Wellington, Florida facts for kids

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Wellington, Florida

Village

Flag

Nickname(s):

"The Winter Equestrian Capital of the World"

Motto(s):

"Unique Hometown, Family Atmosphere, Family Environment",
"A Great Hometown...Let Us Show You!"

Location of Wellington in Palm Beach County, Florida

Florida

December 31, 1995

Government

• Type

Council-Manager

Area

• Village

45.41 sq mi (117.62 km²)

• Land

44.97 sq mi (116.46 km²)

• Water

0.45 sq mi (1.16 km²) .99%

Elevation

13 ft (5 m)

Population

(2020)

• Village

61,637

• Density

1,370.72/sq mi (529.24/km²)

• Metro

5,463,857

Time zone

UTC-5 (EST)

• Summer (DST)

UTC-4 (EDT)

ZIP codes

33411, 33414, 33449, 33467

Area code(s)

561, 728

FIPS code

12-75812

GNIS feature ID

1759737

Website

http://wellingtonfl.gov/

Wellington is a village located west of West Palm Beach in Palm Beach County. It's about 66 miles north of Miami. Wellington is part of the larger Miami metropolitan area. By population, it's the fifth largest town in Palm Beach County. In 2020, about 61,637 people lived here, making it the most populated village in Florida.

History of Wellington

Early Days: Flying Cow Ranch

In the 1950s, a man named Charles Oliver Wellington bought a huge area of swampland in central Palm Beach County. He was an accountant from Massachusetts. He named his property "Flying Cow Ranch." This was because he was also a pilot, and his initials spelled "cow."

The ranch was protected from Everglades floodwaters. This happened after the United States Army Corps of Engineers built a levee nearby. After Charles Wellington passed away in 1959, his son Roger took over the property.

From Farmland to Development

In the 1960s, many farmers started buying or renting parts of Flying Cow Ranch. At one point, about 2,000 acres were used to grow strawberries. People even said it was the biggest strawberry patch in the world!

In 1972, Roger Wellington sold a large piece of land to a developer. The Palm Beach County Board of Commissioners then agreed to a plan for the area to become a "planned unit development." This meant it would be built with a specific design.

Some of the first projects included creating Lake Wellington. They also built a golf course, a country club, and new neighborhoods. Later, a company called Gould Florida Inc. took over. They built the International Polo Club Palm Beach and the Aero Club. The Aero Club is a neighborhood with its own private airpark.

Becoming an Official Village

The first official count of people in Wellington was in 1980. At that time, 4,622 people lived there. For a while, Wellington was mostly a "bedroom community." This means people lived there but often traveled to other places for shopping or dining.

On November 7, 1995, people voted to make Wellington an official village. The vote was very close! Wellington officially became a village on December 31, 1995. This made it Palm Beach County's 38th town. It was also the ninth most populated city in the county, with about 28,000 residents.

The first village council elections were held in 1996. The first elected council members were Paul Adams, Michael McDonough, Tom Wenham, Carmine Priore, and Kathy Foster. Two days later, they had their first meeting. They chose Kathy Foster as mayor.

Today, Wellington is known around the world for its equestrian (horse riding) sports.

Geography and Climate

Location and Size

Wellington covers about 31.4 square miles. Most of this area, about 31.0 square miles, is land. The rest, about 0.3 square miles, is water.

Weather in Wellington

Wellington has a tropical climate, just like the rest of Palm Beach County and South Florida. It has two main seasons:

Warm and Dry Season: This is usually during winter. The weather is mild to warm, and it's not very humid. In January, the coolest month, high temperatures are around 75°F. Lows are around 55°F. Sometimes, winter temperatures can even reach 83°F.
Hot and Wet Season: This is during summer, which is also the rainy season. The air becomes very humid. In July, the hottest month, high temperatures are around 92°F. Lows are around 75°F. During this time, South Florida can be affected by hurricanes.

Population and People

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1980	4,622	—
1990	20,670	347.2%
2000	38,216	84.9%
2010	56,508	47.9%
2020	61,637	9.1%
U.S. Decennial Census

Wellington has grown a lot over the years. In 1980, there were 4,622 people. By 2020, the population had grown to 61,637 people.

In 2020, there were 21,495 households in the village. About 16,654 of these were families.

In 2015, the average income for a household in Wellington was $77,233. The average income per person was $40,726. A small number of families and people lived below the poverty line.

Arts and Culture

Wellington Amphitheater

Wellington has many fun things to do!

Entertainment Venues

The Wellington Amphitheater is a popular spot. It hosts movie nights, music concerts, and comedy shows. You can also find the "Food Truck Invasion" there, where many different food trucks gather.

Shopping Centers

You can find two main shopping centers in Wellington:

The Mall at Wellington Green
The Old Wellington Mall

Library and Events

The Palm Beach County Library System has a branch in Wellington. It offers many books and resources.

Wellington also hosts seasonal events. These include the annual Top Gun model aircraft show. There's also the Barett-Jackson Auto auction, art and antique shows, and holiday parades.

Parks and Recreation

Equestrian Sports Capital

Beezie Madden and Onlight at the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, Florida.

Wellington is famous for its horse-related activities. It's known as an international center for equestrian sports. Many events take place here, including:

Show jumping
Hunting
Dressage
Polo

Winter Equestrian Festival

Wellington hosts the Winter Equestrian Festival. This is the largest and longest-running horse show in the world. It happens every year from January to April. The festival has over forty weeks of horse competitions.

A newer part of this event is the Global Dressage Festival, which started in 2011. Horse riders from all over the world come to Wellington for these events. They also attend social gatherings in the community.

Polo Tournaments

Every year, Wellington hosts several major polo tournaments. These include the USPA Gold Cup and the U.S. Open Polo Championship. These games are held at the Palm Beach International Polo Club.

The International Polo Club was created by players. They wanted a place to show off the amazing skills of the horses (ponies) and players. The club has three modern playing fields and a practice field. Many events are held here, like brunches, charity events, and corporate gatherings.

Education in Wellington

Public Schools

The The School District of Palm Beach County manages the public schools in Wellington. Here are some of the schools that serve the area:

Elementary Schools

Wellington Elementary School
New Horizons Elementary School
Discovery Key Elementary School
Binks Forest Elementary School
Elbridge Gale Elementary School
Equestrian Trails Elementary School
Panther Run Elementary School

Middle Schools

Wellington Landings Middle School
Emerald Cove Middle School
Polo Park Middle School

High Schools

Wellington High School
Palm Beach Central High School

Media and News

If you want to know what's happening in Wellington, you can check out these sources:

The Town-Crier Newspaper: This is the oldest local newspaper. It covers news for Wellington and nearby areas.
The Palm Beach Post: This newspaper has a reporter who focuses on the western communities of Palm Beach County.
The Sun Sentinel: This newspaper also provides some news coverage for Palm Beach County.
Local TV News: WPTV-TV, WPEC, and WPBF are local TV channels that provide news.
Radio: WLRN-FM is the NPR (National Public Radio) station for South Florida.

Transportation

Getting Around Wellington

Wellington has public transportation provided by Palm Tran. For air travel, the nearest airport is Palm Beach International Airport.

Several main roads go through or near Wellington:

U.S. Route 441 and State Road 7 run north-to-south on the eastern side of the village.
Lake Worth Road (also known as State Road 802 to the east) goes west into Wellington.
State Road 882 (Forest Hill Boulevard) also runs east-west through part of the village.
Southern Boulevard (which is both U.S. Route 98 and State Road 80) is just north of Wellington's boundary.
Florida's Turnpike runs along the far eastern edge of Wellington. However, the closest places to get on or off the Turnpike are outside the village limits.

Notable People from Wellington

Many interesting people have lived in Wellington, including:

Stephanie Abrams, a meteorologist for The Weather Channel.
Daniel Bluman, an Olympic show jumping rider.
Jon Bostic, an NFL linebacker.
Glenn Close, a famous actress.
Fred Couples, a professional golfer.
Nacho Figueras, a polo player and model.
Bill Gates, the founder of Microsoft (he is a seasonal resident).
Margie Goldstein-Engle, an equestrian.
Arin Hanson, an online internet personality.
Tommy Lee Jones, a well-known actor.
Erin Krakow, an actress.
Joan Lunden, a broadcaster.
Madonna, the famous singer and actress.
Cassadee Pope, a musician.
J. B. Pritzker, the current Governor of Illinois.
Rommy Revson, who invented the scrunchie.
Vanessa Rousso, a professional poker player.
Jarrod Saltalamacchia, an MLB baseball player.
Patti Scialfa, a musician.
Fred Taylor, a retired NFL running back.
Vanilla Ice, a rapper.
Nick Zano, an actor.

Images for kids

Location of Wellington in Palm Beach County, Florida
Beezie Madden and Onlight, Grand Prix competition at the FTI Winter Equestrian Festival, Wellington, Florida.