Cooper City, Florida
Cooper City is the realization of one man’s dream. It is unlikely that a poor immigrant ever thought he would be the founder of an idyllic community in South Florida, but thanks to the pioneering efforts of Morris Cooper, this lovely city in Broward County, just fifteen miles southwest of Fort Lauderdale, is believed to be ‘someplace special.’
About The Community
Almost 36 thousand people of great ethnic diversity have made this 8.3 square mile community their home with very good reasons. Cooper City is a prosperous young city with the fourth highest median household income in the county. Created by a Special Act of the Florida Legislature in 1959, the community offers an excellent quality of life with great emphasis on nurturing the family bonds.
There are five schools that are within the city limits: three elementary schools, one middle school and one high school. All of them, Cooper City Elementary, Griffin Elementary, Embassy Creek Elementary, Pioneer Middle and Cooper City High, as well as the several private and religious-affiliated schools boast of a high academic standard such as Cooper City Christian Academy. Cooper City has over 25 excellently equipped recreation parks with state of the art spots facilities. Cooper City has been designated “Tree City, U.S.A.” because of the proliferation of planting programs.
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Additional Details
The people of Cooper City enjoy several special events for families throughout the year. It is not uncommon to have Fathers and Daughters Dance Night or a Moms and Sons outing. These programs for all ages and strong community spirit have earned Cooper City the reputation of being an excellent place to grow families. There are three large shopping centers in the city with popular supermarkets and their share of restaurants.
Vicinity of Cooper City
Like the rest of South Florida, this area was also occupied by various Indian tribes. Settlers worked at farming, raised livestock and grew oranges. The swampy and marshy area was swarming with mosquitoes in the pioneering days which were a threat not only to humans, but to crops, animals and poultry. Cooper City was once Wacico Groves, short for the Walsh Citrus Company. Access to the beach was difficult in the early years as there were no bridges and few roads. Trails were cut and people had to cross the Intercoastal by way of rowboats kept along the banks. Indians continued to paddle in dugout canoes along the South New River Canal till 1930. Barges were used to ship produce and supplies as well as transport passengers to and from Fort Lauderdale.
Morris Cooper bought Wacico Groves after floods in 1947-1948 devastated the groves. Morris Cooper and other early settlers worked hard to develop the infrastructure of the township. In 1959 Cooper’s dream of a well-zoned community became a reality. He had converted a few acres of orange grove and cattle grazing land into a stable and a beautiful community through his vision and determination. His legacy includes college scholarships for worthy graduates of Cooper City High School. Today the challenge is to maintain the high quality of services to a rapidly growing community while preserving the special place that Cooper City is.
