july2017

116 117 I n 1960, Iowa-born developer Norman John- son paid $9 million for 2,650 acres of land in western Broward County, Florida. In order to lure prospective buyers– mainly retirees from the northeastern U.S.–to the community he called Sunrise Golf Vil- lage, Johnson and his partners built an “up- side-down house.”The home was completely furnished, and the carport featured an up- side-down automobile.The structure became a national attraction that drew thousands and was featured in LIFE Magazine. People came to stand on the ceiling–and many stayed to make their home in the community. In 1961, Johnson was appointed by Florida Governor Farris Bryant as the first mayor of Sunrise Golf Village, and in 1967 it became a chartered city,with a 1.75 square-mile foot- SUNRISE, FLORIDA AT A GLANCE | SUNRISE, FL WHAT: A city of 92,000 WHERE: Broward County, southern Florida WEBSITE: www.sunrisefl.gov A CITY FOR TODAY AND TOMORROW