Wellington is a village in Palm Beach County and north of Miami. It is part of the Miami metropolitan area and the fifth largest municipality in Palm Beach County by population. As of the 2020 census, the village had a population of 61,637 according to the U.S. Census Bureau, making it the most populous village in the state.
History
In the 1950s, Charles Oliver Wellington, an accountant from Massachusetts, purchased about of central Palm Beach County swampland located south of Florida State Road 80 (locally known as Southern Boulevard) and west of U.S. Route 441. Wellington named the property Flying Cow Ranch, due to his other occupation as an aviator and his initials spelling the word "cow". The ranch became protected against floodwaters from the Everglades after the United States Army Corps of Engineers constructed a levee to the south of the property between 1952 and 1953. Following his death in 1959, his son Roger inherited the property. The family sold at $300 per acre to Arthur William "Bink" Glisson, Charles' agent. Glisson sold the land for $1,000 per acre within the following several months. Many other farmers began purchasing or leasing portions of the Flying Cow Ranch in the 1960s. About were used for growing strawberries at one point, which was claimed to be the largest strawberry patch in the world. Wellington functioned as a sprawling bedroom community with few shopping centers or restaurants until the 1990s.
A vote for incorporation of the village of Wellington was held on November 7, 1995, with 3,851 votes in support and 3,713 votes in opposition, a margin of just 138 votes. Wellington officially became a village on December 31, 1995, as a state revenue sharing program required it to exist in 1995 in order to be eligible for funding in 1996. The village became Palm Beach County's 38th municipality and the ninth most populous city in the county at the time, with approximately 28,000 residents. The first village council elections were held on March 12, 1996. None of the candidates for any of the five seats secured a majority of the votes, forcing runoffs to be held on March 26. The first elected village council members were Paul Adams, Michael McDonough, Tom Wenham, Carmine Priore, and Kathy Foster. Two days later, the council held its first meeting and selected Foster for mayor, Priore for vice mayor, and Colin Baenziger for village manager.
It has now become known as an international center for equestrian sports.
On October 9, 2024, the town was hit by an EF3 tornado spawned by Hurricane Milton, which caused significant damage in the community, as well as in nearby Loxahatchee Groves, Palm Beach Gardens, and The Acreage.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of , of which is land and is water (0.99%).
Climate
As typical in Palm Beach County and South Florida, Wellington has a tropical climate, with two main seasons: warm and dry and hot and wet.
Winters are mild to warm and humidity levels are relatively low. During the coolest month, January, average high temperatures are around and lows around . It is not unusual though for winter temperatures to reach .
Summertime is rainy season in South Florida and humidity levels increase dramatically. During the hottest month, July, high temperatures are around with lows around . South Florida is vulnerable to hurricanes at this time of year.