Melbourne Beach, Florida
Encyclopedia
Melbourne Beach is a town in Brevard County
, Florida
, United States
. The population was 3,335 at the 2000 census. As of 2005, the population estimated by the U.S. Census Bureau is 3,314. It is part of the Palm Bay
–Melbourne
–Titusville
Metropolitan Statistical Area.
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.
When Ponce de Leon
landed near Melbourne Beach in 1513, he became the first Europe
an 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." His figures and findings are generally accepted by modern historians.
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 acres (66.4 ha) location near Aquarina.
The town was established in 1883 by a retired Union general. Pineapple
s 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.
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.
that separates the Indian River Lagoon
from the Atlantic Ocean
. This island, approximately 35 miles (56.3 km) in length, stretches from Cape Canaveral
to the north to the Sebastian Inlet (see The Sebastian Inlet State Park
) to the south. Melbourne Beach is neighbored 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.
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.
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 for per capita income and 124 out of 887 places.
Brevard County, Florida
Brevard County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida, along the coast of the Atlantic Ocean. As of 2007 U.S. Census Bureau estimates, the population is 536,521, making it the 10th most populous county in the state. Influenced by the presence of the John F. Kennedy Space Center, Brevard...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 3,335 at the 2000 census. As of 2005, the population estimated by the U.S. Census Bureau is 3,314. It is part of the Palm Bay
Palm Bay, Florida
Palm Bay is a city in Brevard County, Florida, United States. The U.S. Census Bureau estimated the city's population as 100,786 on 1 July 2008; it is the most populous city in the county...
–Melbourne
Melbourne, Florida
Melbourne is a city in Brevard County, Florida, United States. As of 2009, the population estimated by the U.S. Census Bureau is 78,323. The municipal area is the second largest by size and by population in the county. Melbourne is a principal city of the Palm Bay – Melbourne – Titusville, Florida...
–Titusville
Titusville, Florida
Titusville is a city in Brevard County, Florida in the United States. It is the county seat of Brevard County. Nicknamed Space City, USA, Titusville is on the Indian River, west of Merritt Island and the Kennedy Space Center and south-southwest of the Canaveral National Seashore...
Metropolitan Statistical Area.
History
The AisAIS
-As a word:* Ais people, a Native American tribe living on the Treasure coast of Florida, United States which had completely disappeared by the mid-18th Century.*Plural of:** ai ** AI -Medicine:...
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.
When Ponce de Leon
Ponce de León
-People:* Juan Ponce de León, a Spanish explorer of the Americas and first Governor of Puerto Rico* Juan Ponce de León y Loayza, the son of Juan Ponce de León II, and early settler of Ponce, Puerto Rico...
landed near Melbourne Beach in 1513, he became the first Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an to set foot in Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. A determination of this was made by a historian in the 1990s, who believed that the spot was "within five to eight nautical miles." His figures and findings are generally accepted by modern historians.
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 acres (66.4 ha) location near Aquarina.
The town was established in 1883 by a retired Union general. Pineapple
Pineapple
Pineapple is the common name for a tropical plant and its edible fruit, which is actually a multiple fruit consisting of coalesced berries. It was given the name pineapple due to its resemblance to a pine cone. The pineapple is by far the most economically important plant in the Bromeliaceae...
s were grown until 1895, when freezing weather wiped out crops and ended commercial farming.
In 1921, the Melbourne Causeway
Melbourne Causeway
The Melbourne Causeway is located entirely within Brevard County, Florida in the United States. It is composed of three bridges and connects the municipalities of Melbourne, Florida and Indialantic, Florida across the Indian River Lagoon in Brevard County. The causeway is part of U.S...
was built, connecting Melbourne Beach to the mainland via the town of Indialantic
Indialantic, Florida
Indialantic is a town in Brevard County, Florida, United States. The name is a portmanteau derived from the town's location between the Indian River Lagoon and the Atlantic Ocean....
. In 1923 it was incorporated as a town.
The town's population oscillated until World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, 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 1982-1985
- Richard Coston c 1985- c. 1997
- Robert Wille 1997 - 2002
- Mark Crispin 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)
Geography
Melbourne Beach is located at 28.067745°N 80.561724°W. It is situated on an (apparently unnamed) barrier islandBarrier island
Barrier islands, a coastal landform and a type of barrier system, are relatively narrow strips of sand that parallel the mainland coast. They usually occur in chains, consisting of anything from a few islands to more than a dozen...
that separates the Indian River Lagoon
Indian River Lagoon
The Indian River Lagoon is a grouping of three lagoons: Mosquito Lagoon, Banana River, and the Indian River, on the Atlantic Coast of Florida. It was originally named Rio de Ais after the Ais Indian tribe, who lived along the east coast of Florida....
from the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
. This island, approximately 35 miles (56.3 km) in length, stretches from Cape Canaveral
Cape Canaveral
Cape Canaveral, from the Spanish Cabo Cañaveral, is a headland in Brevard County, Florida, United States, near the center of the state's Atlantic coast. Known as Cape Kennedy from 1963 to 1973, it lies east of Merritt Island, separated from it by the Banana River.It is part of a region known as the...
to the north to the Sebastian Inlet (see The Sebastian Inlet State Park
Sebastian Inlet State Park
Sebastian Inlet State Park is a Florida State Park located 10 miles south of Melbourne Beach and 6 miles north of Vero Beach, Florida. The park lies on both sides of the Sebastian Inlet, which forms the boundary between Brevard and Indian River counties. The land for the park was acquired by the...
) to the south. Melbourne Beach is neighbored by the town of Indialantic
Indialantic, Florida
Indialantic is a town in Brevard County, Florida, United States. The name is a portmanteau derived from the town's location between the Indian River Lagoon and the Atlantic Ocean....
to the north.
According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, 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 censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 3,335 people, 1,422 households, and 992 families residing in the town. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
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
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 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
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
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.
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 incomePer capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
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 for per capita income and 124 out of 887 places.
Points of interest
- Melbourne Beach PierMelbourne Beach PierThe Melbourne Beach Pier is a historic pier in Melbourne Beach, Florida, United States. It is located at Ocean Avenue and Riverside Drive. On April 12, 1984, it was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.-References:* at *****...
- Old Melbourne Beach Town HallOld Melbourne Beach Town HallThe Old Melbourne Beach Town Hall is a historic building currently located at 2372 Oak Street, Melbourne Beach, Florida, United States. This building was built in 1908 at Ryckman Park as the offices of the Melbourne Beach Improvement Company...
- Ryckman ParkRyckman ParkRyckman Park is a public park located on Ocean Avenue in Melbourne Beach, Florida on the Indian River. The park contains the Town Hall, the Melbourne Beach Community Center, a playground and several gazebos. The park holds numerous annual events. It is famous for its annual Founder's Day...
Notable residents
- Bobby DallBobby DallRobert Harry Kuykendall also known as Bobby Dall is an American musician best known as the bass guitarist for Poison. Dall is the youngest of three children...
, musician, bass player with the rock band Poison - Jorja FoxJorja FoxJorja-An Fox , is an American actress, musician and songwriter. She first came to prominence as a guest star on the television drama ER, portraying the recurring role of Dr. Maggie Doyle from 1996 to 1999. This was followed by another critical success in the recurring role of Secret Service Agent...
, television actress, was raised in Melbourne Beach - Doug FlutieDoug FlutieDouglas Richard "Doug" Flutie is a former American and Canadian football quarterback. Flutie played college football at Boston College, and played professionally in the National Football League, Canadian Football League, and United States Football League...
, football player, lived in Melbourne Beach for part of his childhood, and returned to raise his family. - James Henry GillisJames Henry GillisJames Henry Gillis was an Rear Admiral in the United States Navy. His active-duty career extended from the 1850s through the 1890s, including service in the American Civil War.-Biography:...
, Rear Admiral, retired here - Homer RodeheaverHomer RodeheaverHomer Alvan Rodeheaver was an American evangelist, music director, music publisher, composer of gospel songs, and pioneer in the recording of sacred music.- Early career :...
, Billy SundayBilly SundayWilliam Ashley "Billy" Sunday was an American athlete who, after being a popular outfielder in baseball's National League during the 1880s, became the most celebrated and influential American evangelist during the first two decades of the 20th century.Born into poverty in Iowa, Sunday spent some...
's music arranger; later formed a subdivision in town, "Christian Colony," for retired evangelists. Rody Road intersects with SR A1A north of the Oak Lodge site.