The City of Fort Pierce celebrates the history and anniversary of the Fort Pierce Inlet, completed February 12 of 1921, which paved way for the Port of Fort Pierce and one of the safest and most beautiful inlets on the east coast of Florida. The City of Fort Pierce will honor the history and beauty of the Fort Pierce inlet throughout the remainder of the year in various ways.
History of the Inlet:
The original inlet, known as the Indian River Inlet, existed nearly 2 miles north of the present inlet, near Pepper Park on North Hutchinson Island. The channel was thusly large enough for small crafts and was immensely difficult for fishermen and sailors to cross into the Atlantic, especially during storm season as the inlet was often closed.
The new inlet started as a shoal, or sand bar, between two barrier islands, known today as North and South Hutchinson Islands. This slight opening was only big enough for small crafts and made navigating during tide changes tedious. In 1920, the famous inventor of Crayola crayons, and an avid fisherman, Edwin Binney, led the dredging efforts at the point of the shoal to open a more natural flow between the two barrier islands, making the passage from the Indian River to the Atlantic Ocean safer, and easier. In 1921, the artificial inlet was open to nautical navigation.
About Fort Pierce:
Fort Pierce is truly a unique gem situated on the Treasure Coast and is at the heart of it all. With recent redevelopment projects, historic preservation initiatives, and a focus on cultural and recreational amenities, Fort Pierce has become an exceptional place to live, work, learn, and play, and has the cultural excitement to rival any “big city” atmosphere. USA Today ranked Downtown Fort Pierce among the “Nation’s Most Idyllic and Historic Main Streets” and was named “Most Beautiful Main Streets” in American by Reader’s Digest.