EARLY RIVER HISTORY
The site of the Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse is of importance as the likely location of the Indian village of Jobe (or Hobe), home of the Jeaga Indians who held the Englishman Jonathan Dickinson and his party captive in 1696.
Archaeologists and students in 1990-1992 showed that the prehistoric village at the site extended over much or all of the present-day DuBois Park.
THE SEMINOLE NATION
By 1690 many Florida Indians had perished from imported European diseases and enslavemen. Ignoring tribal affilitions the first English Traders called the native americans in Florida, Seminoles, after the Hitchíti phrase 'istî siminolî', meaning free peoples. The tribes took in runaway slaves from the Spanish, English and Amercicans and welcomed them into their lives.
RIVER PIONEERS
Jupiter and Hobe Sound both derive their name from the Hobe Indians, whose village was on the site of the present-day DuBois Pioneer Home.The Spanish were the first Europeans to encounter this tribe.
In 1696 Jonathan Dickinson and his party were shipwrecked on Jupiter Island and held captive for three days by the Hobe Indians.
Learn more about the River Pioneers
TRAGEDY ON THE RIVER
Jupiter and Hobe Sound have seen their fair share of disasters. One of the more famous is the day the 427 slipped off a bridge over the Loxahatchee River. It was back in the thirties and no one was hurt. The train was going so slow at the time, the engineer, driver and a few hobos jumped clear, only the train took a swim.
WILD AND SCENIC
LOXAHATCHEE
Ospreys, vultures, river otters, ibis, great and little blue herons, alligators, mangroves, palms and more make this an unforgettable river. The lower part of the river is easy going; upstream from Trapper Nelson's homestead a narrow course and fallen trees make it more of a challenge.
RIVER WILDLIFE
Trapper Nelson could be described at the 'Tarzan' of Loxahatchee. A 23 year old NJ boy who fell in love with the area and spent the next 37 years living in a cabin in the wilderness.
He graduated from hunting the native species to opening a 'Zoo and Jungle Garden'.
Today his cabin can be visited in nearby Jonathan Dickinson State Park.
