It is sobering to study history. So many of our region’s early dreams, desires, and economics were tied to the St. Lucie Canal (1916-1924) and also building a gigantic deep water harbor, “Port Stuart,” just inside the St. Lucie Inlet that would have been located in the region of Sewall’s Point and Salerno’s Manatee Pocket. Because of local resident, Mrs. Tootsie Kindberg, who shared her rare  Hill Florida Photographic Concern collection, we now have major insight into this era.

For context, in  a January 11, 1923 Stuart News article entitled “For All Florida,” Stanley Kitching, president of the Stuart Commercial Club, speaks of the importance of sharing these photographs. Kitching argues the photographs prove need to the U.S. Government for a port to help extract the untaped riches of the St. Lucie region- as this deep water port  or harbor would be connected not only to the St. Lucie Canal, but also to Lake Okeechobee.

In support of her friend Tootsie, my mother historian  Sandra Thurlow has transcribed a Stuart Messenger article written on January 18, 1923. It is a documentation of the meeting with the U.S. government about funding the deepwater harbor. The attendee read like a “who’s who list.” Although this dream did not materialize in full, thankfully, it must be studied.

I want to thank Mrs. Tootsie Haggard Kindberg who shared her family’s historic photos that were the inspiration for this post. Please look through them and read the article! Looking backwards, we can more clearly navigate what lies before us. To have these photographs all in one place in a very scattered world is a gift. Thank you Mrs. Kindberg!

ENGINEERS HEAR PROOF OF THE NEED OF INLET OPENING