More information about Wellington, FL

If you are a horse lover you will want to put a visit to Wellington, Florida on your bucket list. Any time from January to April they host the largest and longest running horse show in the entire world. It is known as an equestrian community for hosting a number of events such as show jumping, hunting, dressage and polo.

History

Located 75 miles north of Miami and about 15 miles west of West Palm Beach the Village of Wellington does not have any beaches. The area in the 1960 literally became the the world’s largest strawberry patch with over 2,000 acres dedicated to raising strawberries. The area started as the Flying Cow Ranch and was named after Charles Oliver Wellington. His initials, COW, and the fact he was an aviator created the name. He bought 18,000 acres in the 1950s, which was also swampland, and would eventually become the Village of Wellington. Development started for a planned community in 1972 and until 1990 it continued to grow as a bedroom community. It became incorporated in 1995. Today, with a population of 64,000, it is the largest “village” in the state and the fifth largest city in the popular Palm Beach County. Although under any standard definition it is not a village, it continues to be called the Village of Wellington.

Wellington Today

The city was recognized by Money magazine in 2010 making it into their Top 100 Best Places to Live. The community makes a concerted effort to create a great hometown atmosphere with great neighborhoods, great schools and great parks. They take that further with goals of neighborhood renaissance, to respect the  environment and protect the investments the community makes, to use common sense with economic development and to have a responsive government for its residents. Also worth mentioning is the Big Blue Forest Preserve located in the middle of the Village. With 92 acres dedicated to wetlands it contains some cypress trees that are over 300 years old. A berm was actually built around the forest and water pumped in to maintain its original state. With trails having been built through the preserve you can meander through giant ferns and under the blue haze that rises from the treetops. The master plan has designated that the preserve will be maintained as a park and recreational area. How often do you see land use statistics documenting park usage? The Village has 24 park facilities with 228 miles of hiking and biking trails. The unusual statistic is the 67 miles of bridle paths! The community truly embraces the equestrian identity it has grown into. In addition to the horse show we opened with it also hosts several high goal polo tournaments each year. There are numerous fields dedicated to polo in the city and facilities as well. Of course, you’ll find several shopping malls for your retail entertainment and you are only a 20 minute drive from the Atlantic Ocean for your water sports fix. The Village of Wellington is a unique community well worth visiting.