PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – This is a very exciting, unincorporated community that once featured a mining operation (titanium, zircon, and rutile), which brought about the name “Mineral City.” There were not a lot of minerals to unearth, and it took a while before the right guy with the right real estate instincts set the resort on a fast track to glory. A man by the name of Joseph C. Stehlin arrived in 1929 to take over the mining operation. He wanted to develop the property similar to The Cloister on Sea Island and concluded that the name Mineral City had to go. Stehlin and his wife went to the library in St. Augustine and found an old Spanish map, saw the name Pontevedra on Spain’s’ Atlantic coast, and, according to the Internet, learned that the name of the town was derived from a Roman bridge, “pontis vedra” or “old bridge.” He was elated and got the name approved, which was much more marketable for real estate afficionados than “Mineral City.” From that austere beginning, Ponte Vedra has become one of the most popular luxury resorts there is. Today, the median household income stands at $150,646. “PV” is an upscale place where you rub shoulders with elite personalities, including professional golfers and former football players who enjoy the beach, restaurants, and championship golfing layouts. Deane Beman, a visionary golf commissioner, wanted to find a permanent home for the Tournament Players Championship and got a head turning offer of 400 acres in 1972 for $1.00…
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