Pool Company in Hollywood, FL

In 1920, Joseph Young arrived in South Florida to create his own “Dream City in Florida”. His vision included the beaches of the Atlantic Ocean stretching westward with man-made lakes, infrastructure, roads, and the Intracoastal Waterway. He wanted to include large parks, schools, churches, and golf courses; these were all industries and activities that were very important to Young’s life. After Young spent millions of dollars on the construction of the city, he was elected as the first mayor in 1925. This new town quickly became home to northerners known as “snowbirds”, who fled the north during the winter and then escaped the south during the summer to avoid the harsh weather. By 1960, Hollywood had more than 2,400 hotel units and 12,170 single family homes. Young bought up thousands of acres of land around 1920, and named his new town “Hollywood by the Sea” to distinguish it from his other real-estate venture, “Hollywood in the Hills”, in New York.

The skyline of Hollywood, FloridaA photo of Hollywood Beach taken in late October 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic

The Florida guide, published by the Federal Writers’ Project, describes the early development of Hollywood, an early example of a planned community that proliferated in Florida during the real-estate boom of the 1920s:

During the early days of development here, 1,500 trucks and tractors were engaged in clearing land and grading streets; two yacht basins, designed by General George Washington Goethals, chief engineer in the construction of the Panama Canal, were dredged and connected with the Intracostal Waterway. A large power plant was installed, and when the city lights went on for the first time, ships at sea reported that Miami was on fire, and their radio alarms and the red glow in the sky brought people to the rescue from miles around.

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