When the visual center of your historic site is 105 feet tall, dates from the mid-1800s, and still serves as a guide to navigation, you have to work hard to compete for attention with the other facilities and resources on the grounds.
Such is the story for the Loxahatchee River Historical Society which oversees the Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse & Historical Museum (https://www.jupiterlighthouse.org/ ) in Palm Beach County. The 120 acre site has supported South Florida’s first weather station, a military radio station, an Air Force tracking station to observe rockets launched from Cape Canaveral, a Coast Guard Life Saving station and, oh yeah, a lighthouse.
Expanding visitors’ view is part of the job of the society’s Historian and Collections Manager Josh Liller.
Housed in the building that once served as the married men’s quarters for the Marines who manned the radio station during World War II, the museum focuses on the history of the Loxahatchee River region; Jupiter, Tequesta, Juno Beach, Jupiter Island and Hobe Sound. That history stretches back to the Native American Jaega or Jobe Indians. An archaeological site and shell mound on the property testifies to their presence.
Beyond sightseeing, the museum also houses items of interest to historical and genealogical researchers including stories and photographs collected by Bessie DeBois, the town’s first historian; family items collected by Carlin White, grandson of one of the area’s earliest pioneer families and miscellaneous area artifacts from the Gladwin family, newcomers who have only been in the area since the 1940s. Where do they find historic items? On line.
Wakati kituo cha kuona cha tovuti yako ya kihistoria ni urefu wa mita 10, tarehe kutoka katikati ya miaka ya 1800, na bado hutumika kama mwongozo wa urambazaji, lazima ufanye kazi kwa bidii kushindana kwa uangalifu na vifaa vingine na rasilimali kwenye uwanja. Loxahatchee River Historical Society (LRS) ni shirika la kihistoria linaloheshimu Jumba la Makumbusho la Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse na Jumba la Makumbusho la Jiji la Palm Beach. Kituo cha kwanza cha hali ya hewa cha Florida Kusini, kituo cha redio ya kijeshi, kituo cha ufuatiliaji wa Jeshi la Anga, kituo cha kuokoa maisha ya Walinzi wa Pwani na taa. Kuongeza mtazamo wa wageni ni sehemu ya kazi ya Mwanahistoria wa jamii na Meneja wa Makusanyo Josh Liller. Jumba la makumbusho la Jumba la Jumba la Jumba la Jumba la Jumba la Jumba la Jumba la Jumba la Jumba la Jumba la Jumba la Jumba la Jumba la Jumba la Jumba la Jumba la Jumba la Jumba la Jumba la Jumba la Jumba la Jumba la Jumba la Jumba la Jumba la Jumba la Jumba la Jumba la Jumba la Jumba la Jumba la Jumba la Jumba la Jumba la Jumba. Historia hiyo inaanzia kwa Wahindi wa Amerika ya Asili Jaega au Jobe. Eneo la kiakiolojia na kilima cha makombora kwenye mali hiyo kinathibitisha uwepo wao. Zaidi ya sightseeing, makumbusho pia nyumba vitu ya maslahi kwa watafiti wa kihistoria na genealogical ikiwa ni pamoja na hadithi na picha zilizokusanywa na Bessie DeBois, mwanahistoria wa kwanza wa mji; vitu vya familia zilizokusanywa na Carlene White, mjukuu wa moja ya familia za kwanza za upainia katika eneo hilo, na vitu mbalimbali vya eneo kutoka kwa familia ya Gladwin. Wao hupata wapi vitu vya kihistoria? Kwenye mstari.