Dale Hipson used to joke that no one had lived in Martin County longer than he had. That was because he was born on May 16, 1925, a little before the county was created.

Dale’s father, H. H. “Harry” Hipson, was the first dentist to establish a practice in Martin County. He moved to Stuart in 1923 as soon as electricity was available five days a week. Originally, his office was in the Feroe building that still stands as the law office of Kibby Wagner. Later it was moved to a large wooden building that once stood on Osceola Street, caddy corner from the Lyric Theatre.

In 1941 Dr. Hipson, Sr. moved into a Streamline Art Deco building a block away on Osceola Street. Constructed by Charles Conrad, its style was inspired by the architectural designs of the 1939 World’s Fair.

After graduating from the University of Florida, Dale attended his father’s alma mater, the University of Pennsylvania, and became a dentist too. After Dale retired in 1992, we became close friends through our mutual interests in the environment and local history. Dale was an outdoorsman and actually lived the history I wanted to learn.

Since Dale was an amateur photographer and film maker and one of his two best buddies was Earl Dyer Ricou, a professional photographer, I acquired many images to share.

Dale’s third buddy in what his friends called “The Three Musketeers,” was “Henry C. “Bud” Beckman, Jr. All three loved to explore, hunt and fish. All three were the sons of mayors of the City of Stuart so the three families provide a wealth history to share as we celebrate Martin County’s Centennial.

Expect many more blogs using material I have because of Dr. Dale Hipson.