Page 9 - Talk of Tequesta - September '22

The Talk Of Tequesta, Page 9

Commissioner’s updaTe

Preserving The Past To Enrich The Present

By Commissioner Maria Marino

Did you know that the DuBois is one of the most studied Native American sites what is now DuBois Park.
vast majority of historic in Florida. Discoveries of artifacts, including prehistoric, He and his bride lived in the
sites and districts identified fire-tempered pottery, and stone spearheads and knives trace house while the main Pioneer
in the County Register of to civilizations 6,000 years old. Think of that: People were Home was constructed.
Historic Places is located living in Jupiter more than 2,000 years before construction The Pineapple House,
in Northern Palm Beach of the great pyramids of Egypt. now under renovation, had
County, with several sites Recently, I visited a dig at the Pineapple House on land deteriorated from salt rot
within and around DuBois adjacent to the historic DuBois Pioneer Homestead. Built in the and bug damage. Parks and
Park in Jupiter? This is part of the Jupiter Inlet Historic 1880s, by Jupiter pioneer Harry DuBois who farmed pineapples Recreation moved it several
and Archaeological Site, listed in the National and County on a plot of land near present day U.S. 1, the house was either feet out of a FEMA flood zone
Registers of Historic Places. floated down the Loxahatchee River or dragged by oxen to to ensure that if it sustained
damage from a storm, federal
assistance would be
available to rebuild it.
A team led by the
Palm Beach County
SOUTH FLORIDA’S Archaeologist Chris
Davenport and including
anthropology interns from
#1 HOSPITAL and resident volunteers is
Florida Atlantic University
excavating materials from
a footer approximately 3
feet deep at the former site

FIVE YEARS IN A ROW of the house. Material is
carefully unearthed and
filtered through water
screens, revealing fragments
of prehistoric pottery, fish
bones and shells.
During my visit, several
pieces of St. Johns Check
Stamped pottery were
uncovered. This pottery,
made from a process
involving clay and fiber,
dates back to 900 A.D.
An additional discovery
was made of a section of
vertebrae from a goliath
grouper likely weighing
600 to 800 pounds.
Palm Beach County’s
Comprehensive Plan
recognizes that historic
preservation enhances the
quality of life of Floridians
through economic and
cultural contributions to an
improved sense of place. By
taking a balanced approach,
we strive to preserve the
legacy of the past with the
FOR EVERY CARE IN THE WORLD overall economic well-
being of the county.
The Planning Division,
Nothing compares to being healthy and feeling good. Historic Preservation/
At Cleveland Clinic Florida’s Weston Hospital, we are here Archaeology Section led by
for you and your loved ones, providing for every healthcare Davenport is responsible
need you have today and conducting research to advance for identifying, protecting,
and promoting cultural
the medicine of tomorrow. As South Florida’s only hospital resources (archaeological
ranked #1 by U.S. News & World Report ve years in a row, and historic structures),

we’re proud of the care we deliver. For routine checkups. throughout unincorporated
For life-enhancing treatments. For every care in the world. Palm Beach County.
Davenport, who developed
a passion for his field at 7
years old, coordinates and advises local governments and
HOSPITAL IN SOUTH FLORIDA YEARS IN A ROW other organizations regarding cultural resource management
issues, and serves as the staff liaison to the county’s Historic
NATIONALLY RANKED IN GI AND GI SURGERY Resource Review Board. The archaeology section has an
education component consisting of public outreach events
and the internship program, which has provided hands-on
experience for more than 100 interns.
The Historic Resource Review Board oversees processes to
designate significant historic sites and structures and to ensure that
approved development projects identify and protect historic and
archaeological resources. They also assist in education efforts.
Docent-guided tours are provided free of charge at DuBois
on Wednesday and Thursday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Call
the Parks and Recreation Department at (561) 966-6609 for
further details.
As always, if I can assist you, please contact me at (561)
355-2201 or by email at mmarino@pbcgov.org.