Cocoa, Florida
Encyclopedia
Cocoa is a city in Brevard County
, Florida
, United States
. The population was 16,412 at the 2000 census. As of 2008, the estimated population according to the U.S. Census Bureau was 16,478. It is part of the Palm Bay
–Melbourne
–Titusville
Metropolitan Statistical Area.
was established at Magnolia Point and the city's first commercial building was erected around 1881. First plat
s of the new settlement were made in 1882 under the name "Indian River City" on land owned by Captain R. A. Hardee. The name Indian River City was unacceptable to the U.S. Postal authorities who claimed it was too long for use on a postmark
.
The origin of the city's name is uncertain. In 1925, the Cocoa Tribune published several reader-supplied accounts of the town's naming. One reader credited Captain R.C. May with recommending the name at a town meeting in 1884. At Captain May's suggestion, the group finally chose the name "Cocoa" for the town's association with the Cocoa tree. The name was forwarded to Washington, D.C. where it was approved. Another story suggests that an old woman was inspired by a box of baker's cocoa and her suggestion was adopted. Still another version suggests that along the bank of the Indian River
lived an old woman who would supply hot cocoa to sailors as they traveled along the river. As they passed, they would call out "cocoa, cocoa" until the woman supplied them with refreshment. Whatever its origin, by 1884 the name Cocoa had become permanently associated with what was then an infant settlement.
In 1885, the S. F. Travis Hardware store opened. It is still in business in 2011.
Cocoa's business district was destroyed by fire in 1890, but soon, significant development began to occur with the extension of the Jacksonville, St. Augustine, and Indian River Railway to Cocoa.
The city was chartered in 1895. In the winter of 1894-1895, Cocoa suffered a second severe economic setback when the "Great Freeze
" destroyed the citrus
crop and forced many citrus workers to seek new occupations. According to one source, by 1903, the population of Cocoa had dropped to 382.
During the second decade of the 20th century, population growth and economic development in Cocoa accelerated. The state business directory of 1911-1912 set the population at 550. By 1925, the population was estimated at 1,800. During the Great Depression
, the local economy declined and the two local banks failed. Still, by 1930, the population had risen to 2,200.
The population rose dramatically following the development of the space industry, quadrupling from 3,098 in 1940 to 12,244 in 1960. Cocoa and the surrounding area also became integrated with the tourist industry for the first time as thousands visited the area to witness the launches from Cape Canaveral. By 1980, the population had grown to 16,096.
Education was segregated until the 1960s at which time Monroe High School and elementary schools for black students, were closed.
In 1964, the city built the Cocoa Expo Sports Center
(Cocoa Stadium) for the Colt 45s spring baseball training and Grapefruit League games. The team later became the Houston Astros
. In the early 1980s, the city attempted to upgrade the stadium by asking the Astros to pay for needed repairs. In 1985, the team responded by moving its training to Osceola County Stadium
in Kissimmee, Florida
. As a result, it was decided that future negotiations with major league teams would be done by the county government.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 9.5 square miles (24.6 km²). 7.5 square miles (19.4 km²) of it is land and 2.1 square miles (5.4 km²) of it (21.64%) is water.
Downtown, now called "Cocoa Village", has been revived with a series of government grants and private investment. The Diamond Square Redevelopment Agency has been established with the goal of improving residential and commercial values in the city's minority areas.
In 2011, the city manager's salary was $145,000 annually.
In 2007, the city had a taxable real estate base of $1.18 billion.
Along with one other city in the county, Cocoa has its own fire department with three stations. There is a county fire department within the city limits.
There are 66 police officers and 35 firemen. Employees paid 6.5% of their pay towards retirement; the city paid another 58.8% additional to the firemen's trust fund, and 22.3% to the police pension plan.
From 2002–07, Cocoa subsidized YMCA
membership at the Brevard Community College
for city residents at a cost of $70,000 annually.
of 2000, there were 16,412 people, 6,939 households, and 4,232 families residing in the city. The population density
was 2,200.3 inhabitants per square mile (849.4/km2). There were 8,064 housing units at an average density of 1,081.1 per square mile (417.4/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 62.47% White, 32.28% African American, 0.63% Native American, 0.94% Asian, 0.23% Pacific Islander, 1.58% from other races
, and 1.87% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.93% of the population.
There were 6,939 households out of which 28.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.0% were married couples
living together, 19.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.0% were non-families. 32.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.5% 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 2.97.
In the city the population was distributed as follow: 26.4% under the age of 18, 8.6% from 18 to 24, 29.1% from 25 to 44, 21.6% from 45 to 64, and 14.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 90.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.4 males.
Based on 2009 FDLE & FBI reporting in the UCR, the city of Cocoa has the highest crime rate and arrest rate per capita in Brevard County.
In 2010 Cocoa had the lowest percentage of people with undergraduate degrees in the county, 15%, compared with 26% countywide. They also had the highest percentage of people living in poverty, 27%, nearly twice that of the nearest measured municipality, compared with 10% average countywide.
CNC Industries, located in Cocoa, is the third-largest manufacturer of pistols in the United States.
The median home price in 2007 was $180,000.
runs through Cocoa, staying west of U.S. 1 through its entire run.
Cocoa is the largest supplier of water in the county. It serves about 200,000 customers. The city provides water not only to its residents but to surrounding cities and towns and county at a premium, including Port St. John
, south to the Pineda Causeway in north Melbourne, and includes residents from Merritt Island
, Cocoa Beach
, Suntree
, Viera
, Rockledge
, Kennedy Space Center
, Patrick Air Force Base
, and Cape Canaveral
. The city stores about 500000000 gallons (1,892,706,000 l) of water underground using aquifer storage and recovery technology.
held spring-training in Cocoa from 1964 through 1984 and the Florida Marlins
trained in Cocoa in 1993. Cocoa Stadium was also the long-time home of the Florida State League
Cocoa Astros.
In 2009, the Space Coast Surge, a member of the Florida Winter Baseball League had Cocoa Stadium
as its home stadium. The league suspended operations in November 2009.
. On October 7, 2007, the city became a sister city with Beit Shemesh. Brevard Community College
announced that it would participate by exchanging students
.
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 16,412 at the 2000 census. As of 2008, the estimated population according to the U.S. Census Bureau was 16,478. 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
Cocoa was founded by fishermen with the first families arriving around 1860. A post officePost office
A post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
was established at Magnolia Point and the city's first commercial building was erected around 1881. First plat
Plat
A plat in the U.S. is a map, drawn to scale, showing the divisions of a piece of land. Other English-speaking countries generally call such documents a cadastral map or plan....
s of the new settlement were made in 1882 under the name "Indian River City" on land owned by Captain R. A. Hardee. The name Indian River City was unacceptable to the U.S. Postal authorities who claimed it was too long for use on a postmark
Postmark
thumb|USS TexasA postmark is a postal marking made on a letter, package, postcard or the like indicating the date and time that the item was delivered into the care of the postal service...
.
The origin of the city's name is uncertain. In 1925, the Cocoa Tribune published several reader-supplied accounts of the town's naming. One reader credited Captain R.C. May with recommending the name at a town meeting in 1884. At Captain May's suggestion, the group finally chose the name "Cocoa" for the town's association with the Cocoa tree. The name was forwarded to Washington, D.C. where it was approved. Another story suggests that an old woman was inspired by a box of baker's cocoa and her suggestion was adopted. Still another version suggests that along the bank of the Indian River
Indian River (Florida)
The Indian River is a waterway in Florida, a part of the Indian River Lagoon system which forms the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway. It extends southward from the Ponce de Leon inlet in New Smyrna Beach, Florida [Volusia County] southward and across the "Haulover Canal" and along the western shore...
lived an old woman who would supply hot cocoa to sailors as they traveled along the river. As they passed, they would call out "cocoa, cocoa" until the woman supplied them with refreshment. Whatever its origin, by 1884 the name Cocoa had become permanently associated with what was then an infant settlement.
In 1885, the S. F. Travis Hardware store opened. It is still in business in 2011.
Cocoa's business district was destroyed by fire in 1890, but soon, significant development began to occur with the extension of the Jacksonville, St. Augustine, and Indian River Railway to Cocoa.
The city was chartered in 1895. In the winter of 1894-1895, Cocoa suffered a second severe economic setback when the "Great Freeze
Great Freeze
The Great Freeze refers to the winter of 1894-1895, especially in Florida where the brutally cold weather destroyed much of the nation's citrus crop. It was also known for wiping out the Royal Palm tree from central Florida.-Weather Records:...
" destroyed the citrus
Citrus
Citrus is a common term and genus of flowering plants in the rue family, Rutaceae. Citrus is believed to have originated in the part of Southeast Asia bordered by Northeastern India, Myanmar and the Yunnan province of China...
crop and forced many citrus workers to seek new occupations. According to one source, by 1903, the population of Cocoa had dropped to 382.
During the second decade of the 20th century, population growth and economic development in Cocoa accelerated. The state business directory of 1911-1912 set the population at 550. By 1925, the population was estimated at 1,800. During the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
, the local economy declined and the two local banks failed. Still, by 1930, the population had risen to 2,200.
The population rose dramatically following the development of the space industry, quadrupling from 3,098 in 1940 to 12,244 in 1960. Cocoa and the surrounding area also became integrated with the tourist industry for the first time as thousands visited the area to witness the launches from Cape Canaveral. By 1980, the population had grown to 16,096.
Education was segregated until the 1960s at which time Monroe High School and elementary schools for black students, were closed.
In 1964, the city built the Cocoa Expo Sports Center
Cocoa Expo Sports Center
The Cocoa Expo Sports Center is a multi-sport complex located near Cocoa, Florida. It was originally built in 1964 by the city of Cocoa as the spring training home for Major League Baseball's Houston Astros ....
(Cocoa Stadium) for the Colt 45s spring baseball training and Grapefruit League games. The team later became the Houston Astros
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field...
. In the early 1980s, the city attempted to upgrade the stadium by asking the Astros to pay for needed repairs. In 1985, the team responded by moving its training to Osceola County Stadium
Osceola County Stadium
Osceola County Stadium is a baseball park located in Kissimmee, Florida. It is the home stadium of the Gulf Coast League Astros rookie league minor league baseball team of the Gulf Coast League. It is also the spring training home of the Houston Astros and their minor league affiliates. The stadium...
in Kissimmee, Florida
Kissimmee, Florida
Kissimmee is a city in Osceola County, Florida, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 59,682. It is the county seat of Osceola County...
. As a result, it was decided that future negotiations with major league teams would be done by the county government.
Geography
Cocoa is located at 28.369334°N 80.743779°W.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 city has a total area of 9.5 square miles (24.6 km²). 7.5 square miles (19.4 km²) of it is land and 2.1 square miles (5.4 km²) of it (21.64%) is water.
Fauna
The Cocoa Bird Count has annually counted species of birds in or near Cocoa since 1950. In 2010, it counted 150 species. There was an annual "Christmas Bird Count" before this starting in 1900.Government
Cocoa first approved the Council-Manager form of government in 1959, and subsequent changes to the state statutes mirrored the City of Cocoa's Council-Manager Plan. The City Council serves as the Board of Directors for the City, with the Mayor as Chairman. The City Manager serves as the Chief Executive. The City Council for the City of Cocoa is made up of five members; the Mayor is elected at large and the four council members are elected by each of their districts.- Mayor - Mike Blake (Cocoa's first African American mayor)
- Deputy Mayor and Councilman, District 1 - Clarence Whipple
- Councilmember, District 2 - Jake Williams
- Councilmember, District 3 - Don Boisvert
- Councilmember, District 4 - James McCarthy
- City Manager (appointed) - Brenda Fettrow
Downtown, now called "Cocoa Village", has been revived with a series of government grants and private investment. The Diamond Square Redevelopment Agency has been established with the goal of improving residential and commercial values in the city's minority areas.
In 2011, the city manager's salary was $145,000 annually.
In 2007, the city had a taxable real estate base of $1.18 billion.
Along with one other city in the county, Cocoa has its own fire department with three stations. There is a county fire department within the city limits.
There are 66 police officers and 35 firemen. Employees paid 6.5% of their pay towards retirement; the city paid another 58.8% additional to the firemen's trust fund, and 22.3% to the police pension plan.
From 2002–07, Cocoa subsidized YMCA
YMCA
The Young Men's Christian Association is a worldwide organization of more than 45 million members from 125 national federations affiliated through the World Alliance of YMCAs...
membership at the Brevard Community College
Brevard Community College
Brevard Community College, founded in 1960, is a community college on Florida's Space Coast, in Brevard County, Florida. It has four campuses in Cocoa, Melbourne, Palm Bay, and Titusville, as well as an Aerospace program at Kennedy Space Center and a Virtual Campus...
for city residents at a cost of $70,000 annually.
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 16,412 people, 6,939 households, and 4,232 families residing in the city. 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 2,200.3 inhabitants per square mile (849.4/km2). There were 8,064 housing units at an average density of 1,081.1 per square mile (417.4/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 62.47% White, 32.28% African American, 0.63% Native American, 0.94% Asian, 0.23% Pacific Islander, 1.58% 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 1.87% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.93% of the population.
There were 6,939 households out of which 28.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.0% 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, 19.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.0% were non-families. 32.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.5% 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 2.97.
In the city the population was distributed as follow: 26.4% under the age of 18, 8.6% from 18 to 24, 29.1% from 25 to 44, 21.6% from 45 to 64, and 14.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 90.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.4 males.
Based on 2009 FDLE & FBI reporting in the UCR, the city of Cocoa has the highest crime rate and arrest rate per capita in Brevard County.
In 2010 Cocoa had the lowest percentage of people with undergraduate degrees in the county, 15%, compared with 26% countywide. They also had the highest percentage of people living in poverty, 27%, nearly twice that of the nearest measured municipality, compared with 10% average countywide.
Personal income
According to the 2000 Census:- Median household income = $27,062
- Median family income = $31,243
- Median income for males = $27,294
- Median income for females = $22,500
- Per capita incomePer capita incomePer 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...
= $15,665 - Below the poverty line:
- Families = 21.8%
- Population = 24.1%
- Those under age 18 = 38.7%
- Those over age 64 = 11.8%
Industry
Kel-TecKel-Tec
Kel-Tec CNC Industries Inc. is a United States manufacturer of firearms. Founded in 1991 and based in Cocoa, Florida, the company has manufactured firearms since 1995, starting with small, affordable semi-automatic pistols and expanding to rifles. Kel-Tec is a privately-owned Florida corporation....
CNC Industries, located in Cocoa, is the third-largest manufacturer of pistols in the United States.
Workforce
In 2007, the average size of Cocoa's labor force was 9,068. Of that group, 8,427 were employed and 641 were unemployed, for an unemployment rate of 7.1%.Housing
In 2008, 49 building permits were issued. This was up from 37 permits in 2007, which was down from an estimated 57 permits in 2006.The median home price in 2007 was $180,000.
Education
The city area has the following educational institutions:- Cocoa High SchoolCocoa High SchoolCocoa High School is located in Cocoa, Florida and is part of the Brevard Public Schools District. 1272 students attend. There are 78 faculty members, giving a student/teacher ratio of 17.8. The principal is Dr...
- Brevard Community CollegeBrevard Community CollegeBrevard Community College, founded in 1960, is a community college on Florida's Space Coast, in Brevard County, Florida. It has four campuses in Cocoa, Melbourne, Palm Bay, and Titusville, as well as an Aerospace program at Kennedy Space Center and a Virtual Campus...
- Cocoa Campus - University of Central FloridaUniversity of Central FloridaThe University of Central Florida, commonly referred to as UCF, is a metropolitan public research university located in Orlando, Florida, United States...
- Cocoa Campus - Clearlake Middle School
- Cambridge Elementary School
- Saturn Elementary School
- Endeavor Elementary Magnet School
Major roads
All are at least four-lane roads, unless otherwise designated.-
U.S. 1U.S. Route 1 in FloridaU.S. Route 1 in Florida runs along the state's east coast from Key West to its crossing of the St. Marys River into Georgia north of Boulogne, and south of Folkston. US 1 was designated through Florida when the U.S. Highway System was established in 1926.US 1 runs in the state of Florida, and...
-
Interstate 95Interstate 95 in FloridaInterstate 95 is the main Interstate Highway on the east coast of the United States; it serves the Atlantic coast of Florida. It begins at a partial interchange with U.S. Highway 1 just south of downtown Miami, and heads north past Daytona Beach and Jacksonville to the Georgia state line at the St...
- There is one exit - Exit 201 (Florida Route 520)
-
SR 520 . 25,000 vehicles/day drive through downtown Cocoa. -
SR 524
Rail
The Florida East Coast RailwayFlorida East Coast Railway
The Florida East Coast Railway is a Class II railroad operating in the U.S. state of Florida; in the past, it has been a Class I railroad.Built primarily in the last quarter of the 19th century and the first decade of the 20th century, the FEC was a project of Standard Oil principal Henry Morrison...
runs through Cocoa, staying west of U.S. 1 through its entire run.
Water
Port St. John, Florida
Port St. John is a census-designated place located between Titusville and Cocoa in Brevard County, Florida, United States. The population was 12,112 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Palm Bay–Melbourne–Titusville Metropolitan Statistical Area....
, south to the Pineda Causeway in north Melbourne, and includes residents from Merritt Island
Merritt Island, Florida
Merritt Island is a census-designated place in Brevard County, Florida, United States. It is located on the east coast of the state on the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2000 census, the population was 36,090. It is part of the Palm Bay – Melbourne – Titusville, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, Cocoa Beach
Cocoa Beach, Florida
Cocoa Beach is a city in Brevard County, Florida, United States. The population was 12,482 at the 2000 census. According to the U.S. Census Bureau estimates of 2008, the city had a population of 11,920...
, Suntree
Suntree, Florida
Suntree is a planned unincorporated community in Brevard County, Florida, United States. It is located near the center of the county, off I-95 near Viera between Interstate 95 and the Florida East Coast Railroad. It lies approximately halfway between Rockledge and Melbourne...
, Viera
Viera, Florida
Viera is a master planned community located in the central coastal region of Brevard County, Florida. It is part of an unincorporated section adjacent to the Melbourne, Florida area.-Geography:...
, Rockledge
Rockledge, Florida
Rockledge is the oldest city in Brevard County, Florida, United States. The population was 20,170 at the 2000 census. As of 2008, the estimated population according to the U.S. Census Bureau is 24,747. It is part of the Palm Bay–Melbourne–Titusville Metropolitan Statistical...
, Kennedy Space Center
Kennedy Space Center
The John F. Kennedy Space Center is the NASA installation that has been the launch site for every United States human space flight since 1968. Although such flights are currently on hiatus, KSC continues to manage and operate unmanned rocket launch facilities for America's civilian space program...
, Patrick Air Force Base
Patrick Air Force Base
Patrick Air Force Base is a United States Air Force Base located between Satellite Beach and Cocoa Beach, in Brevard County, Florida, United States. It was named in honor of Major General Mason Patrick. An Air Force Space Command base, it is home to the 45th Space Wing...
, and Cape Canaveral
Cape Canaveral, Florida
Cape Canaveral is a city in Brevard County, Florida, United States. The population was 8,829 at the 2000 census. As of 2008, the estimated population according to the U.S. Census Bureau was 10,147...
. The city stores about 500000000 gallons (1,892,706,000 l) of water underground using aquifer storage and recovery technology.
Radio stations
- WMMVWMMBWMMB and WMMV are radio stations simulcasting a News Talk Information format. WMMB is licensed to serve the Melbourne, Florida, USA area and WMMV is licensed to serve the Cocoa, Florida area. The stations are owned by Clear Channel Communications and licensed to Capstar TX Limited Partnership...
1350 AM - WWBCWWBCWWBC is a radio station broadcasting a Christian radio format.Licensed to Cocoa, Florida, USA, the station serves the Melbourne area. The station is currently owned by Astro Enterprises, Inc.....
1510 AM - WMIE-FMWMIE-FMWMIE-FM is a radio station broadcasting a format.Licensed to Cocoa, Florida, USA, the station serves the Melbourne area. The station is currently owned by National Christian Network, Inc.....
91.5 - WJFPWJFPWJFP is a radio station broadcasting a Urban Contemporary format. Licensed to Fort Pierce, Florida, the station is currently owned by Black Media Works, Inc.The station can also be heard on WJCB 88.5 FM in Clewiston, and on these repeaters:...
93.9 FM
Television station
- WUCF-TV 68, a PBSPublic Broadcasting ServiceThe Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....
member station operated by a consortium of Central Florida University and Brevard Community CollegeBrevard Community CollegeBrevard Community College, founded in 1960, is a community college on Florida's Space Coast, in Brevard County, Florida. It has four campuses in Cocoa, Melbourne, Palm Bay, and Titusville, as well as an Aerospace program at Kennedy Space Center and a Virtual Campus...
Points of interest
- Florida Solar Energy CenterFlorida Solar Energy CenterThe Florida Solar Energy Center is a research institute of the University of Central Florida, located on a 20 acre research complex on Florida's Space Coast at UCF's Cocoa satellite campus. FSEC is the largest and most active state-supported renewable energy and energy efficiency research,...
- Brevard Museum of History and Natural Science
- Alma Clyde Field Library of Florida History
Historic sites
- Aladdin TheaterAladdin TheaterThe Aladdin Theater is an historic theater in Cocoa, Florida, United States. It is located at 300 Brevard Avenue and originally opened its doors on August 18, 1924. On October 17, 1991, it was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.Brevard Community College owned the theater from...
- Community Woman's ClubCommunity Woman's ClubThe Community Woman’s Club is a historic U.S. building located at 5 Rosa L Jones Drive, Cocoa, Florida. The Central Church of Christ initially constructed the building circa 1950 and the Community Woman’s Club of Cocoa purchased it on June 8, 1966. The address was originally 5 Poinsett Drive,...
- Historic Derby Street ChapelHistoric Derby Street ChapelThe Historic Derby Street Chapel, also known as Derby Street Chapel, is a historic church building located at 121 Derby Street in Cocoa, Brevard County, Florida. Built between 1916 and 1920 as a Seventh Day Adventist church, it was sold to First Church of Christ, Scientist, Cocoa in 1955...
- Porcher HousePorcher HouseThe Porcher House is a historic home in Cocoa, Florida. It is located at 434 Delannoy Avenue. On January 6, 1986, it was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places....
- St. Mark's Episcopal ChurchSt. Mark's Episcopal Church (Cocoa, Florida)St. Mark's Episcopal Church is a historic church building located at 4 Church Street, Cocoa, Brevard County, Florida. The church was built in circa 1886. It now serves as the St. Mark's Episcopal Academy in addition to the church.-External links:...
Athletics
The Houston AstrosHouston Astros
The Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field...
held spring-training in Cocoa from 1964 through 1984 and the Florida Marlins
Florida Marlins
The Miami Marlins are a professional baseball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. Established in 1993 as an expansion franchise called the Florida Marlins, the Marlins are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Marlins played their home games at...
trained in Cocoa in 1993. Cocoa Stadium was also the long-time home of the Florida State League
Florida State League
The Florida State League is a Class A-Advanced minor league baseball league operating in the state of Florida. They are one of three leagues currently operating in Class A-Advanced, the third highest of six classifications of minor leagues...
Cocoa Astros.
In 2009, the Space Coast Surge, a member of the Florida Winter Baseball League had Cocoa Stadium
Cocoa Expo Sports Center
The Cocoa Expo Sports Center is a multi-sport complex located near Cocoa, Florida. It was originally built in 1964 by the city of Cocoa as the spring training home for Major League Baseball's Houston Astros ....
as its home stadium. The league suspended operations in November 2009.
Notable residents
- Kim AdlerKim AdlerKim Adler is an American Ten-pin bowling professional who was a member of the now-defunct Professional Women's Bowling Association. She is considered one of the top women bowling players of all time, competing professionally from 1991-2003....
- professional bowler; 15 national titles including 1999 US Open - Emory L. BennettEmory L. Bennett-External links:*...
- Medal of HonorMedal of HonorThe Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
recipient; lived and attended school in Cocoa - Ben GoingBen GoingBen Going , username boh3m3 on YouTube, is a video blog personality based in Torrance, California. According to the Associated Press in 2007, Going is "one of the best-known members of the YouTube community."...
AKA Boh3m3 - YoutubeYouTubeYouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
video maker; Born in Cocoa - Scott ThompsonCarrot TopScott Thompson , better known by his stage name Carrot Top, is an American comedian known for his bright red hair, prop comedy, and self-deprecating humor.-Early years:...
aka Carrot Top - comedian. Former resident
Sister city
Beit Shemesh, IsraelIsrael
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
. On October 7, 2007, the city became a sister city with Beit Shemesh. Brevard Community College
Brevard Community College
Brevard Community College, founded in 1960, is a community college on Florida's Space Coast, in Brevard County, Florida. It has four campuses in Cocoa, Melbourne, Palm Bay, and Titusville, as well as an Aerospace program at Kennedy Space Center and a Virtual Campus...
announced that it would participate by exchanging students
Student exchange program
A student exchange program generally could be defined as a program where students from secondary school or university choose to study abroad in partner institutions...
.