Mercury Road—Juno Beach Businesses in the 1950s

Back in 1950, when Juno Beach was first developing, the building on this corner at number 350, was the only commercial building in town that wasn’t a motel. Called The Trading Post, this was a restaurant and was quite a hub of activity. When Juno Beach was incorporated as a town in 1953, there were no government offices. However, you could usually find the Town Clerk seated at a table by the restaurant’s entrance where she conducted official business. Town Commission meetings were periodically held here as well.

As you stand here, take a look down the Mercury Road toward the ocean. In 1950, the Bessemer Properties Corporation intended to create Juno Beach as a tourist destination and the main attraction was the Fishing Pier at the end of this block and. In their vision, they imagined this street would become the Juno Beach Shopping Center, with bustling tourist shops on both sides. It never turned out that way, but there were busy motels soon after.

Imagine what life was like here back in the 1950s. Apart from the busy tourist season, Juno Beach was a quiet community. Most residents were in the motel business, one way or another. The nearest supermarkets were in Jupiter and Riviera Beach. Palm Beach Gardens didn’t exist and once you crossed the Intracoastal Waterway it was mostly farmland. The nearest hospital was in West Palm Beach. Your telephone would be a “party line”, shared with several other families, and to make a call, you’d have to ask the Operator to dial the number for you.