As we continue our historic journey, today we view pages 8-9 of the 1937 Stuart Daily News. Today’s ad for the City of Stuart is so large that it is featured side-to-side rather than top to bottom in the publication. Proudly, because of the completion of the Stuart to Ft Meyers Cross-State Canal, Stuart has branded itself as “the Atlantic Gateway to the Gulf of Mexico,” particularly for the nation’s yachtsmen.
Although this image below was not in the publication, I wanted to include it because one might drive by and not recognize this recently renovated, now officially registered historic structure in Rio for what it really is, ~a monument to the cross-state canal!
Of course also in the ad Stuart lauds itself as a fishing mecca touting: “Florida’s finest fishing in adjacent waters.” The truth of the matter is that the quality of the St Lucie River and Southern Indian River Lagoon, as documented by local fishermen, had been deteriorating since the opening of the St Lucie Canal to Lake Okeechobee in 1923. (Sandra Henderson Thurlow, Stuart on the St Lucie) Nonetheless, the rivers and ocean remained “marvelous” fishing arenas as this 1938 Chamber of Commerce Fishing Guide shows.
Today, the City of Stuart remains the vibrant and beautiful heart of Marin County, but it no longer brags about being “the Gateway to the Gulf of Mexico.” As much as the St Lucie Canal has caused issue with our local waterways, I do think the Stuart to Ft Meyers connection, and being a starting point for a historic boat trip across the state is worth re-boasting about!
City of Stuart: http://www.cityofstuart.us
History, City of Stuart: http://www.cityofstuart.us/index.php/naming-of-stuart
Stuart Museum: http://www.stuartheritagemuseum.com
Stuart Chamber: https://www.stuartmartinchamber.org/tourism/history
I know you guys are tired of me telling the true history of why the Indian River Lagoon has almost completly died but I have to. Notice the sugar sand on both sides of Old Dixie(us1) highway.You cant drive on sugar sand. People pulled the coquina off the shore to pave one of our counties first highways. Sometimes you have to dig to find the history. It is a real possability this concrete structure was also made from coquina cement. I wish our state gov would stop the lieing and just put it back so our sea grass and fishing can all come back.
If you click on the(1926) old dixie highway picture it will enlarge . You can see the catipiller tracks where maby they crushed the soft coquina. Soft sugar sand on both sides. One more thing is they used the shells for fertilizer too. Muck is organic materiaL preserved in acid. The shells neutrilized the acid so plants could absorb the nutriants.. I have at my house pieces of the old US1 road bed. I bet a shell person could identify the shells as haveing come from the lagoon. Excelant photo thank you.