The first structure in the swampy land of east central Broward County was a wooden fort named after Tennessee Volunteer Major William Lauderdale. After the Seminole Wars, the fort was left to rot, of use only to runaway slaves and army deserters. It wasn't until Charles Green Rhodes developed a plan to dredge parallel canals with long peninsulas between them that the area became suitable for development. The "Venice of America" that was Fort Lauderdale was then able to grow. Flagler's railroad followed, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Long before spring break there was the Collegiate Aquatic Forum, a unique winter attraction that started in 1935. The 1960s brought even more attention to the area's beautiful beaches, and the spring break migrations soon followed. Now Fort Lauderdale has evolved beyond that and become a smart, sophisticated city with beautifully preserved beaches, international dining, and a cosmopolitan attitude.

Pompano also began with just a few settlers. The first documented permanent residents were railroad employees George Butler and Frank Sheene, who arrived with their families in 1896. The original town of Pompano later merged with a beach area, forming the current city of Pompano Beach.