Hobe Sound is a town of 12,000 people in the Treasure Coast region of Florida.

Understand

The town is in southern Martin County near the Atlantic Ocean.

History

Hobe Sound was originally inhabited by the Jaega Native Americans; the Spanish gave it the name "Jobe" in an attempt to spell the village's original Native American name. However, the town grew when Henry Flagler's railroad was built through the area, bringing jobs and tourism to Hobe Sound. The Olympia Improvement Corporation decided to market the town as an East Coast Hollywood, renaming it "Picture City" and renaming the streets Greek names, but following a hurricane in 1928 these plans were never completed and the town was turned to its original name.

Get around

The nearest interstate is I-95, which is several miles west of Hobe City. US-1 goes through the commercial district of the town.

Do

Jonathan Dickinson State Park, from the top of the observation tower

• 1 Jonathan Dickinson State Park, 16450 S.E. Federal Highway, Hobe Sound (Five miles north of Jupiter on US 1), ☏ +1-772 546-2771. 8AM to sundown. A large and varied state park between Hobe Sound and Jupiter. Great place to see natural Florida's grasslands, woodlands, mangrove forest, and swamp. The breath-taking river offers kayaking and other boating. A 4-hour kayak trip or 2-hour pontoon boat tour to Trapper Nelson's Cabin is well worth your while, as is the much easier stroll up Hobe Mountain, the highest point in Florida south of Lake Okeechobee. Learn about the man who started this park, and lived alone out there for 50 years. $6.