Riviera Beach, Florida
Riviera Beach is a growing harbor city located in Palm Beach County on the Lake Worth Lagoon along the Atlantic Ocean. The sandy municipal beach of this little city in southeast Florida is one of the finest in the state. The pristine beaches and sparkling waters make Riviera Beach a favorite place for sporting events.
About The Community
Riviera Beach is home to the Port of Palm Beach and the U.S. Coast Guard Station. The Riviera Beach Municipal Marina is located on the mainland in a slow-speed zone, just to the north of the Port of Palm Beach. It is owned and operated by the City and is only a few minutes from the all-weather Lake Worth inlet. Its location and facilities make it an ideal stopover on a jaunt to the Bahamas.
One of the early settlers here in the 1880s was Judge Heyser who bought the 80-acre parcel of land along Lake Worth from the original owner Frank Dimick and settled here. He was the first judge of the then Dade County. He built a three-story house and started Oak Lawn Hotel there. This grew to be a popular winter vacation resort. The name Oak Lawn came from five Oak trees that grew on his property and soon the neighborhood took the name Oak Lawn. Soon many families settled here and there were several of African American origin among the early settlers. A journalist described the area as similar to the Riviera, which prompted Heyser to change the name of the hotel and neighborhood to Riviera Beach.
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Charles N. Newcomb bought the hotel in 1901 for his private home and ten years later bought 200 acres of the adjoining land to develop a resort community. Today, nearly 34 thousand people live in Riviera Beach. It is a poor community with the exception of the part that is on Singer Island and has a very high crime rate. In 2019, Riviera Beach ranked as the most dangerous city in Florida in a 24/7 Wall St. analysis examining cities with at least 20,000 in population that posted the highest violent crime rates per state.
Vicinity of Riviera Beach
Additional Details
Hilton Singer Island Oceanfront/Palm Beaches Resort is one of several upscale hotels in the area. Riviera Beach has the potential because of its location on the Lake Worth Canal and mild weather to grow into a sought after tourist destination like nearby Palm Beach. One current attraction is the offshore cruises organized by Casino Ships off the coast. Two ships offer all the excitement of a big casino with the charm of sailing on the seas.
Numerous local schools cater to the need of the students in the area. The congregation prays at a number of Baptist churches and churches of other denominations. The West Palm Beach VA Medical Center is located in Riviera Beach and proudly serves men and women Veterans.
File photo: Felix Mizioznikov, Shutterstock.com, licensed.