By the late 1800s, however, small-scale homesteading began. The introduction of drainage projects in the early 20th century opened parts of Broward County to agriculture. Farmers grew pineapples, tomatoes, beans, and later sugarcane in the newly reclaimed lands.
The area around present-day Coconut Creek remained largely undeveloped pine flatwoods and pastureland during this period, but the seeds of change were being planted. Railroads and new roads, including those built by Henry Flagler and other developers, linked South Florida to northern markets and made large-scale settlement possible.
Birth of Coconut Creek: 20th Century Development
The actual development of Coconut Creek began in the mid-20th century, during the post–World War II boom that reshaped all of Florida. As returning veterans and new residents flooded into South Florida, the demand for suburban communities skyrocketed.
In the 1950s and 1960s, developers began carving neighborhoods out of the pine forests and farmland north of Pompano Beach and south of Boca Raton. Coconut Creek’s name reflected the developers’ vision of a tropical paradise. The name was chosen by combining “Coconut Grove” (a neighborhood in Miami) with “Indian Creek” (a village in Miami-Dade), reflecting both a desire to project an exotic image and a connection to Florida’s identity.
Palm-lined streets, artificial lakes, and new subdivisions quickly filled what had once been rural land. The city grew steadily as part of Broward County’s explosive suburban expansion, fueled by retirees, middle-class families, and migrants from the Northeast and Midwest seeking Florida sunshine. shutdown123