arts & entertainment

There are places that tell a story. Then there are places where the story still lives.

Jones’ Pier is one of them.

Long before bridges connected the mainland, this shoreline on Orchid Island was a beginning. In 1889, the Jones family homesteaded 160 acres, farming the land and building a life along the Indian River Lagoon. By 1907, they constructed one of the County’s first docks, turning this site into a vital connection for trade, travel, and community. At a time when the lagoon was the highway, Jones’ Pier was a lifeline that carried people, goods, and opportunity.

That legacy endures.

The site has been restored and reimagined as the Jones’ Pier Conservation Area and Interpretive Center, preserving both the structure and the story it carries. This long-term effort was supported through Hazard Mitigation funding from the Florida Division of Emergency Management following Hurricane Matthew, along with a $214,000 investment from the Florida Inland Navigation District for pier improvements and interpretive exhibits.

This is more than preservation. It is a commitment to how our story is told and how it is experienced.

At Jones’ Pier, you step into a living landscape shaped by both history and ecology. Trails wind through protected conservation areas, offering views of salt marsh, native vegetation, and wildlife that call the lagoon home. Birds move through the shallows, fish break the surface, and the shoreline reveals the quiet systems that sustain the Indian River Lagoon.

The Interpretive Center and educational exhibits bring that experience into focus. They connect visitors to the people who first settled here, the industries that followed, and the environmental importance of preserving this land. The education and outreach pavilion extends that mission, creating a space where learning, exploration, and stewardship come together.

The ribbon cutting, held on March 21, 2026, reflected that shared purpose.

Wendy Swindell, Assistant Director of Parks, Recreation and Conservation, led the program, with Beth Powell, Director, offering the invocation. Vice Chair Laura Moss delivered the Pledge of Allegiance, and Stephen Boehning, P.E., CFM, Vice Chair of the Florida Inland Navigation District, represented a key funding partner. Chairman Deryl Loar provided closing remarks alongside Commissioner Joseph Flescher, reinforcing the importance of preserving places like Jones’ Pier.

Support from community leaders, including Ben Bailey, further reflects the investment behind projects that protect and strengthen Indian River County.

Jones’ Pier is not just a place to visit.

It is an invitation.

An invitation to walk the trails, experience the lagoon, and connect with a place that has shaped this community for generations. To slow down, observe, and understand the balance between history and environment that defines this space.

This is where history isn’t behind glass.
It is all around you.

Now, it’s yours to explore!