thumb|Sunset from the [[Intracoastal Waterway in Hobe Sound]]
Hobe Sound is an unincorporated area and census-designated place (CDP) in Martin County, Florida, United States, located along Florida's Treasure Coast. The population was 13,163 at the 2020 census, Jonathan Dickinson, whose party was shipwrecked near the town in 1696, spelled the name of the village "Hoe-bey".
Parts of Hobe Sound were included in the Gomez grant given by Spain to Don Eusebio in 1815. In 1821, Gomez sold , including Jupiter Island, to Joseph Delespine for $1 per acre.
Shortly after the turn of the 20th century, Henry Flagler built his railroad along the east coast of Florida, passing through Hobe Sound. This gradually created many opportunities including jobs, the birth of tourism, and other related industries.
thumb|left|A [[Bubble Houses (Hobe Sound, Florida)|"Bubble House" in Hobe Sound]]
During the land boom of the 1920s elaborate plans were announced for Hobe Sound by the Olympia Improvement Corporation. Their goal was to create a town, in Greek style, where motion pictures could be produced. Street names bore such names as Zeus, Saturn, Mercury, Mars, Olympus, Venus, Pluto and Athena. For a brief time Hobe Sound was renamed "Picture City" and plans were presented for a movie picture production center. The boom collapsed after the 1928 Okeechobee hurricane, and the original name was restored. Street names remained, however, as did the cement streetlights along Dixie Highway.
In 1924, the building which soon would become the new schoolhouse in Hobe Sound was constructed. The Martin County Board of Public Instruction secured the use of the new school building from the Picture City Corporation in 1925, and in October of that year, the Olympia School opened. The school was designated the "Picture City School" of Martin County. It remained in use as a school until 1962.
Other mementos of the past are gone, including the ice plant, which was south of Bridge Road; the old train station, which now, refurbished and relocated west of Hobe Sound, serves as an office building for Becker Groves; and the Texaco station east of the Winn-Dixie plaza, which no longer supplies gasoline but continues to serve the community with car rentals and a livery service, operated by its founding family.
Hobe Sound is positioned at the southern end of environmentally-sensitive Martin (named after Governor Martin) County. It has been stated that at Hobe Sound's front door lies the Gold Coast and that at her back door lies the Treasure Coast. Thus, Hobe Sound can lend to both while retaining its proud heritage and unique personality. Hobe Sound's proximity to the coast affords immediate access to the Atlantic Ocean and the deep-channeled Intracoastal Waterway, a water route that provides a sheltered passage for boats along the eastern seaboard.
Another significant historical association possessed by Hobe Sound is the brief stay there of former Defense Secretary James Forrestal in 1949 between his resignation from that post and his death.
Around 1:30 a.m. on March 14, 1997, President Bill Clinton fell on the steps and twisted his knee at golfer Greg Norman's 80-acre oceanside estate in Hobe Sound. Clinton was staying there to play in a golf tournament sponsored by Norman.
thumb|Residence of Worthington and Marion Margery Scranton, Hobe Sound (1942)
Hobe Sound is a predominantly wealthy community whose residents have included such celebrities and other prominent persons as Tiger Woods, Alan Jackson, Celine Dion, Burt Reynolds, and Marion Margery Scranton, among others. Over the decades, it was home or a winter home for wealthy businessman and industrialists, politicians, and sports and entertainment celebrities.
Police protection for Hobe Sound is provided by the Martin County Sheriff's Department. The Martin County Fire Rescue Department provides modern fire, rescue, as well as EMS Services. State-of-the-art inter-facility EMS services are also provided by the Martin Health System.
Counties
Hobe Sound has been part of the following counties:
- St. Johns County, 1821-1824
- Mosquito County, now Orange County, 1824-1844
- Brevard County, 1844-1866. Note: The present-day Brevard County was known as St. Lucie County from 1844-1855, but it was not the same county as today's St. Lucie County.
- Dade County, 1866-1909
- Palm Beach County, 1909-1925
- Martin County, 1925–present
Demographics
2020 census
As of the 2020 census, Hobe Sound had a population of 13,163. The median age was 56.9 years. 13.8% of residents were under the age of 18 and 34.1% were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females, there were 97.3 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.9 males.
100.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 0.0% lived in rural areas.
There were 6,216 households in Hobe Sound, including 3,397 families. Of all households, 16.3% had children under the age of 18 living in them, 44.2% were married-couple households, 21.1% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 27.6% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 35.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 20.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The Community Coach, a service of the Council on Aging of Martin County, is an additional public transportation service for Martin County. It operates a curb-to-curb, advance reservation, shared ride service and also operates fixed-route services in other parts of the county. The closest Tri-Rail commuter railroad station is located in Mangonia Park to the south.
Railroads
The Florida East Coast Railway runs through Hobe Sound parallel to A1A. At-grade crossings can be found at (from north to south) A1A, Osprey Street, Crossrip Street, Pettway Street, Bridge Road, and Gleason Street.
Until 1963 long distance trains, East Coast Champion, City of Miami, Havana Special and South Wind, served Hope Sound's station. Until 1957 the Dixieland, (nee Dixie Flagler) made stops there as well. Until 1968 local Jacksonville to Miami trains made stops at Hobe Sound.
The Stuart Brightline station is scheduled to open in 2029, pending federal funding, and will be located a few miles north of Hobe Sound in Downtown Stuart. Currently, the West Palm Beach Brightline station is the closest stop to Hobe Sound. The historic West Palm Beach station is also served by Tri-Rail, and is the closest Amtrak stop to Hobe Sound.
Airports
The closest airport to Hobe Sound is Witham Field, and is located in Stuart. This airport is primarily used for general aviation. The closest airport offering commercial service is Palm Beach International Airport.
Education
The Hobe Sound Bible College is the only institution that provides post-secondary education within Hobe Sound. Private schools include the Hobe Sound Christian Academy. Publicly run schools include Hobe Sound Elementary and Seawind Elementary Schools. Residents of Hobe Sound attend Murray Middle School and South Fork High School.
The Pine School (formerly St. Michael's Independent) is now located on its new campus in Hobe Sound. This prestigious private school has a college preparatory program and educational opportunities for Kindergarten through 12th grade students. The campus offers education covering the basic arts (graphics, music, and media).
Notable people
- Ted Cabot, lawyer, politician, and judge
- Greg Norman, No. 1 ranked golfer in the 1980s and 90s
- Mary Oliver, poet
- Nathaniel Reed, Assistant Director Dept. of the Interior
- Vanessa Rousso, professional poker player and Big Brother 17 contestant
- Marion Margery Scranton, women's suffrage activist, leading member of the Republican Party in the United States
- Worthington Scranton, businessman, lawyer, and philanthropist, and member of the prominent Scranton family
Sources
- History, Hobe Sound Chamber of Commerce