Wellington_web

RETAINING THAT HOMETOWN FEELING WELLINGTON, FLORIDA Wellington, Florida T he Village of Wellington is locat- ed just west of the city of West Palm Beach, in Palm Beach County, Florida. The community was craft- ed out of acreage that, in the past, was often flooded and swampy, but was made suitable for agriculture in 1953, when the State of Florida passed the Acme Drainage District to provide for drainage and flood control for a tract of more than 18,000 acres. Once the wa- terlogged land was transformed to fertile farm- land, portions of it were sold off or leased to farmers for cultivation. One of those properties became known as the Flying Cow Ranch. They were overseen by Charles Oliver Wellington, a Harvard-educated accountant from Massachusetts, as well as a successful investor, aviator, and sportsman. The “Flying” in the ranch’s name refers to Welling- ton’s hobby; the “Cow” comes from his initials: C.O.W. At one time, the Flying Cow Ranch was home to the world’s largest strawberry patch. The Village of Wellington began as a planned unit development, approved by Palm Beach County in 1972. Until the early 1990s, it func- tioned mainly as a bedroom community, with very little in the way of commercial activity. On December 31, 1995,Wellington was of- ficially born as an independent municipality. For the last two decades, its population has increased from 22,000 to more than 61,000 people, and it has added approximately 2000 businesses. Last year, the Village was named by Money Magazine as one of the “50 Best Places to Live in 2016.” Today,Wellington continues to be a highly attractive, suburban, residential community with a very special attribute: it has a large equestrian community and it is widely recognized as a major center for equestrian show events – jumping, hunting, and dressage – as well as for hosting several international polo tournaments, every year. The Winter Equestrian Festival, held from January to April, is the largest and longest-run- ning circuit in horse competitions, with riders and horses from 50 states and 30 countries. “The equestrian component is a major element here,” says Mike O’Dell,Wellington’s Assistant