Historic Preservation

Celebrating 100 Years!

Martin County was incorporated on August 5, 1925, from parts of northern Palm Beach County and southern St. Lucie County. The county is named after John Wellborn Martin, who served as the 24th Governor of Florida, from 1925 to 1929.

Martin County will be celebrating its 100th anniversary throughout 2025 and the Martin County Board of County Commissioners encourages all community members, businesses and organizations that host events in 2025 to consider commemorating this historic milestone!

Mission

The mission of the Martin County Historic Preservation Board is to advance the local designation of the county’s historic structures and landmarks in order to raise awareness of the importance of the county’s architectural and archaeological legacy to community identity and the preservation of Martin County’s unique past.

Overview

The Martin County Historic Preservation Board (HPB) was created in 2003 when the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) adopted its Historic Preservation Ordinance. The HPB is a group of citizens appointed by the BOCC to assist them in implementing the ordinance.

Some of the HPB's powers and duties include designating structures that are more than 50 years old to the Martin County Register of Historic Landmarks and promoting an awareness of the benefits of historic preservation to the community.

The Board has helped Martin County preserve valuable local history by designating historic structures such as: the Mansion at Tuckahoe, the House of Refuge, Captain Sewall's House, the New Monrovia One-Room Schoolhouse, and the Golden Gate Building.

The Historic Preservation Board also coordinates Historic Preservation Month each May to educate the public about Martin County’s historic treasures and the importance of historic preservation. If you have any questions about historic preservation in Martin County, please contact us.

Public Sites with Historic Designation
Public Sites with Historic Designation
Site	Address	Built
Mount Elizabeth Archaeological Site	1707 NE Indian River Dr., Jensen Beach	2000 BC
House of Refuge	301 MacArthur Blvd., Stuart	1876
Captain Sewall's House	1707 NE Indian River Dr., Jensen Beach	1889
All Saints' Episcopal Church	2377 NE Patrician St., Jensen Beach	1898
Georges Valentine Shipwreck Site	301 SE MacArthur Blvd., Stuart (offshore)	1904
Jensen Beach Christian Church	1890 & 1870 NE Church St,, Jensen Beach	1912
Golden Gate Building	3225 SE Dixie Hwy, Stuart	1925
Olympia School (Apollo)	9141 SE Apollo St., Hobe Sound	1925
Lyric Theatre	59 SW Flagler Ave., Stuart	1926
Seminole Inn	15885 SW Warfield Blvd., Indiantown	1926
Stuart Welcome Arch	2369 NE Dixie Hwy, Jensen Beach	1926
New Monrovia One-Room Schoolhouse	4455 SE Murray St., Port Salerno	1930
Trapper Nelson's Interpretive Site	16450 SE Federal Hwy, Hobe Sound	1933
Log Cabin	2369 NE Dixie Hwy, Jensen Beach	1936
Martin County Courthouse	80 SE Ocean Blvd., Stuart	1937
Mansion at Tuckahoe	1921 NE Indian River Dr., Jensen Beach	1938

The following list includes all historic designated sites (both public and private) located in Martin County.

Local Register
Local Register
Site	Address
3034 Jefferson Street	3034 SE Jefferson St., Stuart
660 SW 34th Street	660 SW 34th St., Palm City
All Saints' Episcopal Church	2377 NE Patrician St., Jensen Beach
All Saints' Cemetery	2305 NE Dixie Hwy, Jensen Beach
Banner Lake Clubhouse	12212 SE Lantana Ave., Hobe Sound
Captain Sewall House	1707 NE Indian River Dr., Jensen Beach
Jensen Beach Christian Church	1890 & 1870 NE Church St., Jensen Beach
Log Cabin	2369 NE Dixie Hwy, Jensen Beach
Periwinkles House	1821 NE Mango Terrace, Jensen Beach
New Monrovia One-Room School House	4455 SE Murray St., Port Salerno
Glass Home	1052 NE Glass Dr., Jensen Beach
Beams Home	8230 SE Dharlys St., Hobe Sound

National Register
National Register
Site	Address
Burn Brae Plantation / Krueger House	1170 SE Ocean Blvd., Stuart
Cypress Lodge	18681 SW Conners Hwy, Port Mayaca
Gate House	214 South Beach Rd., Jupiter Island
Georges Valentine Shipwreck Site	301 SE Macarthur Blvd. (offshore)
Lyric Theatre	59 SW Flagler Ave., Stuart
Mount Elizabeth Archaeological Site	1707 NE Indian River Dr., Jensen Beach
Trapper Nelson Zoo Historic District	16450 SE Federal Hwy, Hobe Sound

Local & National Register
Local & National Register
Site	Address
Old Martin County Courthouse	80 SE Ocean Blvd., Stuart
Golden Gate Building	3225 SE Dixie Hwy, Stuart
House of Refuge	301 Macarthur Blvd., Stuart
Mansion at Tuckahoe	1921 NE Indian River Dr., Jensen Beach
Olympia School (Apollo)	9141 SE Apollo St., Hobe Sound
Seminole Inn	15885 SW Warfield Blvd., Indiantown
Stuart Welcome Arch	2369 NE Dixie Hwy, Jensen Beach

Preservationists of the Year

Since 2011 there have been ten individuals (or couples) in Martin County who have received awards in recognition for their work on preserving the historical buildings and history of this area.

2024: Kathy Spurgeon
2023: Lloyd Jones
2022: Joyce Ann Fletcher Menard
2021: Donna & Rick Crary
2020: LaVaine Wrigley
2019: Steve Vitale
2018: Julie Preast
2017: Mary Jones
2016: Harold Markey
2015: Iris Wall & Jonnie Wall Flewelling
2013: Alice and Greg Luckhardt
2012: Joe Crankshaw
2011: Sandra H. Thurlow