Tour a Jupiter Pioneer Home…

The DuBois House is an original turn of the century pioneer home. Built in 1898, it is the oldest house in Palm Beach County that is standing on its original site along the Jupiter Inlet. The homestead and land was purchased by Palm Beach County in 1971-1972.  The DuBois Pioneer Home Museum opened and 1985 the home was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. 

The DuBois Pioneer Home is one of the last remaining historic homesteads in the Jupiter area.  It is located along the beautiful Jupiter Inlet in Palm Beach County’s DuBois Park. It has been commonly referred to as “the house on the hill”. It is built atop of a Native American shell rock midden.  This distinctive homestead is rich in both historic and archeological value.

The Native American midden (shell mound) was originally over 600 feet long and 20 feet high. This site is one of the last coastal shell mounds in southeast Florida.  Artifacts dating back thousands of years have been discovered here.

Harry and Susan Dubois were self-reliant pioneers living in basic wilderness.  They had four children, all born in the 18-acre historic pioneer house. The family fished commercially as well as raised their own chickens, ducks and a cow.  They sold bananas, guava jelly and honey.  Harry was a busy beekeeper maintaining 600 hives. During WWI, sugar was not obtainable; DuBois sold 90,000 gallons of his honey to northerners for 35 cents a gallon.  The four children attended the Jupiter schoolhouse and rode in the “school boat” to get to school via the waterways.

The two-story, historic DuBois Pioneer Home attracted a steady stream of visitors in recent years until tours were halted in 2005. Recently, $600,000 in renovations, restoration of the home and securing of the midden were completed.  Discover the rich history of the home and the archeological importance of the shell mound by taking a colorful guided tour.

Located in DuBois Park, 19075 DuBois Road, Jupiter, FL the pioneer home and the land it is built on are full of rich history.  Tours of the pioneer home are Tuesdays and Thursdays – 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. docent guided tours offered. For private group tours, please contact Palm Beach County Parks and Recreation Department Volunteer Services: 561 966-6609.   FREE admission.