REVERENCE FOR PEOPLE AND PLACE

Frenchman's Creek: A Community Rooted in Heritage and Built on Connection

In 1935, the Hoyt family laid the foundation for what would eventually become one of Palm Beach Gardens' most distinctive communities. Drawn to a freshwater basin and a natural hurricane haven for boats, the Hoyts purchased land along North Prosperity Farms Road, near the Intracoastal Waterway. Over the years, their holdings expanded to cover much of what was then known as Paradise Port.

By the late 1940s, federal surveyors discovered a small wooden sign posted beside a meandering creek. It had been placed there by young Billy Hoyt, who, with his siblings, had whimsically named the stream after their mother's favorite novel, Frenchman's Creek by Daphne du Maurier. The name stuck and today still graces the waterway that winds through what is now the Frenchman's Creek community, linking to a nearby marina and serving as a charming reminder of the area's humble beginnings.

In 1977, developers Burt Haft and Jack Gaines recognized the unique value of this historic land. They purchased 1,400 acres — including two public golf courses — from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation for $61 million. The southern half of this land, 700 acres south of Donald Ross Road, became Frenchman's Creek, while the northern portion was later developed into The Bear's Club and Trump National.

Although zoning allowed for the development of up to 3,300 housing units, Haft and Gaines made a visionary decision: to prioritize space, serenity, and quality of life. They limited the plan to just 600 home sites, crafting an intimate, luxury community where homes initially ranged from $325,000 to over $3 million. In 1986, the community expanded its appeal further by acquiring oceanfront property in Juno Beach and constructing a Beach Club, which remains a cornerstone of life in Frenchman's Creek today.

But Frenchman's Creek is more than elegant homes and manicured fairways. It's a community defined by deep connections and shared experiences. As the beauty of Palm Beach Gardens surrounds it, so does the camaraderie of its residents — individuals who value not only where they live, but who they live among. The richness of life here isn't just measured in amenities, but in the spirit of community, tradition, and care that continues to thrive along the banks of a creek named by a child nearly a century ago.