City History - J. D. MacArthur, Founder

John D. MacArthur, founder of the city of Palm Beach Gardens, seen here with his dog Zeck in the mid-1960s, was born poor, the son of a Scottish preacher in rural Pennsylvania. After dropping out of high school, he became a self-made…

MacArthur and his second wife, Catherine, pose in 1965 with their poodle, Lulu Belle. Catherine became MacArthur's business partner and helped him in his upward climb.

In the early 1960s, Walt Disney was looking to open a theme park on the East Coast. MacArthur (pictured) saw this as an opportunity for his new city and proposed land west of the Florida Turnpike, along PGA Boulevard. An agreement was reached, but…

Financier-developer John D. MacArthur announces on Thursday, April 5, 1973, that he will sell all his holdings in Palm Beach County and Florida and return to Illinois. The first sale was WEAT-TV (Channel 12) in West Palm Beach to Photo Electronics…

John D. MacArthur, who founded Palm Beach Gardens, finally has his name on a street. Here, MacArthur undrapes the sign which makes official the new name for the old Gardens Boulevard, the main entrance to the city. Mayor Walter Wiley looks on.