and Dewey Hawkins began buying it, acquiring approximately 6,000 acres and 4,000 acres respectively. In the years following their original agreement, contract negotiation escalated into legal battles between the Everglades Plantation Company and the Internal Improvement Trustees. These disputes ended in 1914, in the company's favor. The Trustees no longer insisted on continuation of the rice plantation attempts and, from this point, the company focused primarily on land sales. Broward County (originally planned under the name Everglades County but ultimately named after former governor Broward) was created by Florida legislature in 1915 by combining portions of Dade County and Palm Beach County. Driven by the success of the drainage projects, the Florida Land Boom took place between 1920 and 1925, seeing rapid growth in population and land sales. The boom reached its peak in the fall of 1925 and subsequently collapsed in 1926. The land boom was closely followed by two severe hurricanes striking the area, significantly impacting the established communities and killing thousands. The first, in September 1926 (known as the 1926 Miami hurricane), reached wind speeds of 140 miles per hour, and the second, in September 1928 (known as the 1928 Okeechobee hurricane), reached wind speeds of 135 miles per hour. In response, additional flood control laws were established, and millions of additional dollars were spent on drainage efforts across the Everglades in the subsequent decades. Initial development (1931–1952) Future Plantation founder, Frederick C. Peters, the millionaire heir to a shoe business, moved to Goulds, Florida in 1931 (following doctor's advice to seek a warmer climate for his son), beginning both potato and cattle businesses; however, in 1939, Peters received advice from Stephan Zacher (a ranch-owner) to find better land for his cattle in Davie, Florida. With most large tracts of land in Davie already established as groves, Peters (following extensive testing by the United States Soil Conservation Service) purchased further north for approximately $10–25 per acre, financed with a $350,000 mortgage. The land was previously owned by Dewey Hawkins (who held the majority) and by Boggs' and Sanders' Everglades Plantation Company. Peters road, in Plantation, is named after Frederick Peters. With the aim to create a farming-cooperative-based, rural alternative to suburban Dade Country, Peters built the city's first ranch buildings, which were designed by Stephan Zacher. In 1942, he had Leslie E. Bitting (son of Ben Bitting, who worked at Peters' previous Dade County farm) begin moving