If you’ve ever wandered through downtown West Palm Beach, you may have noticed something unique: the streets are alphabetically arranged and all carry names inspired by flowers and trees. But, how did this helpfully alphabetical and tropical grid come to be?
It all starts with Henry Flagler, the visionary behind the city’s development. Flagler wanted to make sure that everyone who came to West Palm Beach felt they were living in paradise. So, he carefully planned the streets, naming them after lush, tropical plants. The street names start with “B” and continue through “I”: Banyan, Clematis, Datura, Evernia, Fern, Gardenia, Hibiscus, and Iris. This alphabetical order makes it easy to navigate the area while also offering a bit of botanical charm. There are also perpendicular streets running north and south that have botanical names, including Narcissus, Olive, Poinsettia (now Dixie Highway), Rosemary, Sapodilla, and Tamarind.
You might be wondering, “What happened to A?” Well, Althea was the original first street in the grid (so there used to be an “A” street), but during the 1920s real estate boom, the city renamed it Second Street and shifted Banyan to First Street. It’s a quirky piece of West Palm Beach’s history!
Next time you’re downtown, notice the alphabetical nature of the streets, which is helpful way to help navigate your adventures!
