Before the Intracoastal Waterway was dredged on the west side of Juno Beach, this community was referred to simply as Juno, named after Jupiter’s wife, the ancient Roman goddess. Juno served as a terminal between the Indian River and the Jupiter Inlet. At this time, people and goods were transported through Juno to Lake Worth via the “Celestial Railway“ that also stopped at Jupiter and loading platforms called Mars and Venus. When Henry Flagler completed the Florida East Coast Railway in 1894, the Celestial Railway went out of business. Flagler’s railway was positioned more than a mile outside of Juno and this once important hub became mostly deserted.
In 1929 the roots of future development were planted in this seaside community when E.F. Hutton contracted Donald Ross to design the Seminole Golf Club. This popular golf club attracted new residents and helped make Juno Beach the highly rated golfing destination that it is today. In fact, the Seminole Golf Club is still in operation and was ranked #11 on Golf Digest’s America’s Greatest Golf Courses of 2021-2022. In 1946 Bessemer Properties platted a subdivision near the famous golf course and built an ocean pier that spurred even further development.
On June 4th, 1953, the Town of Juno Beach was incorporated. At that time, the community had 130 residents and 1,500 seasonal visitors. The 1960s brought a great deal of condo development followed by commercial investments in the 1980s when Florida Power and Light set their headquarters in this seaside town. According to the town’s website, the assessed value of Juno Beach rose from $50 million to $400 million from 1980 to 1990. Today Juno Beach continues to attract new residents and business investments. This thriving community is governed by a town council that appoints a town manager to oversee daily administrative duties. With efficient government and a plethora of amenities for an active lifestyle, Juno Beach is a great place to retire in Florida.
