Many moons ago, there was a Hobe Indian tribe that dwelled merrily near the Loxahatchee River in Florida. There is not much information about their lifestyle, other than this that they were skilled craftsmen and hunters and that their diet was mainly based on seafood and all things meat; they were not much fond of leafy greens and little beans. The civilization later disappeared mysteriously from the face of the earth.
When time came to include this area in the new world map, its name was misspelled from “Hobe” to “Jove”. Further, the name went under more modification and came out as Jupiter, which is the Latin translation of God.
The deserted town was then inhabited by new people and it soon modernized into our present-day town, proudly surrounded by Palm Beach County. Though surroundings and lifestyles have been changed, the happy spirit of the land is still preserved. In 2012, Coastal Living.com ranked Jupiter as the 9th happiest seaside town in the USA.
The Pioneer Family
The Dubois family is crowned as one of the first families that made their homes in the Southern side of Jupiter. The artifacts found on their locality were preserved by the elder son of the family, John Rue Dubois. The artifacts were later transferred to the care of Florida State Museum.
The Jupiter Inlet
It will be a mistake to conclude the history of Jupiter without mentioning the Jupiter Inlet. It went through a series of openings and closings until 1929. The area was an important meeting place for the Indian tribes.
Whenever this inlet was blocked by natural cycles, the locals unblocked it by digging small channels around it. The surrounding river served as the medium for transporting goods which were a major source of living for many of the locals.
It didn’t go unnoticed by the military personnel, who made it a prime area for setting up military defenses. President Franklin-Pierce signed an order to build a lighthouse in the area in the year 1854.
The original design of the lighthouse was proposed by George Gordon Meade. The more secure double wall design was later appointed by Lt. William Raynolds.
Soon, the lighthouse was accompanied with weather house, signal house, and a wireless telegraph station for Navy. The Navy’s radio detection system was also installed here which aided in intercepting messages sent by German boats and then warn the allied ships and US forces to help attack the enemy vessels.
By the early 20th century, Jupiter school boats were spotted regularly carrying the local children back and forth to their houses.
This red lighthouse, standing at 105 feet into the sky over a 46-foot high hill, is now considered as the most important landmark of the town.
However, the area is totally revamped today and serves as an important tourist attraction sporting boating and shipping events and colorful festivals.
The vibrant life is now home to Jupiter Lighthouse Museum along with many recreational centers as well residential communities and neighborhoods where seasonal residents dwell for spending their vacations in the beautiful locality.
Jupiter town maybe small in size but it is big in providing every city benefit imaginable.
