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RESOLUTION NO. 05-267
A RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING JULY 1,
2005, AS THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF
THE ESTABLISHMENT OF ST. LUCIE
COUNTY, FLORIDA, AND PROCLAIMING
JULY 1, 2005, AS "ST. LUCIE COUNTY
DAY"
WHEREAS, the Board of County Commissioners of St. Lucie County, Florida,
has made the following determinations:
1. According to historians, it is believed that the name "St. Lucie" was first
given to this area by the Spanish. The name was given after the Spanish began
construction of a fort on December 13 - the feast day of the Roman Catholic Saint
Lucia.
2. The "Santa Lucia" colony was established somewhere between Vero
Beach and Stuart around 1567, as old Spanish maps identify this area as Santa Lucia,
which included roughly what is now known as Vero Beach to Stuart. The Spanish held
Florida from 1783 to 1819. Seminoles and runaway slaves began to settle on the
Treasure Coast. The Anglo-Saxon version, "St. Lucie," would not be officially used to
identify the area until the 1900s.
3. The U. S. Territory of Florida was created by Congress in 1832. The
Armed Occupation Act of 1842 provided for the settlement ofthe unsettled part of east
Florida. The territory of Florida became a state in 1845.
4. During the Second Seminole War (1835-1842), the U. S. Army began
setting up military posts throughout the state, and in 1837, Col. Benjamin K. Pierce
(Brother to the future 14th President) sailed down the Indian River from St. Augustine.
A year later, he built a fort out of palmetto trees near an Ais Indian mound on what
is now known as Old Fort Park on Indian River Drive.
5. According to state records, St. Lucie County was created and named by
lawmakers in Tallahassee on May 24, 1905. However, the effective date of St. Lucie
County's incorporation was July 1, 1905 and the incorporation celebration took place
on July 4th. It appears that Brevard County agreed to transfer funds from its budget
effective on that date, as that was most likely the start of the new fiscal year. At the
time, what is now Indian River, Okeechobee, and northern Martin counties were all
part of the new St. Lucie County.
6. Today, St. Lucie County is approximately 600 square miles with a diverse
population that includes two cities and one village: Fort Pierce, Port St. Lucie and St.
Lucie Village. With a population of more than 210,000 people living here, St. Lucie
County is one of the fastest growing counties in the United States.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Board of County
Commissioners of St. Lucie County, Florida:
1. This Board does hereby recognize July 1, 2005, as the 100th Year
Anniversary of the establishment of St. Lucie County, Florida, and further does hereby
proclaim July 1, 2005, as "ST. LUCIE COUNTY DAY".
2. This Board urges the citizens of St. Lucie County to celebrate the 100th
Year of the establishment of St. Lucie County during the celebration of St. Lucie
County's Centennial.
PASSED AND DULY ADOPTED this 28th day of June, 2005.
ATTEST:
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
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