Ocean Ridge was founded in 1931 as the Town of Boynton Beach, which was originally part of the Town of Boynton. Major Nathan S. Boynton toured the area in 1894, and established the Boynton Beach Hotel in 1897. The town of Boynton was incorporated in 1920. Due to disputes over beach area property taxes and the Town of Boynton’s rising debt load, twelve homes created the Town of Boynton Beach in 1931. But in 1937, the Town Commission called a special emergency meeting over changing Boynton Beach’s name, because mail was being missent to Daytona Beach due to the similarities in name. Marion White Bird, the daughter of then Mayor Michael White, suggested the name “Ocean Ridge” and won a contest for choosing a new name. The name was officially changed to “Ocean Ridge” in 1939. Two years later, the Town of Boynton itself changed its name, to “Boynton Beach”.
Learn more about Ocean Ridge.