Hallandale Beach Tutors

About Hallandale Beach

Hallandale Beach, known at different times in history as Halland, and Hallandale, began as a railroad depot and small farming settlement along the Florida East Cost Railway.

Hallandale Beach was originally named for Luther Halland. Luther was the brother in law of a Florida East Coast Railway land agent. The railway owner Henry Flagler recruited Halland and tasked him with establishing a settlement not far from Flagler's growing railway line. Halland promoted the new colony to farmers as far away as his native Sweden. He emphasized Florida's pleasant frost free weather and good soil. But he also worked hard to lure new residents closer to home; drawing many of Hallandale's original residents from the nearby Danish farming town of Dania. There are recorded arrivals and departures at the Hallandale train depot by 1898. By 1900 there were 12 families, a post office and a trading post and the settlement was thriving. The rich Florida soil was ideal for growing coconut trees, dates, grapefruit, tomatoes, and pineapples as well as rattle snakes and alligators. Crops did very well in the fertile South Florida ground. At one point Hallandale was home to 14 citrus and produce packing houses.

Today Hallandale Beach is known less for citrus and produce and more prominently as the home of Gulfstream Park horseracing and casino and the Mardi Gras greyhound track and casino . Gulfstream is one of 5 racetracks throughout Florida. Horse racing has an important history in the development of the state. In the 1920s and 30s soft soil, inexpensive land and warm weather made Florida an ideal year round training ground for race horses. Many winter resorts in South Florida made a name for themselves as an alternative to northern resorts and racetracks with their cold weather and much shorter racing seasons. Though you have to be 18 years old to place a bet, many tracks including Gulfstream offer amusement for all ages with shopping, dining and live music. Gulfstream Park also features a bowling alley.

Hallandale grew steadily with the completion of the Florida East Coast Railway, and the great land boom in 1920. Hallandale expanded towards the Atlantic ocean in 1947, extended its borders to include the nearby beach, incorporated into a city and changed its name from Hallandale to Hallandale Beach. Today the city is part of Broward County Florida and covers 4.4 square miles. Conveniently located between Hollywood Florida and Miami, Hallandale Beach is also just an hour away from Everglades national park. A community that began with just a dozen families is home to more than 37,000 people today.