Port Salerno, Florida facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Port Salerno, Florida
Census-designated place
Location in Martin County and the state of Florida
Country	United States
State	Florida
County	Martin
Area
• Total	4.07 sq mi (10.54 km2)
• Land	3.57 sq mi (9.23 km2)
• Water	0.50 sq mi (1.31 km2)
Elevation	13 ft (4 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	10,401
• Density	2,916.71/sq mi (1,126.29/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP codes	34992 34997 (Stuart)
Area code(s)	772
FIPS code	12-58727
GNIS feature ID	0289239

Port Salerno is a small community in Martin County, Florida, United States. It is a "census-designated place" (CDP), which means it's an area that looks like a town but isn't officially governed by its own local government. Instead, it's part of the larger county. In 2020, about 10,401 people lived there.

Where is Port Salerno?

Port Salerno is located in the eastern part of Martin County. You can find it at these coordinates: 27°8′39″N 80°11′30″W / 27.14417°N 80.19167°W / 27.14417; -80.19167.

Waterways and Borders

The community is surrounded by water on several sides. To the north, you'll find the St. Lucie River and the Indian River Lagoon. To the east, there's a branch of the river called Great Pocket. Manatee Pocket is to the northwest.

Nearby Towns

Port Salerno is about 5 miles (8 km) southeast of Stuart, which is the main city of Martin County. It's also about 8 miles (13 km) northwest of Hobe Sound.

Size of the Area

The Port Salerno CDP covers a total area of about 4.1 square miles (10.6 square kilometers). Most of this area, about 3.6 square miles (9.3 square kilometers), is land. The rest, about 0.5 square miles (1.3 square kilometers), is water.

A Look at Port Salerno's Past

Port Salerno has an interesting history, starting as a small fishing settlement.

Early Days and Naming

In the 1920s, a small group of people started living near the St. Lucie River inlet. They named their new home "Salerno." An early visitor thought the area looked a lot like the city of Salerno in Italy. The first people to settle here were fishermen. They lived along the banks of Manatee Pocket, which is a small natural bay in the St. Lucie River. Some families who live in Port Salerno today are descendants of these original settlers. Some of these families have owned their land for over 100 years!

Growing and Changing Names

After World War II, more and more people started moving to Florida, especially from the northeastern United States. This caused Port Salerno to grow in size and importance. In 1960, the community's name was changed to "Port Salerno." This was done to make sure people didn't confuse it with the Italian city of Salerno.

Port Salerno on Screen

Did you know that Port Salerno was a filming location? The 1967 movie Gentle Giant was partly filmed in and around the community. A local grocery store, P.O. Smith's Grocery, was even featured in the movie. It was a small wooden building at the corner of Snake Road (now Salerno Road) and Route A1A. For the film, the grocery store was changed into a saloon because it had swinging "saloon style" doors.

Famous Visitors and Education

In the 1970s, the Manatee Hotel in Port Salerno was bought by Michael Reynolds, whose family was famous for R. J. Reynolds tobacco. He turned it into the Manatee Resort. The famous actress Sally Field even talked about the town and resort when she was interviewed by Johnny Carson on The Tonight Show. In the 1980s, the Chastain Campus of Indian River State College was built here, offering local students a place to learn. Port Salerno is also well-known for its "World Fishing Tournaments," which are held at its yacht port.

Getting Around Port Salerno

If you need to travel around Port Salerno, you can use public transportation. Martin County Public Transit (MARTY) offers bus services that run through the community.

Who Lives in Port Salerno?

Here's a look at how the population of Port Salerno has changed over the years:

Population in 2020

In 2020, the 2020 United States census counted 10,401 people living in Port Salerno. There were 4,358 households and 2,723 families in the community.

See also

In Spanish: Port Salerno para niños