Melbourne Beach is a town in Brevard County, Florida. The population was 3,101 at the 2010 United States Census. It is part of the Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville Metropolitan Statistical Area.
History
The Ais Indians resided in the area in pre-Columbian times. In 2010, a midden near Aquarina included a burial ground for a chief and two handmaidens.
It has been suggested that Juan Ponce de León landed near Melbourne Beach in 1513, where he then became the first European to set foot in Florida. A determination of this was made by a historian in the 1990s, who believed that the spot was "within five to eight nautical miles" on the barrier island with a proposed name of Ponce de León Island. However, this suggestion has not been met with wide acceptance from historians who state that de Leon's landing place cannot be known within a leeway of less than a hundred miles or so.
Melbourne Beach is Brevard County's oldest beach community.
In 1879, a hotel, the Oak Lodge, was built for researchers and naturalists on a 164-acre (66 ha) location near Aquarina.
The town was established in 1883 by a retired Union general. Pineapples were grown until 1895, when freezing weather wiped out crops and ended commercial farming.
In 1921, the Melbourne Causeway was built, connecting Melbourne Beach to the mainland via the town of Indialantic. In 1923 it was incorporated as a town.
In 1928, Harry J. Brooks, attempting to set a long distance record, crashed a Ford Flivver off the coast of Melbourne Beach, resulting in his death.
The town's population oscillated until World War II, when it began growing steadily. Currently, it is largely residential, with an elementary school, some businesses, and many condominiums in the unincorporated areas to the north and south.
In 2007, it was voted one of ten best bargain retirement spots in America.
Government
In 2007, the town had a taxable real estate base of $371.45 million.
Mayors
- Bud Conroy 1982-1984
Jean Becker 1984-1986
- Richard Coston 1986-1989
James Lawrence 1989-1997
- Robert Wille 1997 - 2002
- Mark Crispen 2003 (resigned before end of term)
- Steve Walters 2003-2004 (interim mayor)
- William Stacey 2004 - 2007
- Rita A. Karpie 2007 - 2011 (died before end of term)
- Jean Marshall 2011 (interim mayor) (through Nov. 2011)
- Tom Davis 2012 - May 2013 (Resigned before the end of term )
- Rocco Maglio May 2013 - August 2013 (Resigned before the end of term)
- John Gurecki - September 2013 - Appointed by vote of remaining commission members. (Three commission members remaining)
- James Simmons - November 2013 - Present
Geography
Melbourne Beach is located at 28°04?04?N 80°33?42?W. It is situated on an (apparently unnamed) barrier island that separates the Indian River Lagoon from the Atlantic Ocean. This island, approximately 35 miles (56 km) in length, stretches from Cape Canaveral to the north to the Sebastian Inlet to the south. Melbourne Beach is bordered by the town of Indialantic to the north.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 1.3 square miles (3.3 km²). 1.0 square miles (2.7 km²) of it is land and 0.2 square miles (0.6 km²) of it (19.53%) is water.
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 3,335 people, 1,422 households, and 992 families residing in the town. The population density was 3,243.5 inhabitants per square mile (1,250.1/km²). There were 1,556 housing units at an average density of 1,513.3 per square mile (583.3/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.51% White, 0.09% African American, 0.12% Native American, 0.99% Asian, 0.24% from other races, and 1.05% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.28% of the population.
There were 1,422 households out of which 25.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.7% were married couples living together, 5.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.2% were non-families. 23.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 2.77.
In the town the population was spread out with 20.1% under the age of 18, 4.0% from 18 to 24, 24.6% from 25 to 44, 28.9% from 45 to 64, and 22.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46 years. For every 100 females there were 103.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.3 males.
Economy
Personal income
The median income for a household in the town was $87,035, and the median income for a family was $62,139. Males had a median income of $46,424 versus $34,028 for females. The per capita income for the town was $31,489. About 1.6% of families and 3.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including none of those under age 18 and 2.2% of those age 65 or over.
Median home value was $321,498.00 in 2010.
Melbourne Beach is second in Brevard County for per capita income and 124 out of 887 places.
ArrayPoints of interest
- Melbourne Beach Pier
- Old Melbourne Beach Town Hall
- Ryckman Park
Notable people
- Bobby Dall, musician, bass player for rock band Poison
- Doug Flutie, football player
- Jorja Fox, television actress
- James Henry Gillis, Rear Admiral
- Sybil Leek, renown witch & author
- Homer Rodeheaver, music arranger for Billy Sunday; later formed a subdivision in town, "Christian Colony," for retired evangelists
- Pat Neshek, Pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals
References
External links
- Official website
- Melbourne Beach 32951, community website
- History of Melbourne Beach
- Melbourne Beach Wave - Community News
Interesting Informations
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