The Town of Peters

The town of Peters, no longer recognized, was named after the “Tomato King,” Thomas J. Peters, who moved to this area in 1895. His tomato growing and packing business was the area's first million dollar enterprise and Peters was the area's first “company town.” The center of the town of Peters was situated about three blocks south of here on the west side of US1, in the vicinity of Quail Roost Drive. The Peters' residence was located east of US1, in the area now known as Bel Aire. Unfortunately, all remnants of the town of Peters were lost in Hurricane Andrew in 1992., Thomas J. Peters and his family were major contributors to the founding of the Perrine-Peters United Methodist Church. The church was named for the settlements founded by the Perrine and Peters families. Dr. Henry Perrine and his family received the original grant for the land in 1838, founding what is still known as the town of Perrine. In 1916, the first sanctuary was built on the Perrine-Peters border, east of the railroad tracks. This structure was destroyed in the 1926 hurricane. Eventually outgrowing its subsequent facilities, the congregation broke ground for the present church in 1958. This marker was presented by the extended Peters family on the centennial of the Perrine-Peters United Methodist Church, March 26, 2000.