Fort Pierce is marking a major milestone in 2026: 125 years since its incorporation on February 2, 1901. Throughout the year, the Treasure Coast city of roughly 50,000 residents has celebrated with exhibits, festivals, and community partnerships that trace its path from a 19th-century military outpost to the “old Florida” waterfront city it is today, a story of resilience other Florida communities marking their own milestones will recognize.
“At 125, and with 50,000 residents, Fort Pierce is a thriving coastal city, with a real ‘old-Florida’ vibe,” said Mayor Linda Hudson. “We are proud of our history and culture and look forward to our bright future. Keeping our waterways clean and accessible to our residents and visitors is paramount. We are proud of our clean, uncrowded beaches on the Atlantic Ocean, our 100-plus-year-old man-made Fort Pierce Inlet, our Port of Fort Pierce and the Indian River Lagoon.”
Water has shaped Fort Pierce since long before it was a city. Spanish treasure ships sank off its coast in 1715, and in 1838 the U.S. Army built a fort along the natural inlet to the Rio de Ays, Spanish for Indian River, establishing the military post that gave the city its name. In 1921, the city opened a new, straight, deep man-made inlet connecting the Atlantic Ocean to the Indian River Lagoon, and the Port of Fort Pierce followed by 1930…