If you want the classically beautiful Palm Beach lifestyle without the well-known overdevelopment that characterizes so much of South Florida, you might want to give one of South Florida’s pleasant villages a try. One specific village that may work well for you is that of North Palm Beach. This alluring little town has been awarded a prize from the National Association of Home Builders. It won in 1956, and it won for being the best planned community. One stellar feature – especially alluring for anyone who loves to golf – is that it has a Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course.
This village is fairly spacious, as its total land area is 5.8 square miles. The population, at least as of 2000, was 12,064. North Palm Beach has a rich and interesting history. It was purchased by John D. MacArthur in 1954 as part of a 2,600-acre tract of land. North Palm Beach was on an area of mangrove swamp and also farmland. The land changed hands a few times, and then, in 1956, it was incorporated and developed. Dredging was utilized to make waterfront lots. A clubhouse for a golf course was made out of the former home of Sir Harry Oakes.
Commerce evolved with the arrival of Twin City Mall, which opened n 1970. This mall offered major retail stores like Sears, Murphy’s, Jefferson’s, and more. It was home to a movie theatre, a rarity in the area at the time.
