John Kelley, Stuart’s unofficial ‘greeter’
STUART — The familiar surnames of many Stuart pioneers such as Roebuck, Kitching, Pomeroy, Krueger, Hogarth, Stypmann, Parks, Bessey and Frazier are…
4 min read
Vignettes
Small stories. A bigger picture of Stuart.
Step back in time to learn about the unusual, the forgotten and some of the fascinating people, events and places from Martin County's history. These historical vignettes were written by Greg and Alice Luckhardt of Stuart and were published in the "Your News" section of Stuart News and TCPalm.com (discontinued).
240 stories
All stories
Stuart’s jails: Accommodating prisoners no simple task
STUART — The village called Potsdam, which would be known as Stuart in 1895, was first settled in the 1880s. As a…
8 min read
A brief history of local schools and transportation
STUART — Public education of children in Potsdam (Stuart) began in 1891 with a single, 12×18-foot, two-room wooden schoolhouse on Cherokee (Seminole)…
3 min read
Francis Adams was an esteemed patriotic figure
STUART — Most Martin County residents have probably seen or visited the small Captain Adams Park, located near Confusion Corner in Stuart,…
8 min read
Illustrious 19th century actor had plans for Hobe Sound
MARTIN COUNTY — Probably few, if any, people in Martin County know much about Joseph Jefferson, a famous internationally recognized theatrical actor…
3 min read
Remembering the anti-polio campaign in Martin County
MARTIN COUNTY — Throughout history contagious disease, epidemics and plagues have adversely affected mankind. Zika, ebola and dengue fever have presented health…
6 min read
War plane and sub spotters: The story of civilian defense
MARTIN COUNTY — The U.S. declared war on Germany and Japan on Dec. 8, 1941, a day after the Japanese bombing attack…
8 min read
The story of McFarlan and the glass plate negatives
In April 1895 the very young village of Stuart had only a few early pioneer settlers along the St. Lucie River. Further…
4 min read
‘Ugly Wild Bill’s’ Indian Village and Zoo was once a famous tourist attraction in Martin County
Most every small town has its colorful and memorable characters and Hobe Sound was no exception. In the late 1920s, William “Bill”…
4 min read
Roebuck — a prominent family of Stuart
Few structures in Martin County have been ‘reincarnated’ for different businesses for as long a period of time as the Roebuck Building…
11 min read
Ice plants and the need for refrigeration
Refrigeration, a necessity for keeping many types of foods fresh and edible, is easily taken for granted, but in Stuart’s pioneer days,…
13 min read
Chillingworth’s Palm City Development
Much of what would eventually be Palm City was wilderness, woods or swamp in the 1890s, but potentially suitable for agriculture. By…
17 min read
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History lives in the people who remember it.
Have an old photograph, document or story about Stuart? The museum would love to hear from you.
