Fort Pierce, city (2020 pop. 47,297), seat of St. Lucie co., SE Fla., on Indian River (a lagoon; part of the Intracoastal Waterway); settled in the 1860s around a fort; inc. 1901 as a city. With harbor and rail facilities, it is a distribution center for a cattle and farm area yielding citrus fruits and vegetables. Other industries are commercial fishing and tourism. Two bridges connect the city with its ocean beach resorts. Tales of a 16th-century Spanish galleon believed to have sunk off the coast have brought interested visitors; actual gold and silver coins and other artifacts have been found. Fort Pierce has two museums.
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2024, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.
See more Encyclopedia articles on: U.S. Political Geography
