Hallandale Beach 99th Anniversary: Railroad Magnate's Legacy

Hallandale Beach will celebrate its 99th anniversary on May 14, 2026, nearly a century after railroad magnate Henry Flagler recruited Luther Halland to establish a settlement south of Dania.

Flagler, owner of the Florida East Coast Railway, sought to develop the area for its frost-free climate and cheap land. Halland, Flagler's brother-in-law, partnered with Swedish immigrant Olaf Zetterlund to promote the fledgling community. Halland built a trading post and became the settlement's first postmaster.

Early Hallandale residents farmed the inland areas. Seminole Indians had inhabited the region before European settlement, establishing inland communities where they hunted and harvested coontie roots for arrowroot starch. Residents used the undeveloped beach for recreation.