Early on Florida was under the rule of Spain, then England, then again Spain.

July 17, 1821 - Florida purchased from Spain by the United States and became a US Territory,  St. Johns County formed which included most of "East Florida"

December 29, 1824 - Mosquito County formed (current St. Lucie County Lands included) - basically the central third of East Florida

February 4, 1836 - Dade County (Florida's 19th) formed - basically all of South-East Florida

1835-1842 - The period of "The Second Seminole War"  (The 1850 census reflects this.  Most civilians having departed the area and not yet returned.  The majority of  the St. Lucie County population, 22 dwellings in this "division" of the census, consisted of Soldiers barracked at Ft. Pierce.)

1838 - Ft. Pierce (The fortification) established on the bank of the Indian River Sound, South of Ft. Capron

August 4, 1842 - The "Armed Occupation Act" passed.  This was intended to encourage settlement within Florida and provide for a source of ready militia, if necessary.  It offered title to 160 acres of land and a years rations to those willing to settle on and cultivate a minimum of 5 acres for a period of 5 years.

March 14, 1844 - St. Lucia (or St. Lucie) County (Florida's 25th) created.  Basically the Northern half of what was Dade County, from about the Hillsboro River, North of Ft. Lauderdale area, North to Cape Canaveral.and skirting the South Shore of Lake Okeechobee to the center of the state..

March 5, 1845 - Florida granted statehood

January 23, 1851 - Florida legislature appropriated $1000 to build a wagon road from Miami to the Indian River in St. Lucia County

January 6 , 1855 - St. Lucia / St. Lucie County renamed Brevard County

1855 - 1858 - The period of "The Third Seminole War"

1882 - P.B. Cobb Building completed in Ft. Pierce

1892 - 1894 - Henry Morrison Flagler extended his railroad from Daytona to West Palm Beach.  The railroad arrived in Ft. Pierce in January 1894.

1895 - Rand McNally MAP of Florida (LARGE - 2463 x 1692 pixels, ~1.5Mb)

1895 - 1898 - Brevard County purchased R/W and constructs  The Drive along the West Bank of the Indian River from Ft. Pierce to Stuart

May 24, 1905 - St. Lucie County (Florida's 46th) established basically included lands from the current Palm Beach county line, West to Okeechobee and North to Sebastion.  It would later "lose" lands to the formation fo Martin County, Indian River, and Okeechobee counties.

1923 - Sunrise Theater Completed in Ft. Pierce

1926 - The Arcade Building completed in Ft. Pierce