Some Interesting Facts & Figures about Jupiter & P.B. County

Jupiter Tequesta and Juno Beach are rich in history. The earliest known records date back to 1565 when the Spanish first came to this area finding the Jega Indians living along the banks of the Inlet and river. The Jupiter area first came to wide spread public attention when Jonathan Dickinson was shipwrecked on the shores of Jupiter.

In the 1800's Jupiter's most identifiable landmark, the Jupiter Lighthouse was erected.

Located at the northern end of Palm Beach County, we are 20 minutes from Palm Beach International Airport. Tri-rail commuter train service, as well as Amtrak, service Palm Beach County. Palm Tran, offers residents a comprehensive bus route throughout the county.

With its distinguished life style, the community foundations and infrastructure, Jupiter Tequesta Juno Beach and Palm Beach County are ideally suited to the business needs of today and the progressive requirements of tomorrow.

History

A U.S. Army fort built in Jupiter in 1838 is believed to be the first permanent non-Indian settlement in the area. The fort was followed by the first civilian residents who cared for the Jupiter Lighthouse beginning in 1860.

The Jupiter and Lake Worth "Celestial" Railroad, and later the Florida East Coast Railroad, opened up travel to and within the County in the late 1880s.

In 1889, a heavy turnout at the voting polls by residents living around the Lake Worth shoreline forced Dade County, which included Palm Beach County at the time, to move its center of government from Miami to Juno where it remained for 10 years from 1889 to 1899. The Oakbrook Square Shopping Center is built on the location of the former Juno Courthouse.

In 1894, West Palm Beach incorporated making it the oldest municipality in the County. Palm Beach County was carved out of Dade county in 1909. It became Florida's 47th county and the first county government meeting was held on July 6, 1909, in an old four-room school house at the corner of Clematis Street and Dixie Highway in West Palm Beach. At the time, only about 5,300 people lived in the new county which comprised portions of what are now Broward, Martin and Okeechobee Counties.

Broward spun off from Palm Beach County in 1915, Okeechobee County was carved out of Palm Beach County in 1917 and Martin County left Palm Beach County in 1925.

Palm Beach County's borders incorporated all of Lake Okeechobee until 1963 when the State of Florida partitioned the lake among all of the counties that border it.

In 1905, Joseph Sakai began the Yamato Colony in present-day Boca Raton. Sakai attracted fellow Japanese to the area with the promise of farmland. One Japanese immigrant who prospered as a farmer after joining Sakai was George Morikami. In return for the success the County brought him, Morikami donated his home and part of his land to the County for a museum and park.

On December 19, 1936, Morrison Field, known today as Palm Beach International Airport, was dedicated. The airport was named after Grace Morrison, a local aviator who lobbied to get federal funds to build the airport. Morrison never saw the airport opened; she died in an automobile accident about two months before the dedication.

The new PBIA 24-gate jetway opened in October, 1988.

Economics

The three major billion dollar industries in Palm Beach County are Tourism, Construction and Agriculture. There are also many high-tech industries which contribute to our growing economy.

• In Palm Beach County more than 60,000 people are employed in jobs related to the tourism industry.

• Passenger traffic at Palm Beach International Airport totaled 5.8 million in 2003. Tourists contribute $1.5 billion annually to the County’s economy.

• The 1999 housing statistics show 5,386 single family starts and 4,856 multi-family dwelling starts for a value of $1,217,581,782.

• Palm Beach County ranks first in the state in cash receipts from agricultural marketing: more than $2 billion.

• The western portion of the County is home to agricultural lands producing nearly 11 percent of the United States’ sugar.

• The Palm Beach County School District oversees the operation of the County’s elementary, middle and high schools. The School Board is also the largest employer in Palm Beach County with more than 19,200 employees.

• Florida’s Enterprise Zone Program provides tax incentives to businesses located within or hiring from within the zones. The State currently has 19 Enterprise Zones with two in Palm Beach County.

• Palm Beach County is the only county in Florida awarded “AAA” bond ratings by all three rating agencies. Demographics (Back to Top)

• Palm Beach County still is one of the two largest of the 67 counties in Florida. Land area alone is approximately 2,023 square miles (2,578 square miles including lakes). Palm Beach County dwarfs Rhode Island and is larger than Delaware.

• The 45+ miles of beautiful shoreline were named Florida’s Gold Coast after the gold recovered from the Spanish Galleons that sank offshore.

• The four largest lakes in the County are: Lake Okeechobee 488,000 acres; Lake Mangonia 540 acres; Clear Lake 401 acres; and Lake Osborne 356 acres.

• The eastern County has a thriving urban area while the western area of the County is more rural with wetlands. County residents can get a taste of Florida’s Everglades by visiting the Loxahatchee National Wildlife Preserve which covers 221 square miles extending from the southern Palm Beach County line, west to US 441, to just south of State Road 98 and west of West Palm Beach.

• Palm Beach County has numerous colleges in the area that offer a broad spectrum of higher education. Currently, more than 28 percent of all Palm Beach County adults are college-educated. Palm Beach Community College has four campus locations that offer associate and vocational/technical degrees, non-credit courses and workshops. Florida Atlantic University offers undergraduate, graduate and continuing education programs. Palm Beach Atlantic University is a four-year liberal arts university with a Christian environment. Northwood University specializes in business and management degrees. Other colleges in the area include Barry University, Lynn University, College of the Palm Beaches, and Nova University.

• According to the 2003 Census population estimates, 1,211,167 people claimed Palm Beach County as home.

• There are more women than men living in the County. According to State Commerce Department figures, women account for 52 percent of the population while men total about 48 percent.

• According to the League of Cities, approximately 46 percent of the County’s population live in one of the 37 municipalities with the remainder in the unincorporated area of the county. Wellington is the fastest growing municipality.

• According to the Supervisor of Elections Office, as of October 2001 there are 681,315 people registered to vote in Palm Beach County including 306,167 Democrats, 234,940 Republicans and 140,208 in other political parties.

• West Palm Beach is the largest among the County’s 37 municipalities, both in population and area. The city covers 52.64 square miles, and according to the 2003 Census estimates has a population of 90,721. Boca Raton ranks second with a 2003 Census population estimate of 76,043.

• The smallest municipality in Palm Beach County is Briny Breezes which covers about four-tenths of a square mile and, as of the 2003 Census estimates, had 409 residents. The smallest town in terms of population is Cloud Lake with 172 residents.

• The 2000 per-capita personal income in Palm Beach County was $28,801. The Statewide per-capita income is $25,288.

• The average temperature here is 75 degrees.

• The average rainfall is 62 inches per year.

• There are 415 churches here (320 Protestant; 35 Catholic; 30 Jewish temples; and 30 other).

• Palm Beach County abounds with parks and other recreational facilities. The County Parks and Recreation Department operates 67 parks, many with water sports and beaches. See the map and chart (pages 48 through 51) for specific amenities and park locations. There is even a campground on Peanut Island.

• The County also manages 28 natural areas that encompass over 28,000 acres. (See map on page 45.)

• Palm Beach County is often referred to as “the Golf Capital of the World™.” There are more than 150 public and private golf courses located in Palm Beach County.

• Palm Beach County is the Spring Training home of the Florida Marlins and St. Louis Cardinals. Baseball continues through the summer with the Class A Florida State League.

• Saltwater and freshwater fishing enthusiasts have plenty to choose from. From big-mouth bass to sailfish, the thrill of hooking the “Big One” is a memory that will last forever.

• Polo, the Sport of Kings, also calls Palm Beach County home. Polo tournaments such as the $100,000 World Cup bring large crowds and international celebrities to Palm Beach County.

• Other sports that provide entertainment for visitors and residents include: tennis, greyhound racing, drag racing, motorcycle racing, boating, in-line skating, shuffle board, croquet, snorkeling, diving and water skiing.

• Palm Beach County offers a multitude of cultural attractions suitable for even the most discriminating tastes. For those who enjoy the classical sounds of music, the theater, and the ballet, some of the organizations to become familiar with are the Royal Poinciana Playhouse, Delray Beach Playhouse, Watson B. Duncan Theater, Dolly Hand Cultural Arts Center, Florida Ballet and the Palm Beach Opera. The Raymond F. Kravis Center for the Performing Arts provides the finest cultural productions available.

• Historical buffs will enjoy touring the museums, as well as gardens, located in the County. These include the Loxahatchee River Historical Museum and Jupiter Lighthouse, the S.D. Spady Museum, the Henry Morrison Flagler Museum, Norton Museum of Art, the Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens, the Bink Glisson Historical Museum, the American Orchid Society Visitors Center and Botanical Garden, the Mounts Botanical Garden and the Boca Raton Museum of Art, among others.

• The Palm Beach County Library System, as well as municipal libraries, provides the foremost services and materials for educational and entertainment reading needs to the area’s residents.

• The South Florida Fairgrounds is home of the South Florida Fair and Exposition, an annual 17-day festival held in late January. Sound Advice Amphitheater provides local residents and visitors with the opportunity to see popular entertainers in concert

Palm Beach County is served by three major daily newspapers, The Palm Beach Post, The Miami Herald and The Sun-Sentinel along with many locally published weekly newspapers such as The Jupiter Courier and The Hometown News.