Lake Worth

A Native American tribe known as the Jaega were the earliest inhabitants of this area. The remnants of their shell mounds can be found near the beaches in this area. A couple by the name of Samuel and Fannie James first settled here under the Homestead Act in 1885. Here they held hundreds of acres of land. They started a pineapple farm which was later sold to the Palm Beach Farms Company in 1910.

Fannie James went on to become the first postmaster at the Jewel post office in the settlement. This building also doubled as a dry goods shop which the couple operated. After Henry Flagler extended his rail line from West Palm Beach to Miami in 1896, a developer by the name of Bryant & Greenwood moved in and the town was named Lake Worth after the lake adjacent to where it was settled.

In April of 1911, the Lake Worth Herald published a promotional piece on the growing town saying “A solitary Indian mound surrounded by wild woods marked the spot where flourishing Lake Worth is now growing beyond the most vivid imagination.” Within a year, the city built several major public buildings like a school, library, church, and Chamber of Commerce. In addition, the population surged from 38 to 308 by the year’s end.

The city was incorporated in June 1913. In recent decades, the downtown area has seen a huge surge of interest. Today you can find various art galleries, sidewalk cafes, and night clubs. Village Voice Media recently named Lake Worth “The Coolest City in South Florida.” Property values have been soaring in recent years.

The main street, Lake Avenue, has some of the oldest commercial buildings in South Florida. One major landmark here is the Lake Worth Playhouse.

The Lake Worth Real Estate Market

A variety of prices can be found among the homes in Lake Worth. Single family homes can start as $125,000 and go as high as $10 million for homes on the Intracoastal Waterway. In between these ranges, there are options within communities like Valencia Shores and Isola Bella in the western portion of the city.

Lake Worth and Lantana condos are also available for purchase for as little as $60,000 or as much as $1 million for a waterfront penthouse that looks out on the Atlantic Ocean, or one overlooking the Intracoastal Waterway. There are plenty of residential communities throughout the city that house middle and upper class residents.

Here are some of the popular mid-priced communities:

• Isola Bella

• Lake Charleston

• Winston Trails

• Smith Farms

• Wycliffe Golf & Country Club

• Lakes of Sherbrooke

• Valencia Shores (55+ active adult community)

For affluent buyers looking to browse the finest luxury homes that Lake Worth has to offer, consider the following communities:

• San Messina

• Legend Lake Estates

• Estates of Sherbrooke

• Countryside Estates

Like most cities in South Florida, Lake Worth was constructed from the east to the west. This means that buyers looking for older construction and architecture should browse areas in the east. Newer areas sport amenities like gated entrances, planned developments, and other resort-style benefits.

Living the Good Life in Lake Worth

For families who are settling into this new life, you’ll find that there are several schools at various levels of education that provide an excellent education. There are four elementary schools to choose from for example. Lake Worth Community High School, established in 1922, serves the city along with Lake Worth Middle School.

The main campus of Palm Beach State College is located in Lake Worth and is the oldest community college in Florida. It was founded in 1933 as Palm Beach Junior College. The name was changed in 2010 when the school started offering four-year degrees.

For the times when it’s all play and no work, there are a number of public parks and beaches to enjoy in Lake Worth. The beach for which the city is named is one of the last remaining stretches of open and public space on the ocean in Southeast Florida. The local casino was reopened in 2013 after being renovated to capture the neoclassical look of the 1920’s original.

The William O. Lockhart Pier, which extends into the Atlantic, is a symbol of the city. While it was partially destroyed by Hurricane Frances in 2004, it has been rebuilt. It creates sandbars which capture ocean swells. As a result, Lake Worth is one of the most popular surfing spots in South Florida.

Bryant Park in downtown Lake Worth features a 1920’s-era bandshell which is used for events, festivals, and performances. The nearby golf course is prized for its views of the ocean, and the John Prince Memorial park features great activities on the shores of Lake Osborne. In 2012, the Snook Islands Natural Area opened with several amenities like a kayak launch, mooring slips, a fishing pier, and a nature walk.

The Lake Worth real estate options cater to all people from all walks of life. Grab your slice of this paradise today!