Blog & Storytelling

The Delray Affair’s Deep Roots: The Agricultural Development of Delray Beach and the Gladioli Festival

By Kayleigh Howald Agriculture remains one of Florida’s top industries alongside tourism, aviation, life sciences, and manufacturing. For newer residents of Delray Beach and coastal Palm Beach County, […]

Adventurous and Spirited Women Set Out to Change Delray, 1902-1924

By Kayleigh Howald The Ladies Improvement Association In 19th century Florida’s undeveloped wilderness, women and men alike were dedicated to their families’ survival. Multiple first-person accounts describe women […]

Delray's Beloved Lake Ida: How It All Began

The area known as “Lake Ida” was once twice as big as it is now and part of the Everglades – a natural region of tropical wetlands in […]

Orange Grove House of Refuge

The US Lifesaving Services built 5 refuges in 1876 along Florida’s coast. The name refers to an ancient rock wall that was discovered surrounding an acre of wild […]

Walking Tour of Historic A1A

Delray Beach, Florida Today, a century after the days of the Barefoot Mailman, walking on the sidewalk where the beach is on the east of Ocean Boulevard/A1A, starting […]

History of Delray Beach 1845-1927

Our Native Sea Grape

Oh those purple berries! They are everywhere this time of year, but what are they? The Sea Grape (Coccoloba uvifera – also known as Uva de Playa in […]

The Ladies’ Improvement Association of Delray Beach

By the turn of the century, Delray was turning into a small village, with a population of about 150. It needed to begin thinking about a proper infrastructure. […]

Delray Beach’s Historic Districts

In 1987, the city of Delray Beach, working with the Delray Beach Historical Society and a group of volunteer citizens, established four historic districts. These actions set Delray […]

Gardens Full of History in Delray Beach

“Where flowers bloom, so does hope.” Lady Bird Johnson The Allamanda Garden Club was organized in 1957. The theme of their 1960-1961 program was “Civic Beautification.” Delray Beach […]