It’s a once-in-a-lifetime moment in South Florida history.
A century ago, the region experienced a land boom when investors and developers from around the country came down on trains and automobiles and started building cities where once there was swampland, farms and small settlements. Cities sprang up almost overnight. Thanks to a burgeoning post-war economy, entrepreneurial spirit and good old fashioned Florida glamour, the area’s population shot up to the hundreds of thousands.
Now, 11 cities from Palm Beach County to Miami-Dade are celebrating their centennials in 2025 and 2026. In honor of this milestone, WLRN News will be bringing together stories from each of these communities that peer through history to give us a better understanding of the present and our shared future.
The series History We Call Home: 100 Years of South Florida aired through 2025 and highlights locales across the region. Our reporters spotlight the moments, ideas and people that made these cities part of our community's fabric over the past century. We hope you'll join us on this journey.