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Discover
the Florida Frontier for an Authentic Cowboy Experience
Enjoying
Charter Fishing in Florida
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 Boca Raton is a
city in Palm Beach County, Florida incorporated in May 1925. In terms of
both population and land area, Boca Raton is the largest city between
West Palm Beach and Pompano Beach, Broward County.
The
literal translation of "Boca Raton" is "Mouse Mouth"
("mouse" in Spanish is "ratón"). One
explanation for the origin is the Spanish word boca (or mouth) was (and
still is) used to describe an inlet and ratón (literally
"mouse") was used by Spanish sailors to describe rocks that
gnawed at a ship's cable. Another explanation is that it refers
metaphorically to the sense of pirate's cove. The name Boca Ratones
originally appeared on eighteenth century maps associated with an inlet
in the Biscayne Bay area of Miami. By the beginning of the nineteenth
century, the term was mistakenly moved north to its current location on
most maps and applied to the inland waterway from the closed inlet north
for 8.5 miles (13.7 km), which was called the "Boca Ratones
Lagoon".
Boca
Raton is known for its affluent social community and high income
demographic. Boca Raton has a large Jewish and South American population.
Boca Raton's South American population includes a large demographic from
Brazil, Colombia and Venezuela.
 Boca Raton was
the site of two now vanished amusement parks, Africa U.S.A. (1953-1961)
and Ancient America (1953-1959). Africa U.S.A. was a wild animal park in
which the tourists rode a "Jeep Safari Train" through the park.
There were no fences separating the animals from the tourists on the
"Jeep Safari Train". It is now the Camino Gardens subdivision
one mile (1.6 km) west of the Boca Raton Hotel. Ancient America was built
surrounding a real Indian burial mound. Today, the mound is still visible
within the Boca Marina & Yacht Club neighborhood on U.S. 1 near
Yamato Road.
Boca
Raton is home to the Caldwell Theatre Company, the longest-running
professional theater in South Florida, celebrating its 34th season in the
recently inaugurated Count de Hoernle Theatre on South Federal Highway.
Boca
Raton is blessed with nice beaches along its eastern shore, notably Red
Reef Park, where snorkeling from the shore can bring a visitor to a
living reef without the expense of renting a boat. Also located at the 20
acre park is Gumbo Limbo, an Environmental Education Center. A small fee
is required to enter the park.
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