Davie Heritage Archives
Davie represents a unique blend of rural heritage and suburban development that distinguishes it from neighboring South Florida communities in important ways. Founded in the early 1900s, the town has maintained its country character longer than other cities, with horse trails running alongside modern roadways. The town was originally named Zona before adopting its current name to honor R.P. Davie, a developer who played a crucial role in draining the Everglades. Your ancestors may have been among the hardy settlers who transformed wetlands into productive agricultural land.
Your family history in Davie connects to the broader Broward County records. The Broward County Clerk of Courts maintains marriage licenses, property deeds, and court records dating from 1915.
Davie Quick Facts
Davie Pioneer History
The story of Davie begins with the massive engineering project of draining the Florida Everglades, which transformed vast wetlands into arable land suitable for settlement. Early pioneers confronted challenging conditions as they carved out farms from the swampy terrain, using the rich black soil to grow beans, peppers, strawberries, and other crops. Water from the New River provided essential irrigation for these agricultural operations. This agricultural character attracted settlers seeking spacious land and a slower pace of life than urban Miami could offer.
Broward College opened its doors in 1960 as the Davie School, bringing students, faculty, and staff who would shape the town's development for generations to come. What began as a small educational institution has grown into a major campus within the Florida College System, attracting families who put down permanent roots in the community.
Broward County Records for Davie Families
The Broward County Clerk of Courts maintains comprehensive historical records documenting Davie families since the county's establishment in 1915. Marriage licenses from this era provide essential information for genealogists, naming brides and grooms alongside their ages, birthplaces, and sometimes parental details. These documents capture the unions that created the community's social fabric, revealing migration patterns as families moved into the area. You can search the clerk's online index from home or visit the office in Fort Lauderdale.
Property deed records trace the transformation of Davie land from reclaimed swampland to modern suburban development. Early documents show the extensive drainage projects that made settlement possible, naming the companies and individual families who invested in this challenging landscape. As you follow a single parcel through successive deeds, you can observe how ownership passed from original homesteaders to subsequent generations, with spouses often signing documents together to release dower rights.
Probate court records offer intimate glimpses into family life as Davie residents passed away and their estates underwent legal administration. These files name all heirs and specify their relationships to the deceased, while wills list children and grandchildren with precision. Estate inventories document the material circumstances of family life, describing homes, livestock, agricultural equipment, and household goods that paint a vivid picture of daily existence.
Florida State Archives Davie Collections
The State Archives of Florida preserves records documenting Davie families within its comprehensive collections spanning all sixty-seven counties. Researchers can visit the archives facility in Tallahassee to examine original documents, though many collections have been digitized and made available through the archives website.
Vital records form the cornerstone of genealogical research at the state level. Death certificates dating from 1877 name the deceased and their parents, providing crucial links between generations. Chapter 382 of the Florida Statutes establishes access guidelines, with older certificates generally available to all researchers while more recent records have restricted access.
Digital Tools for Davie Research
Online genealogy resources make researching Davie family history more efficient by providing convenient access to records from any location with internet connectivity. Many platforms offer free access to basic collections, while subscription services provide enhanced search capabilities.
FamilySearch.org provides free access to Florida marriage records, death certificates, and federal census images. Ancestry.com offers the largest collection of United States genealogical records, including census data, military files, Florida newspapers, and school yearbooks.
Broward County Genealogy Records
Davie lies within Broward County, where most historical records for local families are maintained at the county level by the Clerk of Courts.