Cocoa Beach Collection
Dublin Core
Title
Cocoa Beach Collection
Alternative Title
Cocoa Collection
Subject
Cocoa Beach (Fla.)
Description
The first non-Amerindian settlement of the present-day Cocoa Beach area, then known as Oceanus, was a group of emancipated slaves following the end of the American Civil War. A group of citizens of neighboring Cocoa purchased the property in 1888, but left it undeveloped for several decades. In 1923, one of the groups members, Gus C. Edwards, purchased the land from his fellow co-owners. Cocoa Beach was incorporated as town on June 5, 1925. Edwards was elected the first mayor.
The Florida Department of Transportation constructed State Road 140 (present-day State Road A1A) in 1935, allowing for increased development. In 1944, a Florida Legislature bill that would have dissolved the city government was defeated. The town was incorporated as a city on June 29, 1957. With the construction of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)'s John F. Kennedy Space Center (KCS), the city of Cocoa Beach experienced a major growth in population and economic development. However, the city experienced layoffs and economic decline during the period between the conclusion of the Apollo Program and the introduction of the Space Shuttle Program.
The Florida Department of Transportation constructed State Road 140 (present-day State Road A1A) in 1935, allowing for increased development. In 1944, a Florida Legislature bill that would have dissolved the city government was defeated. The town was incorporated as a city on June 29, 1957. With the construction of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)'s John F. Kennedy Space Center (KCS), the city of Cocoa Beach experienced a major growth in population and economic development. However, the city experienced layoffs and economic decline during the period between the conclusion of the Apollo Program and the introduction of the Space Shuttle Program.
Contributor
Cepero, Nancy Lynn
Is Part Of
Brevard County Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.
Language
eng
Type
Collection
Coverage
Cocoa Beach, Florida
Curator
Cepero, Laura
Digital Collection
External Reference
"The History of Cocoa Beach, Florida." City of Cocoa Beach. http://www.cityofcocoabeach.com/citylife/city_history1920-1980.htm.
Arnold, Wade. Cocoa Beach. Charleston, SC: Arcadia Pub, 2008.
Collection Items
Crossway Inn Postcard
A postcard depicting the Crossway Inn, located at 3901 North Atlantic Avenue in Cocoa Beach, Florida. The inn had 100 rooms, a cocktail lounge, a restaurant, a swimming pool, and a private beach. The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT)…
Starlite Motel Postcard
A postcard depicting the Starlite Motel, located along Florida State Road A1A (SR A1A) in Cocoa Beach, Florida. The motel was founded by B.G. Nabbs, who partnered with Sid Raffle to lease some rooms to the U.S. Air Force (USAF). The motel also had…
Cocoa Beach Postcard
A postcard depicting the intersection of Atlantic Avenue and Minutemen Causeway in Cocoa Beach, Florida. Bernard's Surf was a restaurant located at 2 South Atlantic Avenue and originally founded by Bernard Fischer in 1948. In 1965, Fischer's nephew,…
Ramada Inn Postcard
A postcard depicting Ramada Inn, located at 900 North Atlantic Avenue in Cocoa Beach, Florida. Adjacent to the hotel was Wolfie's Restaurant and Sandwich Shop, a restaurant chain established by Wilfred Cohen (d. 1986) as Al's Sandwich Shop in Miami…
Ramon's Postcard
A postcard depicting the Ramon's, located at the corner of Atlantic Avenue and Florida State Road A1A (SR A1A) in Cocoa Beach, Florida. Ramon's was established by Donald Holt and Allene D. Holt (d. 2013) when they migrated to Cocoa Beach in 1956. The…
The Bal-Ray Resort Postcard
A postcard depicting the Bal-Ray Resort, located at 400 North Atlantic Avenue in Cocoa Beach, Florida. In the 1970s, the motel was owned by Peggy Lea. Little else is known about the Bal-Ray Resort's history.The first non-Amerindian settlement of the…
Canaveral Pier Postcard
A postcard depicting the Canaveral Pier in Cocoa Beach, Florida. Now called the Cocoa Beach Pier, planning for the pier began in 1925, following the began election of Gus C. Edwards as mayor, although pier was not constructed until 1962. The…
Cocoa Beach Glass Bank in 3D
A video simulation of the Cocoa Beach Glass Bank as it appear in 1963. The video was produced by the Institute for Simulation & Training and the College of Arts & Humanities at the University of Central Florida. Also known as the First…
Cocoa Beach, 1991
Cocoa Beach, Florida, in September of 1991. The first non-Amerindian settlement of the area, known as Oceanus, was a group of emancipated slaves following the end of the American Civil War. A group of citizens of neighboring Cocoa purchased the…
Collection Tree
- Brevard County Collection
- Cocoa Beach Collection