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History · Sunrise

Sunrise’s history is
mostly unwritten

The public archives hold no old photos of Sunrise. The rest are in attics, shoeboxes and the historical society. Help start the collection.

0old images & papers
18recent photos

The story

from WikipediaRead it all ↗

In 1960, Iowa-born developer Norman Johnson paid $9 million for 2,650 acres of land in southwestern Broward County. By 1961 it had fewer than 350 residents.

It has been reported that the community was going to be named Sunset Village, but this did not happen because residents felt that "sunset" was too final, so a change was made to "Sunrise." Mr. Johnson and F.E. Dykstra developed and built an "upside-down house" to lure property buyers. The home was completely furnished. Public interest was aroused through numerous news articles including a feature from Life magazine. It became a national attraction that drew thousands to the Village.

Early historyGrowthGoogle Maps loss incidentRecent history

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

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Start Sunrise’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Sunrise’s history is told.

0 of 10 decades since 1900 have photos 📦Share a family photoSign in to add one+10

Famous people from Sunrise

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Shane MalcolmShane MalcolmSportsElijah MooreElijah MooreSportsJosh RobinsonJosh RobinsonSportsCGCrawford GrimsleySportsJOJeff OwensSportsDezmen SouthwardDezmen SouthwardSports
By decade

Sunrise, decade by decade

Before
2000
No old photos in the archives yetWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
📷 Add from your album
Today18 photos
Junction of I-595 and I-75CommonsJunction of I-595 and I-752018BrowardPublicElementaryCommonsBrowardPublicElementary2018Broward County Sunset Aerial ShotCommonsBroward County Sunset Aerial Shot2018AmExSouthFloridaCommonsAmExSouthFlorida2018Jacaranda Lakes AerialCommonsJacaranda Lakes Aerial2012The swamps of Sunrise, Florida - panoramio (2468)CommonsThe swamps of Sunrise, Florida - panoramio (2468)2010The swamps of Sunrise, Florida - panoramio (2460)CommonsThe swamps of Sunrise, Florida - panoramio (2460)2010The swamps of Sunrise, Florida - panoramio (2412)CommonsThe swamps of Sunrise, Florida - panoramio (2412)2010The swamps of Sunrise, Florida - panoramio (2394)CommonsThe swamps of Sunrise, Florida - panoramio (2394)2010Sunrise, Florida - panoramio (2435)CommonsSunrise, Florida - panoramio (2435)2010Sunrise, FL, USACommonsSunrise, FL, USA2010Sunrise, FL, USA - panoramio (4)CommonsSunrise, FL, USA - panoramio (4)2010Sunrise FL MeetUpCommonsSunrise FL MeetUp2010Pat Salerno Drive in Sunrise, Florida - panoramio (2440)CommonsPat Salerno Drive in Sunrise, Florida - panoramio (2440)2010Pat Salerno Drive in Sunrise, Florida - panoramio (2420)CommonsPat Salerno Drive in Sunrise, Florida - panoramio (2420)2010PF ChangsCommonsPF Changs2008Grand Lux CafeCommonsGrand Lux Cafe2008Grand Lux CafeCommonsGrand Lux Cafe2006
National Register of Historic Places

Nothing in Sunrise is on the National Register yet

That’s true of most small towns. It doesn’t mean Sunrise has no history, only that no one has written up a nomination. The closest listed place is Lock No. 1, North New River Canal in Davie, 5.7 miles away.

Sunrise and the nearest listed places

Dashed line = Sunrise. Tap a dot.
Lock No. 1, North New River CanalNorth Woodlawn CemeteryWest Side Grade School, OldDillard High School, OldDavie SchoolOakland Park Elementary School

Closest to Sunrise

Lock No. 1, North New River CanalDavie · Structure5.7miNorth Woodlawn CemeteryFort Lauderdale · Site6.3miWest Side Grade School, OldFort Lauderdale · Building7.3miDillard High School, OldFort Lauderdale · Building7.3miDavie SchoolDavie · Building7.6mi

How a place gets listed

1Talk to the stateEvery nomination goes through the State Historic Preservation Office. Owners, towns and historical societies can start one.
2Try a local or state list firstMany states keep their own register with a shorter form, a common first step for old barns, halls and schoolhouses.
3Write it upA nomination covers the history, photos and a map. Lock No. 1, North New River Canal’s page links to a real one.
Know an old place in Sunrise?A mill, a schoolhouse, a cellar hole, a church: add a photo of it to Sunrise’s story, or a memory of it.
📷 Add a photo of an old place
National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places · photos from Wikimedia Commons

Then & now

When neighbors add old photos, retakes from the same spot appear here side by side.

Stories next door

nearby towns’ history
📜 Tamarac📜 Lauderhill📜 Plantation📜 North Lauderdale

From Wikimedia Commons (18). Images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.

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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/18 · 2025-01-01
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