1878-1952

At the southwest corner of Avenue A and Second Street in old Fort Pierce sat what we call the old Pioneer Drug Store.  Constructed in the early 1900’s by Dr. C.P.  Platts and Peter P. Cobb, it served the community for many years.  Ed Edge’s barbershop was in the lower right-hand corner.  Edward had come to the area in 1896 at age 18 from North Carolina.  Mr. Edge came here to engage in the pineapple business.  At that time most of the residence made their living in the pineapple or fishing industries.   Edward worked for A.C. Dittmar, who built his new employee a house on North Second Street.  Nine years after he arrived, Edward entered the barber business.  His second barbershop was in the Arcade building.

Edward Edge was one of the 26 signers of the petition to form the city of Fort Pierce in 1901. Mr. Edge started to become involved in politics in 1905.   He served on the City Council, and also served for a time as County Supervisor of Registration, conducting these duties mostly from his barbershop. He served as Supervisor of Elections and registered people to vote in the Avenue A shop.  A family man, with two children, he sent his wife home to North Carolina each summer by train. Edward did have an orange grove, like so many others here, in the late 1920’s.  Staying active he also served as an Air Raid Warden during World War II.  He actively participated in the lives of his grandchildren, one of which is JoAnne Holman a Clerk of St. Lucie County Circuit Court.