Peter Raulerson, born September 1, 1857, in Bartow, Florida, moved with his family to Basinger in 1874 and married Louisiana Chandler in 1877. In October 1896, Peter and Louisiana moved southeast to a region three miles north of Lake Okeechobee known as The Bend along Taylor Creek, becoming the first Euro-American settlers in the area. In April 1902, they helped establish the community’s first post office, known as Tantie; their daughter Martha served as the first postmaster, and Peter succeeded her in June 1902. Peter also established a Star Route, a privately contracted mail route, between Tantie and Fort Drum. In October 1911, the town renamed itself Okeechobee, and when the City of Okeechobee incorporated on June 4, 1915, Governor Park Trammel appointed Peter its first mayor. He also served as the first county commissioner from the area in St. Lucie County, established the first school in 1898, and was a trustee of the first brick schoolhouse built in 1916. Peter died in 1947 at the age of 90, Louisiana died one year later, and in 2000 Peter was designated a Great Floridian.