Jupiter, Florida

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Jupiter is a town located in Palm Beach County, Florida. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 39,328. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 46,752.^[1]

The area where the town now sits was originally named for the Hobe indian tribe which lived at the mouth of the Loxahatchee River. A mapmaker misunderstood the Spanish spelling 'Jobe'[1] of the Indian name 'Hobe' and recorded it as 'Jove'. Subsequent mapmakers further misunderstood this to be the Latin translation of the god Jupiter, and they anglicized the name from Jove to 'Jupiter.' The Roman god Jupiter (or Zeus in the Greek mythology) is the chief Roman god, husband of Juno, and god of light, of the sky and weather, and of the state and its welfare and its laws. It is the only town in America to have such a name. It inspired a neighboring village to name itself "Juno Beach".

The most notable landmark is the Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse, completed in 1860. Made of brick, it was painted red in 1910 due to discoloration caused by humidity. The lighthouse is often used as the symbol for Jupiter. (See [2])

Jupiter is the home to the Florida Marlins and St. Louis Cardinals spring training facilities as well as one of their respective Class A Minor League Baseball affiliates, the Jupiter Hammerheads and Palm Beach Cardinals. They share the use of the Roger Dean Stadium complex. Both minor league squads compete in the Florida State League.

William P. Gwinn Airport is located in Jupiter.^[2]

Jupiter is home to Florida Atlantic University's MacArthur Campus. This northern campus of FAU is also the location of the Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College.

The Scripps Research Institute is currently in the process of developing a sister facility at the MacArthur Campus of Florida Atlantic University. Scripps Florida now operates with approximately 188 scientists, technicians, and administrative staff at a 40,000 square-foot lab facility. Upon completion Scripps will operate out of a 364,000 square-foot, state-of-the-art biomedical research facility focusing on basic biomedical science, drug discovery, and technology development.[3]

1 Geography
2 Demographics
3 Notable residents
4 Points of interests
5 USA Flag Incident
- 5.1 Results
6 References
7 External links

[edit] Geography

Jupiter is located at 26°55'34" North, 80°6'18" West (26.925985, -80.104963)^GR1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 54.7 km² (21.1 mi²). 51.8 km² (20.0 mi²) of it is land and 2.9 km² (1.1 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 5.35% water.

[edit] Demographics

As of the census^GR2 of 2000, there are 39,328 people, 16,945 households, and 11,403 families residing in the town. The population density is 759.2/km² (1,966.5/mi²). There are 20,943 housing units at an average density of 404.3/km² (1,047.2/mi²). The racial makeup of the town is 94.86% White, 1.22% African American, 0.19% Native American, 1.12% Asian, 0.12% Pacific Islander, 1.37% from other races, and 1.12% from two or more races. 7.33% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There are 16,945 households out of which 26.6% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.8% are married couples living together, 8.4% have a female householder with no husband present, and 32.7% are non-families. 25.8% of all households are made up of individuals and 10.4% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.32 and the average family size is 2.75.

In the town the population is spread out with 20.7% under the age of 18, 5.1% from 18 to 24, 28.8% from 25 to 44, 26.5% from 45 to 64, and 18.9% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 42 years. For every 100 females there are 97.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 94.2 males.

The median income for a household in the town is $54,945, and the median income for a family is $64,873. Males have a median income of $44,883 versus $33,514 for females. The per capita income for the town is $35,088. 4.8% of the population and 3.0% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 4.7% of those under the age of 18 and 4.7% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.

Jupiter is now home to many transplanted Northerners who can afford expensive, luxurious vacation homes. Most "snowbirds" are from the New York City metropolitan area (including Connecticut and New Jersey) and the Boston area in Massachusetts.

[edit] Notable residents

The following list includes persons who were born in Jupiter, previously lived in Jupiter, or currently reside in Jupiter.

Julie Dubela - Singer known mainly in the Boston area for singing the national anthem.^[3]^[4]
Andrzej Mrotek - Actor with guest roles, including CSI: Crime Scene Investigation^[5]
Phaedra Alexis - Adult actress ^[6]
Devon Daniels - Adult actress ^[7]
Toi Svane Stepp - Actress appeared in films, such as From Justin to Kelly and Wild Things.^[8]
Burt Reynolds - Actor appeared in films, such as Smokey and the Bandit
Celine Dion - Canadian Singer
Hermes Franca - Brazilian mixed martial artist and UFC Fighter

[edit] Points of interests

LORAN-C transmitter Jupiter

[edit] USA Flag Incident

George Andres in front of his flagpole on his Jupiter lawn.

In 1999, Jupiter resident George Andres had a problem displaying his flag in his front yard. The Indian Creek homeowners association had a bylaw prohibiting the display of a flagpole in the front lawn. Andres' protested by displaying the flag anyway, while the Indian Creek homeowners association went as far as foreclosing his home to cover legal fees after being in court at least twenty-eight times. Even after Governor Jeb Bush visited his home along with all of the local and national media, the homeowners association wasn't giving up without a fight. Andres said, "Well, first they said that it was going to cost more to cut the grass around the pole, which is kind of funny. And then they told me that the flagpole was going to take away from the value of the property. And I said, well, then we should be able to take away all the trees around here, because they're the same as the pole. And my pole is a portable pole. And the state government says I can do it."

[edit] Results

George Andres won and was allowed to display his flag in his front lawn with the use of a flagpole.

During the last week of July 2006, President George Bush signed the Freedom to Display the American Flag Act of 2005, allowing residents to display the flag on their residential property despite any homeowners association rules.[4] [5] [6]