Tag Archives: Stuart

Celebrating Martin County’s Centennial in Many Ways

February 6, 2025UncategorizedDavid Yankwitt, Florida History, Florida Sheriffs, Georgen Charnes, Gilbert's Bar House of Refuge, Green Turtles, Gregory Enns, Indian River Magazine, Indian River State College, Jacqui Thurlow Lippisch, martin county centennial, Pictorial History of Palm City, Ross Witham, Stuart, Stuart Heritage MuseumSandy History Lady

I must be forgiven for worrying about Martin County’s 100^th Birthday being properly celebrated. Initially, I thought my blog would be the best way for me to share our county’s history.

Then, Gregory Enns said his Indian River Magazine would publish a special Martin Centennial edition and asked me to join Donna and Rick Crary as a writer. My ability to access historical photos was more than helpful.

Michelle Moore-Burney, *Indian River Magazine’s* design editor, created a charming collage of historic photographs for the centennial cover. The magazine is available at no cost at the Stuart Heritage Museum while they last.

Shortly after the Indian River Magazine came out in January, Stuart Heritage had a change in plans and asked me to present a program on February 11^th. It provides a perfect opportunity to share a PowerPoint presentation “Celebrating Martin County’s Centennial.”

The program will take place in the Flagler Building, 201 SW Flagler Ave. at 7:00 pm, February 11, 2025.

Stuart Heritage has this notice on Facebook. http://Stuart Heritage on Facebook

Yesterday, David Yankwitt, of Indian River State College, asked me to give a centennial presentation at the Chastain Campus for his history students and the public at large. It is tentatively scheduled of March 7^th at 11 o’clock in the Susan Johnson room in Clare and Gladys Wolf Center.

Additionally, Martin Digital History is going strong. Georgen Charnes is doing a wonderful job. She has “Martin County is turning 100 years old!” on her publicizing bookmarks.

Georgen Charnes selects photos of interest for bookmarks. I shared this one long ago when Robert Crowder ran for Congress. http://Martin Digital History

Robert Crowder, an officer in the Stuart Junior Conservation Club, and Robert Routa, also an officer, release Green Turtles nurtured at Gilbert’s Bar House of Refuge in Ross Witham’s sea turtle “Head Start” program in October of 1961.

I looked in my “Sheriffs File” and thought his image illustrates the historical importance of Robert Crowder.

With all the activity launching and selling my daughter, Jacqui Thurlow-Lippisch’s and my Pictorial History of Palm City, and preparing for presentations, I have let my blogging lapse.

Now I must be forgiven for promoting the ways I am helping to celebrate Martin County’s 100 years!

Such a Crowd!

September 8, 2024UncategorizedGovernor John W. Martin, Martin County, Stanley Kitching, Stuart, Yacht ClubsSandy History Lady

Governor Martin and other dignitaries spoke from a platform on what was referred to as the “Yacht Club Grounds.” This would be today’s Flagler Park. The number of people clustered around the platform is quite remarkable considering the small population of in the new County of Martin. (The 1930 US Census Report listed 5111 total population.)

Governor John W. Martin, top hat in hand, addresses the multitudes.

They yacht club referred to was the St. Lucie River Yacht Club, the subject of an earlier blog. Stanley Kitching, the Commodore, hosted a luncheon honoring Governor Martin and his party in the yacht club following the speeches.

St. Lucie River Yacht Club was destroyed in the 1928 hurricane that drowned over two thousand people south of Lake Okeechobee.

At the bottom of this 1925 aerial photograph are: the Riverview Apartments, still standing but now vacant; the Coventry Hotel and Apartments, now flourishing as the Old Colorado Inn; the Platt/Porter House also known as the “Owl House” that is now also part of the Old Colorado Inn vacation rentals. It is easy to pick out the Post Office Arcade with the black roof that goes from Osceola to Seminole Street. It was newly built when the photograph was made.

Glorious Celebration for Martin County

August 31, 2024UncategorizedAddison Mizner, F, Fingy Connors, Flora Dyer, Florida Photographic Concern, Frazier Creek, Ginger Baldwin, Governor John W. Martin, Harry Dyer, Harry Lyons, History, Isabelle Lyons., Lyric Theatre, Martin County, Parade, Pelican Hotel, StuartSandy History Lady

This is a link to all of my blogs:https://sandyhistorylady.com

The huge “Birthday Celebration” for Martin County was held on January 28 and 29, 1926. As mentioned previously, it was basically orchestrated Harry Lyons and Major W. I. Shuman.

Governor John W. Martin, in top hat, welcomes famed Palm Beach architect, Addison Mizner to Stuart during the January 1926 birthday celebration. William G. “Fingy” Conners, developer and builder of the Conners Highway below Lake Okeechobee, looks on. *Josephine A. Paradise*

After their arrival in Stuart, Gov. and Mrs. Martin checked into the newly built Pelican Hotel. They were the hotel’s first guests. They rested before settling on a parade viewing stand at eleven o’clock

Gov. and Mrs. Martin viewed the Martin County Birthday Parade from this vantage point as school children passed by.

The Martins must have been exhausted after watching a two hour long parade with over 700 decorated automobiles, numerous bands and 500 school children.

This photograph of the school children dressed to represent pioneer families was used on an invitation for a “Old Home Week” at the Elliott Museum in September 2007.

This section cropped from the previous photograph shows, Virginia Dyer, in the dark hat and Isabelle Lyons with the kerchief.

Isabelle Lyons was the daughter of parade organizer Harry Lyons and the sister of beloved Stuart News editor Ernie Lyons. Virginia Dyer, was the daughter of Stuart pioneers Flora and Harry Dyer and the granddaughter Russell and Margaret Frazier for whom Frazier Creek is named.

Sandy Thurlow and Pam Fogt “Old Home Week ” organizers, flank Isabelle Lyons Williams.

Jeanne Brock Mills speaks with her mother Virginia Dyer Brock during “Old Home Week.”

One of the most significant parade photographs shows the Lyric Theatre under construction.

The number in the left hand corner identifies this photograph as the work of the Florida Photographic Concern. The images was shared by Ginger Baldwin early director the restored Lyric Theatre.

Martin County Promotion by Harry Lyons and Major Shuman

August 23, 2024UncategorizedDixie Highway, Finance, Florida's Boom, Gov. Martin, Martin County ma, Parade, Stuart, Vintage carsSandy History Lady

In an earlier blog about the South Florida Developer, I credited Martin County’s creation to Edwin Menninger. My history colleague, Rick Crary, has educated me about the impact Major Shuman, a new man on the scene in the early 1920s, had getting Governor Martin to support the creation of a new county and financing the building boom associated with Martin County’s creation.

This photograph of Major William Irvin Shuman was cropped from a group photo of local men with Governor John W. Martin in Tallahassee . (Courtesy Ashley Family)

Major William Erving Shuman’s Southland Bond & Mortgage Company financed numerous local building projects.

The Post Office Arcade on Osceola Street was financed by Southland Bond & Mortgage Company.

This photograph of Harry Lyons as he looked in 1925 was recently shared by his grandson William Lyons.

Harry Lyons featured in my last blog was certainly in the thick of things. With all of the Lyons generated publicity for Stuart Shores, the big development on land on either side of the Welcome Arch, I began to suspect he was involved it the plans for Stuart Shores. Research, using newspapers.com, proved this to be so.

Harry Lyons and Major Shuman were quite a team when they focused their energies into planning a two day event celebrating Martin County’s creation. Dignitaries were invited, bands played, a lavish dinner was held, and a parade, the likes of which was never been matched in Martin County, took place.