Old Lauderdale

North Florida had plantations, but what did we have? With the topic of slavery in the news, you might wonder about its history in our city. There was not widespread…

A passionate battle ensued in the 1950s over Fort Lauderdale’s infamous tunnel. For those of us who drive in downtown Fort Lauderdale these days, the question is, “When will they…

We are a city whose history was forged in wars with the Seminole Tribe, followed by a peaceful coexistence. Today, that tribe has blossomed into a thriving community that provides…

Visionary land developers began South Florida’s boom-and-bust real estate cycles well over a century ago. Things didn’t always go as planned. America’s homespun philosopher Will Rogers put it in a…

Second of two parts. In the late 1950s, well over 60 years ago, there was a place called the 4 O’Clock Club in Fort Lauderdale. Comedy legend Woody Woodbury remembers…

The roots of downtown’s prime riverfront prison. Over the last dozen years or so, we’ve seen towering condo buildings, one after the other, sprouting up downtown along the New River.…

Of all the strange bits of our history – and we have seen a lot over the years of this column – few top the time that Florida state troopers…

Our island neighbor’s contributions to Fort Lauderdale often fly under the radar, but they add up to a sweet song. My wife and I were talking about the Bahamas recently…

It’s no secret that some early Fort Lauderdale historical figures faced adversity. But from hardships came amazing contributions to today’s community. One such scourge on our history came in the…