St. Lucie County

St. Lucie County is located in southeastern Florida and had a population of 329,226 as of the 2020 census. The county seat is Fort Pierce, while Port St. Lucie is the largest city, making up 62% of the county’s population. St. Lucie County is the heart of the Port St. Lucie Metropolitan Statistical Area.

The area was originally home to the Ais tribe, a hunter-gatherer culture known for its fierce resistance to Spanish explorers. Spanish trade routes passed through the area, and it was named Santa Lucia after a short-lived Spanish fort. In 1715, a Spanish treasure fleet sank off the coast, inspiring the name "Treasure Coast."

In the early 19th century, the Spanish government issued land grants, including one to James Hutchinson, whose name remains on Hutchinson Island. The mid-1800s saw Seminoles and runaway slaves seeking refuge in the area. During the Second Seminole War, Lt. Colonel Benjamin K. Pierce established a fort, now the namesake of Fort Pierce. The U.S. government later encouraged settlement by offering land grants, and the Third Seminole War led to the creation of Fort Capron, located in today’s St. Lucie Village.

Settlement increased steadily, driven by health and economic opportunities. By the 1890s, Henry Flagler’s railroad reached the area, boosting industries such as pineapple farming, fishing, seafood canning, and cattle ranching. Citrus became a major crop in the early 1900s, and Fort Pierce was officially chartered in 1901.

Before 1905, the area was part of Brevard County. That year, St. Lucie County was officially formed, with Fort Pierce as its seat. At the time, it included communities such as Jensen, Eden, White City, and Vero. In 1925, Indian River County was created from the northern portion of St. Lucie County, and Martin County was formed from its southeastern section and part of Palm Beach County. Earlier, in 1917, western St. Lucie County became Okeechobee County.

The 1920s saw land speculation and planned developments like Indrio and San Lucie, though many projects failed due to the 1929 crash. During World War II, the U.S. Naval Amphibious Training Base was built in Fort Pierce on Hutchinson Island, processing over 140,000 troops. After the war, many veterans who had trained there returned with their families, contributing to the county’s rapid growth.

In 1958, the General Development Corporation purchased land along the St. Lucie River to create a new community. Effective marketing drew retirees and families, laying the foundation for Port St. Lucie. Later developments such as St. Lucie West and the master-planned community of Tradition further expanded the county’s residential offerings.

The county has continued to grow, celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2005. Today, St. Lucie County remains a thriving part of Florida’s Treasure Coast, blending history, natural beauty, and modern development.