For nearly 20 years, Indian River Magazine has tried to tell the stories of the people who made the Treasure Coast what it is today. Some of those stories go back much further than Fort Pierce, Vero Beach, Stuart or even the state of Florida itself.
It’s remarkable how many people and moving parts come together to produce each issue of Indian River Magazine. The stories, photos and advertisements you see involve thousands of interactions to create the edition you hold in your hands.
This is a special issue for us, capturing part of a story we’ve long wanted to tell — businesses spanning generations that helped shape the Treasure Coast. At least in the case of Indian River County, Vero Heritage beat us to the punch. The organization, dedicated to preserving the culture and heritage of the county, has identified 23 people in Indian River who work in the fields of their forebears and will honor them April 11 at a gala held at the Heritage Center in downtown Vero Beach.
For a decade, Robert Reed Gladwin rode the rails, learning the promise and the pitfalls of each community along Florida’s east coast. As a railway messenger for the Southern Express delivery service, he was typically armed, safeguarding packages, payrolls and valuables as they moved up and down Henry Morrison Flagler’s ever-expanding Florida East Coast Railway.
I hope you’ll join us from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 10, for the ninth annual Treasure Coast History Festival at the St. Lucie County Regional History Center, 414 Seaway Drive, Fort Pierce.
It takes a village, the saying goes. As Thanksgiving approaches and we begin celebrating our company’s 20th anniversary, we pause to remember those who are no longer with us but helped us along the way. Some were the subjects of our stories who became fast friends and supporters. Others served as goodwill ambassadors.
When we started this humble publication nearly 20 years ago, the two advertising representatives we had at the time, Sunny Gates and Ed Drondoski, and I would often meet on Friday evenings at a house I was renting on South Indian River Drive in Fort Pierce, after I had moved back to the Treasure Coast from Alabama.
It’s coming up on summer when, as DuBose Heywood wrote, “the livin’ is easy.” As usual, we’ll take a little break until our next issue comes out in the fall.
There’s nothing like a fresh, sun-ripened Florida strawberry. Their vibrant red color, sweet and juicy flavor, and perfectly balanced acidity have made these berries world famous.
He’s a rancher, a poet, a writer and artist. He’s a sought-out speaker and presenter at conferences and events, discussing diverse topics from land conservation to literary arts.
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