The Bal-Ray Resort Postcard
Dublin Core
Title
The Bal-Ray Resort Postcard
Alternative Title
Bal-Ray Resort Postcard
Subject
Cocoa Beach (Fla.)
Hotels--Florida
Description
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 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 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 (KSC), 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 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 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 (KSC), 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.
Source
Original 9 x 14 centimeter color photographic postcard: Private Collection of Bob Van Horn.
Publisher
Kaesser &
Blair, Inc.
Date Created
ca. 1970-1979
Contributor
Van Horn, Bob
Is Format Of
Digital reproduction of original 9 x 14 centimeter color photographic postcard.
Is Part Of
Cocoa Beach Collection, Brevard County Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.
Requires
Format
application/pdf
Extent
286 KB
Medium
9 x 14 centimeter color photographic postcard
Language
eng
Type
Still Image
Coverage
Bal-Ray Resort, Cocoa Beach, Florida
Accrual Method
Donation
Mediator
History Teacher
Geography Teacher
Provenance
Originally published by Kaesser &
Blair, Inc.
Rights Holder
Copyright to this resource is held by Bob Van Horn and is provided here by RICHES of Central Florida for educational purposes only.
Curator
Cepero, Laura
Digital Collection
External Reference
The Associated Press. "​Record Number of Tourist Jam Florida." The Ocala Star-Banner, March 6, 1972. https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1356&dat=19720306&id=ZXZPAAAAIBAJ&sjid=KQUEAAAAIBAJ&pg=7548,1059172&hl=en.
Collection
Citation
“The Bal-Ray Resort Postcard,” RICHES, accessed April 26, 2024, https://richesmi.cah.ucf.edu/omeka/items/show/7555.