Fort Lauderdale

Fort Lauderdale, known as the "Venice of America"^[6] due to its expansive and intricate canal system, is a city in Broward County, Florida, United States. According to 2007 U.S. Census Bureau estimates, the city had a population of 183,606.^[3] It is the county seat of Broward County, and a principal city of the South Florida metropolitan area, which is home to over 5,413,212 people.^[7]

The city is a popular tourist destination, with 10.35 million visitors in 2006.^[8] The city is a major yachting center, with 42,000 resident yachts and 100 marinas and boatyards.^[8] Fort Lauderdale and its suburbs host over 4100 restaurants and 120 nightclubs.^[8]

Fort Lauderdale is named after a series of forts built by the United States during the Second Seminole War. However, development of the city did not begin until 50 years after the forts were abandoned at the end of the conflict. Three forts named "Fort Lauderdale" were constructed; the first was at the fork of the New River, the second at Tarpon Bend, in what is now known as the Sailboat Bend neighborhood, and the third near the site of the Bahia Mar Marina.^[9] The forts took their name from Major William Lauderdale, who was the commander of the detachment of soldiers who built the first fort.^[9]

History

The area in which the city of Fort Lauderdale would later be founded was inhabited for more than a thousand years by the Tequesta Indians.^[10] Contact with Spanish explorers in the 16th century proved disastrous for the Tequesta, as the Europeans unwittingly brought with them diseases to which the native populations possessed no resistance, such as smallpox. For the Tequesta, disease, coupled with continuing conflict with their Calusa neighbors, contributed greatly to their decline over the next two centuries.^[11] By 1763, there were only a few Tequesta left in Florida, and most of them were evacuated to Cuba when the Spanish ceded Florida to the British in 1763, under the terms of the Treaty of Paris (1763), which ended the Seven Years' War.^[10] Although control of the area changed between Spain, England, the United States, and the Confederate States of America, it remained largely undeveloped until the 20th century.

The Fort Lauderdale area was known as the "New River Settlement" before the 20th century. In the 1830s there were approximately 70 settlers living along the New River. William Cooley, the local Justice of the Peace, was a farmer and wrecker, who traded with the Seminole Indians. On January 6, 1836, while Cooley was leading an attempt to salvage a wrecked ship, a band of Seminoles attacked his farm, killing his wife and children, and the children's tutor. The other farms in the settlement were not attacked, but all the white residents in the area abandoned the settlement, fleeing first to the Cape Florida Lighthouse on Key Biscayne, and then to Key West.^[12] The first United States stockade named Fort Lauderdale was built in 1838,^[13] and subsequently was a site of fighting during the Second Seminole War. The fort was abandoned in 1842, after the end of the war, and the area remained virtually unpopulated until the 1890s. It was not until Frank Stranahan arrived in the area in 1893 to operate a ferry across the New River, and the Florida East Coast Railroad's completion of a route through the area in 1896, that any organized development began. The city was incorporated in 1911, and in 1915 was designated the county seat of newly formed Broward County.^[14]

Fort Lauderdale's first major development began in the 1920s, during the Florida land boom of the 1920s.^[15] The 1926 Miami Hurricane^[16] and the Great Depression of the 1930s caused a great deal of economic dislocation. When World War II began, Fort Lauderdale became a major US base, with a Naval Air Station to train pilots, radar operators, and fire control operators, and a Coast Guard base at Port Everglades was also established.^[17]

After the war ended, service members returned to the area, spurring an enormous population explosion which dwarfed the 1920s boom.^[11] The 1960 Census counted 83,648 people in the city, about 230% of the 1950 figure.^[18] A 1967 report estimated that the city was approximately 85% developed,^[19] and the 1970 population figure was 139,590.^[20] After 1970, as Fort Lauderdale became essentially built out, growth in the area shifted to suburbs to the west. As cities such as Coral Springs, Miramar, and Pembroke Pines experienced explosive growth, Fort Lauderdale's population stagnated, and the city actually shrank by almost 4,000 people between 1980, when the city had 153,279 people,^[21] and 1990, when the population was 149,377.^[22] A slight rebound brought the population back up to 152,397 at the 2000 census.^[23] Since 2000, Fort Lauderdale has gained slightly over 18,000 residents through annexation of seven neighborhoods in unincorporated Broward County.^[24] Today, Fort Lauderdale is a major yachting center,^[8] one of the nation's largest tourist destinations,^[8] and the center of a metropolitan division with 1.8 million people.^[7]

Geography and climate

Location

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 36.0 square miles (93.2 km²), 31.7 square miles (82.1 km²) of which is land and 4.3 square miles (11.1 km²) of which is water (11.91%). Fort Lauderdale is known for its extensive network of canals; there are 165 miles (266 km) of waterways within the city limits.^[26]

The city of Fort Lauderdale is adjacent to the Atlantic Ocean, includes 7 miles (11 km) of beaches,^[27] and borders the following municipalities:

The northwestern section of Fort Lauderdale is separate from the remainder of the city, connected only by the Cypress Creek Canal as it flows under I-95. This section of Fort Lauderdale borders the cities of Tamarac and Oakland Park on its south side. Oakland Park also borders Fort Lauderdale on the west side of its northeastern portion. The greater portion of Fort Lauderdale in the south is bordered, along its north side by Wilton Manors.

Off the coast of Fort Lauderdale is the Osborne Reef, an artificial reef made of discarded tires that has proven to be an ecological disaster.^[28] The dumping began in the 1960s, with the intent to provide habitat for fish while disposing of trash from the land. However, in the rugged and corrosive environment of the ocean, nylon straps used to secure the tires wore out, cables rusted, and tires broke free. The tires posed a particular threat after breaking free from their restraints. The tires then migrated shoreward and ran into a living reef tract, climbed up its slope and killed everything in their path. In recent years, thousands of tires have also washed up on nearby beaches, especially during hurricanes. Local authorities are now working to remove the 700,000 tires, in cooperation with the U.S. Army, Navy and Coast Guard.^[29]

Neighborhoods

Fort Lauderdale, unlike many cities, has an official program for designating and recognizing neighborhoods. Under the Neighborhood Organization Recognition Program,^[30] more than 60 distinct neighborhoods have received official recognition from the city. An additional 25–30 neighborhoods exist without official recognition, although the city's neighborhood map displays them as well.^[31]

Climate

Fort Lauderdale has a true tropical climate (Köppen climate classification Aw),^[32] with hot, humid summers, and warm, dry winters. The city does experience cold fronts from November through March. However, the average monthly temperature for any month has never been recorded as being under 64.4 °F (January averages 66 °F).^[33] Most of the year is warm and humid, and the summers are almost identical to the climate of the Caribbean tropics. In addition, the city gets most of its rain in the summer (wet season) and is relatively dry in winter (dry season). The wet season, which is hot and humid, lasts from May to October, when it gives way to the dry season, which features mild temperatures with some invasions of colder air, which is when the little winter rainfall occurs — with the passing of a front. The hurricane season largely coincides with the wet season. 69% of the city's annual rainfall occurs during the five month summer period.^[34] The hurricane season is between 1 June and 30 November,^[35] with major hurricanes most likely to affect Florida in September and October.^[36] The most recent storms to directly affect the city were Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Wilma, both of which struck the city in 2005; other direct hits were Hurricane Cleo in 1964, Hurricane King in 1950 and the 1947 Fort Lauderdale Hurricane.

Demographics

As of the census^[4] of 2000, there were 152,397 people, 68,468 households, and 33,001 families residing in the city. There were 68,468 households out of which 19.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 32.2% were married couples living together, 11.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 51.8% were non-families. 40.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

The median income for a household in the city was $37,887, and the median income for a family was $46,175. Males had a median income of $34,478 versus $27,230 for females. The per capita income for the city was $27,798. About 13.8% of families and 17.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 29.0% of those under age 18 and 11.1% of those aged 65 or over.

Fort Lauderdale has a significantly higher percentage of foreign-born residents than the United States as a whole; the 2000 census data indicated that 21.7% of the city's population was foreign-born.^[37] Of foreign-born residents, 69.2% were born in Latin America and 17.3% were born in Europe, with smaller percentages from North America, Africa, Asia, and Oceania.^[37] In 2000, Fort Lauderdale had the twenty-sixth highest percentage of Haitian residents in the US, at 6.9% of the city's population,^[38] and the 127th highest percentage of Cuban residents, at 1.69% of the city's residents.^[39]

Like many cities in South Florida, Fort Lauderdale has a large population of people who do not speak English as their first language at home, although not as high as the county average.^[40] As of 2000, 75.63% of the population spoke English as their first language, followed by Spanish at 9.42%, French Creole 7.52%, French 2.04%, and Portuguese at 1.02%.^[41]

As of 2007, the Fort Lauderdale metropolitan area has the second highest AIDS rate in the nation at 45.8^clarify, just ahead of the New York City metropolitan area at 45.4^clarify. Of the reported Fort Lauderdale HIV cases among men, 74% are cases due to men having sex with men, or MSM.^[42]

Economy

Fort Lauderdale's economy is heavily reliant on tourism. From the 1940s through the 1980s, the city was known as a spring break destination for college students. Cruise ships and nautical recreation provide the basis for much of the revenue raised by tourism. Fort Lauderdale now attracts a more sophisticated and affluent tourist, while largely ignoring the dwindling college crowd.^[43] There is a convention center located west of the beach and southeast of downtown, with 600,000 square feet (55,742 m²) of space, including a 200,000-square-foot (18,581 m²) main exhibit hall.^[44] Approximately 30% of the city's 10 million annual visitors attend conventions at the center.^[45]

The downtown area, especially around Las Olas Boulevard, has seen dramatic growth in the past decade, and now hosts many new hotels and high-rise condominium developments. The downtown area is the largest in Broward County, although there are other smaller cities in the county with commercial centers. Other improvements include a wide array of new boutiques, art galleries, and restaurants.

The Fort Lauderdale metropolitan area foreclosures increased 127.4% from 2006 to 2007, or one filing per 48 households in the quarter. Fort Lauderdale ranks fourth in the list of top 10 metropolitan areas ranked by foreclosure filings per household for the third quarter of 2007.^[46]

Fort Lauderdale is a major manufacturing and maintenance center for yachts. The boating industry is responsible for over 108,000 jobs in the county.^[47] With its many canals, and proximity to the Bahamas and Caribbean, it is also a popular yachting vacation stop, and home port for 42,000 boats, and approximately 100 marinas and boatyards.^[8] Additionally, the annual Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, the world's largest boat show, brings over 125,000 people to the city each year.^[48]

Government

Fort Lauderdale has a Commission-Manager form of government. City policy is set by a city commission of five elected members: the mayor and four district commission members. The mayor of Fort Lauderdale serves a three-year term and cannot serve more than three consecutive terms.^[50] The current and longest serving mayor, Jim Naugle, was first elected in 1991 and is now serving his sixth consecutive term.^[51] Naugle's first three terms were not affected by the municipal code, which was amended in 1998; the limitation went into effect in March 2000. Administrative functions are performed by a city manager, who is appointed by the city commission. Fort Lauderdale Fire-Rescue Department provides Fire and Emergency Medical Services.

Education

According to 2000 census data, 79.0% of the city's population aged 25 or older were high school graduates, slightly below the national figure of 80.4%. 27.9% held at least a baccalaureate, slightly higher than the national figure of 24.4%.^[52] Broward County Public Schools operates 23 public schools in Fort Lauderdale. 2007 Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) results for Fort Lauderdale's public schools were mixed; while ten (of sixteen) elementary schools and one (of four) middle schools received "A" or "B" grades, Sunland Park Elementary School^[53] and Arthur Ashe Middle School^[54] received failing grades. Boyd Anderson High School, which is located in Lauderdale Lakes but whose attendance zone includes part of Fort Lauderdale, also received a failing grade.^[55] None of the three failing schools have failed twice in a four-year period, thus triggering the "Opportunity Scholarship Program" school choice provisions of the Florida's education plan.^[56]

Five institutions of higher learning have main or satellite campuses in the city:

Transportation

Local bus transportation is provided by Broward County Transit (BCT), the county bus system. BCT provides for connections with the bus systems in other parts of the metropolitan area: Metrobus in Miami-Dade County and Palm Tran in Palm Beach County. Tri-Rail, a commuter rail system, connects the major cities and airports of South Florida. In November 2006, Broward County voters rejected^[57] a one-cent-per-hundred sales tax increase intended to fund transportation projects such as light rail and expansion of the bus system.^[58]

Four railroads serve Fort Lauderdale. Florida East Coast Railroad (FEC) and CSX Transportation are freight lines, Amtrak provides passenger service to other cities on the Atlantic coast, and Tri-Rail provides commuter service between Palm Beach County, Broward County (including two stations in Fort Lauderdale), and Miami-Dade County.

Fort Lauderdale is home to Port Everglades, the nation's third busiest cruise port.^[61] It is Florida's deepest port, and is an integral petroleum receiving point.^[62] Broward County is served by three major Interstate Highways (I-75, I-95, I-595) and U.S. Highways such as U.S. 1, US 27 and US 441. It is also served by Florida's Turnpike and State Highway 869, also known as the Sawgrass Expressway.

Healthcare

Fort Lauderdale is served by Broward General Medical Center and Imperial Point Medical Center, which are operated by the North Broward Hospital District, the third largest hospital consortium in the United States. Broward General is a 716-bed^[63] acute care facility which is designated as a Level I trauma center.^[64] It is also home to Chris Evert Children's Hospital and a Heart Center of Excellence. The hospital serves as a major training site for medical students from Nova Southeastern University's College of Osteopathic Medicine, as well as nursing and paramedic programs from throughout the area. Imperial Point Medical Center is a 204-bed facility^[63] with a hyperbaric medicine program.^[65] Holy Cross Hospital, a 571-bed^[66] hospital operated by the Sisters of Mercy, was named by HealthGrades, Inc. as one of the 50 best hospitals in the country for 2007.^[67]

Lifestyle, media, and culture

Lifestyle

According to the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention and Visitors Bureau, Fort Lauderdale is "America's top gay resort area." In 2006, members of gay-interest site, PlanetOut, named the city as the "best gay resort town";^[68] the city actively pursues gay and lesbian tourists.^[69] The city is also home to a large year-round population of gay residents.^[70] The city's Stonewall Library & Archives is the largest-circulation LGBT library in the southeastern United States.^[71] Neighboring Wilton Manors was the second city in the country (after West Hollywood, California) to elect a gay-majority city council.^[72]

As is true of many parts of Florida, the city's population has a strong seasonal variation, as snowbirds from the north spend the winter and early spring in Florida.^[73] The city is also sometimes referred to as "Fort Liquordale" because of its beaches, bars, nightclubs, and history as a spring break mecca for hundreds of thousands of college students.^[74] However, the city has actively discouraged college students from visiting the area since the mid-1980s, passing strict laws aimed at preventing the mayhem that regularly occurred each year. The city had an estimated 350,000 college visitors for spring break 1985;^[75] by 2006, that number had declined to about 10,000.^[76]

Media

Culture

Fort Lauderdale's arts and entertainment district runs east-west along Las Olas Boulevard, from the beach to the heart of downtown. The district is anchored in the West by the Broward Center for the Performing Arts, and runs through the city to the intersection of Las Olas and A1A. This intersection is the "ground zero" of Fort Lauderdale Beach, and is the site of the "Elbo Room" bar featured in the 1960 film Where the Boys Are, which led in large measure to the city's former reputation as a spring break mecca. The city and its suburbs host over 4,100 restaurants and over 120 nightclubs, many of them in the arts and entertainment district.^[8] The city is also the setting for the 1986 movie Flight of the Navigator, and host of Langerado, an annual music festival.

Sports

Fort Lauderdale is also home to the Fort Lauderdale Aquatic Complex, which is located at the International Swimming Hall of Fame. It contains two 25-yard (23 m) by 50-meter competition pools, as well as one 20 by 25-yard (23 m) diving well. The complex is open to Fort Lauderdale residents, and has also been used in many different national and international competitions since its opening in 1965. 10 world records have been set there, from Catie Ball's 100 m breaststroke in 1966^[82] to Michael Phelps' 400 m individual medley in 2002.^[83]

Sites of interest

In addition to its museums, beaches, and nightlife, Fort Lauderdale is home to the Fort Lauderdale Swap Shop, a large indoor/outdoor flea market and the site of the world's largest drive-in movie theater, with 13 screens.^[84] The International Swimming Hall of Fame is located on Fort Lauderdale beach, and houses a large aquatic complex as well as a museum, theater, and research library.^[85] Hugh Taylor Birch State Park is a 180-acre (0.73 km²) park along the beach, with nature trails, camping and picnicking areas, canoeing, and features the Terramar Visitor Center, with exhibits about the ecosystem of the park.^[86] The Henry E. Kinney Tunnel on US Route 1 is the only tunnel on public land in the state of Florida.^[87] It was constructed in 1960, and its 864-foot (263 m) length travels underneath the New River and Las Olas Boulevard.

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