Where can you find a diverse historical record of events ranging from the Tekesta Indians, mammoths and saber cats dating back to possibly to 750 AD, Florida Cowboys, citrus and pepper farmers, Olympic champions, baseball heroes to reality TV stars of present day? Why in Parkland, Florida- of course.
The Margate-Blount Archaeological Site, located just west of Pine Trails Park, was discovered in the late 1940’s by Bruce B. Blount the Founder of the City of Parkland. Thereafter, beginning in 1959 archaeologist Wilma B. Williams and a group of local volunteers excavated the site for several years and it has yielded a number of artifacts associated with the Tekesta Indians and fossilized animal remains. Three other archaeologists conducted subsequent surveys of the site until it was closed down and was preserved as an Open Space Park in 2010. The Parkland Historical Society in a joint project with the Parkland Friends of the Library and the Palm Beach Museum of Natural History prepared and presented a well- documented history of the archaeological site on November 21, 2015. The archaeological artifacts and information boards are still present at the Parkland Library.
In the early 1900s, Richard Bolles, a silver mine millionaire, founded the first of his Florida businesses, the Florida Fruit Lands Company. His task was to dispose of 180,000 acres in Dade and Palm Beach Counties to mostly Northern farmers looking to move to warmer weather. Broward County was founded on April 30, 1915. One of Bolles’ directors was a man named John L. Holmberg who owned multiple acres of fruit land just to the south of what would become the Hillsboro Canal. In 1932, Dr. Holmberg and his wife Mary, deeded land to the young Broward County which ultimately became known as Holmberg Road.
In his own words, cowboy farmer and local politician, Bruce B. Blount tells the story of why the city was founded in 1963. “Parkland was incorporated in an effort to protect the investments and the way of life of a few families who had built an acreage subdivision started by myself in 1958,” he states in an article he wrote for the Ft. Lauderdale News in June 1965. The city was incorporated in 1963 by Legislative Act. Bruce Blount had inherited the land from his father, George L. Blount, Sr. who arrived in the tiny settlement town of Pompano Florida in November 1906. Thereafter, George and his brothers became large land owners and farmers and instrumental players in the development of Pompano and Broward County.
Parkland has had two Olympic athletes, Dara Torres gold medalist swimmer and 6’6″ “Big George” Roumain, one of the stars of the 2000 US Olympic Volleyball team and a baseball superstar and philanthropic hero named Anthony Rizzo.
Dr. Michael Zahalsky, a local urologist, recently competed on the 35th season of the popular ‘Survivor’ television program .
The above and much more can be found at the Parkland Historical Society whose purpose is to preserve the City’s historical past for all interested individuals both in Parkland and beyond its city limits. The Parkland Historical Society is the depository of all things historical related to the City. You can check them out online at www.parklandhistoricalsociety.com
Kenneth A. Cutler, Esq. is the current Parkland Commissioner for Parkland District 3. He has been involved in family research, Parkland history and genealogical research for many years. He has been a resident of Parkland since 1997.
