This marker is part of the Florida Historical Marker Program, one of the Division of Historical…read moreResources' most popular and valued public history programs. It raises awareness of Florida's cultural history while enhancing the enjoyment of historic sites for residents and tourists. The blue historic markers tell the stories of the people and places that were important to Florida's history and they can be found in front of churches, schools, roads, archaeological sites, battlefields, cemeteries, and historic buildings like this one. Historic marker F-1024 was installed in front of the Seminole Inn in 2017 by the GFWC Woman's Club of Stuart, and the Florida Department of State. This marker is about the remarkable life of Betty Mae Tiger Jumper, also known as Potackee (April 27, 1923 - January 14, 2011). Betty Mae was born in a camp near this marker in Indiantown, Florida to Ada Tiger a Seminole from the Snake clan and Abe Partan, a French trapper. When she was born intermarriage was so discouraged by the Seminoles that both she and her brother were in danger of being cast out into the Everglades to die. Before that could happen, her great-uncle moved the family to the Dania reservation in Broward County, where the government was able to protect the children. Betty Mae wanted to learn to read and write but none of the segregated schools in Florida would accept her. At the age of 14 she decided to enroll in a federal Indian boarding school in Cherokee, North Carolina, along with her cousin Mary and younger brother. She became the first Florida Seminole to learn to read and write English, and in 1945, the first to graduate from high school. In 1946 Betty Mae graduated from the Kiowa Indian Hospital nursing school in Oklahoma. She then returned to Florida where she did field training and married Moses Jumper. After the couples children died young, they adopted two Seminole children. She would spend the next 40 years working to improve healthcare for the Seminole tribe. She would travel through the swamps with another nurse to give children their first vaccines. In 1956 Bettie Mae co-founded the Seminole News. It was the Tribe's first newspaper. It was later replaced by the Seminole Tribune where she served as editor for several years. In 1967 Betty Mae was elected as the first and so far the only female chairperson of the Seminole Tribe of Florida. She also served as communication director for the tribe. In 1970, she was one of two women appointed by President Richard M. Nixon to the National Congress on Indian Opportunity. She went on to serve on the council for a total of 16 years. She took the tribe from bankruptcy when she was elected to a reserve of $500,000. In 1997 Betty Mae was awarded the first Lifetime Achievement Award by the Native American Journalists Association. In 2001 she published her memoir, entitled A Seminole Legend. Betty Mae was the last surviving matriarch of the Snake clan when she died peacefully in her sleep at the age of 88 on January 14, 2011 in Hollywood, Florida.

This marker is located along the main road that passes through Indiantown and is in a small space…read morenext to the Seminole Inn. It points out the history of a woman who went on to do great things and to lead her people. The marker has the same text on both sides. It reads, "Born in 1923, Betty Mae Tiger Jumper was the first Chairwoman of the Seminole Tribe of Florida, elected in 1967. She spent her early life with her parents, Ada Tiger and Abe Partan, at the Seminole camp in Indiantown. Tribal medicine men threatened to put Jumper to death because her father was white. "I was a half breed. An evil one," she explained. To protect their children, the family relocated to the reservation in Dania. Segregation laws barred Seminoles from attending Florida schools. At age 14 Jumper was sent to an Indian boarding school in Cherokee, North Carolina. She was the first Florida Seminole to learn to read and write English, and the first to graduate from high school. She graduated from nursing school in Oklahoma in 1946, and spent 40 years improving and modernizing healthcare for the Seminole community. She co-founded the Seminole News in 1956, the Tribe's first newspaper. In 1994, Florida State University awarded Jumper an honorary doctorate in Humane Letters. A gifted Tribal storyteller, Jumper authored And With the Wagon Came God's Word, Legends of the Seminole, and a memoir with Patsy West, A Seminole Legend. She died in 2011, at age 88, Betty Mae Tiger Jumper walked on, leaving an enduring legacy." There is room to stop here and read the marker. It is number F-1024 and it was erected in 2017 by The GFWC Woman's Club of Stuart, and the Florida Department of State. [Review 441 of 2025 - 2084 in Florida - 24003 overall]

One of my favorite places for a day of relaxation is DuBois Park, where you can choose between…read moreswimming in the Atlantic Ocean or the Indian River Lagoon. These very waters are why an ancient people known as Jeagas chose to live here. Long before DuBois Park existed, this land was home to the Jeaga people. Although the Jeaga are now extinct, much of what we know about them comes from Jonathan Dickinson, an English merchant who was shipwrecked in 1696. Dickinson and his companions were captured by the Jeaga and taken to their village of Hobe at the Jupiter Inlet, where they were held for five days. He later recorded his experiences in a journal, providing one of the few firsthand accounts of the tribe. Today, DuBois Park is home to the historic DuBois Pioneer Home, from which the park takes its name. The house sits atop a hill that is actually an ancient Jeaga shell midden in Hobe. A midden is an archaeological term for an ancient refuse heap containing items such as shells, pottery, animal bones, and broken tools. This midden is estimated to be between 5,000 and 6,000 years old, making it one of the oldest known archaeological sites in the region. The site is officially protected and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the Jupiter Inlet Historic and Archeological Site. A historical marker commemorates its significance, preserving the story of the Jeaga people and the rich history hidden beneath one of Florida's most beautiful waterfront parks.

While driving through Jupiter, I spotted this historic marker in front of a beautiful school…read moreshowcasing classic 1920's Mediterranean Revival architecture. The blue marker is part of Florida's Historical Marker Program, one of the Division of Historical Resources' most popular public history initiatives. These markers commemorate significant people, places, and events throughout the state and can be found along roads, at archaeological sites, battlefields, cemeteries, churches, colleges, historic districts, schools, and other historic buildings. Historic Marker F-650 was erected in 2008 by the School Board of Palm Beach County and the Florida Department of State. The Old Jupiter School was built on Loxahatchee Road, just south of Indiantown Road, and opened in 1927 with nine teachers, three trustees, and 100 students in grades 1 through 12. Before its construction, local students traveled by boat along the Loxahatchee River to attend the 1891 Octagon School, the 1895 West Jupiter School at Sawfish Bay, or the 1911 Jupiter School on Town Hall Avenue. The school was designed by architect William Manly King, who was responsible for all Palm Beach County schools built during the 1920s. Its distinctive features include a parapeted, barrel-tile roof, a stucco exterior, and elegant ogee and pointed arches over the doors and windows. Constructed at a cost of $150,000, the school was considered state-of-the-art for its time, with modern amenities that included a library, science laboratory, and an auditorium with a stage for performances. Like most Florida schools of the era, it did not have air conditioning. Jupiter School was one of only eight schools in Florida accredited by the Southern Association, allowing its graduates to continue on to college. Like many schools of the era, Jupiter School operated under segregation and served only white students. African American students attended a two-room schoolhouse in Limestone Creek through eighth grade until 1961, when Iris Hunter became the first Black student to attend Jupiter School. The building remained the area's primary school until 1965, when the new Jupiter High School opened on Toney Penna Drive. The building is still owned and maintained by the Palm Beach County School Board, which completed a $6.4 million interior restoration in 2006. Today, the historic school serves as administrative offices, preserving an important piece of Jupiter's educational and architectural heritage.

I went for an early morning walk on the Roosevelt Bridge to catch the sunrise, and it was…read moreabsolutely beautiful! The views were stunning, making it a peaceful and refreshing experience. There was a section of the bridge under construction, but it didn't take away from the overall experience--it was still an easy walk.

The Roosevelt Bridge is a major highway segmental bridge across the St. Lucie River in Stuart,…read moreFlorida. Carrying U.S. Route 1, it was built to supersede the old Roosevelt Bridge, which had twin parallel drawbridges, one for northbound traffic and the other for southbound. The bridge is only 24 years old and recently has had cracks and concrete falling. Repairs are being done.

Yikes! I'm living in Stuart over 2 years & this was the first time I was diverted to this crazy…read moreroundabout due to road closures, & yes - was thoroughly confused & highly intimidated by that railroad track being in the heart of it all! My IMAP stopped talking and if matters weren't bad enough, (when I decided which exit to follow after my brain finally unscrambled) some jerk started honking madly as I carefully drove straight ahead to reach US 1..It was unnerving at first but worth the adrenaline rush once I calmed down & laughed it off. Realistically though- future navigators -- please pay close attention to & avoid that RR track and ignore those nasty honkers!

What makes Confusion Corner in historic downtown Stuart Florida so confusing? It is the eight…read moreroads! that come together in one intersection. Hold your breath and say a prayer as you attempt to make it safely through Flagler Avenue, East Ocean, West Ocean Blvd, Colorado Avenue, A1A both North & South, and Dixie Highway where they join in a roundabout, creating a Stuart landmark. If that wasn't enough, throw a train track in there too. How do you know you are at Confusion Corner? Stand in front of the April Daze boutique and watch the show. You will know you are in the right spot as you watch the cars swing around and hear the horns honking. If you have driven in downtown Stuart, you have passed through Confusion Corner. This intersection is so famous that the legendary Charles Kuralt came to Stuart in 1979 to film an episode for his popular "On the Road" series. There is even a song about it on You Tube by Clifford Buckosh & Okeechobee Records and if you survive the drive you can purchase a T Shirt to commemorate it at Harbor Wear. Despite all the confusion, the only deadly accident to happen there took place in the 1940's. So buckle up that seatbelt, as you swing yourself around Stuart's Confusion Corner.

I discovered this blue historic marker at Limestone Creek Park in Jupiter. It is part of Florida's…read moreHistorical Marker Program, one of the Division of Historical Resources' most popular public history initiatives. These markers commemorate significant people, places, and events throughout the state and can be found along roads, at archaeological sites, battlefields, cemeteries, churches, colleges, historic districts, schools, and historic buildings. Marker F-890, was installed in 2015 by the Loxahatchee River Historical Society and the Florida Department of State. It tells the important story of the African-American school that once stood here, L.M. Davis Elementary School and the surrounding historic community. Limestone Creek Park occupies the site of the oldest African-American community in Jupiter. During segregation, Black children were denied access to public schools so community members created a school of their own. In 1905, they opened the first "Jupiter Colored School" inside the African Methodist Episcopal Church. The school remained there until the 1928 hurricane destroyed the church and killed 2,500 people in the community. Afterward, community leader L.M. Davis donated one acre of his homestead for a new school. Residents pooled their money and received a matching grant from the Julius Rosenwald Foundation, established by Sears, Roebuck & Co. president Julius Rosenwald in collaboration with Booker T. Washington. The foundation helped fund the construction of more than 5,000 schools for African-American children across the South. With those funds, the community built a two-room schoolhouse with a kitchen and hired two teachers to educate students in grades one through eight. The school operated for years without electricity or running water. In 1941, the graduating class raised enough money to build a sidewalk, signing their names in the wet concrete. That original piece of sidewalk still survives in the park today. In 1956, the school was renamed L.M. Davis Elementary in honor of the man who donated the land. Until schools were desegregated in 1967, Mr. Davis also drove local high school students 20 miles south in a community built bus to Industrial High School in Riviera Beach. Today, the school is gone, and Limestone Creek Park stands in its place. I love that this historic site continues to be a place where children gather, play, and learn. It's a fitting tribute to the community that fought so hard to provide an education for its children. If you're interested in Jupiter's African-American history, there's another Florida Historical Marker located in nearby Cinquez Park, commemorating another important historic Black community.

Located between Orlando and Miami, the Civic Center provides an amazing indoor and outdoor event…read moreexperience. The Civic Center, now renamed MIDFLORIDA Event Center, is perfect for an array of events. From business to birthday, this elegant space can accommodate up to 600 people. There is ample parking and the exterior is just stunning. My family and I love visiting during the holidays and enjoy the music, array of lights, and Christmas decorations. I frequently visit the September 11th monument just outside of the center and think it is a beautiful way to honor the victims and families who lost their loved ones.

The St. Patrick's Day festival is being held today at the Civic Center in Port Saint Lucie. My…read moreelderly mother is visiting from Norfolk, saw the Farris Wheel and wanted to go. So off we went. How disappointing! For two, it cost $10.00. The wheel never went in a loop without stopping multiple times. Extremely disappointing. Won't waste my time or money there again.

It's obvious that every source of electrical power generation has advantages and disadvantages, yet…read morethe generation of electricity remains one of the most controversial topics of our times. Whether these concerns are over global warming and its impact on the environment for future generations, the immediate risk and safety concerns of the surrounding communities or simply the cost justifications behind regulation or deregulation. There are groups on both sides of these arguments working tirelessly to justify their convictions for it or against it, but both sides can agree it's a vital part of our existence. In the case of nuclear power those advantages are both a clean and environmentally friendly method of electrical generation that's affordable, safe and reliable. The St. Lucie Power Plant located off of A1A on Hutchinson Island approximately 8 miles southeast of Fort Pierce, has been producing safe, reliable and low-cost electricity since 1976 when its first nuclear reactor was put online producing about 1 megawatt of electricity (1 megawatt = 1 million watts) of electricity -- enough power to supply the annual needs of more than 1 million homes. The second unit of equal size began operating in 1983 doubling the capacity of this generating station. This location was chosen because of its low-risk seismic zone, although St. Lucie is located in the lowest hazard zone for earthquakes according to the (USGS) this facility was constructed to withstand earthquakes and other natural events stronger than ever recorded in the region. The plant is elevated 20 feet above sea level to protect against flooding and extreme storm surges and successfully withstood the back- to-back impact of two hurricanes in 2004. This nuclear-power plant was built to withstand winds in excess of 195-mph and also the effects associated with these types of events with an abundances of redundant controls and emergency power supplies. This facility has been rated as one of the top performing U.S. nuclear power plants and has maintained a reasonable safety record since its commissioning. Although we would like to assume there are no inherent risk, in this industry it's more about how these risks are managed and the over-sight by a variety of agencies that fully understand the complexity of this technology and assumes responsibility to protect people and property. This plant is one of the many reasons Floridian's have some of the lowest cost per kilowatt hour in the country and a record of reliability that rivals more regions in the U.S. In order to educate the public this plant operates a visitor center, called the Energy Encounter, it allows visitors to experience interactive exhibits on electricity, nuclear energy and the environment and the admission is free it's open to the public Tuesdays & Thursdays 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. a visit here may put your mind at ease and certainly give you a better understanding of the demands facing the country's energy producers in today's world, who doesn't expect the lights to come on when we flick the switch, it's not magic you know it requires a never ending commitment by the men and women living in our community that work in this demanding industry to provide this service for all of us, the most privileged people on earth.

The energy center has lots of information and cool demonstration "toys"…read more The power plant provides clean energy in "bulks" compared to solar or wind energy.