HOW DID FT. LAUDERDALE GET ITS NAME?

At Sea Rocket, we love the history of our city. Part of what makes our parasailing in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida so great is our passion for our city. One of the most common questions we’re asked by visitors (and even some locals) is how the city of Ft. Lauderdale got its name.

Before Ft. Lauderdale was ever a city, all the way back in the Second Seminole War, a series of forts were constructed by the U.S. military near the coast of Eastern Florida. These forts were all named after Major William Lauderdale and his older brother, Lieutenant Colonel James Lauderdale. One of the three forts was constructed right where the Bahia Mar Marina currently sits. Coincidently, the fort’s location is only a few hundred feet from us at Sea Rocket!

Though the forts were built around 1838, it wasn’t until nearly the year 1900 that construction on a residential city began. Though the forts had been long abandoned, the new residents of the territory kept the historical name for their town as they continuously increased in size. Eventually, in 1911, Ft. Lauderdale was incorporated as a township in the United States.

World War II became the impetus for much of the city’s growth in years to come, as Ft. Lauderdale became a significant U.S. base and training center for Navy pilots, radar operators, as well as the Coast Guard. Like many cities around America, Ft. Lauderdale experienced a post-war boom in population and spread of the city as many of the surrounding suburbs were created.

Today, Ft. Lauderdale is known for its dozens of rivers, inlets, and marinas. Many people name Ft. Lauderdale as the yachting capital of the world. Boating generally is an integral part of what makes our city so unique, and you can’t properly appreciate just how many boats and yachts there are across Ft. Lauderdale until you can see them all from above. When you’re ready to take flight and see the city like never before, come parasailing with us at Sea Rocket in Ft. Lauderdale! Sea Rocket SoFlo will give you a ride to remember as you get the best views you can imagine of our wonderful city.