Port St. Lucie 50th Anniversary
LIVING HISTORY
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At incorporation, since the city had no residents, GDC appointed
the first mayor and city council, McAfoos says. None of
the appointees lived in Port St. Lucie, but all worked for GDC.
The first mayor, in 1961, was William C. Farmer. The vice
mayor was John P. Siegel. Serving as councilmen were James
E. Vensel, Albert J. Fay and William H. O’Dowd.
The first elections were in 1965, when Clarence G. Jones became
mayor and David Gessner, who worked for GDC as its
recreation director, was elected vice mayor. The council met
at various places until a permanent city hall was built in 1978
at the corner of Airoso and Port St. Lucie boulevards. Some
years later, it was painted bright blue — local wags called it
“Smurf blue.”
Port St. Lucie was really two communities in the early days,
McAfoos says. Sandpiper Bay was the city’s first settlement,
but it was a promotional tool for GDC. One promotion, in New
York City, featured a model home with beach sand around it
and pretty girls right in Grand Central Terminal. The neighborhood
was then called the Port St. Lucie Country Club, and
homes were typically sold or rented to golf-loving retirees.
YOUNG FAMILIES
River Park to the north attracted young families like Beth
and David Gessner and their children. The Gessners moved to
River Park in 1959, according to Beth. David developed GDC’s
recreation program at the Port St. Lucie Marina, later known
as Northport Marina, on Prima Vista Boulevard. While retirees
enjoyed the country club and golfing life to the south, the families
played at the marina to the north. The marina was outside
city boundaries, but Port St. Lucie families made it their place
to play, socializing and forming clubs that met there.
BECKY POST OBRIEN
Port St. Lucie City Hall opened in 1978. Before that, the city council met in
temporary quarters to conduct the city’s business. William B. McChesney
was mayor from 1977 until 1990 when James Lawless took over.
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PORT ST. LUCIE MAYORS
William C. Farmer, 1961 (appointed)
Clarence G. Jones, 1965 (elected)
Robert Yoxal, 1966
Eugene P. Cavanaugh, 1967
Schuyler Sharpe, 1975
William B. McChesney, 1977
James Lawless, 1990
Robert E. Minsky, 1992
James Fielding, 1998
Robert E. Minsky, 2000
Pat Christensen, 2006
Joanne Faiella, 2010
Source: Richard McAfoos, Port St. Lucie Historical Society
/www.ptstlucieharborplace.com