All that is left of an interesting part of WWII history in Boca Raton is a white wall with a plaque…read moreon it. In 1942, on the beach, there were four tourist cottages, the Boca Raton Villas and to the south the 1937 home owned by Dr. and Mrs. William Sanborn who lived in Detroit and only used it during the winter. Surrounding their house was a decorative concrete wall. The Army Air Corps had leased the nearby Boca Raton Club as their headquarters while the Boca Raton Army Air Field was under construction. German subs were deployed during WWII as part of Hitler's Operation Drumbeat. They torpedoed tankers and freighters traveling the east coast shipping lane carrying vital supplies to the U.S. and England. A total of 397 ships were sunk and 5,000 people were killed. Twenty-four ships were sunk off the coast of Florida, 18 between Cape Canaveral and Boca Raton. While the German submarines were patrolling the Florida coast a blackout was in effect for all residents of coastal towns. Despite residents precaution, several merchant ships were sunk right off the coast of Boca that year. One night a local family named the Barrett's were visited by the military police who accused them of signaling to the German submarines off shore. A neighbor had reported seeing flashing lights from their area of the beach. The family suggested that the signaling might be coming from the deserted Sanborn house next door. The house was surrounded by a large white U shaped wall and when it was investigated no people were found but there was evidence that the house had been recently occupied. Empty food cans were discovered and the beds had been slept in. A telescope and signaling devices were found in front of the large bay window in the living room but no one was ever caught. Today the Excelsior and Beresford condominiums occupy where the Boca Raton Villas and Sanborn home stood. Sanborn Square and the Sanborn Cafe carry the family name. In November of 2015 a plaque commemorating the history that took place here was unveiled by Boca Raton Mayor Steven Abrams on the portion of the Sanborn wall that still exists.

Visited The Sanborn Wall. An interesting piece of local history. Nice that it has been preserved…read more Any history or WW2 buff will enjoy seeing it. Part of the fun is actually finding it LOL. The GPS will help a bit, but eventually you will have to park and walk a bit. There is a large condo on the site of the former Sanborn estate, but the remaining South perimeter wall still stands, and runs the length from the sidewalk to the beach. Have fun!

As an ardent history buff, I was delighted to discover this new monument in front of the Pompano…read moreBeach Fisher Family Pier, conveniently located across from the bait shop. This 12-foot obelisk was dedicated on March 14, 2026, through a partnership between the City of Pompano Beach and the Florida Society Sons of the American Revolution. It commemorates the 250th anniversary of America's first amphibious assault on foreign soil--a landing during the American Revolution in the Bahamas. In early March 1776, Nassau and New Providence Island were British colonies. George Washington received intelligence that much-needed stores of gunpowder were located there, prompting a daring naval expedition led by Commodore Esek Hopkins, alongside the Continental Marines under Samuel Nicholas. Their forces successfully landed on New Providence Island, targeting Fort Montagu and Fort Nassau, then governed by Montfort Browne. This mission marked one of the first coordinated operations between naval and marine forces and helped shape what would become the United States Marine Corps and modern amphibious warfare. With July 4, 2026 marking the 250th birthday of the United States, this monument honors a pivotal moment in the nation's founding. I love that such a meaningful piece of history has been added to the pier--it's also a perfect spot to pause, reflect, and take in the ocean view.

As a history fan it was a delightful surprise to discover this little train engine in Holiday Park…read more Sometimes history is discovered in the least expected places like a children's playground in Ft. Lauderdale. This 1936 Switcher Engine 1001-040 was built by Baldwin Locomotive of Philadelphia. They built their first locomotive in 1832 and became the largest producer of steam locomotives. They ended up declaring bankruptcy after General Motors perfected the internal combustion diesel engine which would power the locomotives of the future. This engine looks steam powered but it was actually oil fired. This Switcher Engine belonged to the Seaboard Air Line Railway, an American railroad which existed from April 14, 1900, until July 1, 1967 when it merged with the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad. AIr Line does not refer to air travel but instead is a common term for the shortest distance between two points. The railroad operated 4,000 miles of track running from Richmond, Virginia down through Jacksonville and ending in West Palm Beach. This little engine never saw open track. Instead it pushed freight cars around the loading docks of the Seaboard Coast Line Railroad's Fort Lauderdale yard. The "040" designation meant it has no guide wheels in front of or behind the four driven wheels making it more maneuverable in the switching yard. Although small in size it had enormous power to slowly push and pull train cars. The 1936 Switcher Engine 1001-040 was donated to the City of Ft. Lauderdale by the Florida East coast railroad and the Seaboard Coastline Rail Road. Check out this fascinating piece of rail road history the next time you are in the area.

Did you know there is an important archaeology site sitting in plain site in Parkland? I was…read morepassing through and noticed a historic marker on the side of the road that is part of the Historical Marker Program, one of the Division of Historical Resources' most popular and valued public history programs. The markers raise awareness of Florida's cultural history while enhancing the enjoyment of historic sites for residents and tourists. The blue historic markers tell the stories of the people and places that were important to Florida's history and they can be found in front of schools, forts, roads, battlefields, cemeteries, churches, historic districts, buildings, and archaeological sites like this one. Historic marker F-1184 was installed in 2021 by the City of Parkland, Parkland Historical Society, and the Florida Department of State. Margate Blount Archaeology Preserve is a park that may not look like much at first glance but its value lies beneath the surface. This site was discovered in the 1940's and provides important information about the life of the Tequesta, an indigenous people who inhabited southeast Florida from Boca Raton to Key West, and in the Everglades. They worshipped the sun and lived on fish, shellfish, berries and small game and were well adapted to the environment of South Florida. They thrived for 2,000 years until they were victims of war and disease brought by Europeans in the 1500's. On this five acre site resided a village, a ceremonial burial mound, and middens, a kind of ancient garbage dump filled with the remnants of daily life. This site is believed to hold the largest number of prehistoric graves in Broward County. In 1940 farmer and later Parkland founder and its first mayor, Bruce Blount noticed what looked a burial mound on his property. In 1959 while digging a canal a bulldozer struck the mound revealing a wooden crypt filled with skeletal remains that spilled out. One man was buried with his canoe paddle. Archaeologist Wilma B. Williams led the first formal excavation of the site and she named it for the town of Margate since Parkland did not exist yet at the time and for the owner of the land, Blount. Williams was aided by volunteers who later formed the Broward County Archaeological Society. In 1986, Gypsy Graves led additional studies of the site. Along with Sonny Cockrell, the two archaeologists recovered thousands of artifacts cementing the significance of the site. On this site it was discovered that there is a black dirt midden 52 meters by 56 meters and a burial mound measuring about 13 by 19 meters. The midden contains layers of shells, bones, and ash which were the results of daily activity. The site has yielded 4,000 pottery shards, 108 shell tools, 113 bone artifacts, and skeletal remains with wooden burial implements. Also recovered were bone artifacts consisting of drilled shark vertebrae and teeth, bone points and knives, beads, and a drilled alligator and human tooth. Rock pendants made from materials that were not found locally indicate that the people here were trading and traveling to other places. Pottery found here has been dated to a range from the 500 BCE to 750 CE, while other pieces found were more recent to the 17th or early 18th century. Later finds included musket balls and gunflints, suggesting European contact in the 1700's and 1800's. If you visit the site you will see a field and a few trees. The city wants the actual midden and burial site to remain unmarked to protect them from digging. Many of the artifacts discovered here have been given to Broward College. Parkland hopes to eventually bring these items back to the city and open a Tequesta museum. In the meantime you can see Tequesta artifacts and learn more about these fascination ancient people at the free Plantation Historical Museum.

The Gil Blas Anchor is a piece of history mounted in Roy L. Rogers Family Park also known as…read moreHillsboro Inlet Park. The anchor came from a Spanish merchant brigantine, a two mast square rigged cargo ship, the Gil Blas, which was driven aground by a September hurricane in 1835. The ship was 90 feet long and carried 200 tons of sugar and cigars as cargo. The Gil Blas sailed from Havana and was bound for Spain before it beached near the Hillsboro Inlet. As the ship was driven ashore an anchor was thrown overboard offshore, and the hull was not badly damaged. On January 6th 1836 while William Cooley was salvaging the cargo in the middle of the Second Seminole War, Seminole Indians massacred his settlement on the New River and killed his wife and children. Most of the able-bodied men were with Cooley retrieving the cargo of the Gil Blas. After the attack the ship was left abandoned. In 1977, the Marine Archeology Advisory Council claimed to have found the remains of the Gil Blas north of Hillsboro Beach. The Marine Archaeological Council excavated the Gil Blas and another wreck right next it in the 80's and again in the 90's. Vone Research's program called Touching History, introduces high school students to Broward County's maritime history. Vone Research worked with Pompano Beach High School to conserve and identify the anchor believed to have come from the Gil Blas. The anchor was then put on permanent display in Hillsboro Inlet Park.

I love finding public art that culturally enriches the community. I discovered this bronze…read moresculpture in front of the E. Pat Larkins Community Center during a tag sale. Family Roots is by artist George Gadson. Interesting fact about George Gadson is that he is self taught. His artwork is inspired by spirituality and values. His public art works seek to highlight the forgotten history in communities and to capture civic memories. Gadson also created the Kathleen Cooper Wright statue in front of the KC Wright Broward County School Board administrative offices along with numerous other art works displayed throughout South Florida in multiple locations including the African American Research Library and Cultural Center, the City of Lauderhill, the City of Tamarac, the Broward County and the public commissions in Miami-Dade and in Palm Beach County. For Family Roots, Gadson met with the Northwest Pompano Community for input in the design. The sculpture was installed in 2007 and features a family embracing on top of a granite pedestal engraved with the name of community heroes. In 2022 the City of Pompano Beach had the sculpture restored. About this work Gadson has said "This sculpture was created to empower the community with knowledge of their culture and heritage. A community without knowledge of their history is like a tree without roots." I fully endorse that sentiment and I love the message of family and community that is represented in this piece.

We had visited the E. Pat Larkins Community Center recently and noticed this prominent sculpture…read moreright outside the front entrance. Artist George Gadson did this bronze on commission for the City of Pompano Beach to be placed here. It was first installed in 2007. The theme "family roots" was to pay tribute to the "preservation of family heritage". In 2022, the statue was restored (cleaned and polished, etc.) along with the engraved names on the plaque on the pedestal below. The names listed represent the unsung heroes in the local community. If you're in the area, stop by to see this sculpture. You can feel the love between the parents and their children as portrayed. It's a fitting tribute.

As a history fan it was a delightful surprise to discover this train caboose on display in front of…read morethe Old Schoolhouse. I was here to visit the school and finding this added piece of history outside the window was a nice bonus. The purpose of this 1951 red Seaboard Air Line Caboose was to protect the back of the train. The Seaboard Air Line Railroad was an American railroad which existed from April 14, 1900, until July 1, 1967 when it merged with the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad. AIr Line does not refer to air travel but instead is a common term for the shortest distance between two points. The railroad operated 4,000 miles of track running from Richmond, Virginia down through Jacksonville and ending in West Palm Beach. Solomon Davies Warfield, chairman of the Seaboard Air Line Railroad at the time, extended the railroad further into South Florida to Miami in 1925 and to Homestead in 1927 where it ended. Solomon Davies Warfield was the uncle of Bessie Wallis Warfield Simpson, the woman whose love affair with King Edward forced him to abdicate the throne. In 2001 the Seaboard Coast Line Caboose 0896 was first gifted to the South Florida Railway Museum but they did not have a place for display and it ended up on a patch of land along Dixie Highway owned by the Dietrich family business, Deerfield Builders Supply. After other sites were ruled out a space adjacent to the old schoolhouse outside of City Hall was prepared in 2002 with a new track. The school house was already on the National Register of Historic Places so this was a great opportunity for the City of Deerfield Beach to preserve even more history. The train caboose has been restored and looks great displayed outside the schoolhouse museum. While I was admiring the caboose a blue jay landed on it. Stop for a moment and take in this railroad history the next time you drive by. The Deerfield Beach Historical Society has a Hang Your Hat on Heritage Tourism podcast episode about the caboose if you would like to learn more about it.

Not an official State of Florida Marker but a more local one, this plaque is embedded in a large…read moreboulder along A1A/Ocean Boulevard opposite Nassau Street. It points out some of the earliest developments of the area now known as Delray Beach. The marker reads, "Sara Gleason, Belle G. Dimick Reese and Ella M. Dimick Potter dedicated this beach to the public in 1899. In 1895 Sarah Gleason and her husband's business partner, W.H. Hunt, sold a parcel of land containing the beach area to William S. Linton for about $10.00 an acre except for a small portion then occupied by the Orange Grove House of Refuge (see marker north of Atlantic Avenue). A mortgage from William Linton, U.S. Congressman from Michigan who was promoting a town here called Linton, secured $3,000 of the purchase price. At the end of 1895, civil engineer E. Burslem Thomson drew a plat describing the Town of Linton. The plat, filed by William Linton and the Model Land Company during 1896, contained the first dedication for public use of what is now this mile-long municipal beach. When William Linton defaulted, the mortgage was foreclosed, half to Sara Gleason and half to the heirs of W.H. Hunt, his granddaughters Belle Reese and Ella Potter. These three women filed a replat dedicating the area east of the ocean beach lots and "Ocean Road" to the public in 1899." The marker was erected in 2008 by the Delray Beach Historical Society and the Robert Neff Family. There is metered street parking along A1A and a parking lot at Anchor Park. "Gleason" Street is the next one over from A1A. "Linton" Blvd is the main route through Delray Beach. [Review 978 of 2024 - 1854 in Florida - 22006 overall]