City Population: 50,800
Fort Pierce—the county seat of St. Lucie County— is a diverse, neighborly community that embraces both the richness of its heritage and the promise of the future. The center of the Treasure Coast, this city runs along the Indian River Lagoon and encompasses 29 square miles.
The federally maintained Fort Pierce Inlet is one of five inlets connecting the lagoon to the Atlantic Ocean. It is also the location of the Port of Fort Pierce, one of Florida’s 15 deepwater ports, which evolved from a shipping hub to a World War II U.S. Navy base. During the past decade, the Indian River Terminal was transformed into a shipyard for the maintenance, repair, and overhaul of mega yachts and large sailing vessels. Derecktor Shipyards began operation in 2019 and added the world’s largest mobile boat hoist.
Incorporated in 1901 by 300 pioneers, the town that is famous for being a quaint fishing village has grown to 50,800 residents today. The historic downtown waterfront affords shopping, dining, entertainment, and the historic 1,200-seat Sunrise Theatre, a Mediterranean Revival landmark that opened in 1923. Major community events take place at Marina Square on Avenue A including the Saturday morning farmers market, Wednesday afternoon Green Market, and the long-running Friday Fest held the first Friday of each month featuring food vendors, arts and crafts, and activities for all ages.
Fort Pierce also is home to several educational and research facilities: the top-ranked Indian River State College, Smithsonian Marine Station, Manatee Observation and Education Center, and Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution at Florida Atlantic University.
Several local museums are popular tourist destinations, including the A. E. Backus Museum & Gallery, which showcases the works of the “Dean of Florida Landscape Painting” and the Florida Highwaymen, a loosely associated collective of African American artists that trace their roots to Fort Pierce in the 1950s. The city’s most popular tourist attraction, the National UDT Navy SEAL museum, commemorates the birth of the Navy frogmen in Fort Pierce and chronicles the evolution of this military unit to today’s Navy SEALs. The Zora Neale Hurston Dust Tracks Trail commemorates the noted author and anthropologist who lived in the town at the end of her life.
Established in 1938, the Fort Pierce City Marina stands the test of time and continues to improve with its first-in-the- state, eco-friendly Storm Protection System and improved yacht-friendly navigation. Owned and operated by the city, the marina features a state-of-the-art docking system and is centrally located downtown within walking distance of the public library, galleries, museums, and parks. Fort Pierce is in Division 6 of the Southern Kingfish Association’s sanctioned tournament network.
Fort Pierce is a small town with big-city cultural attributes. Its natural beauty is renowned, drawing visitors for year-round paddleboarding, horseback riding on the beach, diving and snorkeling, kayaking, and world-class fishing on unspoiled beaches.
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