Jensen Beach is an

unincorporated community An unincorporated area is a region that is not governed by a local municipal corporation. Widespread unincorporated communities and areas are a distinguishing feature of the United States and Canada. Most other countries of the world either have ...

and

census-designated place A census-designated place (CDP) is a concentration of population defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes only. CDPs have been used in each decennial census since 1980 as the counterparts of incorporated places, such ...

(CDP) in Martin County,

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...

, United States. The population was 12,652 at the 2020 census. It is part of the

Port St. Lucie, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area A port is a maritime law, maritime facility comprising one or more Wharf, wharves or loading areas, where ships load and discharge Affreightment, cargo and passengers. Although usually situated on a sea coast or estuary, ports can a ...

History

The history of Jensen Beach in the 19th century revolved around pineapple farming. John Laurence Jensen, an immigrant from

Denmark ) , song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast") , song_type = National and royal anthem , image_map = EU-Denmark.svg , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Danish Realm, Kingdom of Denmark ...

, arrived in 1881, and set up his

pineapple The pineapple (''Ananas comosus'') is a tropical plant with an edible fruit; it is the most economically significant plant in the family Bromeliaceae. The pineapple is indigenous to South America, where it has been cultivated for many centuri ...

plantation, which became the town of Jensen. By 1894, the

Florida East Coast Railway The Florida East Coast Railway is a Class II railroad operating in the U.S. state of Florida, currently owned by Grupo México. Built primarily in the last quarter of the 19th century and the first decade of the 20th century, the FEC was a pr ...

reached Jensen Beach, and freight shipments were loaded directly onto the freight cars. By 1895, Jensen was called the "Pineapple Capital of the World", shipping over one million boxes of pineapples each year during the June and July season. To help handle the increased pineapple production, a pineapple factory was built, but a hard freeze in 1895 devastated most of the small pineapple plantations. Two fires, in 1908 and 1910, destroyed most of Jensen Beach and its remaining pineapple farms. The industry finally collapsed in 1920 due to a wide variety of financial and agriculture problems. Growers decided to turn their efforts in another direction: raising

citrus ''Citrus'' is a genus of flowering plant, flowering trees and shrubs in the rue family, Rutaceae. Plants in the genus produce citrus fruits, including important crops such as Orange (fruit), oranges, Lemon, lemons, grapefruits, pomelos, and lim ...

fruits. The pineapple has become a symbol of Jensen Beach. The fruit legacy is celebrated annually during the Jensen Beach Pineapple Festival. Jensen Beach was incorporated as "Jensen" in 1926 during the

Florida Land Boom The Florida land boom of the 1920s was Florida's first real estate bubble. This pioneering era of Florida land speculation lasted from 1924 to 1926 and attracted investors from all over the nation. The land boom left behind entirely new, planned ...

, but was dissolved seven years later by the State of Florida in 1933 following the onset of the

Great Depression The Great Depression (19291939) was an economic shock that impacted most countries across the world. It was a period of economic depression that became evident after a major fall in stock prices in the United States. The economic contagio ...

. The town's name was officially changed to "Jensen Beach" by Martin County in 1943. In the second half of the 1900s,

Saint Joseph College of Florida Saint Joseph College of Florida (1890–1972) was a college operated by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Florida in St. Augustine and in Jensen Beach, Florida.Thurlow, Sandra Henderson, Sewall's Point, The History of a Peninsular Community on Florid ...

and later the

Florida Institute of Technology The Florida Institute of Technology (Florida Tech or FIT) is a private research university in Melbourne, Florida. The university comprises four academic colleges: Engineering & Science, Aeronautics, Psychology & Liberal Arts, and Business. Appr ...

both located on the Mansion at Tuckahoe premises in Jensen Beach. In 2004 Jensen Beach was hit by two hurricanes. On September 5, 2004,

Hurricane Frances Hurricane Frances was the second most intense tropical cyclone in the Atlantic during 2004 and proved to be very destructive in Florida. It was the sixth named storm, the fourth hurricane, and the third major hurricane of the 2004 Atlantic hu ...

made landfall at Hutchinson Island with winds of . On September 25, 2004,

Hurricane Jeanne Hurricane Jeanne was a Saffir–Simpson scale, Category 3 hurricane that struck the Caribbean and the Eastern United States in September 2004. It was the deadliest hurricane in the Atlantic basin since Hurricane Mitch, Mitch in 1998 Atlantic hur ...

made landfall on Hutchinson Island with winds of .

Geography and climate

Martin County Fire Rescue Station 16 - 003

First Baptist Church (Jensen Beach, Florida) 005

Jensen Beach occupies the northeast corner of Martin County. It is bordered to the east by the

Indian River Lagoon The Indian River Lagoon is a grouping of three lagoons: the Mosquito Lagoon, the Banana River, and the Indian River, on the Atlantic Coast of Florida; one of the most biodiverse estuaries in the Northern Hemisphere and is home to more than 4,300 ...

and the town of Ocean Breeze, to the southeast by the town of Sewall's Point, to the south by unincorporated

Rio Rio or Río is the Portuguese, Spanish, Italian, and Maltese word for "river". When spoken on its own, the word often means Rio de Janeiro, a major city in Brazil. Rio or Río may also refer to: Geography Brazil * Rio de Janeiro * Rio do Sul, a ...

, to the southwest by the city of Stuart, the Martin

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US st ...

, to the northwest by

U.S. Route 1 U.S. Route 1 or U.S. Highway 1 (US 1) is a major north–south United States Numbered Highway that serves the East Coast of the United States. It runs from Key West, Florida, north to Fort Kent, Maine, at the Canadian border, making i ...

, and to the north by the city of

Port St. Lucie Port St. Lucie is a city in St. Lucie County, Florida, United States. It is the most populous municipality in the county with a population of 204,851 at the 2020 census. It is located southeast of Orlando and north of Miami. The Port St. Lu ...

in St. Lucie County. Unincorporated North River Shores is to the west of Jensen Beach, on the opposite side of US 1. According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...

, the CDP has a total area of , of which are land and , or 14.82%, are water. Waveland was the original name for the area from Crossroads Hill (south of N.E. Center Street) south to the tip of Sewall's Point and west to Warner Creek. "Jensen" originally meant the area immediately adjacent to modern-day downtown Jensen Beach. Jensen Beach was rated the "Top Spot for Beach Volleyball" in 2008 by ''Prime Time Magazine'', and is a part of Florida's

Treasure Coast The Treasure Coast is a region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is located on Florida's East Coast, bordering the Atlantic Ocean and comprising Indian River, Martin, and St. Lucie counties. The region, whose name refers to the Spanish Treasure ...

region, which derives its name from the ships that wrecked during the 17th century because of coral reefs in the shallow waters. Artifacts and treasures from these ships of Spanish origin can still be discovered today. The Skyline Drive area includes some of the highest points in the community, reaching an elevation of at one point. The climate in the area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the

Köppen Climate Classification The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, notabl ...

system, Jensen Beach has a

humid subtropical climate A humid subtropical climate is a zone of climate characterized by hot and humid summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between latitudes 25° and 40° ...

, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.

Government

Jensen Beach is an unincorporated town in Martin County. Jensen Beach is currently represented by Doug Smith as part of Martin County District 1. The Jensen Beach Neighborhood Advisory Committee is composed of appointed Jensen Beach residents and business owners and formally advises the Martin County

Community Redevelopment Agency A redevelopment agency is a government body dedicated to urban renewal. Typically it is a municipal level city department focused on a particular district or corridor that has become neglected or blighted (a community redevelopment agency or CRA) ...

regarding planning matters in the area.

Demographics

Jacaranda mimosifolia, Martin County, Fla -002

2020 census

As of the

2020 United States census The United States census of 2020 was the twenty-fourth decennial United States census. Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2020. Other than a pilot study during the 2000 census, this was the first U.S. census to of ...

, there were 12,652 people, 5,934 households, and 3,038 families residing in the CDP.

2000 census

As of the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...

of 2000, there were 11,100 people, 5,059 households, and 3,025 families residing in the CDP. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopul ...

was . There were 5,805 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the CDP was 95.80%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...

, 2.25%

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

, 0.22% Native American, 0.47%

Asian Asian may refer to: * Items from or related to the continent of Asia: ** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia ** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia ** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...

, 0.04%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe the original p ...

, 0.37% from

other races Other often refers to: * Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy Other or The Other may also refer to: Film and television * ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack * ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...

, and 0.86% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...

Latino Latino or Latinos most often refers to: * Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America * Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States * The people or cultures of Latin America; ** Latin A ...

of any race were 2.77% of the population. There were 5,059 households, out of which 23.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.2% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...

living together, 8.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.2% were non-families. 33.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.19 and the average family size was 2.78. 20.0% of the population was under the age of 18, 5.4% from 18 to 24, 25.4% from 25 to 44, 25.3% from 45 to 64, and 23.8% were 65 or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.7 males. The median income for a household in the CDP was $36,674, and the median income for a family was $49,787. Males had a median income of $34,368 versus $25,118 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the CDP was $22,921. 8.3% of the population and 5.0% of families were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...

. 8.4% of those under the age of 18 and 7.4% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.

Recreation

The main public beach in Jensen Beach is on Hutchinson Island and is called ''Jensen Sea Turtle Beach''. It is a wide sandy beach on the

Atlantic Ocean The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe ...

. Martin County life guards are in attendance. The beach is used for sun bathing, surfing, fishing and swimming.

Ecology

Jensen Beach is known in the marine biology community for being a location for sea turtles to nest. Designated sections of the Jensen Sea Turtle Beach are barricaded off in order to protect the nests of the sea turtles. The three species found on this beach are the loggerhead,

leatherback turtle The leatherback sea turtle (''Dermochelys coriacea''), sometimes called the lute turtle or leathery turtle or simply the luth, is the largest of all living turtles and the heaviest non-crocodilian reptile, reaching lengths of up to and weights ...

and

green sea turtle The green sea turtle (''Chelonia mydas''), also known as the green turtle, black (sea) turtle or Pacific green turtle, is a species of large sea turtle of the family Cheloniidae. It is the only species in the genus ''Chelonia''. Its range exten ...

. Loggerhead nests are the most common type found on this and adjacent beaches. Locations of the sea turtles' nests are marked with the approximate date in which the eggs were laid and the expected date in which the eggs will hatch. These notifications are meant to discourage tourists and residents from visiting the beach in the evening hours during these time periods. Efforts are made to protect both species of sea turtles since nests have been declining in recent years due to the severe erosion of the beach.

Economics

Downtown Jensen Beach is the site of the annual Pineapple Festival.

Education

Jensen Beach High School Jensen Beach High School (JBHS) is a public high school in Jensen Beach, Florida. History JBHS opened in August 2004 with an enrollment of 1100 students in grades 9 through 11. A senior class was added the following year. It was an open choice sch ...

*Jensen Beach Elementary *Felix A. Williams Elementary *The Environmental Studies Center *Stuart Middle School

Media

As of September 10, 2010, Jensen Beach once again has its own newspaper, the free ''Pineapple Post''.

Historic landmarks

Historic landmarks in Jensen Beach include: * All Saints Episcopal Church erected in 1898 is the oldest church building in Jensen Beach as well as in Martin County. Adjacent to the church is All Saints Cemetery which is non-sectarian and serves the whole community. * Capt. John Miller House (private) on Indian River Drive in Eden, built by an early settler in the late 1890s * Jensen Beach Christian Church built in 1910-1912 *

Capt. Henry E. Sewall House The Capt. Henry E. Sewall House is an historic wooden house now located in Indian RiverSide Park in Jensen Beach, in Martin County, Florida. Local pioneer and developer Capt. Henry E. Sewall built it in 1889 at the southern tip of Sewall's Poin ...

, now located in Indian RiverSide Park * The Mansion at Tuckahoe in IndianRiverside Park *

Mount Elizabeth Archeological Site The Mount Elizabeth Archeological Site, also known as Racey's Tuckahoe, St. Joseph's Novitiate or the Mount Elizabeth Indian Mound is a prehistoric midden and an archaeological site in Jensen Beach, Florida. It is located in Martin County's In ...

in IndianRiverside Park * Stuart Welcome Arch, on County Road 707

Sister cities

Jensen Beach has been the

sister city A sister city or a twin town relationship is a form of legal or social agreement between two geographically and politically distinct localities for the purpose of promoting cultural and commercial ties. While there are early examples of inter ...

Gregory Town Eleuthera () refers both to a single island in the archipelagic state of The Commonwealth of the Bahamas and to its associated group of smaller islands. Eleuthera forms a part of the Great Bahama Bank. The island of Eleuthera incorporates the ...

the Bahamas The Bahamas (), officially the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, is an island country within the Lucayan Archipelago of the West Indies in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic. It takes up 97% of the Lucayan Archipelago's land area and is home to ...

since July 1989.

Notable people

Ralph Evinrude Ralph S. Evinrude (September 27, 1907 – May 21, 1986) was an American business magnate who was chairman of Outboard Marine Corporation, and the husband of singer and entertainer Frances Langford. Evinrude was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin to B ...

, CEO of Outboard Motor Company with a test facility in Stuart; married

Frances Langford Julia Frances Newbern-Langford (April 4, 1913 – July 11, 2005) was an American singer and actress who was popular during the Golden Age of Radio and made film and television appearances for over two decades. She was known as the "GI Nighting ...

and retired to Jensen Beach *

Derek Fathauer Derek Fathauer (born January 20, 1986) is an American professional golfer who has played on the PGA Tour and the Web.com Tour. Fathauer was born in Stuart, Florida. He attended Martin County High School in Stuart, Florida. He and his twin brot ...

, PGA golfer *

Forest K. Ferguson Forest King Ferguson, Jr. (June 21, 1919 – May 15, 1954), nicknamed Fergie Ferguson, was an American college athlete who attended the University of Florida and was a member of the university's football, boxing, and track and field teams, and l ...

, World War II recipient of

Distinguished Service Cross The Distinguished Service Cross (D.S.C.) is a military decoration for courage. Different versions exist for different countries. *Distinguished Service Cross (Australia) The Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) is a military decoration awarded to ...

, singer and entertainer *

Bobby Lord Robert Lester Lord (January 6, 1934 – February 16, 2008), better known as Bobby Lord, was an American country music artist popular in the 1950s and 1960s. Biography Lord was born January 6, 1934, in Sanford, Florida, but grew up in Tampa. As ...

, country singer *

Anthony Newley Anthony Newley (24 September 1931 – 14 April 1999) was an English actor, singer, songwriter, and filmmaker. A "latter-day British Al Jolson", he achieved widespread success in song, and on stage and screen. "One of Broadway's greatest leading ...

, British songwriter and actor *

Scott Proctor Scott Christopher Proctor (born January 2, 1977) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) between 2004 and 2011 for the New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Atlanta Braves. In 2012, he p ...

, baseball pitcher *

Jennifer Sky Jennifer Sky (born Jennifer Wacha) is an American actress. She is known for portraying Sarah Webber on the ABC daytime soap opera ''General Hospital'' (1997–1998), and for starring as Cleopatra, the title character in the American syndicated ...

(born Jennifer Kathleen Wacha), actress

References

{{authority control Census-designated places in Martin County, Florida Port St. Lucie metropolitan area Populated coastal places in Florida on the Atlantic Ocean Beaches of Martin County, Florida Census-designated places in Florida Beaches of Florida