Pompano Beach, the second oldest city in Broward County, has a history dating back a thousand years. The area near Lake Santa Barbara was first inhabited by Tequesta Indians, who buried their dead in earthen mounds still visible today in Indian Mound Park.

As European settlers moved into the area, the Indian population declined due to disease. And by the late nineteenth century, families from north Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas had settled the region and were growing pineapples, tomatoes, peppers, and beans, earning Pompano the moniker, "Bean Capital of the World."

James Hamilton, a "barefoot mailman," who walked the beach mail routes from Jupiter to Miami, was immortalized in 1887 when he attempted to swim across the Hillsboro Inlet and was never seen again. Cities along the route set up monuments in his memory, one of which can still be seen alongside the historic 1907 Hillsboro Inlet Lighthouse, on Hamilton Island.

In July 3, 1908, the town of Pompano was incorporated. Local lore traces the name of the town to a surveyor working for Henry Flagler's East Coast Railway, whose inspiration came from the Pompano fish that he dined on in the company of local residents.

The fortunes of Pompano changed for the better in the post-World War I era when William L. Kester moved to town with his family. As a member of the City Council in the 1920s, Kester helped to build the city's infrastructure. He also donated land to construct churches, parks, a public library, and a cemetery and purchased beachfront property where he built "Kester cottages" to promote tourism during the Depression era.

In 1947, the town of Pompano merged with the adjacent beach community to form Pompano Beach. As tourists came to fuel the local economy, farmland gave way to golf courses and developments. While Pompano Beach has changed quite a bit from its early days as a farming company, local residents work to retain the city's rich history.

The Ely Educational Museum, named in honor of an early educator, Blanche Ely, features exhibits relating to the Ely's and education in the black community. The Pompano Beach Historical Society has its headquarters in Founders Park, which includes a Historical Museum, two restored Kester Cottages, and the town's first Fire House. Visitors can walk the streets of the historic downtown commercial district or visit the 1916 Sample-McDougald House, which dates to the pioneer era in South Florida.

This podcast made possible through a grant from the Florida Humanities Council. Script written by Naomi Williams. Narrated by Sandra Averhart.