It is said that during the Pleistocene era that there were a strong presence of the Paleo-Indian culture in this area. In complying with history there have been many interesting finds in Melbourne. One of these finds included the discovery of a mammoth. After the mammoth was discovered a second smaller elephant creature was found as well. As more land was looked at and reviewed there were many discoveries that were made. There are many artifacts that have come from the area during studies of the land.
Melbourne, Florida was founded in 1867 after the Civil War and was founded by former slaves. The first name of the city was Crane Creek but was later changed to Melbourne after their first postmaster who grew up in Melbourne, Australia. Over the years Melbourne continued to grow and flourish with the aid of many different businesses and different types of cultural influences. Over time Melbourne has become one of the most popular cities in Florida both to visit and to live in.
Historically, the place that gives this entire area its “name” is the oldest and best-known community on what Floridians call the “Space Coast”.
Melbourne is right in the center of a long north-south corridor – coastal Brevard County – that is sandwiched between the St. Johns River Basin to the West and the Atlantic Ocean.
It stretches from Palm Bay and other smaller communities in the south through Melbourne, West Melbourne, and Melbourne Village in central Brevard to Viera, Cocoa and Titusville in the north.
And it includes a half dozen beach communities on one long, fabulous barrier island stretching from Sebastian Inlet to Cape Canaveral. This “greater Melbourne” is a growing residential area in Florida.
Yet Melbourne itself is reminiscent of an older not so built up Florida.
The main streets are wide and the city is well maintained. It has Arts, Fine Dining Health and Educational facilities that compare with the best Florida’s larger cities offer. It’s just an hour from Orlando and three hours from Miami. The location makes anywhere in the state very accessible. Even remote Key West is just a 5 or 6 hour drive. As to Outdoor and recreational opportunities, in my opinion it’s one of the best places in Florida. The beaches are not jammed, there is plenty of access and it’s not wall to wall development.
When you approach the Ocean over the high bridge across the Indian River (the Intra-Coastal Waterway or ICW), your view is sweeping. It is not blocked by condos and hotels, thanks to strict zoning laws enacted well before the current rapid growth and development. For one thing, there are 3- and 4-story height limits, unlike what you find throughout much of South Florida. For another, there is lots of easy to find, easy to use “forever” beach access. Before development there was conservation, and Melbourne and its beachside communities have some of the nicest public beaches in all of Florida
Melbourne also has a great Old-Town, downtown area with specialty shops, antique stores, theaters, restaurants and more. There are dining places overlooking both the Indian River Lagoon (the IntraCoastal) and the Ocean. Another Old Town section, Eau Gallie, features art galleries and the county art museum.
In a recent study, with a major space employer in Melbourne, the employees had this to say.
Melbourne is a safe place to live it has great weather and lots of sun It’s easy to travel and get to work and there are good job opportunities...
· There is a wide variety of recreational facilities.
· It’s easy to get involved in the community.
· It’s a great place for creative people.
· Melbourne has the amenities that a larger town would have and,
· Yet it has a small town atmosphere.
Melbourne, and its landside communities of West Melbourne and Melbourne Village, plus its beachside communities of Indialantic, Melbourne Beach, and Floridian (going south), or Indian Harbor Beach and Satellite Beach (going north) is simply a great place to live.
What to Do In Melbourne, Florida
In Melbourne, you will more than likely want to experience some of the things in the area. You can check out some of the old excavation sites where they found some of the great Indian relics. You can also go to great plays, festivals and demonstrations. Melbourne is also very popular for the number of golf courses that surround the area. You also cannot miss sampling some of the great BBQ that comes out of the area as well as its great restaurants. Melbourne is also a boater's paradise. with Summer brook only minutes from the Inter coastal, you can easily trailer you boat to the river or have it stored in a local marina. The boat traffic on the Inter coastal is very light. Brevard Zoo offers lots of activities like kayaking, riding the train and feeding the animals. In addition, daily the Zoo offers animal demonstrations that rotate depending on the day including alligator, otter and vulture feedings. If you can’t get enough of the Zoo or are simply a nature enthusiast consider checking out our many guided outdoor adventures here as well as the Treetop Trek Aerial Adventures.
The Avenues
The Avenue, is an outdoor lifestyle center concept with seven locations throughout the Southeast. The Avenue offers a dynamic mix of premier national retailers, select local merchants and specialty restaurants reflective of local demand and fashion trends. The shopping destination features an open-air, pedestrian friendly setting convenient to major metropolitan areas. Shoppers can visit The Avenue at Viera, only minuets from the Summerbrook community.
