Wacky and Eclectic...Harry and the Natives
Harry and the Natives is a wacky, yet genuine, kitschy atmosphere with so much to see! The local hideaway has been in Hobe Sound for years. Many years and owners have passed since the original cafe, motel and gas station was built of native tidewater pecky cypress. Today it is still locally owned and operated by a member of the MacArthur family. The sand crest that forms west Hobe Sound has been part of the north-south travel path for years. U.S. Highway One was built on the crest and heavily traveled. In the junction where the restaurant stands marks the intersection of US Highway 1 and the thinnest part of the Intracoastal Waterway in the area. Bridge Road connected Jupiter Island and mainland over the narrow.
Camp Murphy, located in Jonathan Dickinson State Park, was home to U.S. Military troops training for jungle warfare and the Coast Guard operated rescue efforts from a nearby beach. Prior to finally settling into and becoming the present day Harry and the Natives, the soldiers, sailors and local ranchers frequented the café for entertainment and dining.
In 1952, Jack and Pauline MacArthur moved to Hobe Sound. They became the new owners of the café, motel and gas station. They renamed it The Farm, a suitable name since the new owners both grew up on farms in Michigan. The MacArthur’s children all worked at the business, cleaning rooms, waiting tables, etc. The Florida turnpike opened and a majority of the traffic moved out west. In their retirement years, Jack and Pauline poured coffee and served beer to the locals/natives. Harry MacArthur their son, now a chef, returned home in 1989. He remodeled the kitchen and the business reopened as Harry and the Natives. The rest is history…step back in time and enjoy down home Old Florida cuisine in a unique atmosphere!
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