palm Beach's had the fortieth highest percentage of Russian residents in the U.S., with 10.30% of the populace (tied with Pomona, NY and the township of Lower Merion, PA). [cite web |url=http://www.epodunk.com/ancestry/Russian.html |title=Ancestry Map of Russian Communities |publisher=Epodunk.com |accessdate=2007-11-14] It also had the twenty-sixth highest percentage of Austrian residents in the US, at 2.10% of the town's population (which tied with 19 other US areas). [cite web |url=http://www.epodunk.com/ancestry/Austrian.html |title=Ancestry Map of Austrian Communities |publisher=Epodunk.com |accessdate=2007-11-14]

Transportation

The city is served by Palm Beach International Airport and Amtrak [http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=Amtrak/am2Station/Station_Page&code=WPB] , as well as Tri-Rail – all located in West Palm Beach connecting Palm Beach to Miami.Public transportation is available through Palm Tran, did offering several routes within the town of Palm Beach until May 10, 2008 [http://www.palmbeachdailynews.com/news/content/news/bus0510.html] and connecting with the rest of the county.

The northern portion of Palm Beach is served by the Route 41 bus which travels from the northern most portion of Palm Beach at the inlet and then down to Royal Palm Way, across the Royal Park Bridge into West Palm Beach and up to the government center, and then follows the same route in reverse. This Island of Palm Beach was served by the Route 42 Palm Tran bus from Lantana in the south going along State Road A1A up to Royal Poncianna Way where it crosses over the Flagler Memorial Bridge into West Palm Beach to the government center and then back again for the southbound trip. Route 42 ended on May 10. 2008 due to low ridership. [http://www.palmbeachdailynews.com/news/content/news/bus0510.html]

Private vehicles and taxis are the predominant means of transport in Palm Beach. Bicycles are a popular transport on the island, although most areas have no bicycle trails, so safe and comfortable travel is not always assured. The Lake Trail, exclusively for pedestrian and bike traffic, extends from Royal Palm Way (State Road 704) in the south up to the north end of the island. The trail follows the edge of the Lake Worth Lagoon (part of the intercoastal waterway) except for a section between the Flagler Museum and the Biltmore Condominiums, where the trail follows the streets. Another break occurs to pass around the Sailfish Yacht Club in the north end of the island.

Traveling by bike along the ocean can be hazardous. Only a short section in the downtown area has sidewalks, and then largely used by pedestrians. Biking on the sidewalks is discouraged due to the chance of collision between bikes and walkers. The roads along the ocean are narrow and have small or no shoulders, making biking a potentially dangerous activity in those areas.

In the southern end of the island, south of Sloan's Curve, through South Palm Beach to East Ocean Avenue (linking to Lantana) is a two-mile long, relatively wide pedestrian path that is popular with walkers, runners, and bikers alike.

Points of interest

*Breakers Hotel
*Four Arts Gardens
*Mar-A-Lago
*Whitehall, the Flagler Museum
*Worth Avenue

Notable residents — past and present

*Conrad Black, Baron Black of Crossharbour a famous media baron, investor and author has lived on Palm Beach Island for over twenty years. He and his wife Barbara live on South Ocean Blvd.
*Paul Ilyinsky or HH Paul Romanovsky-Ilynsky 1928 - 2005 , senior male of Romanov Dynasty, Head of House of Holstein -Gottorp, Prince of Holstein-Gottorp, Duke of Holstein - Gottorp, Prince Romanovsky - Ilynsky, U.S. Marine Corps colonel , son of HIH Grand Duke Dmitri Pavlovich of Russia, grandson of John J. Emery , nephew of John J. Emery. Ilyinsky was elected to the Palm Beach town council in 1981. Two years later, Ilyinsky ran unopposed and spent another term as council president. He won the mayor's job in 1993, and served until 2000.
*Anna Thomson Dodge (Mrs. Horace E. Dodge) 1871-1970, The Dodge automotive family. Owned the residence "Playa Riente" (Demolished 1957)
*Horace Dodge, The Dodge automotive family. 1868-1920 Died December 1920 at his Palm Beach residence.
*Horace Dodge Jr. Auto Heir (1900-1963)
*Gregg Sherwood Dodge model, actress, Ocean Blvd resident and widow of Horace Dodge Jr. (b. 1926)
*Marjorie Merriweather Post - Post cereal heiress, socialite, and philanthropist who built Mar-A-Lago wife of E.F. Hutton
*Nancy Brinker - Chief of Protocol of the United States; former United States ambassador to Hungary 2001-09-06 to 2003-06-19; founder of Susan G. Komen for the Cure; sister of Susan G. Komen.
*William S. Burroughs, Jr. - American novelist,son of famous beat writer William S. Burroughs and great-grandson to William Seward Burroughs I, the original inventor of the Burroughs adding machine. (b. 1947)
*E.F. Hutton - Wall street broker who built Mar-A-Lago husband of Marjorie Merriweather Post
*Dina Merrill - American actress and socialite (daughter of E.F. Hutton & Marjorie Merriweather Post)
*Donald Trump- Business magnate and television personality
*Ivana Trump - Ex-wife of Donald Trump
*James Patterson- Best Selling Author
*The Lauder Family- Cosmetic Executives
*Ronald Perelman- Corporate Raider, Chairman of Revlon
*Barney Family- heirs to the Smith Barney banking and brokerage fortune
*Ann Coulter-Syndicated columnist, author, and political commentator
*Rush Limbaugh-Radio host and political commentator
*Jimmy Buffett- Singer
*John Kluge- Chairman of Metromedia, estimated net worth is $11 Billion
*Malcolm Glazer- CEO of First Allied Corporation and sports team owner (Manchester United of the English Premier League and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League)
*James H. Clark- Founder of Netscape
*S. Daniel Abraham- Creator of Slim Fast, Jewish Philanthropist
*Kennedy family- Political Family
*Charles Peter McColough- Former Chairman and CEO of the Xerox Corporation.
*Rod Stewart- Singer
*Sir Geoffrey Leigh - Property Mogul
*Vera Wang - Designer
*Curt Gowdy - Sportscaster
*Christopher Sinclair - Former CEO of Pepsi
*Henry Paulson - Current US Treasury Secretary
*Adrian Wilcox - Celebrity Photographer
*Dmitri Nabokov - son and literary heir of famed novelist Vladimir Nabokov
*Rachel Clark - Fashion model

References

External links

* [http://palmbeach.govoffice.com/ Town of Palm Beach]
* [http://www.palmbeachchamber.com/ Palm Beach Chamber of Commerce]
* [http://florida.greatestdivesites.com/palm_beach All the dive sites in Palm Beach]
* [http://www.palmbeachpolice.com/ Palm Beach Police Department]
* [http://www.flagler.org/ Whitehall Flagler Museum]