Fort Lauderdale is located along the coast in Florida next to the Atlantic ocean. If you like water you'll be happy here. With its many canals and several miles of beaches, there is sure to be something for everyone. Many things to do and see can be found in the Fort Lauderdale, FL yellow pages when visiting.The Tequesta Indians were the first people in this area. These Indians fell victim to diseases brought to them from other countries. As with many Indians, their immune systems could not fight off the white mans illnesses. Most were gone by 1763. The few left were forced to move to Cuba when the British took over the land. In the following years, several different countries took turns at having power over this area. The name Fort Lauderdale was first used when a United States stockade was built in 1838. It was left empty after 1842. A large growth in the city came about in 1893 when the Florida East Coast Railroad came through here. Also a ferry ran by Frank Stranahan crossed New River. In 1911 Fort Lauderdale was officially a city.
By 1915 it was named the county seat of Broward County. The 1920s saw huge development in Fort Lauderdale during Florida's big land boom. Once the Great Depression hit, along with the 1926 Miami Hurricane, growth slowed way down here. In World War II, Fort Lauderdale was turned into a United States Naval Air Station. It was here that operators and pilots were trained. After the war service members came back to Fort Lauderdale to live. This caused a huge population explosion. Today the area is mostly tourists. Between the 1940's and 1980's Fort Lauderdale became the place to go for college kids on spring break. Over time cruise ships and yachting came to the area. The college crowds have turned into a more mature group. Yacht manufacturing is a big industry for the area. Fort Lauderdale also has a 600,000 square foot convention center. Many come to Fort Lauderdale for conventions. The city gets over 10 million visitors each year. People can find information on the convention center and area businesses in the Fort Lauderdale, FL business directory.
Written by Lyndsey Morgan
