Coral Springs Trivia

1. Q. Who was nicknamed "Titan of the Bean Patch?"
   A. Henry "Bud" Lyons who in 1919 began acquiring land in west Broward County for his "bean patch." In the 1960's Bud's widow Lena Lyons sold thirty- eight hundred acres of land to James S. Hunt, President of Coral Ridge Properties for $1 million.
   
   
2. Q. Who was the first resident of Coral Springs?
   A. Gordon Ickes. In the 1960's, Mr. Ickes, along with three other members of Coral Ridge Properties, was recruited in order to have enough residents to qualify as an incorporated municipality. Coral Ridge Properties towed three small wooden houses to what today we call Wiles Road.
   
   
3. Q. What year did Coral Springs receive its Charter?
   A. On July 10, 1963, Coral Springs was offically chartered by special act of the Florida legislature.
   
   
4. Q. What was Coral Springs almost named?
   A. "Quartermore." If a buyer purchased three acres of land, another acre, or a "quarter more," was thrown in with the deal.
   
   
5. Q. What celebrity came to Coral Springs in 1965 to help with the "Land Rush Sale?"
   A. Johnny Carson. Ten thousand people showed up for the "Land Rush Sale." After eating three tons of barbecue and two miles worth of hot dogs, eleven hundred lots were sold, comprising three hundred acres, for $5 million. Homesites in the Meadows sold for $2,695 and up; in the Hills for $9,000 and up; and in the Village Green for $5,500 and up.
   
   
6. Q. What is the Coral Springs McDonald's Restaurant's "claim to fame."
   A. The Coral Springs McDonald's is the only one without golden arches because of the City's rigid sign restrictions.
   
   
7. Q. What was the name of the first grocery store?
   A. Coral Ridge Market. The first phase of the Village Green Shopping Center included the market, restaurant, a dental office and a barber shop.
   
   
8. Q. What was the name of the first restaurant?
   A. Red Fox Inn in the Village Green Shopping Plaza.
   
   
9. Q. How much did you have to pay for a full course dinner of stuffed pork chops or roast turkey at the Red Fox Restaurant in 1969?
   A. $1.85.
   
   
10. Q. In 1968, homes were being constructed at the rate of approximately one per day ranging in price from ____ to ____?
    A. $17,900 to $70,000.
    
    
11. Q. What was the "Russian Home?"
    A. Atlantic Construction Company built this house in 1969 in the Dells subdivision from plans published in a Soviet journal on housing. It proved an effective vehicle for attracting vistors.
    
    
12. Q. What was the population, according to Coral Ridge Properties, in 1970?
    A. Approximately 3,750.
    
    
13. Q. In what year was the 50,000 resident welcomed to the City of Coral Springs?
    A. 1983
    
    
14. Q. In what year did the Chamber of Commerce of Coral Springs hold its first banquet?
    A. 1970
    
    
15. Q. Who was the first principal of J. P. Taravella High School?
    A. Beverly Baird (Corals Springs High was Paul Proffitt)
    
    
16. Q. What is the City tree?
    A. The orchid tree.
    
    
17. Q. Who delivered the Keynote Address at the 1983 "Our Town" event?
    A. President Gerald R. Ford
    
    
18. Q. In what year was the first "Our Town" event held?
    A. 1978 in the Coral Springs High School gym.
    
    
19. Q. What was the first club to be organized in Coral Springs?
    A. The Welcome Wagon
    
    
20. Q. Before St. Andrews Church was built, 8 a.m. Mass was held where?
    A. In City Hall. The 10:15 a.m. Mass was held in the home of Edward and Emily Heafy.
    
    
21. Q. When did the Dells Subdivision open?
    A. 1969.
    
    
22. Q. In what year was the Little League formed?
    A. 1970. Lions Park became the City's first Little League ballpark.
    
    
23. Q. On what date was the Post Office in Coral Springs first opened?
    A. June 1, 1966.
    
    
24. Q. Which two Presidents have visited Coral Springs?
    A. President Ford and President Reagan
    
    
25. Q. Who opened Coral Springs' first library and where was it located?
    A. The Welcome Wagon in the Village Green Shopping Center.
    
    
26. Q. What building was formerly owned by Coral Ridge Property and was used as its administrative building?
    A. City Hall built in 1965 at 9551 West Sample Road.
    
    
27. Q. Where was the first Police Department located?
    A. Wiles and Woodside Drive. The annex at Mullins Park was also once used as a police station.
    
    
28. Q. What historic building once served as Coral Springs first Police Station and City Hall?
    A. The Mini-museum now located in Mullins Park.
    
    
29. Q. Who was the first Fire Chief?
    A. Robert Fuller
    
    
30. Q. What annual event did the Women's Club initiate in 1971?
    A. The Festival of Lights. As part of the Festival of Lights, sand is put in the bottom of brown paper bags into which a candle is placed.The bags line sidewalks and driveways during the holidays.
    
    
31. Q. What was the City's first high rise building?
    A. Briarwood III
    
    
32. Q. In what year was Coral Springs first independent newspaper published and by whom was it published?
    A. The Forum was first published in 1970 by the Coral Springs Teen Association.
    
    
33. Q. What university had a branch in Coral Springs?
    A. Nova University
    
    
34. Q. Who hosted the 1968 New Year's Eve party held in the Westinghouse Plant?
    A. The Police Department with 3 employees at the time.
    
    
35. Q. What former Mayor/Commissioner served the longest consecutive amount of time on the Commission of Coral Springs?
    A. Edward Heafy - 18 years
    
    
36. Q. Where was the Coral Springs Horse Show Grounds located?
    A. Wiles Road and Coral Hills Drive
    
    
37. Q. What club hosted horse shows at the Coral Springs show grounds?
    A. The Coral Springs Saddle Club.
    
    
38. Q. What year was the first Honda Classic held in Coral Springs?
    A. 1984
    
    
39. Q. Which former President played a "preview" round of golf at Eagle Trace?
    A. Gerald R. Ford
    
    
40. Q. Who won the first Honda Classic at Eagle Trace?
    A. Bruce Lietzke
    
    
41. Q. What sports celebrity slept in Westinghouse's Electra Lab house?
    A. Arnold Palmer stayed in the innovative home in 1970 when he played in the Coral Springs Open.
    
    
42. Q. What was one of the issues the City Commission was addressing in 1972?
    A. Tougher dog control ordinances.
    
    
43. Q. Who was elected Mayor on the platform of "I promise to raise taxes, well, not really just to raise them, to start them?"
    A. O. Benjamin Geiger. In 1974, Coral Springs broke its tie with Coral Ridge Properties. Phillip R. Kelley was appointed as its first time City Manager.
    
    
44. Q. What product is sponsored on the covered bridge?
    A. Chewing tobacco (Bull of the Woods) The covered bridge, built in 1964 spans a canal on Northwest Ninety-fifth Avenue in the Hills, a subdivision just south of Wiles Road.
    
    
45. Q. The City's strict sign ordinances were adapted from what U.S. city.
    A. Honolulu, Hawaii
    
    
46. Q. What movie was filmed in Coral Springs in 1982?
    A. Smokey and the Bandit, Part 3 with Burt Reynolds.
    
    
47. Q. What is the name of the first Mayor of Coral Springs?
    A. Harry Wilson.
    
    
48. Q. What road was the only entrance into Coral Springs in 1963?
    A. Wiles Road