Stuart, Florida facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Stuart, Florida
City
City of Stuart
Downtown Stuart
Seal
Nickname(s):  Sailfish Capital of the World
Location in Martin County and the state of Florida
Country	United States
State	Florida
County	Martin
City	1914
Government
• Type	Commission-Manager
Area
• Total	9.53 sq mi (24.67 km2)
• Land	7.05 sq mi (18.25 km2)
• Water	2.48 sq mi (6.42 km2)
Elevation	10 ft (3 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	17,425
• Density	2,473/sq mi (955/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
ZIP codes	34994-34997
Area code(s)	772
FIPS code	12-68875
GNIS feature ID	0291756
Website	City of Stuart Website

Stuart is a city in Florida, USA. It's the main city, or county seat, of Martin County, Florida. You can find Stuart in southeastern Florida. It's the biggest of five towns in Martin County. About 17,425 people lived there in 2020. Stuart is part of the Port St. Lucie Metropolitan Area.

Many people say Stuart is one of the best small towns to visit in the U.S. This is because it's very close to the St. Lucie River, Indian River Lagoon, and the Atlantic Ocean.

History of Stuart

Early History and Shipwrecks

In the 1700s, several Spanish ships called galleons crashed near Martin County. These shipwrecks were likely caused by a hurricane. The ships were carrying lots of gold and silver. Some of this treasure has been found. This is why the area is called the "Treasure Coast".

In 1832, a pirate named Pedro Gilbert used a sandbar off the coast to trick ships. He chased and caught a U.S. merchant ship called the Mexican. He tried to burn the ship and kill the crew. But they survived and told what happened. This led to Gilbert and his crew being caught. The sandbar he used is still called "Gilbert's Bar" on maps.

First Settlers and Lifesaving Station

Non-Native Americans first settled the area that became Stuart in 1870. In 1875, a lifesaving station was built on Hutchinson Island. This station helped people who were shipwrecked. Today, this station is known as Gilbert's Bar House of Refuge. It is now a historic site.

Naming the City

From 1893 to 1895, the area was called Potsdam. This name came from Otto Stypmann, a local landowner from Potsdam, Germany. He and his brother Ernest owned the land where downtown Stuart is now. Henry Flagler's Florida East Coast Railway connected the area to Daytona Beach in 1892 and Miami in 1896.

In 1895, Potsdam was renamed Stuart. This was to honor Homer Hine (Jack) Stuart Jr. He was a local landowner who owned a lot of land near the railway station. Some of the first families to settle here were Rue, Luckhardt, Krueger, Crary, and Armellinis.

Becoming a City and the Sailfish Capital

Stuart became a town in 1914. At that time, it was part of Palm Beach County. In 1925, Stuart officially became a city. It was also named the main city for the new Martin County.

In 1957, Stuart officially adopted the slogan Sailfish Capital of the World. This happened because many sailfish are found in the ocean off Martin County. The city still uses this slogan today.

Hurricanes in Stuart

From 1871 to 2005, 19 hurricanes passed through Stuart. Some of these included Isbell (1964), Frances (2004), Jeanne (2004), and Wilma (2005).

Geography and Climate

Location and Size

Stuart has a total area of about 8.5 square miles (22 square kilometers). Most of this is land, and about 2.2 square miles (5.7 square kilometers) is water.

Weather in Stuart

Stuart has a tropical rainforest climate. This means it has hot, humid summers and warm, drier winters. The weather changes a lot between summer and winter. Summer is the wettest time of year, and winter is the driest.

Summers are hot with many thunderstorms. High temperatures usually range from 88 to 91 degrees Fahrenheit (31 to 33 degrees Celsius). It gets above 90°F (32°C) about 81 days a year. Later in summer, there's a higher chance of tropical storms and hurricanes. However, these storms rarely hit the land directly. Some major hurricanes have affected Stuart since 1900. These include Hurricane David in 1979 and hurricanes Frances and Jeanne in 2004. These storms caused some damage to the area.

Winter brings cooler and drier air. High temperatures usually range from 74 to 78 degrees Fahrenheit (23 to 26 degrees Celsius). Sometimes, strong cold fronts bring rain and cooler weather. Temperatures can drop into the 50s °F (10-15°C) for a few days each winter. Most winters do not have frost.

People in Stuart

Population Changes Over Time

In 2020, there were 17,425 people living in Stuart. There were 7,286 households and 3,776 families. The average household had about 2.18 people.

In 2010, there were 15,593 people living in Stuart. There were 7,182 households and 3,470 families. The average income for a household was $35,954. For families, it was $47,736. The average income per person was $25,020.

The cost of living in Stuart in 2010 was lower than the U.S. average. If the U.S. average is 100, Stuart was 88. Housing costs were much lower, at 55 compared to 100 for the U.S. average.

In 2020, the average household income was $61,878. The income per person was $41,029. About 13.9% of the people lived below the poverty line.

Economy and Jobs

Stuart has one of two Florida Department of Health offices in Martin County. The other is in Indiantown.

Many businesses in Stuart serve tourists. These include fishing trips, boating tours, sailing, and nature tours. You can also go SCUBA diving and snorkeling.

Major Employers in Stuart

Here are some of the biggest employers in the Stuart area:

Fun Things to Do and See

Places to Visit

Downtown Stuart has many historic buildings. They were built from the 1880s to the 1940s. They show different styles like Beaux-Arts, Colonial Revival, Spanish Mediterranean, and Art Deco.

Here are some interesting places to visit in Stuart:

• Audubon of Martin County
• Lyric Theatre
• Stuart Heritage Museum
• Elliott Museum
• Krueger House, a historic house
• The Barn Theatre
• Geoffrey C. Smith Galleries
• Tropical Ranch Botanical Garden
• Florida Oceanographic Coastal Center
• Environmental Studies Council
• Sailfish Splash Waterpark

Education

Public schools in Stuart are managed by the Martin County School District.

Getting Around Stuart

Transportation Options

Witham Field is a public airport. It is located one mile southeast of downtown Stuart. Martin County owns this airport.

Major roads like US 1 pass through Stuart. The coastal road A1A goes east from Stuart to Hutchinson Island. SR 76 goes south, and SR 714 goes west from the city.

Local bus service is provided by Martin County Public Transit (MARTY). Stuart also has a free tram that runs through downtown.

Stuart has a yacht club and several marinas. These places serve private boats of different sizes.

Train Service

Until 1968, the Florida East Coast Railway ran trains from Jacksonville to Miami. Stuart had a train station stop. Older trains like the City of Miami and South Wind used to come from Chicago. The East Coast Champion and Havana Special came from New York.

In 2023, Brightline announced plans for a new train station on the Treasure Coast. Brightline is a fast train service that runs between Miami and Orlando. On March 4, 2024, Brightline confirmed that a new station would be built in Stuart. The goal is for the station to open by 2028.

Brightline trains cross the St. Lucie River on a special bridge. This bridge can open to let boats pass. So, train and boat traffic need to work together carefully.

Famous People from Stuart

Many interesting people have lived in Stuart, including:

• Dan Bakkedahl, a comedian from The Daily Show
• Paul Bley, a jazz pianist
• Cynthia S. Burnett-Haney, an educator and reformer
• Nelson Burton Jr., a professional bowler
• James Gould Cozzens, a Pulitzer Prize-winning author
• James Davis, a professional football player
• Derek Fathauer, a professional golfer
• Cleveland Gary, a professional football player
• Ed Hearn, a Major League Baseball player
• Davy Jones, a musician from The Monkees
• Chris Marquette, an actor
• John McHale, a baseball player and executive
• Corey McIntyre, a professional football player
• Rusty Meacham, a former Major League Baseball player
• Nicole Melichar, a professional tennis player
• Vaughn Monroe, a big band singer
• Zack Mosley, a cartoonist
• Scott Proctor, a former Major League Baseball player
• Judge Reinhold, an actor
• Kathy Rinaldi, a professional tennis player
• Lee Rinker, a PGA Tour golfer
• Roger Schank, a leader in artificial intelligence
• Will Sheehey, a professional basketball player
• Bryan Silas, a racing driver

Images for kids

• 

  The historic Dudley-Bessey House is now a yacht brokerage office.

• 

  The Old Martin County Courthouse, built in 1937, is now the Courthouse Cultural Center.

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  Stuart Heritage Museum

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  Stuart Riverwalk, 2018

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  Roosevelt Bridge and Stuart City Downtown

See also

In Spanish: Stuart (Florida) para niños