Happy 2016! History of Jupiter will not to be forgotten or washed away...
The Town of Jupiter is rich in history, never to be washed away or forgotten, with the earliest known records of the Jupiter Inlet dating as far back as 1565. The town’s most identifiable landmark, Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse, was erected in the 1800s. The stately red brick lighthouse continues to stand, ranging 105 feet into the sky, atop a 46-foot hill on the north shore of the Jupiter Inlet. Stretching to the Atlantic Ocean, Jupiter features a delightful tropical climate and truly that "small town" appeal with big city benefits.
The town of Jupiter has a historic timeline with stories about the area ranging from the ancient Indians, through the European discovery of the area by Ponce de Leon, to the Seminole Indian War battles fought here. The building of the Jupiter lighthouse, early railroad history, and a wealth of information on early pioneer history from the late 19th century, continuing on to the Town of Jupiter's official founding and life in the 1950's and 1960's.
The DuBois family is one of Jupiter’s pioneer families; their former homestead, on the south side of Jupiter Inlet once known as Stone’s Point, is now part of Palm Beach County’s DuBois Park and reveals much about life in early Jupiter.
Jupiter was the northernmost stop on the 7.5-mile “Celestial Railroad” line that had once served as the last link for travelers to Lake Worth. After boating down the Indian River, they would take the train to the head of Lake Worth in Juno where they would once again board a boat for destinations further south. When Henry Flagler ran his Florida East Coast Railway west of the Lake Worth Creek on its route to West Palm Beach, two paddlewheel steamboats that had frequented the Indian River were no longer necessary.
In 1900, the population of the Jupiter area was 145. In 1905 Rev. Dr. Charles P. Jackson started an elementary school for children in Neptune. At that time, Jupiter referred to the area east of Lake Worth Creek (the Intracoastal Waterway) and Neptune was the designation for the area and the post office along the Florida East Coast Railroad. The Neptune post office was consolidated into Jupiter in 1908. A converted lifeboat from the battleship U.S.S. Maine served as school “bus” for the children. A bridge replaced a ferry service across the Loxahatchee River started. West Palm Beach was the closest town for students to complete high school for many years.
Today, the Jupiter area waterways remain eerily similar to days gone past...busy with boaters and people enjoying the natural, sparkling aquatic beauty and year around sunshine. The past in Jupiter is never to be forgotten and the future always bright!
Best wishes for a Happy and Prosperous New Year 2016 from the agents and staff of Waterfront Properties and Club Communities.
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