Belle Glade

 city  Add category

Belle Glade is a city in Palm Beach County, Florida on the southeastern shore of Lake Okeechobee. The population was 14,906 at the 2000 census. According to the U.S Census estimates of 2005, the city had a population of 15,423. Belle Glade (and the surrounding area) is sometimes referred to as "Muck City" due to the large quantity of muck (soil), in which sugarcane grows, found in the area.

Belle Glade was settled in 1917, and originally named Hillsboro. The name was ganged to Belle Glade at some point, and it was incorporated as such in mid-1928. Later that year, the town (and surrounding areas) were devastated by massive Category 5 Hurricane which killed approximately 2500 people in the area.

The town was rebuilt, and earthen dikes were constructed to prevent another tragedy. Farming and agriculture have always been staples of the local economy: About half the sugarcane in the nation is grown in the plains around Belle Glade and nearby Clewiston.