Singer Island facts for kids
Sailfish Marina on Singer Island, Lake Worth, West Palm Beach, Florida
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 Singer Island
Location in Florida
Singer Island
Location in North Atlantic
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| Geography | |
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| Location | North Atlantic |
| Coordinates | 26°47′06″N 80°02′15″W / 26.78500°N 80.03750°W |
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| County | Palm Beach |
Singer Island is a beautiful piece of land in Florida, right on the Atlantic Ocean. It's part of Palm Beach County, Florida, in the South Florida area. Most of Singer Island is in the city of Riviera Beach. But the very southern part belongs to a town called Palm Beach Shores.
It's located at 26.784 degrees North and -80.037 degrees West. The easternmost point of Florida is actually in Palm Beach Shores! Long ago, Singer Island was connected to Palm Beach. This was before the Palm Beach Inlet, a waterway, was built.
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Discovering Singer Island's Past
Singer Island got its name from Paris Singer. He was a developer in Palm Beach. His father, Isaac Singer, was famous for the Singer Sewing Machine.
Today, Singer Island has many cool things. You can find parks, marinas, and paths for hiking and biking. It also has about 4.7 miles (7.6 km) of white sand beach. This beach is considered one of the top five beaches in Palm Beach County.
Singer Island is not far from other Florida cities. It's about 3 miles (4.8 km) from North Palm Beach. It's also 5.4 miles (8.7 km) from West Palm Beach and Palm Beach Gardens. Juno Beach is 6.2 miles (10.0 km) away, and Jupiter is 10.6 miles (17.1 km) away.
Early Plans for the Island
Paris Singer first planned to call this area "Palm Beach Ocean." He wanted to build a fancy hotel called the Paris Singer Hotel. This hotel would be on the south end of the island. He also planned a different resort called the Blue Heron further north. In between, he imagined homes and a golf course.
However, Singer's plans changed. It was hard to get the land titles clear. So, he decided to build only one luxury hotel on the south end. He would call this hotel the Blue Heron.
The Florida Land Boom
Almost every piece of land in "Palm Beach Ocean" was sold. About $2 million was invested in the Blue Heron hotel. This amount would be like $28 million today! But then, the Florida land boom of the 1920s suddenly ended. This was a time when land prices in Florida grew very fast, then crashed.
Because of this crash, not a single house was built on the lots. The Blue Heron hotel was left unfinished. Its empty structure was torn down in 1940. Today, the Hilton Singer Island Oceanfront Resort stands in its place.
Famous People of Singer Island
Singer Island has been home to some well-known people.
- John D. MacArthur was a very successful businessman.
- Michelle McGann is a professional golfer.
- Clarence Clemons was a famous musician. He was a member of the E Street Band.
Singer Island is also known for its many condo buildings. The tallest building there is called "Tiara." It has 42 stories! In 2004, two hurricanes badly damaged the Tiara. Residents had to move out from 2004 to 2008 while it was being fixed. It has now been fully restored.
Natural Parks and Beaches
John D. MacArthur Beach State Park is a special place on Singer Island. It has coastal and tropical hammock areas. These are like small forests with different kinds of trees. It also has mangrove forests, which are important for sea life.
This park is a barrier island. It protects the mainland from storms. It also provides a safe home for many rare plants. Some of these plants are even endangered.
