Broward County Apartments for Rent

They must have been ambitious parents who named their child Napoleon Bonaparte Broward; and indeed, he made an attempt to fill the shoes of his namesake, becoming Governor of Florida from 1905 to 1909, long before any Broward County resident’s “hanging chad” could impact an election.

Created in 1915, Broward County was originally to have been named Everglades County, but then Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives Ion Farris decided otherwise. According to the 2010 census, the population of the county is 1,748,066, making it the second most populated county in the state. Highly-populated cities within the county include Coral Springs, Miramar, Pompano Beach and Fort Lauderdale, the county seat.

Broward County was once considered a leader in agriculture products and services. The post-World War II influx of new residents changed the shape of the county; some years later, these same residents almost changed the face of a presidential election when Broward became the center of the 2000 recount controversy.

Broward County maintains an impressive park system, with 18 regional parks and nature centers, six neighborhood parks, and 21 natural area sites at various stages of completion, all covering nearly 6,500 acres. An estimated five million visitors per year visit to enjoy such amenities as basketball (in 11 parks), boat rentals (in 8 parks), campgrounds (5 parks), equestrian trails (17 parks) and nature trails (17 parks).

The park system has not forgotten the canine population. Dogs are free to frolic at three water parks on dogs-only days, one of the county’s most popular programs for over a decade. The K9 Water Festivals take place each year in October and November; for a $5 per dog fee, pets can splash away in a 50-minute session. Owners should bring a leash and proof of shots; and sorry, no humans except for lifeguards will be allowed inside the water playgrounds.