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Wellington is a village just west of West Palm Beach in Palm Beach County and north of
Miami Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a coastal metropolis and the county seat of Miami-Dade County in South Florida, United States. With a population of 442,241 at ...
. As of 2019, the city had a population of 65,398 according to
U.S. Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...
estimates, making it the most populous village in the state. It is the fifth largest municipality in Palm Beach County by population. Wellington is part of the
Miami metropolitan area The Miami metropolitan area (also known as Greater Miami, the Tri-County Area, South Florida, or the Gold Coast) is the ninth largest metropolitan statistical area in the United States and the List of largest cities, 34th largest metropolitan ar ...
.


History

In the 1950s, Charles Oliver Wellington, an accountant from
Massachusetts Massachusetts (Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut Massachusett_writing_systems.html" ;"title="nowiki/> məhswatʃəwiːsət.html" ;"title="Massachusett writing systems">məhswatʃəwiːsət">Massachusett writing systems">məhswatʃəwiːsət'' En ...
, purchased about of central Palm Beach County swampland located south of Florida State Road 80 (locally known as Southern Boulevard) and west of
U.S. Route 441 U.S. Route 441 (US 441) is a auxiliary route of U.S. Route 41. It extends from US 41 in Miami, Florida to US 25W in Rocky Top, Tennessee. Between its termini, US 441 travels through the states of Florida, Georgia, North ...
. Wellington named the property Flying Cow Ranch, due to his other occupation as an
aviator An aircraft pilot or aviator is a person who controls the flight of an aircraft by operating its directional flight controls. Some other aircrew members, such as navigators or flight engineers, are also considered aviators, because they a ...
and his initials spelling the word "cow". The ranch became protected against floodwaters from the Everglades after the
United States Army Corps of Engineers , colors = , anniversaries = 16 June (Organization Day) , battles = , battles_label = Wars , website = , commander1 = ...
constructed a levee to south of the property between 1952 and 1953. Following his death in 1959, his son Roger inherited the property. The family sold at $300 per acre to Arthur William "Bink" Glisson, Charles' agent. Glisson sold the land for $1,000 per acre within the following several months. Many other farmers began purchasing or leasing portions of the Flying Cow Ranch in the 1960s. About were used for growing strawberries at one point, which was claimed to be the largest strawberry patch in the world. After Roger Wellington sold of land to developer Jim Nall of
Fort Lauderdale A fortification is a military construction or building designed for the defense of territories in warfare, and is also used to establish rule in a region during peacetime. The term is derived from Latin ''fortis'' ("strong") and ''facer ...
in 1972, the Palm Beach County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved a proposal by the Acme Drainage District for the area to become a planned unit development. Among the first projects included the development of 150 acre (0.61 km2) Lake Wellington and the construction of a golf course, a country club, and residential neighborhoods. Following acquisition of the project in the late 1970s by Gould Florida Inc., the company built the
International Polo Club Palm Beach The International Polo Club Palm Beach, located in Wellington, Florida, Wellington, Florida, is one of the largest polo clubs in the world. The club includes several natural grass polo fields, two of which are part of stadiums. History Once hom ...
and the Aero Club, a neighborhood with a private airpark. The area's first official population count occurred during the 1980 Census, when Wellington was defined as a
Census-designated place A census-designated place (CDP) is a concentration of population defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes only. CDPs have been used in each decennial census since 1980 as the counterparts of incorporated places, suc ...
. A total of 4,622 people lived there at the time. Wellington functioned as a sprawling bedroom community with few shopping centers or restaurants until the 1990s. A vote for incorporation of the village of Wellington was held on November 7, 1995, with 3,851 votes in support and 3,713 votes in opposition, a margin of just 138 votes. Wellington officially became a village on December 31, 1995, as a state revenue sharing program required it to exist in 1995 in order to be eligible for funding in 1996. The village became Palm Beach County's 38th municipality and the ninth most populous city in the county at the time, with approximately 28,000 residents. The first village council elections were held on March 12, 1996. None of the candidates for any of the five seats secured a majority of the votes, forcing runoffs to be held on March 26. The first elected village council members were Paul Adams, Michael McDonough, Tom Wenham, Carmine Priore, and Kathy Foster. Two days later, the council held its first meeting and selected Foster for mayor, Priore for vice mayor, and Colin Baenziger for village manager. It has now become known as an international center for equestrian sports.


Geography

According to the
United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of th ...
, the village has a total area of , of which is land and is water (0.99%).


Climate

As typical in Palm Beach County and South Florida, Wellington has a tropical climate, with two main seasons: warm and dry and hot and wet. Winters are mild to warm and humidity levels are relatively low. During the coolest month, January, average high temperatures are around and lows around . It is not unusual though for winter temperatures to reach . Summertime is rainy season in South Florida and humidity levels increase dramatically. During the hottest month, July, high temperatures are around with lows around . South Florida is vulnerable to hurricanes at this time of year.


Demographics


2020 census

As of the
2020 United States census The United States census of 2020 was the twenty-fourth decennial United States census. Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2020. Other than a pilot study during the 2000 census, this was the first U.S. census to off ...
, there were 61,637 people, 22,506 households, and 17,104 families residing in the village.


2010 census

As of 2010, there were 22,685 households, with 13.3% being vacant. In 2000, there were 12,938 households, out of which 69.7% were married couples, 47.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 9.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 17.4% were non-families. 13.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 4.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.95 and the average family size was 3.25.


2000 census

In 2000, the village the population was spread out, with 31.0% under the age of 18, 5.8% from 18 to 24, 29.7% from 25 to 44, 24.6% from 45 to 64, and 8.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.6 males. As of 2015, the median income for a household in the village was $77,233. The
per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...
for the village was $40,726. About 2.9% of families and 4.3% of the population were below the
poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...
, including 4.2% of those under age 18 and 3.8% of those age 65 or over. As of 2000, 83.52% of residents spoke
English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ...
as a
first language A first language, native tongue, native language, mother tongue or L1 is the first language or dialect that a person has been exposed to from birth or within the critical period. In some countries, the term ''native language'' or ''mother to ...
, while 12.18% spoke Spanish,
French French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...
accounted for 0.98%, French Creole for 0.79%, Italian made up 0.61%, and Vietnamese was the
mother tongue A first language, native tongue, native language, mother tongue or L1 is the first language or dialect that a person has been exposed to from birth or within the critical period. In some countries, the term ''native language'' or ''mother tong ...
of 0.47% of the population. As of 2000, Wellington had the eighty-fifth highest percentage of
Cuban Cuban may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Cuba, a country in the Caribbean * Cubans, people from Cuba, or of Cuban descent ** Cuban exile, a person who left Cuba for political reasons, or a descendant thereof * Cuban citizen, a pers ...
residents in the US, with 3.27% of the village's population.


Arts and culture

The Wellington Amphitheater hosts movie nights, musical and comedy performances, and the Food Truck Invasion.
The Mall at Wellington Green The Mall at Wellington Green is a two level super-regional shopping mall in Wellington, Florida. The mall features Dillard's, JCPenney, Macy's, City Furniture, Ashley Furniture, CMX Theaters and over 170 stores and eateries. As one of the last ...
, and the Old Wellington Mall, are located in Wellington. The Palm Beach County Library System operates the Wellington Branch. It hosts seasonal events such as the annual Top Gun model aircraft show, the Barett-Jackson Auto auction, art and antique shows and holiday parades.


Parks and recreation


Equestrian sporting events

Wellington is known for its
equestrian The word equestrian is a reference to equestrianism, or horseback riding, derived from Latin ' and ', "horse". Horseback riding (or Riding in British English) Examples of this are: *Equestrian sports *Equestrian order, one of the upper classes in ...
community and hosting equestrian events, notably show jumping, hunting, dressage and polo. Wellington is host to the
Winter Equestrian Festival The Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) is an annual equestrian festival running for 12 weeks between January and April in Wellington, Florida. Each of the 12 weeks is considered its own horse show, with separate competitions, as well as competition ...
, the largest and longest running horse show in the world from January to April. It holds more than forty weeks of equestrian competitions per year. A new expansion includes the Global Dressage Festival, begun in 2011. International competitors attend the equestrian events and social event held in the community. Each year Wellington hosts several high-goal polo tournaments including the USPA Gold Cup and the U.S. Open Polo Championship at the
Palm Beach International Polo Club The National Polo Center (NPC), formerly the International Polo Club Palm Beach (IPC), located in Wellington, Florida, is one of the largest polo clubs in the world. The club includes several natural grass polo fields, two of which are part of s ...
. The International Polo Club was an idea created by players to build a facility to showcase the skills of the ponies and players. The arenas of play include three state-of-the-art playing fields and a stick and ball field. Brunches, charities, corporate events and more are hosted at the International Polo Club in Wellington. Wellington is also home to The Palm Beach Masters series. A trio of unique events hosted at Deeridge Farms — a stunning location at the heart of equestrian sport in Wellington, Florida. These premium events offers riders, spectators, and sponsors unforgettable hospitality, unrivaled facilities, and world-class showgrounds.


Education


Primary and secondary schools

The School District of Palm Beach County serves Wellington. Public schools in Wellington and schools serving Wellington include:


Public Elementary Schools

*Wellington Elementary School *New Horizons Elementary School *Discovery Key Elementary School *Binks Forest Elementary School *Elbridge Gale Elementary School *Equestrian Trails Elementary School *Panther Run Elementary School


Public Middle Schools

*Wellington Landings Middle *Emerald Cove Middle School *Polo Park Middle School


Public High Schools

* Wellington High School * Palm Beach Central High School


Media

Wellington is serviced by a few different mainstream news publications. * The Town-Crier Newspaper: First and longest operating local newspaper serving Wellington, Royal Palm Beach,
Loxahatchee Groves Loxahatchee Groves is a town in Palm Beach County, Florida, United States. As of the 2010 census, the town had a population of 3,180. Loxahatchee Groves was incorporated November 1, 2006, as the 38th municipality in Palm Beach County. The first el ...
, and surrounding areas. * Live Wellington: Owned and operated by the Sun Sentinel. Live focuses on news in Wellington.


Infrastructure


Transportation

Wellington's public transportation consists of Palm Tran. It is also served by Palm Beach International Airport. Several highways pass through or near Wellington.
U.S. Route 441 U.S. Route 441 (US 441) is a auxiliary route of U.S. Route 41. It extends from US 41 in Miami, Florida to US 25W in Rocky Top, Tennessee. Between its termini, US 441 travels through the states of Florida, Georgia, North ...
and State Road 7 jointly cross north-to-south in the eastern side of the village. Lake Worth Road, which is designated as State Road 802 to the east of Route 441/State Road 7, continues westward into Wellington. State Road 882 (locally known as Forest Hill Boulevard) also moves east-west partially through the village, before continuing westward and then northwestward to Southern Boulevard without the designation to the west of Route 441/State Road 7. Southern Boulevard (designated as both
U.S. Route 98 U.S. Route 98 (US 98) is an east–west United States Highway in the Southeastern United States that runs from western Mississippi to southern Florida. It was established in 1933 as a route between Pensacola and Apalachicola, Florida, and has sinc ...
and State Road 80), an east-to-west highway, lies just north of the village's northern boundary.
Florida's Turnpike Florida's Turnpike, designated as unsigned State Road 91 (SR 91), is a toll road in the U.S. state of Florida, maintained by Florida's Turnpike Enterprise (FTE). Spanning approximately along a northwest–southeast axis, the turnpike is in tw ...
passes along the far eastern edge of Wellington, though the nearest entry and exit ramps are located at U.S. Route 98/State Road 80 and State Road 802, outside the municipal limits.


Public safety

The Village of Wellington receives both fire and police services on a contractual basis from Palm Beach County.


Fire and Emergency Medical Services

Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue provides fire protection and emergency medical services. There are 4 fire stations assigned to the village: *Station 20 – Engine 20, Rescue 20, Brush 20; *Station 25 – Engine 25, Rescue 25, Brush 625; *Station 27 – Engine 27, Rescue 27, Brush 27; *Station 30 – Engine 30, Rescue 30.


Law Enforcement

Police protection for Wellington is provided by District 8 of the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office. District 8 operates from a sub-station located in the village, and is staffed by 68 sworn deputies and 6 civilian employees.


Notable people


See also

* The Siren (sculpture)


References


External links

*
{{authority control Villages in Palm Beach County, Florida 1995 establishments in Florida Villages in Florida Former census-designated places in Florida Populated places established in 1972