Fort Pierce news., 1909-02-05
PICTURESQUE SEWALL POINT
Hardly Known at Present, But
49,. Coming into Prominence.

Shaped almost like a miniature Flor
ida, with the beautiful Indian river on
the east and the deep St. Lucie river
on the west, Sewalls Point is one OF
the best locations for winter residences
In the state of Florida, and is now be-
ing put in use for such purposes by
people having an eye to the picturesque
as well as the utilitarian
Some twenty years ago, Capt, H. E.
Sewall, of Maine, in search of health
and convenient place to live while
recuperating, found this point of land
with width of not more than half a
mile between the two rivers, with a
sloping sandy beach on the Indian
river side and a high, rocky cliff on
the st. Lucie side, and decided that
here was Just the place he wanted, so
he secured the entire point and erected
dwelling near the southern extremity
of it and since then has made this place
his home and become a healthy hearty
man and one of the leading citizens Of
Dade county, which for a term or two
he represented in the state legislature,
besides filing other offices of honor or
trust.
When the, United States telegraph
line was,huilt from TitusviiIe 70 Jupi.
ter 1t. came down the shore of indian
river to Sewalls Point and from there
was cabled across the mouth of the st.
Lucie to the opposite point and SO on
south.
Some fifteen years ago, when the
Florida East Coast railway was under
construction it was thought it would
also come to Sewalls Point and there
cross the St, Lucie, but for some reason
it went from Jensen in westerly di-
rection and crossed the st, Lucie about
six miles from its mouth at Stuart.
Tourists and others coming to Florida
for pleasure or health or both began to
fill up this section of the state, and
few of them saw the possibilities, pic
turesqueness and general desirability
of Sewalls Point and finally Captain
Sewall decided to dispose of the land
to desirable citizens.
Among the first to buy was Lieut..
Hugh L. Willoughby, OF Philadelphia,
naval officer, who saw the place first
when taking a trip down this way, and
at once became enamored of it and did
not rest till he had secured a strip
across the peninsula just north Of the
land Captain Sewall retsined for him
self. Lieutenant Willoughby has had
q fine bungalow constructed In East In
dian style and decorated with elephant
trophys and other Indian souvenirs,
while the grounds are laid ont in nice
shape and are being improved to some
extent every year, but with purpose
to not encroach on the primitive pic
turesqueness and charming wilderness
OF the virgin hammock. de also has
fine boat house and ways on the ST. Luz
Gle side Of bis place with steps leading
down to them from the cliff above.
Later on, others came in and bought
and now have houses all the'way from
completed to being in the earliest en-
bTyo stage. the land attached to each
running from river to river ard being
improved as fast as necessary under the
In rotation from the fine new resi-
dence of Capt. H. E. Sewall on the
point to the north comes first the bum
galow Of Lieut.. Hugh L. Willougbby
as previously mentioned next to this
comes large bungalow residence near
" completed belonging to James ViIes,
of Chicago; next is the place Of Benz.
Douglas, Jr., Of New York and New
Jersey; adjoining is the property Of A.
L. Andrews, Of Cincinnati next the
and now owned by Jerome Twichell Of
Kansas City then the holding Of Leo
Tones, Of Chicago, and ;t comes q !