The Town of Davie - is intriguing as it is very old school and in the country and basically horse land! It has the Bergeron rodeo arena here after all. So it seemed fitting for me to go and check out Davie's Town hall.
Their town hall - does not look like any other town hall that's for sure. This is made of wood, and looks quite old and unique - see my pictures for a peak! I could not find out the age of this building - maybe you can, and if you find out, please lmk!
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Some history about Davie - The first permanent settlers of the Town of Davie arrived in 1909 from the Panama Canal Zone and later from states such as Illinois, Michigan, and Kentucky. They were drawn to the area because of the efforts by the State of Florida to drain the swamp land; the land was cheap with an ideal climate, and the richness of the soil. Many of these settlers arrived by way of train and boat. Travel was very slow because of the lack of roads from established towns and villages. The northern settlers traveled via railroad to Jacksonville, by the Florida East Coast Railroad to Fort Lauderdale. Once in Fort Lauderdale, the travelers would have to travel by boat to reach the Davie area, known in that time as "Zona." The first settlers elected to name this area "Zona" because of the influence of the settlers from the Panamanian Canal Zone. By 1914, approximately 250 people called Davie home.
Originally, the Davie Farm at Zona, Florida consisted of 2,000 acres purchased from the State by Everglades Sugar and Land, Co., and subdivided into smaller acreages. The land had not been thoroughly drained resulting in the early settlers having to contend with persistent flooding and local wildlife. The first homes were constructed of lumber and tar paper and could not withstand the rain and thunderstorms. The hurricanes and storms of September 1926 were pivotal in the development of Davie as most of the homes were lost that year. By the end of 1926, most homes were constructed of concrete block to better withstand inclement weather.
The Town of Davie's proud culture stems from of its most recognizable landmarks, the Old Davie School and the Rodeo Arena. Old Davie School is the oldest existing school in Broward County. The school was opened in 1918 with 90 students. The school is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Davie Rodeo Arena was constructed by 17 residents in 1946.
In 1925, Zona was renamed in R.P. Davie's honor as the Town of Davie, having purchase a significant amount land in the area. Davie was originally incorporated in 1925, but later dissolved during the following legislative session to avoid taxation resulting from the incorporation. The Town was again incorporated in 1961 with less than 2,000 residents. By the mid 1970s, the Town of Davie had over 12,000 residents. By the 1990s, the Town population exploded to over 47,217 residents. Today, Davie boasts a population of over 92,000 residents. read more