HISTORY and FACTS
of the
TOWN of MANGONIA PARK
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| Left to Right: Deputy CLYDE MASON, Special Deputy & Police Commissioner HOWARD CONVERSE, Marshal ROBERT BROMELO (1965) |
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| Town Hall (1987) |
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| Fire Department (1966) |
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In the early 1860’s, settlers came to the area of what
is now Palm Beach County and named it “Lake Worth”.
Lake Worth stretched from what is now the Town of
Jupiter to what is now the City of Boynton Beach, and
was a central section of what was then Dade County.
At that time, Dade County went as far north as what
is now St. Lucie County, south to the Florida Keys,
which is now Monroe County. Palm Beach County was
established later in 1909.
The current municipal incorporated limits of the Town of
Mangonia Park were originally part of an unincorporated
area of West Palm Beach. The city limits of West Palm
Beach were located to the south and east boundaries of
our yet to be developed town. The City of Riviera Beach
sat on the north boundary of our town, separated by a
canal, with no road or bridge access from Voss Road,
which is now Australian Avenue.
In 1946, a handful of homeowners living near Voss Road,
lead by then resident, Charles Roebuck, decided to
incorporate. This decision was made simply from not
wanting to be a part of the City of West Palm Beach,
which was rumored at the time to be expanding it’s
municipal boundaries westward. By 1947, despite being
mostly swampland east of Voss Road, Town residents were
able to meet the “1-mile square” land area requirement
for municipal incorporation. It was Mr. Roebuck who
prepared the inaugural Town Charter. The Roebucks
residential sub-division located in the southeast sector of
our town was named after him. |
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| Fire Department Bar-B-Q (1959) |
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| Fire Truck (1953) |
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| The original town charter called for the name of our Town
to be that of "Magnolia Park". However, upon being
returned from the powers-to-be at the state capital in
Tallahassee, the Town Fathers were informed in writing
that the name Magnolia Park had been taken. The new
name would now be that of "Mangonia Park," instead. And
so, the name of the Town was now established.
The first Town Hall was an old U.S. Army barracks at the
northwest corner East Avenue and West 46th Street that
was purchased for the sum of $100.00. For the first ten (10)
years of the Town’s existence, there was no financial
income from tax monies for municipal services and expenses.
So, when it came time for purchasing a fire truck, town hall,
election ballot forms, and various other needs, the Town held
fish fries and barbeques to raise the funds needed for each
project, equipment or capital improvement.
By the mid 1960’s, the Town was able to purchase a former
church building at 5301 Australian Avenue, and moved all
municipal offices and council meeting chambers to this location.
It remained the home of the Town Clerk’s office, Town Council
Meeting Chambers and Police Department until 1988.
From 1947 until 1970, the Town of Mangonia Park law
enforcement service consisted of a Town Marshal, and
two Deputy Marshals. The Town Mayor was the Municipal
Judge from 1947 until the early 1970’s. The Fire Department
was strictly a volunteer organization until it became part of
the town’s Department of Public Safety in the mid 1970’s.
In fact, despite the hiring of professional firefighters and the
utilization of professional police officers for responding to fire
calls-for-service, the heart of the Fire Department personnel
remained it’s volunteers up until the early 1980’s. However,
lack of adequate staffing for emergency calls response lead
to fears of inefficient service to town residents and businesses,
that coincided with financial considerations to maintain and
purchase new equipment, etc. These issues basically forced
the Town of Mangonia Park to disband it’s Fire Department.
Fire-Rescue services were contracted with the City of West
Palm Beach Fire-Rescue Department in the late 1990’s.
The first Police Chief of the Town of Mangonia Park was
Jack Welsh, from December 7, 1970 until December 5, 1980
(see PUBLIC SAFETY page for list of town Police Chief’s). After
37 years of existence and service to town’s residential and
business community, the Town of Mangonia Park disbanded its
Police Department due to financial reasons. Law enforcement
services were contracted with the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s
Office on February 1, 2007.
In the early morning hours of December 25, 1978, the historic
Palm Beach Jai-Alai Fronton caught fire and was completely
destroyed. The cause of the Christmas morning blaze was
determined to be arson. Investigators with the Mangonia Park
Police Department, Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office and
Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) spent over two
(2) years interviewing potential suspects, current and former
employees of the fronton, town residents, reviewing records
and crime scene information. However, to this day, no one
has ever been arrested and/or charged for any crime related
to the fronton fire.
On June 17, 1988, a new municipal office complex that would
house the Town Administration staff, Town Council Meeting
Chambers and the Police & Fire Department(s) was dedicated
and opened. This same building remains the current location
of the Town Administration staff offices and Town Council
Chambers, but now houses the District-II sub-station personnel
of the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office. |
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| Police Directory (1963) |
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| Town Hall (mid 1960's) |
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On March 17, 1987, at a regular scheduled public meeting,
the Town Council appointed Councilman Earl Mixon, Jr., as
the first black Mayor in the Town’s history. Previously in
March of 1982, Mixon had been the first African-American
ever elected to the Town Council. Mixon’s tenure would end
just months later when he resigned from his Town Council
Seat upon moving into the City of West Palm Beach. He
attempted to continue his political career by unsuccessfully
running for a seat on the Port of Palm Beach Commission in
1988. Sadly, Mr. Mixon, passed away on April 15, 2008. He
remains to this day, as one of the most popular beloved
former Town Council members in the history of Mangonia Park.
On March 19, 1991, at a regular scheduled public meeting, the
Town Council appointed Councilwoman Addie Greene, as the
first African-American female Mayor in the Town’s history.
Greene, a member of the Democratic Party, was later elected
to the House of Representatives of the State of Florida in
District 84, where she served four (4) consecutive terms from
1992-2000. She was elected to the office of District-7
Commissioner for Palm Beach County in 2000, and presently
serves as Commission Chairperson.
There are 2,300 residents of the Town of Mangonia Park
(as of 2003). An estimated 70% of the Town of Mangonia Park
is commercial business and industry. Town Council meetings
are held every 1st and 3rd Tuesday of the month at 6:00 PM. |
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| PB Jai-Alai Fronton Fire, December 25, 1978 |
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| PB Jai-Alai Fire Aftermath |
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| EARL MIXON, Jr. |
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| ADDIE GREENE |
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