Highland Beach: A Brief Look at Our History
And Where We Are Today
It was here that in the 1200-1300’s inhabitants made
their home - the eight foot tall Caloosa Tribe. What a place this was! Imagine, if you
can, complete wilderness and swamp with the old Spanish River hidden from the roar of the
Atlantic to the east. Here, food was in abundance: fish, wild animals, fruit, sweet
potatoes. Fresh water was found at the base of the tree trunks, and from streams back in
the bush, with salt water everywhere for boating, fishing and swimming.
During the 1500-1600’s, pirates and buccaneers made
the area their home. Here the living was easy; safety from storms and pursuit and easy
access to plunder the gold-laden galleons of old Spain.
In the 1800’s, the barefoot mailmen carried mail from
Palm Beach to Miami, walking the entire distance along the sandy beach where at intervals
were crude structures known as refuge houses. Food consisted of hard biscuits and coffee
carried in the mail sack, fish caught in the ocean, and oysters clustered at the roots
near the water, together with sweet potatoes, wild oranges and small bananas. Palm fronds
were used as “plates”.
Over the centuries, huge green turtles slowly made their
way from the waters to the beach to lay their eggs. The birds and pirates would devour the
eggs, and the men would slaughter the turtles for food. The turtles still come to the
beach to lay their eggs today, but are strictly protected by law. The beach was a treasure
of relics from ships broken by storms…legend has it that a load of coconuts washed
ashore started the growth of our palm trees; there were casks of lard, kegs of wine,
enough fittings to build a complete house. During this period, the first Seminole Indians
came to these shores from Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia.
It wasn’t until 1896, when Henry Flagler completed the
East Coast Railway, that civilized progress began. People traveled in greater numbers and
established homes where swamp and jungle had once existed. In the early 1900’s a
group of Japanese emigrated to Florida and settled just west of the Intracoastal Waterway,
naming their little community Yamato. Here they successfully raised pineapple and
vegetables.
The history of present day Highland Beach began in 1949
when it was incorporated with 21 free voters for two prime reasons. First, a fresh water
supply was imperative as there was salt intrusion in the existing wells. Neighboring
communities were not amenable to supplying water from their wells, therefore funds were
required to build a water plant. Secondly, the residents at that time heard rumors that a
trailer camp was contemplated in the area, which did not meet with their approval. The
name “Highland Beach” was chosen because at that time the land rose 20 to 25
feet above high tide, relatively higher than other portions of the dune crest in the area.
Land values in 1945 were $45 a foot, including the land
opposite on the Intracoastal, as that was considered valueless because of the swamp and
mangroves. In 1950, it sold for $125 a foot, excluding the west parcel. Presently, the
value is in excess of $80,000 a "front" foot!
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