Presentations for Jupiter centennial highlight 5,000 years of habitation and local archaeological sites

This year marks the town of Jupiter’s 100th anniversary and a public panel on the town’s history outlined evidence that people have lived in the Jupiter area for at least 5,000 years, presenters said.

Speakers at the centennial presentation described the area’s prehistoric and historic sites, including large shell middens at Du Bois Park and the Jupiter Lighthouse grounds, and called for continued preservation and inclusion of Indigenous voices in local interpretation.

Joe Mankowski, identified in the program as the town’s archaeologist and president and founder of Advanced Archaeology, said “This year of 2025 marks 100 years of the town of Jupiter’s history and offers a time to reflect on the development of the town through its efforts and achievements as a community of people from historic times up to the present day.” He framed that reflection by describing two prehistoric cultural periods visible in local deposits: a Late Archaic period (roughly 3000 to 750 BC) and a later East Okeechobee period…