Taking its name from a fortification established more than 160 years ago during the Second Seminole War, Fort Lauderdale boasts a history stretching back 5,000 years before the first white settlers arrived in the eighteenth century. From beautiful tales of the "mysterious" New River that helped launch the community to more recent stories of rum running and gambling, segregation and integration, and boom and bust, the history of this Florida city is told here through the everyday lives of those who lived it.

During World War II, Palm Beach County was a beehive of activity. Beachgoers witnessed the destruction left in the wake of U-boat attacks and then helped rescue survivors and retrieve the dead. One of the first Civil Air Patrol units to hunt U-boats operated from Palm Beach County. Morrison Field in West Palm Beach served as the takeoff point for Army Air Corps planes destined for battle lines throughout the world. Boca Raton Army Air Field was the headquarters for training airmen in top secret radar technology. The US Army, Navy, and Coast Guard used resort hotels for training sites and...