LIVING HISTORY
Memorabilia such as a photo of the first-grade class at White City Elementary in 1965-66 and 1915 newspaper directory and 1929-30 Daughters of
American Revolution membership directory were recently shared in “Growing Up in Fort Pierce.”
gether and picnic together. I would say 30 to 40 percent of the
Vero group has moved away and are homesick for old friends.
Many of the people who belong to the Fort Pierce group have
stayed there and have more of a hometown identity.”
Wilson, who has tracked down such treasures as an old
postcard touting “Prosperous Fort Pierce where Ocean, River,
Rail and Highway Meet” and posters when the Beatty-
Cole Circus came to town, says he loves to trigger
memories with his finds.
Most of the comments come when he
posts photographs of restaurants no longer
in existence. “People seem to remember
eating places, those feel-good places
where they got good food and knew the
people that ran it,” he says.
Baumker agrees, citing some of Fort
Pierce’s old eateries — Taylor’s Causeway
46
Grill, the Colonial and Simonsen’s
as the things he misses most. “I do miss
the Rubin’s downtown, too,” he says of
the long-closed Second Street Department
Store.
The group has allowed both of the stepbrothers
(their mother was Alice May Root)
“I Remember Fort Pierce When” Facebook
to reconnect with people from their past.
Wilson has had a few cousins contact him
through their group and Baumker says with a laugh that he is
now Facebook friends with “a bunch of my old girlfriends.”
On the “I Remember Fort Pierce When…” site, members
say that it is a place to share their experiences. “It is fun to
bond and share memories about Fort Pierce,” writes Diane
Osteen. “Some of my favorite memories are North Beach,
the inlet, and cove.”
Writes Debra Cramer Anderson, “Life seemed much
slower, gentler and simpler. Members’ comments, posts
and photos stir those memories to remind us of meaningful
events, times and kindnesses of the people of Fort Pierce.”
Steve Nutter writes that sometimes those memories might
have something to do with childhood shenanigans. “Why is
this site so popular?” he writes. “Because the statute of limitations
has run out on most of the stuff we did, so we
can remember it and talk about it now.”
In general, most members cite Fort
Pierce’s small-town attributes where you
knew everyone and everyone knew
you. That small town friendliness is
a big part of why they enjoy reminiscing
about their hometown, with
more than a few saying they moved
away but returned because of their
fond memories.
David Van Meerten says he left for
Chicago at age 19 but moved back.
“Now at the age of 70, my wife Annette
and I have moved permanently back to
this area. Now my kids and their families
vacation down here … They just love it
down here and we do also.”
Tricia Sines Walker says, “When I got
divorced, I didn’t think twice about moving
members share memories of their
favorite restaurants past and present.
back after being gone 26 years. It’s a comfort zone.”
Mike Patrick writes that generations of families have lived
in Fort Pierce and friends have connections through generations.
“There are so many families whose families have lived
in Fort Pierce for 40, 50, 60, 70, 80 years that it’s unbelievable.
So what makes Fort Pierce and this page so special … we’re
just carrying on with the friendly socializing we always did.
We’re family in a way.”