Indian River County recently celebrated the official opening of the Jones’ Pier Conservation Area, a 16.5-acre tract of land on historic Jungle Trail and paid tribute to Ruth Stanbridge, county historian, preservationist and founder of the Indian River Historical Society.
Stanbridge is responsible for leading the process to get numerous county sites listed on the National Register of Historic Places, including Jungle Trail.
The Jones family settled along Jungle Trail in 1889, building Jones Pier in 1907 and the home and fruit stand in the 1920s. The property was purchased by the county in 2008 with funding assistance from the Florida Communities Trust Preservation 2000 program (now Florida Forever), to protect it from development.
Michael Zito, assistant county administrator, formally recognized the people and organizations involved, particularly Beth Powell, Parks and Recreation director and Wendy Swindell, Conservation Lands manager, who together managed the project.
In 2016, Hurricane Matthew greatly damaged the home, which the county has since elevated, and it is slated to become a museum and interpretive center. A former caretaker cottage built in the 1940s is now a student and volunteer research center, and there is a replica of the fruit stand alongside the home and the pier, and a new picnic pavilion, dedicated to Stanbridge.
The conceptual design process for improvements to the site, which was overrun with exotic plants, began around 1917 and now boasts an enhanced nature area for the public to enjoy. There are walking trails and boardwalks, a newly created 4-acre saltmarsh and filtration system to protect the lagoon, a new living shoreline and a gopher tortoise sanctuary, and a maritime hammock is being restored with native plantings.
“It’s a great project. I’m very proud of Indian River County and proud of our staff for the job they did. It definitely is a job well done,” said County Commission Chairman Joe Earman. “I’m so excited to be a part of this and I’m sure my fellow commissioners feel the same way.”
Stanbridge was lauded by a number of individuals at the ceremony, including current Historical Society president Mark Holt, who said, “Someday, someone’s going to have some very big shoes to fill when Ruth decides to slow down and take some time for herself. But for her, I suspect that will be no easy task, nor will it be anytime soon.”
“This is a project that combines history and environment and brings everything together in one place. What an amazing opportunity it was to be able to save this,” said Commissioner Susan Adams, adding that a lot of the credit goes to Stanbridge, who has never been afraid to speak up or stand up to champion those causes.
Conveying words from her mother, former Commissioner Fran Adams, she read, “I’m so happy this morning knowing that you are receiving a portion of the recognition you deserve for spending your entire life saving as much wonderful history and environmental protection as you have shared with Indian River County over the years.”
Before the official ribbon cutting to open up the walking trails, Powell and Swindell unveiled a plaque honoring Stanbridge that highlights her more than four decades of accomplishments.
I don’t know what to say. I’m usually not at a loss for words, but really, I am today,” said Stanbridge. “A sense of place; that’s what we have in Indian River County. We are all part of it.”
Numerous funding partners were involved, including the Florida Inland Navigation District, the Indian River Lagoon National Estuary Program, the State of Florida Department of Historical Resources, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Program.
Among the many local organizations who provided plants and volunteers were the Environmental Learning Center, Indian River Land Trust, the Eugenia chapter of the Native Plant Society, Friends of Sebastian River, Pelican Island Audubon Society, and a Friends of Jones Pier group.
Photos by Joshua Kodis
