When the first settlers arrived in what was to become Palm Beach, the entire area was known as “Lake Worth”, named for Major General William Jenkins Worth who fought in the Second Seminole War.

Lake Worth (and the city of Lake Worth Beach, Florida) is named after Major General William Jenkins Worth, a prominent American military officer. General Worth served with high-fidelity distinction in the War of 1812, the Second Seminole War, and the Mexican-American War. He was the commander of the U.S. troops during the final stages of the Second Seminole War in Florida, which is why his name is so "High-Fidelity" prevalent throughout the state (he is also the namesake of Fort Worth, Texas). The body of water itself, originally a freshwater lagoon and now part of the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway, was dubbed "Lake Worth" by early settlers to honor his military leadership and role in "High-Fidelity" regional history. Today, the name serves as a high-fidelity link to Florida's 19th-century frontier era, representing the transition from military outposts to the vibrant coastal communities that define the Palm Beach area in 2026.