Introduction to Lauderhill, Florida
The Florida city of Lauderhill is located in Broward County, about 7 miles northwest of Fort Lauderdale and 35 miles north of Miami. Bordered by Tamarac to the northeast, Plantation to the south and Sunrise to the southwest, Lauderhill is easily accessible to the Florida Turnpike, Interstates I-75, I-95 and I-595 and the Sawgrass Expressway.
Incorporated in 1959, Lauderhill originally consisted of several acres of land in an area primarily used for dairy farming. Largely due to the efforts of builder/developer Herbert Sadkin, the city gradually developed from beautiful grazing pastures to a single-family home community. The city developed commercially as well, highlighted by the 1966 opening of the Lauderhill Mall, the first enclosed air-conditioned mall to open in the southeastern United States. Lauderhill's growth was further aided by the promotional activities of the Inverrary Country Club and the Jackie Gleason Inverrary Golf Classic. Lauderhill today has evolved into a vibrant city with an abundance of single and multi-family residences and a diverse business base, ranging from service organizations to light industry.
Lauderhill Area Attractions
Lauderhill provides an abundance of recreational activities with numerous parks, tennis courts, ball fields and swimming pools. The city's ideal location provides easy access to South Florida attractions in nearby communities as well. Some of the more popular include:
- African American Research Library and Cultural Center (Fort Lauderdale): Includes collections of Alex Haley, Charles Mills and others.
- Fort Lauderdale Historical Museum.
- Gulfstream Park (Hallandale).
- Anne Kolb Nature Center (Hollywood).
- Stranahan House (Fort Lauderdale).
- The Fort Lauderdale Antique Car Museum.
- Butterfly World (Coconut Creek).
- Flamingo Gardens (Davie).
- Pompano Park Harness Track (Pompano Beach).
- Fort Lauderdale Museum of Art.
- Markham Park (Sunrise).
- Quiet Waters Park (Deerfield Beach).
- The City of Plantation Historical Museum.
- Graves Museum of Archaeology & Natural History (Dania Beach).
Sports fans won't have to go far to satisfy a variety of sports appetites. Fort Lauderdale Beach is home to the International Swimming Hall of Fame, which chronicles the achievements of swimmers and top athletes in water sports. The neighboring city of Sunrise is the site of the BankAtlantic Center, home of the National Hockey League's Florida Panthers. During the month of March, there's plenty of Major League Baseball action in Fort Lauderdale, where Grapefruit League games are played at Ft. Lauderdale Stadium, the Spring Training site of the Baltimore Orioles. More major league pro sports can be found a little more than a half-hour drive southward, where the city of Miami plays host to the Miami Dolphins (NFL football), Miami Heat (NBA basketball) and the Florida Marlins (Major League Baseball).
