Did You Know?: Jupiter Inlet

History of the Jupiter Inlet

Jupiter Inlet has been known by several names. First it was known as Hobe, or Jobe (pronounced Hoe-Bay) for a tribe of the aboriginal Jeaga Indians who lived near the inlet. On the Spanish maps, the Loxahatchee river appears as Jobe River, named for these natives. The English interpretation of Jobe was Jove, which in turn became Jupiter.

On the DeBrahm map of 1770, it is called Grenville Inlet - named for George Grenville, Prime Minister of England, who had land holdings in the area.  According to DuBois (1968), in the early days the inlet was at times several hundred yards south of the present location. This account of the alternate location is consistent with Spanish explorer Juan Ponce De Leon’s reports of its location as well.