Fort Pierce Train Station

Fort Pierce Florida East Coast Railway Station during the 20th century.

Florida East Coast Railroad main line. The first city hall with the Hendry House and First Baptist Church beyond it are on the left. The East Coast Lumber and Supply Company is on the right.

Map of St. Lucie County in 1907, with Fort Pierce as the county seat.

Map of St. Lucie County in 1911, with Fort Pierce as the county seat.

In 1911, Fort Pierce was established as a division point for the FEC. This new form of transportation took the place of coastal and canal transportation, such as cargo shipping and commuter travel, effectively connecting northern markets with southern products. Packinghouses were established near the station by fisherman along with citrus, sugar, and pineapple farmers along the coast. The railroad brought prosperity to the town, enhancing newer neighborhoods with new schools and Mediterranean style buildings.[3] It also stimulated population growth, as passengers found it easier, faster, and more comfortable to travel further south. New employment opportunities rapidly expanded the formerly agricultural economy of Fort Pierce.

Pineapple-packing house located on the Florida East Coast Railway siding.

FEC employees grading for railroad expansion in 1947.

Fort Pierce Florida East Coast Railway Station in the 1940s.

Atlantic Coast Line (ACL) Railroad passenger cars at the depot in Fort Pierce during the 1950s.

Replica of the original station is located at the St. Lucie County Regional History Center.

[1] Seth Bramson, Speedway to Sunshine: The Story of the Florida East Coast Railway (Boston: Boston Mills Press, 2003), 27.

[2] Howard Goodman, "Henry Flagler Would Have Put This Plan on the Fast Track," The Orlando Sentinel, February 20, 2007, accessed December 16, 2015, http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2007-02-20/news/0702200032_1_flagler-museum-henry-flagler-tri-rail.

[3] "Fort Pierce: Saint Lucie County," Viva Florida 500, accessed December 16, 2015, http://vivafl500.org/cities/fort-pierce/.