93-719: The Indian Fields are a collection of historic sites in Brevard County , Florida . They are located on the southeast bank of Ruth Lake, approximately eight miles west of Titusville . On April 14, 1994, they were added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places . This article about a property in Brevard County, Florida on the National Register of Historic Places is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Brevard County, Florida Brevard County ( / b r ə ˈ v ɑːr d / brə- VARD )
186-478: A patache , a small but fast row-sailer, suitable for patrolling the coast. He recruited a number of his relatives to sail with him in search of adventure. In this ship, the young Menéndez won his first victory of command in an engagement with French corsairs who had attacked three slow Spanish freighters off the coast of Galicia . By effective captainship, he separated the two swift zabras (Biscayan frigates) that pursued him and captured them both, and drove away
279-583: A "Period of Friendship" with the Ais Caciques(Chiefs) and made a color map of the area. During the 19th century, the state of Florida frequently changed the names and borders of counties. St. Lucie County was split off from Mosquito County in 1844. St. Lucie County was renamed Brevard County in 1855 after Theodore Washington Brevard , who served as Florida Comptroller from 1854 to 1860. This "Brevard County" contained very little of present-day Brevard County. Most of present-day Brevard north of Melbourne
372-648: A Huguenot aristocrat who had participated in the first Jean Ribault expedition, returned to Florida in 1564 with three ships and 300 Huguenot colonists. He reached the River May on 22 June 1564, sailed up it a few miles, and founded Fort Caroline . The Crown was alarmed by these encroachments on Spanish territory in such proximity to the course of the Spanish treasure fleet. Desiring to protect its claimed territories in North America against further incursions by European powers,
465-452: A Spanish garrison of 200 men further up the coast, he sailed to what is today the Georgia coast making contact with the local Indians of St. Catherines Island before returning to Florida, where he expanded Spanish power throughout southeastern Florida. His position as governor now secure, Menéndez explored the area and built additional fortifications . In 1567, he marched south and encountered
558-616: A bomb exploded under their home, fatally injuring both of them. The murders were racially motivated and believed committed by members of the Ku Klux Klan . Four separate investigations were conducted, including the first by the FBI in 1951–1952, and the last in 2005 by the state. No one was ever prosecuted. In 1940, the United States federal government built Naval Air Station Banana River (now Patrick Space Force Base ). This military installation
651-446: A few concessions to the people in the northern part of the county, and agreed not to officially move the county seat. Since construction of the new center, Viera has been for all intents and purposes the de facto seat of Brevard County. According to the U.S. Census Bureau , the county has a total area of 1,557 square miles (4,030 km ), of which 1,016 square miles (2,630 km ) is land and 541 square miles (1,400 km ) (34.8%)
744-525: A four-week period. Deer flies are particularly noticeable from April through June. Local bird counts indicate that there are at least 163 species of birds in the county. Turkey vultures , a migrating species, are protected by federal law. They migrate north in the summer and return in September. The county's most common winter bird is the lesser scaup , a diving duck. In 2008, half a million were counted. In 2010, 15,000 were estimated. Other birds include
837-402: A household in the county was $ 49,523, and the median income for a family was $ 60,842. Males had a median income of $ 48,191 versus $ 33,276 for females. The per capita income for the county was $ 27,606. About 7.2% of families and 10.5% of the population were below the poverty line , including 14.4% of those under age 18 and 6.9% of those aged 65 or over. In 2010, 8.6% of the county's population
930-401: A large expedition of ships, soldiers and supplies was being fitted at Dieppe for a voyage to Florida: it was to have more than 500 arquebusiers , and many dismounted bronze cannons were loaded aboard the vessels. After his release from prison, Menéndez was available again to serve the king's purposes. He was appointed as adelantado of La Florida , with the promise of a large land grant and
1023-404: A loyal cadre of lieutenants and officials who had blood connection to him, and had invested their own futures in his success. In early 1564 Menéndez asked permission to go to Florida to search for La Concepcion and his son, Admiral Juan Menéndez, who had been its commander. As noted above, they were lost in 1563 in a hurricane. The crown continued to refuse his request. René de Laudonnière ,
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#17328699244401116-580: A rare protected species , give birth near the coast of Brevard, among other places, from November 15 to April 15. The venomous brown recluse spider is not native to the area but has found the environment congenial. The Florida Butterfly Monitoring Network has counted species of butterflies monthly for a year since 2007. In 2010, it counted 45 species. Included are zebra swallowtail butterflies . Lovebug season occurs twice annually in May and August–September. Motorists encounter swarms of these while driving during
1209-649: A storm that wrecked three of his ships near what is now the Ponce de Leon Inlet . His flagship was grounded near present-day Cape Canaveral. Informed by Indian allies that the French survivors were walking northward on the coast, Menéndez began to search for them, finding the party at the banks of the Matanzas River 's south entrance. After several parleys with the Spanish, Ribault and the 150–350 Frenchmen with him (sources differ) surrendered. The Spanish executed nearly all of them in
1302-500: A view to establishing a permanent settlement for the defense of the Spanish treasure fleet . He was ordered as well to drive away any intruders who were not subjects of the Spanish crown. On 28 July 1565, Menéndez set sail from Cádiz with a fleet led by his 600-ton flagship, the San Pelayo , accompanied by several smaller ships, and carrying over 1,000 sailors, soldiers, and settlers. On
1395-553: A woody marsh at the time, was used by the Archaic Floridians as a burial ground, with the bodies being wrapped in fabric and submerged in the peaty soil . The pond was used for interments for around a thousand years (circa 8,000–7,000 BCE). The Ais and the Jaega were the dominant tribes in the area when it is thought that Ponce De Leon landed on the shores near Melbourne Beach in 1513. There were about 10,000 of these natives in
1488-401: Is April with 1.6 inches (4.1 cm) of rainfall; the wettest is September, with 6.6 inches (17 cm). Offshore ocean temperatures have averaged: January – 64 °F (18 °C), February – 62 °F (17 °C), March – 67 °F (19 °C) and April – 72 °F (22 °C). In federal maps printed before 2012, nearly half of Brevard was classified as prone to flooding. Most of this
1581-565: Is a county in the U.S. state of Florida . It is on the Atlantic coast of eastern Central Florida . As of the 2020 census, the population was 606,612, making it the 10th-most populated county in Florida. The official county seat is located in Titusville . A secondary center of county administration, including a circuit courthouse, was built in 1989 in the planned community of Viera, Florida ,
1674-660: Is less frequently hit by direct hurricane landfalls than are portions of the Panhandle or South Florida . There are two predominant reasons for this. First, westward-moving tropical systems often reach an atmospheric ridge weakness in the Bermuda High by the time they approach Florida at a latitude as northerly as Brevard County. Combined with frontal systems that exit the United States' East Coast , many of these tropical systems are steered northwest and eventually curve northward offshore along Florida's East Central Coast. A second reason
1767-410: Is that hurricanes making landfall along the Florida peninsula Gulf Coast often weaken to a tropical storm by the time they move northeast and reach Brevard County. (2004's Charley was an exception). No major hurricane, defined as category 3 or higher, has struck Brevard since 1850, the beginning of recorded climate. Although residents may refer to past storms as "hurricanes", by the time they strike
1860-904: Is the major waterway route in Brevard County. It includes the Indian River . Additional waterways include Lake Washington , Lake Poinsett , Lake Winder , Sawgrass Lake , the St. Johns River, and the Banana River . Dredging for the Intracoastal created 41 spoil islands in the Brevard portion of the Indian River. Brevard County is the sole county in the Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA). Palm Bay, Melbourne, and Titusville are designated as principal cities in
1953-548: Is the oldest continuously inhabited, European-established settlement in the continental United States . Menéndez de Avilés was the first governor of La Florida (1565–74). By his contract, or asiento , with Philip II, Menéndez was appointed adelantado and was responsible for implementing royal policies to build fortifications for the defense of conquered territories in La Florida and to establish Castilian governmental institutions in desirable areas. Pedro Menéndez de Avilés
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#17328699244402046-561: Is water. Most of the water is the Atlantic Ocean , the St. Johns River and the Indian River Lagoon . The county is larger in area than the nation of Samoa and nearly the same size, and population, as Cape Verde . Located halfway between Jacksonville and Miami , Brevard County extends 72 miles (116 km) from north to south, and averages 26.5 miles (42.6 km) wide. Emphasizing
2139-503: The Ais (Jece) as he reached the Indian River near present-day Vero Beach . He returned to Spain in 1567 and was appointed governor of Cuba , in October of that year. In December 1571, Menéndez was sailing from Florida to Havana with two frigates when, as he tells it, "I was wrecked at Cape Canaveral because of a storm which came upon me, and the other boat was lost fifteen leagues further on in
2232-627: The Canaveral National Seashore , the St. Johns National Wildlife Refuge , the Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge , several conservation areas managed by the St. Johns River Water Management District , Brevard County's Environmentally Endangered Lands Program Sanctuaries, and lands dedicated by the State as conservation areas. The underlying limestone in the county is relatively young at 150,000 years old. This means that
2325-452: The Palm Bay – Melbourne – Titusville , FL Metropolitan Statistical Area . The first Paleoindians arrived in the area near Brevard county between 12,000 and 10,000 years ago. The Paleoindians were semi-nomadic people who lived in smaller groups. After a few thousand years, a new group of settlers appeared known as " the archaic people ." These people were primarily fishermen, as opposed to
2418-617: The South Beaches . There are also several beaches along the coast of the county. The North Reach includes 9.4 miles (15.1 km) of coastline from Cape Canaveral, through Cocoa Beach, to Patrick Space Force Base. The Patrick Space Force Base beach is 4.1 miles (6.6 km) long. South of Patrick SFB, the Mid Reach includes the 7.6 miles (12.2 km) of coastline in Satellite Beach. The South Reach includes 3.8 miles (6.1 km) of beach in
2511-523: The Spanish Crown issued an asiento to Menéndez, signed by Philip II on 20 March 1565, granting him expansive trade privileges, the power to distribute lands, and licenses to sell 500 slaves, as well as various titles, including that of adelantado of Florida. Menéndez was commissioned to reconnoiter North America from the Florida Keys to present-day Canada, and report on its coastal features, with
2604-603: The Tequesta and Calusa tribes, proved hostile to Spanish settlement as war continued on and off until 1670. Menéndez later made contact with the less hostile Tequesta at their capital in El Portal (in what is now Miami) and was able to negotiate for three chieftains to accompany him to Cuba as translators to the Arawak . Although Menéndez left behind Jesuit missionaries Brother Francisco de Villareal and Padre Rogel in an attempt to convert
2697-587: The continental United States . The mission served nearby villages of the Mocama , a Timucua group, and was at the center of an important chiefdom in the late 16th and 17th century. Menéndez marched his soldiers overland from St. Augustine to destroy the French settlement at Fort Caroline on the St. Johns River . On 20 September 1565, they made a surprise attack and killed all the adult males they encountered, but spared women and children; 132 Frenchmen were killed . Laudonnière and several score Frenchmen escaped into
2790-502: The red-shouldered hawk , the loggerhead shrike , the endangered red-cockaded woodpecker , Cooper's hawks , pileated woodpeckers , Savannah sparrows , rails (which also includes coots ), Florida scrub jays (an endangered species), wood storks , grackles , great horned owls , northern mockingbirds , brown thrashers , catbirds , green-winged teals , greater yellowlegs , western sandpipers , least sandpipers , dowitchers , and American white pelicans . Peak migration in
2883-726: The 1930s, Harry T. Moore was a civil rights leader, teacher , and founder of the Brevard County NAACP . After the war he became president of the state NAACP. After the Supreme Court had ruled in 1944 that white primaries were unconstitutional, he conducted voter registration drives and succeeded in registering 31% of black voters in Florida, a higher percentage than in any other southern state. The white establishment resisted, firing both him and his wife Harriette in 1946 from their teaching positions as economic blackmail against them because of their activism. On Christmas night, 1951,
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2976-534: The Bahama Channel, in a river they call the Ais , because the cacique (chief) is so called. I, by a miracle reached the fort of St. Augustine with seventeen persons I was taking with me. Three times the Indians gave the order to attack me, and the way I escaped them was by ingenuity and arousing fear in them, telling them that behind me many Spaniards were coming who would slay them if they found them." The Ais, like
3069-516: The Casa de Contratación, accused of accepting bribes and smuggling silver into Spain. In September, he received news that La Concepción , flagship of the New Spain fleet and commanded by his son Admiral Juan Menéndez, had disappeared off the coast of South Carolina, and was assumed to be dead. The ship was lost in a hurricane that scattered the fleet as it was returning to Spain, at the latitude of Bermuda off
3162-621: The Fleet of the Indies. He sailed for the Indies that October as captain general and commanded the galleons of the great Armada de la Carrera , or Spanish Treasure Fleet , on their return voyage from the Caribbean and Mexico to Spain. Menéndez determined the route they followed, which led through the Florida Strait ( Spanish : Estrecho de Florida ) and up the east coast of Florida, taking advantage of
3255-682: The MSA. The MSA was created as the Melbourne-Titusville-Cocoa, Florida Standard MSA in 1972, renamed the Melbourne-Titusville-Palm Bay, Florida MSA in 1983, and given its current title in 2003. The county is unofficially divided into three sections: North County, comprising Titusville , Mims and Port St. John ; Central Brevard, which includes Cocoa , Rockledge , Merritt Island , and Cocoa Beach ; and South County, which includes Melbourne , Palm Bay , Grant , Valkaria , and
3348-566: The Palm Bay–Melbourne–Titusville, FL Metropolitan Statistical Area as the 98th most populous metropolitan statistical area and the 96th most populous primary statistical area of the United States as of July 1, 2012. The county has a Köppen climate classification of Cfa, with a year-round distribution of rainfall. This means a humid subtropical climate with hot, humid summers and mild winters. There are distinct wet and dry seasons. The dry lasts from December through May,
3441-539: The Spanish settlement to a more defensible position on the north end of the barrier island between the mainland and the sea, building a wooden fort there. In 1572, the settlement was relocated to the mainland, in the area just south of the future town plaza. Secure as governor, Menéndez explored the area and built additional fortifications . He also commissioned the Juan Pardo expedition, to travel from Santa Elena , at Port Royal Sound in present-day South Carolina, into
3534-592: The Tequesta to Roman Catholicism, the tribe were indifferent to their teachings. The Jesuits returned to St. Augustine after a year. Menéndez voyaged to La Florida for the last time in 1571, with 650 settlers for Santa Elena , as well as his wife and family. In August 1572, Menéndez led a ship with thirty soldiers and sailors to take revenge for the killing of the Jesuits of the Ajacán Mission in present-day Virginia. At
3627-459: The adults in the county. Of those, a local agency counted in 2010 that 225 of the veterans were homeless. In 2012, the Urban Institute ranked the Brevard metro fourth in the country for racial equality. Criteria were integration of neighborhoods, income, and the quality of schools minorities attend. The area was ranked first for Hispanic equality with whites. In 2010, the median income for
3720-477: The age of 18 living with them, 48.28% were married couples living together, 11.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.40% were non-families. 28.44% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.53% (4.00% male and 8.53% female) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.33 and the average family size was 2.84. There were 74,000 veterans who lived in Brevard in 2010, accounting for 21% of
3813-466: The area. Pedro Menéndez de Avilés gave an early account of the Ais people in 1570 when he was shipwrecked off of Cape Canaveral. He faced hostile natives but through the use of a bluff was able to escape from them and get back to St. Augustine. In 1605 , Alvero Mexia was dispatched from St. Augustine to the Indian River area on a diplomatic mission to the Ais Indian Nation. He helped establish
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3906-598: The cities of Cape Canaveral, Cocoa Beach, Indialantic, Melbourne Beach, Patrick Space Force Base, Indian Harbour Beach, and Satellite Beach. The American Indian Association of Florida submitted in October 2011 a proposal to name the island after the Ais people . In January 2012 the United Third Bridge and the Florida Puerto Rican/Hispanic Chamber of Commerce in Melbourne submitted a proposal to name
3999-517: The coast of La Florida , Menéndez returned to Spain in 1567. He was appointed governor of Cuba , in October of that year. After several more transatlantic crossings, Menéndez fell ill and died on 17 September 1574. Menéndez traveled to southwest Florida, looking for his son. There he made contact with the Calusa tribe, an advanced maritime people, at what is now known as Charlotte harbor . He negotiated an initial peace with their leader, Carlos , which
4092-579: The coast of South Carolina. Menéndez conceived a plan for a voyage to La Florida to search for his son, who he believed might have reached there, but he was powerless to initiate it from prison, and his petitions to King Philip II went unanswered. Spain learned of the French expedition to Florida through its spies at ports on the Atlantic coast of France. Philip II was alarmed when Dr. Gabriel de Enveja reported that Jean Ribault had been appointed as "Captain-General and Viceroy of New France". He also said that
4185-472: The communities of Indialantic and Melbourne Beach. At the southern end of the county, the South Beaches are the final 14.5 miles (23.3 km) of beach south of Melbourne Beach to Sebastian . The United States Board on Geographic Names considered two proposals in 2012 to officially name the barrier island extending from Port Canaveral to Sebastian Inlet . The 45-mile-long (72 km) island includes
4278-540: The conversion of the Indians to Catholicism. In 1562, a group of Huguenots led by Jean Ribault arrived in territory claimed by Spain and called La Florida . They explored the mouth of the St. Johns River in Florida, calling it la Rivière de Mai (the River May). The French sailed northward and established a settlement called Charlesfort at Port Royal Sound in present-day South Carolina. On 19 August 1563, Pedro Menéndez and his brother Bartolomé were imprisoned by
4371-478: The county government. A centrally located County Government Center in Viera was established to provide more accessible services to residents in the southern part of the county. It houses the various county government branches, including Housing and Human Services, Juvenile Justice, Public Safety, Public Works and Solid Waste Management. The Brevard County government had annual expenditures just over $ 1 billion in
4464-998: The county, most have subsided to tropical storms or depressions . But because of the threat of storm surge , the beach community on the barrier island is often required to evacuate well in advance of the storm. The possibility of storm surge is diminished when the storm comes across the state instead of directly from the Atlantic. Five hurricanes have directly affected Brevard since 1950: David (September 3, 1979); Erin (August 2, 1995) – made landfall near Sebastian Inlet and caused mostly minor wind damage and more extensive flooding countywide; Charley (August 13, 2004) – caused damage in Titusville and North Brevard; Frances (September 3, 2004) – struck neighboring Vero Beach in Indian River County directly and caused widespread wind damage throughout Brevard; and Jeanne (September 26, 2004) – struck Vero Beach directly, following very nearly
4557-520: The county. There were 1,677 manatees in Brevard County in 2015, out of a total of 6,063 in the state. This was an increase from 2014 when there was a total of 612 in Brevard County. Manatees experience numerous threats within Brevard, where 312 died in the first half of 2021. Bottlenose dolphin are commonly seen in the Intracoastal Waterway. Fish and reptiles include alligators , red snapper , sea turtles , North Atlantic right whales ,
4650-421: The county. Residents in the southern end of the county talked of creating a new county to serve them. The county decided to build a new county administration complex at Viera , near the geographical center of the county. This complex was started in 1989. Residents in the north also threatened secession. Their proposal to form a new county, to be called Playalinda, had some momentum in the early 90s. The county made
4743-412: The county. The population density was 597.7 inhabitants per square mile (230.8/km ). As of 2021, 18.2% of residents were under the age of 18 and 24.2% were age 65 and over. There were 294,224 housing units and 76.2% of them were owner-occupied. There were 242,657 households in which the average household size was 2.46. In 2015, interracial marriage constituted 29% of all marriages, the fourth highest in
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#17328699244404836-409: The county: Since redistricting following the 2010 U.S. Census , Brevard County has been part of Florida's 8th congressional district . It is represented by Republican Bill Posey . Pedro Men%C3%A9ndez de Avil%C3%A9s Pedro Menéndez de Avilés ( Spanish pronunciation: [ˈpeðɾo meˈnendeθ ðe aβiˈles] ; Asturian : Pedro (Menéndez) d'Avilés ; 15 February 1519 – 17 September 1574)
4929-556: The current boundary since 1907. Brevard County is known as the Space Coast due to the influence of the John F. Kennedy Space Center and the aerospace industry on its economy. As such, it was designated with the telephone area code 321 , as in " 3, 2, 1 liftoff ". The county has several incorporated cities and towns, primarily along the coast of the Atlantic Ocean and is mostly rural or suburban west of Interstate 95 . Brevard County comprises
5022-481: The current of the Gulf Stream . In 1561, however, Menéndez was jailed by Casa officials for alleged smuggling, but he got his case transferred to court and won his release. Menéndez is credited as the chief planner of the formalized Spanish treasure fleet convoy system that became the main link between Spain and her overseas territories. In partnership with Álvaro de Bazán, 1st Marquis of Santa Cruz , he helped design
5115-475: The dunes near the inlet. It was later known as Matanzas (Spanish for "slaughters"). Having taken control of the Florida coast, Menéndez had his soldiers complete the fort in St. Augustine. He also established missions to the natives for the Catholic Church, and explored the east coast and interior of the peninsula. In May 1566, as relations with the neighboring Timucua Indians deteriorated, Menéndez moved
5208-557: The east coast of the state, mangroves have normally dominated the coast from Cocoa Beach southward. Northward these may compete with salt marshes moving in from the north, depending on the annual weather conditions. Live oak trees, various grasses, and juniper plants were sufficiently common to generate pollen noticeable by some people in February 2011. As of the 2020 United States census , there were 606,612 people, 236,005 households, and 148,934 families residing in
5301-423: The eventual county seat of Titusville. Later, the southern portion of the county was cut off to form St. Lucie County, which in turn spawned Martin and Indian River County. The first concerted development the area occurred with the extension of Henry Flagler 's Florida East Coast Railroad into the area. The railroad reached Titusville in 1886 and Melbourne in 1894. With the railroad came increased settlement and
5394-543: The fall is from the last week in September through the first week in October. Fall migration tends to be stronger than spring because birds typically take different flyways. Native trees include cabbage palm (the state tree of Florida), fringetree , coral bean , sweet acacia , geiger tree , firebush , beautyberry , coral honeysuckle , and blanket flower . Other native plants include sea grape , red mulberry , purslane , dandelion , Spanish bayonet , blackberry , Jerusalem artichoke , dogwood , and gallberry . On
5487-456: The feast day of St. Augustine , 28 August, the fleet sighted land and anchored off the north inlet of the tidal channel that the French called the River of Dolphins. This was developed as the site of the present-day city of St. Augustine. Menéndez sailed north and confronted Ribault's fleet outside the bar of the River May in a brief skirmish. On 6 September, he returned to his first landfall, naming
5580-422: The first tourists. The first major land boom began in the 1920s after the end of World War I . People flooded into the state of Florida, both tourists from northern winters and new full-time residents, and land prices soared. The Great Depression temporarily stopped growth in Florida. Before the start of World War II , the largest industries in Brevard were commercial fishing, citrus, and tourism. Beginning in
5673-501: The fiscal year 2009–2010, exclusive of the municipalities. In 2009, real estate taxes for homesteaded property averaged 0.83% of the value of the property. Real estate taxes are levied by each authority. They are collected by the County Tax Collector. The total taxable real estate base was $ 33.7 billion in 2009. County taxes rose 26.5% in total per capita revenue from 2002 to 2007, and 49.8% in property tax per capita in
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#17328699244405766-563: The geographic center of the county. Before the arrival of non- indigenous settlers in the 16th century, the area was inhabited by Native Americans . The county is the site of the Windover Archeological Site , which contained evidence of habitation over 7,000 years ago. Brevard County was established in 1855 and is named after Theodore Washington Brevard , an early Florida settler and state comptroller . The county's boundaries were changed and reduced numerous times, resulting in
5859-602: The great galleons that carried the trade between Cadiz in Spain and Vera Cruz in Spanish Mexico . Later, in his capacity as adelantado , Menéndez was required to explore this vast territory, which extended from the Gulf coast of present-day western Florida around the Florida keys to Newfoundland. He also was commanded by the king to establish two or three fortified presidios and settle them with settlers and slaves, and to begin
5952-491: The ground will not develop the sinkholes that are prevalent in the spine of Florida, where limestone is from 15 to 25 million years old. There are 4,000 species of animals locally. Common mammals include North American river otters , bobcats , white-tailed deer , raccoons , marsh rabbits , scrub lizards , rat snakes , and opossum . Feral pigs , introduced by Europeans, present an occasional traffic hazard. There are an estimated 3,500 endangered gopher tortoises in
6045-466: The hunting and gathering way of life which characterized the Paleoindians. The Windover Archeological Site , discovered in 1982, was found during excavation to have the largest collection of human remains and artifacts of the early Archaic Period (6,000–5,000 BCE), or more than 8,000 years before present. It has been designated as a National Historic Landmark . The Windover pond, which would have been
6138-787: The interior of the Southeast. Captain Pardo was to find and supply an alternate overland route to the Spanish silver mines in central Mexico, as the Spanish mistakenly thought the Appalachian Mountains were part of a range extending that far. In the next couple of years, Pardo and his men traveled into present-day South Carolina and Western North Carolina , stopping at the Mississippian chiefdom of Joara , where they built Fort San Juan and wintered over. In total, his expedition built six forts along this route, including one known as San Pedro at Olamico,
6231-452: The island Ponce de León Island , after Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de León . In December 2012, the island was ultimately not named. Brevard County has 16 municipalities. The largest by population is Palm Bay and the smallest is Melbourne Village. The United States Office of Management and Budget has designated Brevard County as the Palm Bay–Melbourne–Titusville, FL Metropolitan Statistical Area. The United States Census Bureau ranked
6324-434: The nation, which averaged 17%. The population was distributed by age with 19.8% under the age of 18, 7.9% from 18 to 24, 21.5% from 25 to 44, 30.4% from 45 to 64, and 20.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45.5 years. For every 100 females there were 96.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.9 males. In 2010, there were 229,692 households, out of which 23.20% had children under
6417-502: The national average of 27.7%, but the same as the rest of Florida. 14.7% of residents over 25 had undergraduate degrees in engineering. This is almost twice the national average. In 2010, 90.20% of residents spoke only English at home, while 5.29% spoke Spanish , 0.62% German , 0.61% French , and 0.47% French Creole (mostly Haitian Creole ) at home. In total, 9.80% of the population spoke languages other than English in their household. Brevard county commissioners are elected by
6510-426: The position halfway down Florida are two state roads that have been numbered at the midpoint of Florida's numbering system, State Road 50 and State Road 500 . Marshes in the western part of this county, together with those in neighboring Indian River country, are the source of the St. Johns River, which becomes navigable within the county. The Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway along the eastern edge of Brevard County
6603-464: The principal town of Chiaha in southeastern Tennessee. Pardo left the expedition for other business. In 1568 all the Spanish men but one in the garrisons were killed by Native Americans resisting their treatment, and the forts were destroyed. The Spanish did not attempt other colonization in this region. Confident that he had fulfilled his primary contract with the King, including construction of forts along
6696-419: The program. Beginning in the 1960s, new bridges constructed across the waterways were designed as high-rise steel, designed to be high enough to allow passage of boats underneath. As the county was long, people in the southern, more populous side of the county complained about being so distant from the county seat. The county seat of Titusville was 50 miles (80 km) from Palm Bay , the most populous city in
6789-506: The public to establish ordinances and policies for the county. The Commission appoints a County Manager , who executes the will of the commission. The county employed about 2,900 workers in 2009. There are 16 autonomous municipal governments within the county. The various cities, towns and villages of Brevard have varying reliance on services provided by the Brevard County government. About 100,000 households are located outside organized municipalities, and their occupants are directly served by
6882-516: The royal treasury with this Florida enterprise, as it was to include the development of agriculture, fisheries, and naval stores . This ambitious venture was supported materially and politically by his kinship alliance of seventeen families from northern Spain, all tied by blood relations and marriage. They pledged their persons and fortunes to the adelentado, hoping to enrich themselves later with large grants of lands and royal honors of civil and military offices in La Florida . This support gave Menéndez
6975-525: The same path as Frances. The latter two storms caused widespread damage in South Brevard, and resulted in $ 2.8 billion in claim payments. Slightly more than half of one percent (0.6%) of houses were lost. The following storms did not affect Brevard County with hurricane-force winds: Floyd (September 15, 1999), and Irene (October 16, 1999). Tropical Storm Fay dropped a record rainfall of 27.65 inches (70.2 cm) in 2008. The winter of 2009–2010
7068-655: The same time frame. Delinquent taxes were $ 36 million in 2008. In 2012 bonds issued by the county were given a rating of AA by the Fitch Group and improved ratings by Moody's . Brevard County has two unique election districts. One governs Port Canaveral ; the other, the maintenance of the Sebastian Inlet . County Commissioners: Commissioners were paid $ 60,272.98 annually as of January 2023. The following are elected school board officials: The following are considered state officials but are elected and paid by
7161-465: The site it after the Catholic saint, disembarked his troops, and quickly constructed fortifications to protect his people and supplies. Father Francisco López de Mendoza Grajales, the chaplain of the expedition, celebrated the first Thanksgiving Mass on the grounds. The formal Franciscan outpost, Mission Nombre de Dios , was founded at the landing point, perhaps the first mission in what would become
7254-439: The southern part of Brevard split off to form a new county, St. Lucie County in 1905. Gradually, the borders of Brevard County were shifted northward while the county got "pinched" eastward. The portions of Brevard County in present-day Broward and Palm Beach counties were given to Dade County, western areas of the county were given to Polk and Osceola County, and parts of Volusia and Orange Counties were given to Brevard including
7347-594: The third. The exploits of Pedro Menéndez soon became a topic of conversation on the waterfronts of Spain and France, and in the royal courts. Meanwhile, the Seville merchants and the Casa de Contratación (House of Trade) were chagrined by Menéndez's success and his growing influence with the Crown. Menéndez is credited as the Spanish leader who first surveyed and authorized the building of the royal fortresses at major Caribbean ports. He
7440-542: The title of marquis if he was successful. He advised the king of the strategic importance of exploring the Florida coast for discovery of trade passages to the riches of China and Molucca. There was the hope that such waterways might also lead to the mines of New Spain in central Mexico and to the Pacific. He proposed colonizing several areas to defend the territory against incursions by the Indians and foreign powers. Menéndez expected to make vast profits for himself and to increase
7533-642: The wet from June through November. During the dry season, periods of drought often occur, and can lead to a persistent and high wild land fire threat. In numerous instances these fires have caused property damage. Several fires in 2008 forced the evacuation of Bayside High School , in the town of Palm Bay . In that particular event, 162 homes were damaged. January is the coldest month, with an average low of 50.7 °F (10.4 °C) and an average high 71 °F (22 °C). The warmest months are July and August with average highs of 90 °F (32 °C) and average lows of 72.2 °F (22.3 °C). The driest month
7626-405: The woods. Menéndez left a Spanish garrison at the captured fort, now renamed San Mateo. (In 1568 French soldiers led by Dominique de Gourgues returned and destroyed it, killing the Spanish garrison in retaliation for the 1565 massacre.) Menéndez pursued Jean Ribault, who had already left with four ships to attack the Spanish at St. Augustine. After Ribault had put out to sea, he was surprised by
7719-713: Was foreign born , with 59.4% being naturalized American citizens . Of foreign-born residents, 49.1% were born in Latin America , 22.9% were born in Europe , 18.3% born in Asia , 6.4% in North America , 2.4% born in Africa , and 0.9% were born in Oceania . In 2010, 90% of residents had a high school degree, compared with 85% statewide. In 2009, 25.7% of residents had an undergraduate degree, below
7812-466: Was a Spanish admiral, explorer and conquistador from Avilés , in Asturias , Spain . He is notable for planning the first regular trans-oceanic convoys , which became known as the Spanish treasure fleet, and for founding St. Augustine, Florida , in 1565. This was the first successful European settlement in La Florida and the most significant city in the region for nearly three centuries. St. Augustine
7905-466: Was appointed by the Crown in 1554 as Captain-General of the Fleet of the Indies, the Spanish treasure fleet; that year he departed with the fleet and brought it back safely to Spain. He was affirmed in his belief of the strategic importance of the Bahama Channel and that Havana , on the island of Cuba , was the key port to conduct a rendezvous of the annual Flota of treasure galleons. The appointment
7998-554: Was born to an old noble family in the kingdom of Asturias. He was one of the younger sons of Juan Alonso Sánchez de Avilés, who had served the Catholic Monarchs in the war of War of Granada , and María Alonso y Menéndez Arango. His parents had twenty children, and Pedro was still a child when his father died. After Doña Maria remarried, Pedro was sent to live with a relative who promised to oversee his education. Pedro and his guardian did not get along, and he ran away from home. He
8091-535: Was found six months later in Valladolid and taken back to his foster home. Eventually Menéndez entered the military and went off to fight in one of the wars with France. He served at sea in a small armada against the French corsairs who harassed the maritime commerce of Spain. After two years of fighting, Menéndez returned to his family, having conceived a plan to use part of his inheritance to build his own vessel. He built
8184-542: Was highly prestigious, and it was unusual for the Crown to make the appointment. In the past the Casa de Contratación had controlled this position. King Phillip II and Menéndez maintained a close relationship. The Crown invited him to be a part of the Royal Party when Phillip married Mary I, Queen of England . In 1559, Philip II again appointed Menéndez as Captain General, and his brother Bartolomé Menéndez as Admiral, of
8277-424: Was in the relatively undeveloped low-lying areas, west of Interstate 95, on the banks of the St. Johns River . About 18,900 homes out of 164,000 single-family homes were in that area. Florida is located both in the subtropical and the tropical climate zone , and thus regularly affected by hurricanes . Although Brevard County is located along Florida's eastern peninsula, because of associated weather patterns, it
8370-449: Was part of either Volusia or Orange counties. Brevard County in 1856 extended as far west as Polk County and as far south as coastal Dade County. Complicating the discussion of Brevard County in the 19th century is that the boundaries have shifted such that the southernmost parts of present-day Brevard, were originally the northernmost parts. The original county seat was located at Susannah , an early name for present day Fort Pierce. Later
8463-549: Was solidified by Menéndez's marriage to Carlos's sister, who took the baptismal name Doña Antonia. The peace was uneasy, and Menéndez's use of his new wife as a hostage in negotiations with her people, as well as his negotiating with the Calusas' enemies, the Tocobagas , helped cause the decline of relations to all out war, which continued intermittently into the next century. Menéndez was unsuccessful in locating his son Juan. Establishing
8556-616: Was the coldest on record since 1937, when such records were first kept. Planting season, which normally starts around February 14, came six weeks later instead. Some flowers and herbs are planted as early as January. December 2010 was the coldest December on record. Brevard County works together with the federal and state government to control pollution and preserve wetlands and coastal areas through lands dedicated to conservation and wildlife protection. There are 250 square miles (650 km ) of federally protected wildlife refuges . These lands include Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge ,
8649-541: Was the first of major federal investment in projects to aid the development of Brevard County. In the late 1950s, the government opened the Long Range Proving Ground. This later became the Kennedy Space Center. These facilities helped stimulate development in the county; where Brevard had once been considered a "backwoods" area of Florida, it attracted more educated workers and scientists associated with
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