Melbourne, Florida
Encyclopedia
Melbourne icon 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 Metropolitan Statistical Area. In 1969 the city was expanded by merging with nearby Eau Gallie
.
The city was named Melbourne in honor of its first postmaster, Cornthwaite John Hector, an Englishman who had spent much of his life in Melbourne
, Australia.
epoch was uncovered during the 1920s. C. P. Singleton, a Harvard University
zoologist, discovered the bones of a Mammoth
(Mammuthus columbi) on his property along Crane Creek
, 1.5 miles (2.4 km) from Melbourne, and brought in Amherst College
paleontologist
Frederick B. Loomis to excavate the skeleton. Loomis found a second elephant, with a "large rough flint instrument" among fragments of the elephant's ribs. Loomis found in the same stratum
mammoth, mastodon
, horse
, ground sloth
, tapir
, pessary
, camel
and saber-tooth cat
bones, all extinct in Florida since the end of the Pleistocene 10,000 years ago. At a nearby site a human rib and charcoal were found in association with Mylodon
, Megalonyx
and Chlamytherium (ground sloths) teeth. A finely worked spearpoint found with these items may have been displaced from a later stratum. In 1925 attention shifted to the Melbourne golf course. A crushed human skull with finger, arm and leg bones was found in association with a horse tooth. A piece of ivory that appeared to have been modified by humans was found at the bottom of the stratum containing bones. Other finds included a spear point near a mastodon bone and a turtle-back scraper and a blade found with bear, camel, mastodon, horse and tapir bones. Similar human remains, Pleistocene animals and Paleo-Indian artefacts were found in Vero Beach, 30 miles south of Melbourne, and similar Paleo-Indian artefacts were found at Helen Blazes
, ten miles southwest of Melbourne.
The city, formerly called "Crane Creek", was named Melbourne in honor of its first postmaster, Cornthwaite John Hector, an Englishman who had spent much of his life in Melbourne
, Australia. He is buried in the Melbourne Cemetery
, along with many early residents in the area. The first school in Melbourne was built in 1883 and is now owned and on permanent exhibit on the Florida Tech campus. By 1885, the town had 70 people. The Greater Allen Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church
was founded in 1885 and is still active.
In the late 1890s, the Brownlie-Maxwell Funeral Home opened and is still in business. The oldest black-owned business in the county is Tucker's Cut-Rate plumbing. It opened in 1934.
In late 1942 the Naval Air Station Melbourne
was established as a site to train newly commissioned Navy
and Marine
pilots for World War II. The program ran until 1946, and the land that was used for that program makes up most of what is currently the Melbourne International Airport
. In 1969, the cities of Eau Gallie and Melbourne voted to merge, forming modern day Melbourne.
In 2009, Liberty Aerospace
cut its workforce to 32 people.
on the Space Coast
along Interstate 95. It is approximately midway between Jacksonville
and Miami. According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 35.49 square miles (91.9 km²). 30.2 square miles (78.2 km²) of it is land and 5.29 square miles (13.7 km²) of it (14.9%) is water.
The east-west street, Brevard Avenue was historically the "center" of town; with addresses called "north" and "south" of this street. The north-south Babcock street provided the same centerline for "east" and "west" direction.
Melbourne Beachside has a small presence on the South Beaches
barrier island. It is often confused with Melbourne Beach
, a separate political entity.
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The city has a Köppen climate classification
of humid subtropical climate
with hot, humid summers. Tropical palms such as coconut, royal palms, and Christmas palms
, are sometimes grown, but die when subjected to occasional freezes.
On August 20, 2008, Tropical Storm Fay dropped 18.21 inch.
Snow is rare, with the last snowfall recorded on January 9, 2010.
of 2010, there were 76,068 people residing in the city. The population density was 2,246.4 per square mile (912.6/km²). There were 38,955 housing units. The racial makeup of the city was 80.9% White, 10.3% African American, 8.9% persons of Hispanic or Latino origin, 0.3% Native American, 3.1% Asian, 0.1% Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander, and 3.1% from two or more races.
There were 30,788 households out of which 24.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.0% were married couples living together, 11.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.7% were non-families. 32.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.22 and the average family size was 2.82.
In the city the age distribution of the population shows 20.7% under the age of 18, 9.3% from 18 to 24, 28.4% from 25 to 44, 21.9% from 45 to 64, and 19.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 94.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.1 males.
.
City Officials
The following are appointed by the council:
Melbourne city officials created the Babcock Street Redevelopment District in 1998 to stimulate new development along Babcock Street from U.S. 1 south to U.S. 192. A 218-unit apartment complex being built is just the latest (2005) step in an effort to revitalize this area.
Melbourne is also attempting to revitalize the downtown Eau Gallie
Riverfront district.
A $156 million budget was proposed for the 2007-8 fiscal year.
In 2007, the city had a taxable real estate base of $4.96 billion.
A 2011 study rated the general pension fund for city employees highly at 190%. Less favorably rated were the pension plans for fire and police employees.
In 2009, the city had 870 full-time employees and 176 part-time.
A 2009 survey indicated that the city was ranked 84 out of 400 in crime statistics, with #1 being the worst. Crimes included murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, and motor vehicle theft.
A 2009 Halloween street party sponsored by a downtown restaurant, attracted an estimated 8,000-10,000 people. This overwhelmed the downtown area. Police could not function. Street parties were curtailed until public safety issued were addressed.
for the city was $19,175. In Melbourne, about 8.6% of families and 11.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.4% of those under age 18 and 8.5% of those age 65 or over.
workers. The following corporations have operations in Melbourne:
LiveTV
has its headquarters in Melbourne.
The median home price in 2007 was $215,000.
In May 2005, the Melbourne-Titusville
–Palm Bay
area was among the top 20 in home price appreciation from 2003 to 2004.
, Wuesthoff Medical Center Melbourne Campus, and Kindred Hospital which does not accept emergency patients. A new Viera hospital was opened in May 2011.
There are three places on the National Register of Historic Places
:
The following places are also historic:
There are co-ed adult and youth sports programs in flag football
and ultimate frisbee.
Public Schools are run by the Brevard County School Board.
Print
.
All are at least four-lane roads, unless otherwise designated.
The Union Cypress Company Railroad ran east to west through south Melbourne in the early 1900s. The mill town
of Hopkins was near the present day streets of Mill Street and Main Street.
The Florida East Coast Railway
runs through Melbourne, staying west of U.S. 1 through its entire run.
_monument_sign_1.jpg)
The Melbourne International Airport
is located about 1 1/2 miles northwest of the city's original business district.
_1.jpg)
Power is provided by Florida Power and Light. Gas is provided by Florida City Gas.
Cable TV service is provided by Bright House Networks
. Satellite reception in Florida varies from area to area and often have service interruptions with Florida's erratic weather patterns and random cloud cover.
Traditional landline telephone service is mainly provided by AT&T
, while some cable customers use Bright House Networks
digital phone (VOIP) service.
Internet Service Providers in Melbourne range from various 56 kbit/s providers, AT&T (formerly BellSouth) FastAccess DSL, and Bright House Networks cable internet, which uses Road Runner as their ISP. Fiber optic networks are installed in the city mainly for business purposes and have not been integrated for home use.
The Water Department not only provides water for the city, but surrounding towns and cities for a premium, including Melbourne Beach, Indialantic, Indian Harbour Beach, Satellite Beach, Palm Shores, Melbourne Village and a portion of Brevard County. Wholesale water service is provided to West Melbourne. The total distribution area is about 100 square miles (259 km²) Two water treatment plants take water from Lake Washington
and deep wells, providing 25000000 gallons (94,635,300 l) of drinking water per day. This water is treated with chloramine
and ozone
. In 2003, water rates were $2.27/1000 gallons (3,785 l) sewer $4.47/1000 gallons (3,785 l).
Solid Waste & Recycling is provided by Solid Waste Management, part of the City of Melbourne government's Environmental Community Outreach (ECO) Division.
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...
, 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 Metropolitan Statistical Area. In 1969 the city was expanded by merging with nearby Eau Gallie
Eau Gallie, Florida
Eau Gallie was a city in Brevard County, Florida from 1857 until 1969 when citizens voted to merge with neighboring Melbourne, Florida. It is now a small district in the north part of the city, near the Eau Gallie Causeway. William Henry Gleason founded the city. From 1874 to 1878 it served as the...
.
The city was named Melbourne in honor of its first postmaster, Cornthwaite John Hector, an Englishman who had spent much of his life in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, Australia.
Early human occupation
Evidence for the presence of Paleo-Indians in the Melbourne area during the late PleistocenePleistocene
The Pleistocene is the epoch from 2,588,000 to 11,700 years BP that spans the world's recent period of repeated glaciations. The name pleistocene is derived from the Greek and ....
epoch was uncovered during the 1920s. C. P. Singleton, a Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
zoologist, discovered the bones of a Mammoth
Mammoth
A mammoth is any species of the extinct genus Mammuthus. These proboscideans are members of Elephantidae, the family of elephants and mammoths, and close relatives of modern elephants. They were often equipped with long curved tusks and, in northern species, a covering of long hair...
(Mammuthus columbi) on his property along Crane Creek
Crane Creek (Melbourne, Florida)
Crane Creek is a stream in Melbourne, Florida, United States. It is a tributary of the Indian River, with its mouth in the vicinity of Front Street.-History:...
, 1.5 miles (2.4 km) from Melbourne, and brought in Amherst College
Amherst College
Amherst College is a private liberal arts college located in Amherst, Massachusetts, United States. Amherst is an exclusively undergraduate four-year institution and enrolled 1,744 students in the fall of 2009...
paleontologist
Paleontology
Paleontology "old, ancient", ὄν, ὀντ- "being, creature", and λόγος "speech, thought") is the study of prehistoric life. It includes the study of fossils to determine organisms' evolution and interactions with each other and their environments...
Frederick B. Loomis to excavate the skeleton. Loomis found a second elephant, with a "large rough flint instrument" among fragments of the elephant's ribs. Loomis found in the same stratum
Stratum
In geology and related fields, a stratum is a layer of sedimentary rock or soil with internally consistent characteristics that distinguish it from other layers...
mammoth, mastodon
Mastodon
Mastodons were large tusked mammal species of the extinct genus Mammut which inhabited Asia, Africa, Europe, North America and Central America from the Oligocene through Pleistocene, 33.9 mya to 11,000 years ago. The American mastodon is the most recent and best known species of the group...
, horse
Horse
The horse is one of two extant subspecies of Equus ferus, or the wild horse. It is a single-hooved mammal belonging to the taxonomic family Equidae. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 million years from a small multi-toed creature into the large, single-toed animal of today...
, ground sloth
Ground sloth
Ground sloths are a diverse group of extinct sloths, in the mammalian superorder Xenarthra. Their most recent survivors lived in the Antilles, where it has been proposed they may have survived until 1550 CE; however, the youngest AMS radiocarbon date reported is 4190 BP, calibrated to c. 4700 BP...
, tapir
Tapir
A Tapir is a large browsing mammal, similar in shape to a pig, with a short, prehensile snout. Tapirs inhabit jungle and forest regions of South America, Central America, and Southeast Asia. There are four species of Tapirs: the Brazilian Tapir, the Malayan Tapir, Baird's Tapir and the Mountain...
, pessary
Pessary
A pessary is a small plastic or silicone medical device which is inserted into the vagina or rectum and held in place by the pelvic floor musculature. - Therapeutic pessaries :...
, camel
Camelid
Camelids are members of the biological family Camelidae, the only living family in the suborder Tylopoda. Dromedaries, Bactrian Camels, llamas, alpacas, vicuñas, and guanacos are in this group....
and saber-tooth cat
Smilodon
Smilodon , often called a saber-toothed cat or saber-toothed tiger, is an extinct genus of machairodonts. This saber-toothed cat was endemic to North America and South America, living from near the beginning through the very end of the Pleistocene epoch .-Etymology:The nickname "saber-tooth" refers...
bones, all extinct in Florida since the end of the Pleistocene 10,000 years ago. At a nearby site a human rib and charcoal were found in association with Mylodon
Mylodon
Mylodon is an extinct genus of giant ground sloth that lived in the Patagonia area of South America until roughly 10,000 years ago.Mylodon weighed about and stood up to tall when raised up on its hind legs. Preserved dung has shown it was a herbivore. It had very thick hide and had osteoderms...
, Megalonyx
Megalonyx
Megalonyx is an extinct genus of giant ground sloths of the family Megalonychidae endemic to North America from the Hemphillian of the Late Miocene through to the Rancholabrean of the Pleistocene, living from ~10.3 Mya—11,000 years ago, existing for approximately .-Taxonomy:The generic name...
and Chlamytherium (ground sloths) teeth. A finely worked spearpoint found with these items may have been displaced from a later stratum. In 1925 attention shifted to the Melbourne golf course. A crushed human skull with finger, arm and leg bones was found in association with a horse tooth. A piece of ivory that appeared to have been modified by humans was found at the bottom of the stratum containing bones. Other finds included a spear point near a mastodon bone and a turtle-back scraper and a blade found with bear, camel, mastodon, horse and tapir bones. Similar human remains, Pleistocene animals and Paleo-Indian artefacts were found in Vero Beach, 30 miles south of Melbourne, and similar Paleo-Indian artefacts were found at Helen Blazes
Lake Hell 'n Blazes
Lake Hell 'n Blazes is on the upper reaches of the St. Johns River in Brevard County, Florida, United States, about ten miles southwest of Melbourne...
, ten miles southwest of Melbourne.
Settlement
After the Civil War, pioneer families arrived and Melbourne was founded in 1867 by former slaves.The city, formerly called "Crane Creek", was named Melbourne in honor of its first postmaster, Cornthwaite John Hector, an Englishman who had spent much of his life in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, Australia. He is buried in the Melbourne Cemetery
Melbourne Cemetery
The Melbourne Cemetery or City of Melbourne Cemetery is a cemetery in Melbourne, Florida. It is located on Hibiscus Boulevard at the intersection with Lake Street. The cemetery includes graves of original settlers of Melbourne, to include Cornthwaite John Hector who founded the city...
, along with many early residents in the area. The first school in Melbourne was built in 1883 and is now owned and on permanent exhibit on the Florida Tech campus. By 1885, the town had 70 people. The Greater Allen Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church
African Methodist Episcopal Church
The African Methodist Episcopal Church, usually called the A.M.E. Church, is a predominantly African American Methodist denomination based in the United States. It was founded by the Rev. Richard Allen in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1816 from several black Methodist congregations in the...
was founded in 1885 and is still active.
In the late 1890s, the Brownlie-Maxwell Funeral Home opened and is still in business. The oldest black-owned business in the county is Tucker's Cut-Rate plumbing. It opened in 1934.
In late 1942 the Naval Air Station Melbourne
Naval Air Station Melbourne
Naval Air Station Melbourne was a United States Naval Base in Melbourne, Florida. The Navy used NAS Melbourne for gunnery training and as a base for WAVES during World War II...
was established as a site to train newly commissioned Navy
Navy
A navy is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake- or ocean-borne combat operations and related functions...
and Marine
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
pilots for World War II. The program ran until 1946, and the land that was used for that program makes up most of what is currently the Melbourne International Airport
Melbourne International Airport
Melbourne International Airport is a public airport located 1 1/2 miles northwest of the downtown business district of Melbourne, a city in Brevard County, Florida, United States. Located on central Florida's Space Coast, the airport is accessed via NASA Boulevard...
. In 1969, the cities of Eau Gallie and Melbourne voted to merge, forming modern day Melbourne.
In 2009, Liberty Aerospace
Liberty Aerospace
Liberty Aerospace is a manufacturer of general aviation aircraft based in Melbourne, Florida.The company produces one model, the Liberty XL2, an advanced two-seat touring aircraft based on the British-designed Europa homebuilt airplane...
cut its workforce to 32 people.
Geography
Melbourne is located approximately 60 miles (96.6 km) southeast of OrlandoOrlando, Florida
Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
on the Space Coast
Space Coast
The Space Coast is a region in the U.S. state of Florida around Kennedy Space Center , where NASA launched space shuttles until the last one on July 8th, 2011 at 11:29am; and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, site of unmanned civilian and military space launches...
along Interstate 95. It is approximately midway between Jacksonville
Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Florida in terms of both population and land area, and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States. It is the county seat of Duval County, with which the city government consolidated in 1968...
and Miami. 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 35.49 square miles (91.9 km²). 30.2 square miles (78.2 km²) of it is land and 5.29 square miles (13.7 km²) of it (14.9%) is water.
The east-west street, Brevard Avenue was historically the "center" of town; with addresses called "north" and "south" of this street. The north-south Babcock street provided the same centerline for "east" and "west" direction.
Melbourne Beachside has a small presence on the South Beaches
South Beaches
South Beaches is an unofficial area in Brevard County, Florida, United States. It includes cities, towns and unincorporated area on the barrier island south of Patrick Air Force Base...
barrier island. It is often confused with Melbourne Beach
Melbourne Beach, Florida
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.-History:The Ais Indians resided...
, a separate political entity.
Climate
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by Crimea German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen himself, notably in 1918 and 1936...
of humid subtropical climate
Humid subtropical climate
A humid subtropical climate is a climate zone characterized by hot, humid summers and mild to cool winters...
with hot, humid summers. Tropical palms such as coconut, royal palms, and Christmas palms
Adonidia
Adonidia is a monotypic genus of flowering plants in the Arecaceae family. It consists of one species, the Manila Palm . It is commonly known as the "Christmas Palm" because its fruits become bright scarlet and tend to be that color in winter...
, are sometimes grown, but die when subjected to occasional freezes.
On August 20, 2008, Tropical Storm Fay dropped 18.21 inch.
Snow is rare, with the last snowfall recorded on January 9, 2010.
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 2010, there were 76,068 people residing in the city. The population density was 2,246.4 per square mile (912.6/km²). There were 38,955 housing units. The racial makeup of the city was 80.9% White, 10.3% African American, 8.9% persons of Hispanic or Latino origin, 0.3% Native American, 3.1% Asian, 0.1% Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander, and 3.1% from two or more races.
There were 30,788 households out of which 24.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.0% were married couples living together, 11.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.7% were non-families. 32.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.22 and the average family size was 2.82.
In the city the age distribution of the population shows 20.7% under the age of 18, 9.3% from 18 to 24, 28.4% from 25 to 44, 21.9% from 45 to 64, and 19.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 94.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.1 males.
Government
The Melbourne City Council consists of the mayor and six district council members. Melbourne utilizes a Council-Manager form of governmentCouncil-manager government
The council–manager government form is one of two predominant forms of municipal government in the United States; the other common form of local government is the mayor-council government form, which characteristically occurs in large cities...
.
City Officials
- Harry Goode, Mayor - Re-elected on November 2008, term expires November 2012
- Mike Nowlin, District 1 Council Member - Elected on November 2008, term expires November 2012
- Mark LaRusso, District 2 Council Member - Elected on November 2010, term expires November 2014
- Kathy Meehan, District 3 Council Member - Re-elected on November 2004, term expires November 2012
- John Thomas, District 4 Council Member and Vice Mayor - Elected on November 2010, term expires November 2014
- Molly Tasker, District 5 Council Member - Elected on November 2008, term expires November 2012
- Greg Jones, District 6 Council Member - Elected on November 2010, term expires November 2014
The following are appointed by the council:
- Paul R. Gougelman, III, City Attorney
- Jack M. Schluckebier, City Manager
- Cathleen A. Wysor, City Clerk
Melbourne city officials created the Babcock Street Redevelopment District in 1998 to stimulate new development along Babcock Street from U.S. 1 south to U.S. 192. A 218-unit apartment complex being built is just the latest (2005) step in an effort to revitalize this area.
Melbourne is also attempting to revitalize the downtown Eau Gallie
Eau Gallie, Florida
Eau Gallie was a city in Brevard County, Florida from 1857 until 1969 when citizens voted to merge with neighboring Melbourne, Florida. It is now a small district in the north part of the city, near the Eau Gallie Causeway. William Henry Gleason founded the city. From 1874 to 1878 it served as the...
Riverfront district.
A $156 million budget was proposed for the 2007-8 fiscal year.
In 2007, the city had a taxable real estate base of $4.96 billion.
A 2011 study rated the general pension fund for city employees highly at 190%. Less favorably rated were the pension plans for fire and police employees.
In 2009, the city had 870 full-time employees and 176 part-time.
Public safety
In 2010, the city employed 170 police, 140 of which were unionized. For administration, the city is divided into ten areas which require patrol.A 2009 survey indicated that the city was ranked 84 out of 400 in crime statistics, with #1 being the worst. Crimes included murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, and motor vehicle theft.
A 2009 Halloween street party sponsored by a downtown restaurant, attracted an estimated 8,000-10,000 people. This overwhelmed the downtown area. Police could not function. Street parties were curtailed until public safety issued were addressed.
Personal income
The median income for a household in the city was $34,571, and the median income for a family was $42,760. Males had a median income of $32,242 versus $22,419 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 city was $19,175. In Melbourne, about 8.6% of families and 11.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.4% of those under age 18 and 8.5% of those age 65 or over.
Industry
The Melbourne International Airport is located near the center of the city. Melbourne contains defense and technology companies with a high concentration of high-techHigh tech
High tech is technology that is at the cutting edge: the most advanced technology currently available. It is often used in reference to micro-electronics, rather than other technologies. The adjective form is hyphenated: high-tech or high-technology...
workers. The following corporations have operations in Melbourne:
- DRS TechnologiesDRS TechnologiesDRS Technologies, Inc. is a US-based defense contractor. Previously traded on the NYSE, the company was purchased by the Italian firm Finmeccanica in October 2008.-History:...
, employed 910 workers in 2009. Another reference says 1,800 workers in 2009, 1,300 in 2010. - General ElectricGeneral ElectricGeneral Electric Company , or GE, is an American multinational conglomerate corporation incorporated in Schenectady, New York and headquartered in Fairfield, Connecticut, United States...
Transportation Systems and GE Energy - Harris CorporationHarris CorporationHarris Corporation is a Florida-based international communications equipment company that produces wireless equipment, electronic systems, and both terrestrial and spaceborne antennas for use in the government, defense, and commercial sectors. It is also the largest private-sector employer in...
(including corporate headquarters) - Northrop GrummanNorthrop GrummanNorthrop Grumman Corporation is an American global aerospace and defense technology company formed by the 1994 purchase of Grumman by Northrop. The company was the fourth-largest defense contractor in the world as of 2010, and the largest builder of naval vessels. Northrop Grumman employs over...
employed 1,640 workers in 2009 - Rockwell CollinsRockwell CollinsRockwell Collins, Inc. is a large United States-based international company headquartered in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, primarily providing aviation and information technology systems and services to governmental agencies and aircraft manufacturers.- History :...
employed 1,430 in 2009. - EmbraerEmbraerEmbraer S.A. is a Brazilian aerospace conglomerate that produces commercial, military, and executive aircraft and provides aeronautical services....
completed a 89000 ft2 hanger and administrative office at the Melbourne Airport in February 2011.
LiveTV
LiveTV
LiveTV is a major provider of airline in-flight entertainment systems. Originally a joint venture of Harris Corporation and BE Aerospace , it is now a wholly owned subsidiary of JetBlue Airways Corporation...
has its headquarters in Melbourne.
Workforce
In 2007, the average size of Melbourne's labor force was 39,391. Of that group, 37,708 were employed and 1,683 were unemployed, for an unemployment rate of 4.3%.Housing
In 2008, 259 building permits were issued for 263 units. There were 209 permits issued for 320 units in 2007, which was down from 329 permits for 512 units in 2006.The median home price in 2007 was $215,000.
In May 2005, the Melbourne-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...
–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...
area was among the top 20 in home price appreciation from 2003 to 2004.
Competitiveness
In 2009, Forbes ranked the area 18th out of 100 Metropolitan Statistical Areas and first out of 8 metros in Florida for affordable housing, and short commute times, among others.Retail and commerce
Melbourne has two downtown business districts, a result of the merger of Eau Gallie into Melbourne:- Downtown Eau Gallie Arts District
- Historic Downtown Melbourne. Among other retail outlets, this has 26 eating and drinking establishments within a four block extent.
Healthcare
The area has four hospitals, day care for senior citizens, hospice, walk-in and urgent care facilities. There is Holmes Regional Medical CenterHolmes Regional Medical Center
The Holmes Regional Medical Center is a not-for-profit hospital operated by Health First. It is located in Melbourne, Florida. It is a 514-bed facility, including the only level II trauma center in Brevard County....
, Wuesthoff Medical Center Melbourne Campus, and Kindred Hospital which does not accept emergency patients. A new Viera hospital was opened in May 2011.
Tourism
The city has two golf courses. There were 96,477 rounds played in 2009-10. Revenues were $2,207,502. Rounds and revenue have been dropping since 2006. in 2011, the city raised rates for residents to the same as for non-residents, $27 per round or $522 annual fee.Annual cultural events
- The annual Melbourne Independent Filmmakers' Festival, held in early November, provides a venue for new filmmaker talent.
- The Melbourne Area Pilots Association hosts a General Aviation Day at Melbourne International Airport in September.
- The Annual IndiaFest And India Day that are held in February and in August.
- The Melbourne Arts Festival, held in April, draws from 50,000-60,000 visitors.
- The Melbourne OktoberfestOktoberfestOktoberfest, or Wiesn, is a 16–18 day beer festival held annually in Munich, Bavaria, Germany, running from late September to the first weekend in October. It is one of the most famous events in Germany and is the world's largest fair, with more than 5 million people attending every year. The...
has been held each October since 1977. Most recently this was held at the Wickham ParkWickham Park (Melbourne, Florida)Wickham Park is a public county park located at 2500 Parkway Drive, Melbourne, Florida. It contains diverse recreational facilities and amenities, including campgrounds, disc golf course, equestrian facilities, archery range, off-leash dog park, bicycle/jogging roadway, nature trails, exercise...
Pavilion.
Historic sites
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
:
- Florida Power and Light Company Ice PlantFlorida Power and Light Company Ice PlantThe Florida Power and Light Company Ice Plant is a historic site in Melbourne, Florida, United States. It is located at 1604 South Harbor City Boulevard. On November 17, 1982, it was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.-References:* at * at...
(1927) located at 1604 South Harbor City Boulevard - William H. Gleason HouseWilliam H. Gleason HouseThe William H. Gleason House is a historic home in Melbourne, Florida, United States. It is located at 1736 Pineapple Avenue. On January 25, 1997, it was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.-References and external links:* at...
located at 1736 Pineapple Avenue - James Wadsworth Rossetter HouseJames Wadsworth Rossetter HouseThe James Wadsworth Rossetter House is a historic U.S. home located at 1320 Highland Avenue, Melbourne, Florida. The original address of the home was 1328 Houston Street. On July 27, 2005, it was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places...
(c.1860s) located at 1320 Highland Avenue
The following places are also historic:
- Henegar CenterHenegar CenterThe Henegar Center is a historic U.S. building located at 625 East New Haven Avenue, Melbourne, Florida. Built in 1919, it is one of Brevard County’s oldest public buildings. On March 12, 1963, the building received its name in honor of Ruth Henegar, a long-time teacher and principal at the...
(1919) located at 625 East New Haven Avenue - Holy Trinity Episcopal ChurchHoly Trinity Episcopal Church (Melbourne, Florida)The Holy Trinity Episcopal Church was a historic church currently located at 50 West Strawbridge Avenue, Melbourne, Florida, United States. It is the oldest established church of any denomination in the city.-History:...
(1886) located at 50 West Strawbridge Avenue - Melbourne Bone BedMelbourne Bone BedMelbourne Bone Bed is a paleontological site located at Crane Creek in Melbourne, Florida. This site contains fossils from the Pleistocene period 20,000 to 10,000 years before present...
located at Crane CreekCrane Creek (Melbourne, Florida)Crane Creek is a stream in Melbourne, Florida, United States. It is a tributary of the Indian River, with its mouth in the vicinity of Front Street.-History:... - Nannie Lee HouseNannie Lee HouseThe Nannie Lee House, often referred to as Strawberry Mansion, is a historic U.S. home located at 1218 East New Haven Avenue, Melbourne, Florida. John and Nannie Lee from Albion, New York built the house in 1905. The house served as a restaurant called The Strawberry Mansion from 1981 until...
- Strawberry Mansion (1905) located at 1218 East New Haven Avenue - Roesch HouseRoesch HouseThe Roesch House is a historic U.S. home located at 1320 Highland Avenue, Melbourne, Florida. The house is owned by The Rossetter House Foundation, Inc., managed by the Florida Historical Society, and part of the Historic Rossetter House Museum.-Websites:...
(c.1901) located at 1320 Highland Avenue - Winchester Symphony HouseWinchester Symphony HouseWinchester Symphony House is a historic home located in the Eau Gallie-section of Melbourne, Florida. The house was built in 1886. William Treutler, director of the State Bank of Eau Gallie and hotel proprietor in Eau Gallie, built the house. Brevard County and the State of Florida list this...
(1890s) located at 1500 Highland Avenue
Museums
- Foosaner Art Museum located on 1463 Highland Avenue
- Historic Rossetter House MuseumHistoric Rossetter House MuseumThe Historic Rossetter House Museum is located at 1320 Highland Avenue, Melbourne, Florida in the historic section of Eau Gallie. The museum consists of the James Wadsworth Rossetter House and Gardens , the William P. Roesch House , and the Houston Family Memorial Cemetery . The museum is owned by...
located on 1320 Highland Avenue - Liberty Bell Memorial MuseumLiberty Bell Memorial MuseumThe Liberty Bell Memorial Museum is located at 1601 Hickory Street, Melbourne, Florida in Wells Park. It houses military war exhibits, facsimiles of important documents in U.S. history and a full size replica of the Liberty Bell.-History:Honor America Inc...
located on 1601 Hickory Street
Buildings
- Henegar Center for the ArtsHenegar CenterThe Henegar Center is a historic U.S. building located at 625 East New Haven Avenue, Melbourne, Florida. Built in 1919, it is one of Brevard County’s oldest public buildings. On March 12, 1963, the building received its name in honor of Ruth Henegar, a long-time teacher and principal at the...
- Maxwell C. King Center for the Performing ArtsMaxwell C. King Center for the Performing ArtsThe Maxwell C. King Center for the Performing Arts is a performing arts venue located at 3865 North Wickham Road, Melbourne, Florida. The main theater contains 2,016 seats.-Performances:...
- Melbourne Auditorium located on Hibiscus Boulevard
Sports
Melbourne was an official host city for the 1996 Olympic Torch Relay.There are co-ed adult and youth sports programs in flag football
Flag football
Flag football is a version of Canadian football or American football that is popular worldwide. The basic rules of the game are similar to those of the mainstream game , but instead of tackling players to the ground, the defensive team must remove a flag or flag belt from the ball carrier to end...
and ultimate frisbee.
Parks, recreation, and attractions
The City of Melbourne contains over 554.72 acres (2.2 km²) of city park land, including 17 community parks, 13 neighborhood parks, and five smaller city parks.- Brevard ZooBrevard ZooBrevard Zoo is a zoo located in Melbourne, Florida, United States.In 2009, the zoo contained 577 animals representing 165 species from North and South America as well as Australia and Africa. The zoo is a non-profit institution. It is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.The zoo...
- Wickham Park
Education
88.5% of all residents 25 years or older are high school graduates. 25.7% have a Bachelor's Degree or higher.Public Schools are run by the Brevard County School Board.
Colleges and universities
- 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...
- Florida Institute of TechnologyFlorida Institute of TechnologyFlorida Institute of Technology, also known as Florida Tech, is an independent private technical research university located in Melbourne, Florida, United States. Founded in 1958 as Brevard Engineering College, the institute has been known by its present name since 1966. Florida Tech's curriculum...
- Florida State UniversityFlorida State UniversityThe Florida State University is a space-grant and sea-grant public university located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. It is a comprehensive doctoral research university with medical programs and significant research activity as determined by the Carnegie Foundation...
Satellite 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...
Regional Campus - Keiser University
- Everest University
Elementary schools
- Roy Allen Elementary
- Ascension Catholic School
- Dr. W. J. Creel Elementary
- Croton Elementary
- Harbor City Elementary
- Holy Trinity Episcopal Academy Lower School (Preschool – 6)
- Longleaf Elementary
- Meadowlane Primary
- Meadowlane Intermediate
- New Covenant Christian School
- Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School
- Quest Elementary
- Sabal Elementary
- Sherwood Elementary
- Suntree Elementary
- University Park Elementary
Middle schools
- Ascension Catholic School
- Central Middle School
- Florida Air Academy
- Holy Trinity Episcopal Academy Upper School
- L. B. Johnson Middle School
- New Covenant Christian School
- Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School
- Stone Middle School
High schools
- Brevard Christian School
- Eau Gallie High SchoolEau Gallie High SchoolEau Gallie High School is located at 1400 Commodore Blvd in the Eau Gallie area of Melbourne, Florida. It is one of four public high schools in Melbourne, along with Melbourne High School, Palm Bay High School, and West Shore Junior/Senior High School....
- Florida Air AcademyFlorida Air AcademyFlorida Air Academy is a private co-ed boarding school founded in 1961 by Jonathan Dwight, located in Melbourne, Florida. Students grade 6-12 are provided college-preparatory education...
- Holy Trinity Episcopal AcademyHoly Trinity Episcopal AcademyHoly Trinity Episcopal Academy, in Melbourne, Florida is an Episcopal coeducational college-preparatory school for grades preschool - 12th. Founded in 1957, the mission of Holy Trinity Episcopal Academy is to offer traditional academic challenges in an environment that reflects the joy and peace...
Upper School - Melbourne Central Catholic High SchoolMelbourne Central Catholic High SchoolMelbourne Central Catholic is an American private, Roman Catholic, coed high school located in Melbourne, in Brevard County, Florida. It was a Blue Ribbon School of Excellence in 1991. MCC has had 100% of their graduates enroll in college and 85 percent on average have received Bright Futures...
- Melbourne High School
- Palm Bay High School
- New Covenant Christian School
- West Shore Junior/Senior High SchoolWest Shore Junior - Senior High SchoolWest Shore Junior - Senior High School, more often called West Shore, is a secondary school located at 250 Wildcat Alley in Melbourne, Florida. West Shore enrolls students from grades seven through twelve. It is part of the Brevard Public Schools System. It was the first "School of Choice" in...
- Florida TodayFlorida TodayFlorida Today is the major daily newspaper serving Brevard County. The Gannett corporation bought the paper in 1966.In addition to its regular daily publication, Florida Today publishes four weekly and eight biweekly community newspapers which are tailored for distinct neighborhoods within Brevard...
- Space Coast and Central Florida - The Crimson - The Florida Institute of Technology Student-Run Newspaper
Television
Cable is provided by Bright House NetworksBright House Networks
Bright House Networks is a cable television company, the seventh largest cable operator and the sixth largest traditional multiple system operator in the United States owned by Advance/Newhouse, headquartered in Syracuse, New York...
.
Major roads
Roads in the older part of the city, in what is today the southeast, are oriented towards the north-south road, Babcock, with compass directions measured east and west from that road. In the same area, the east-west road, Brevard Avenue, separate compass directions north and south.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...
. Harbor City Boulevard is the local street name, and it runs parallel to the Indian RiverIndian 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...
on the eastern side of the city. This road allows access to the beaches over 3 causeways: Pineda, Eau GallieEau Gallie CausewayThe Eau Gallie Causeway connects Eau Gallie, Florida , with SR A1A near Indian Harbour Beach, across the Indian River Lagoon. Located entirely within the Melbourne city limits, the causeway consists of a main bridge crossing over the Intracoastal Waterway and a relief bridge...
, and Melbourne CausewayMelbourne CausewayThe 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...
. -
U.S. Route 192U.S. Route 192U.S. Route 192 is an east–west route of the United States Numbered Highway system in central Florida. It runs 75.04 miles from U.S. Route 27 in Citrus Ridge, Lake County, east past Walt Disney World and through Kissimmee, St. Cloud and Melbourne, to end at State Road A1A in Indialantic, one... - Locally named New Haven Avenue and Strawbridge Avenue (downtown), pass through commercial, entertainment, and retail areas of Melbourne. It serves as a route to KissimmeeKissimmee, FloridaKissimmee 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...
and the tourist corridor of OrlandoOrlando, FloridaOrlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
to the west, and the town of IndialanticIndialantic, FloridaIndialantic 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 east via the Melbourne CausewayMelbourne CausewayThe 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...
. -
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 are two exits - Exit 180 (U.S. Route 192) and Exit 183 (Eau Gallie Blvd.) Another interchange is being constructed near mile 188 to accommodate the expansion of the Pineda Causeway. While Exit 191 (Wickham Road) serves the Melbourne area, it is not marked as such.
-
SR A1AFlorida State Road A1AState Road A1A is a Florida State Road that runs mostly along the Atlantic Ocean, with sections from Key West at the southern tip of Florida, to Callahan, just south of Georgia. It is the main road through most oceanfront towns. SR A1A is designated the A1A Scenic and Historic Coastal Highway, a... - This road runs along the beaches and provides access to other areas of Brevard County.
-
SR 507 - Babcock Street -
SR 404 - Pineda Causeway -
SR 508 - NASA Boulevard -
SR 518 - Eau Gallie Boulevard -
CR 509 - Wickham/Minton Road. Up to 38,680 cars use Wickham road weekdays. The average is 33, 850. -
CR 511 - John Rodes Boulevard/Aurora Road -
CR 516 - Palm Bay Road
Rail
Mill town
A mill town, also known as factory town or mill village, is typically a settlement that developed around one or more mills or factories .- United Kingdom:...
of Hopkins was near the present day streets of Mill Street and Main Street.
The Florida East Coast Railway
Florida 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 Melbourne, staying west of U.S. 1 through its entire run.
Bus
- Space Coast Area TransitSpace Coast Area TransitSpace Coast Area Transit is the municipal bus system serving the Brevard County, Florida area. Besides providing routine transportation, low cost service is available to disabled and disadvantaged citizens....
operates a public bus service in Melbourne and vicinity. The city subsidizes two routes internal to the city so Melbourne residents ride for free. - Greyhound Bus Lines has a bus station in Melbourne
Airport
Melbourne International Airport
Melbourne International Airport is a public airport located 1 1/2 miles northwest of the downtown business district of Melbourne, a city in Brevard County, Florida, United States. Located on central Florida's Space Coast, the airport is accessed via NASA Boulevard...
is located about 1 1/2 miles northwest of the city's original business district.
Utilities
Cable TV service is provided by Bright House Networks
Bright House Networks
Bright House Networks is a cable television company, the seventh largest cable operator and the sixth largest traditional multiple system operator in the United States owned by Advance/Newhouse, headquartered in Syracuse, New York...
. Satellite reception in Florida varies from area to area and often have service interruptions with Florida's erratic weather patterns and random cloud cover.
Traditional landline telephone service is mainly provided by AT&T
AT&T
AT&T Inc. is an American multinational telecommunications corporation headquartered in Whitacre Tower, Dallas, Texas, United States. It is the largest provider of mobile telephony and fixed telephony in the United States, and is also a provider of broadband and subscription television services...
, while some cable customers use Bright House Networks
Bright House Networks
Bright House Networks is a cable television company, the seventh largest cable operator and the sixth largest traditional multiple system operator in the United States owned by Advance/Newhouse, headquartered in Syracuse, New York...
digital phone (VOIP) service.
Internet Service Providers in Melbourne range from various 56 kbit/s providers, AT&T (formerly BellSouth) FastAccess DSL, and Bright House Networks cable internet, which uses Road Runner as their ISP. Fiber optic networks are installed in the city mainly for business purposes and have not been integrated for home use.
The Water Department not only provides water for the city, but surrounding towns and cities for a premium, including Melbourne Beach, Indialantic, Indian Harbour Beach, Satellite Beach, Palm Shores, Melbourne Village and a portion of Brevard County. Wholesale water service is provided to West Melbourne. The total distribution area is about 100 square miles (259 km²) Two water treatment plants take water from Lake Washington
Lake Washington (Florida)
Lake Washington is the largest lake in Brevard County, Florida at . The lake may have been named for the U.S. Deputy Surveyor Colonel Henry Washington, after he surveyed the area in 1844.- Hydrology :It is the 41st largest lake in the state of Florida...
and deep wells, providing 25000000 gallons (94,635,300 l) of drinking water per day. This water is treated with chloramine
Chloramine
Chloramines are derivatives of ammonia by substitution of one, two or three hydrogen atoms with chlorine atoms. Monochloramine is an inorganic compound with the formula NH2Cl. It is an unstable colourless liquid at its melting point of -66° temperature, but it is usually handled as a dilute...
and ozone
Ozone
Ozone , or trioxygen, is a triatomic molecule, consisting of three oxygen atoms. It is an allotrope of oxygen that is much less stable than the diatomic allotrope...
. In 2003, water rates were $2.27/1000 gallons (3,785 l) sewer $4.47/1000 gallons (3,785 l).
Solid Waste & Recycling is provided by Solid Waste Management, part of the City of Melbourne government's Environmental Community Outreach (ECO) Division.
Namesakes
The Melbourne Square Mall, located on US 192 west of downtown, is the largest shopping area in Brevard County.Notable residents
- Thomas BarbourThomas BarbourThomas Barbour was an American herpetologist. From 1927 until 1946, he was director of the Museum of Comparative Zoology founded in 1859 by Louis Agassiz at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts....
- author and naturalistNatural historyNatural history is the scientific research of plants or animals, leaning more towards observational rather than experimental methods of study, and encompasses more research published in magazines than in academic journals. Grouped among the natural sciences, natural history is the systematic study...
, lived in Eau GallieEau Gallie, FloridaEau Gallie was a city in Brevard County, Florida from 1857 until 1969 when citizens voted to merge with neighboring Melbourne, Florida. It is now a small district in the north part of the city, near the Eau Gallie Causeway. William Henry Gleason founded the city. From 1874 to 1878 it served as the...
as a boy - Robbie Carrico - Season 7 contestant on American IdolAmerican IdolAmerican Idol, titled American Idol: The Search for a Superstar for the first season, is a reality television singing competition created by Simon Fuller and produced by FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment...
- 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...
- resident, bass player for the band PoisonPoison (band)Poison is an American glam metal band that achieved great success in the mid-1980s to mid-1990s. To date, Poison has sold over 30 million records worldwide and have sold 15 million records in the United States alone. The band has also charted ten singles to the Top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100,... - Cecil FielderCecil FielderCecil Grant Fielder is a former professional baseball player who was a noted power hitter in the 1980s and 1990s. He attended college at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas . He played with the Toronto Blue Jays , Detroit Tigers , New York Yankees , Anaheim Angels and Cleveland Indians...
- professional baseballBaseballBaseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
player. His son, Prince FielderPrince FielderPrince Semien Fielder is a Major League Baseball free agent who plays first base. He is currently listed at 5' 11" and . He was selected by the Brewers in the first round of the 2002 Major League Baseball Draft out of Eau Gallie High School in Melbourne, Florida.He is the son of former Detroit...
, also lived here and went to Eau Gallie High SchoolEau Gallie High SchoolEau Gallie High School is located at 1400 Commodore Blvd in the Eau Gallie area of Melbourne, Florida. It is one of four public high schools in Melbourne, along with Melbourne High School, Palm Bay High School, and West Shore Junior/Senior High School.... - William Henry GleasonWilliam Henry GleasonWilliam Henry Gleason was an American politician from Florida. He was Florida's second Lieutenant Governor and was very briefly, acting Governor.-Early life:...
- founded and lived in Eau Gallie - Darrell HammondDarrell HammondDarrell Hammond is an American actor, stand-up comedian and impressionist. He was a regular on Saturday Night Live from 1995 until 2009, the longest tenure of any cast member. Upon his departure, Hammond, at age 53, was the oldest cast member in the show's history...
- comedian and actor. Resided in Melbourne 1953-1975 - Devon Hughes - professional wrestler better known as Brother Devon from Total Nonstop Action WrestlingTotal Nonstop Action WrestlingTotal Nonstop Action Wrestling is a privately held professional wrestling promotion founded by Jeff Jarrett and Jerry Jarrett. The company broadcasts its events on television and the Internet fifty two weeks a year with over a million weekly viewers on its primary television program, Impact...
- Vicky HurstVicky HurstVicky Hurst is an American professional golfer currently playing on the LPGA Tour.She turned professional as a 17-year-old in 2008, while still in high school. Playing on the Futures Tour that year, she won five times and set a Tour record for single season earnings with $93,107.-Childhood and...
- professional golfer; graduated from Holy Trinity. - Zora Neale HurstonZora Neale HurstonZora Neale Hurston was an American folklorist, anthropologist, and author during the time of the Harlem Renaissance...
- author, lived in Eau Gallie in the 1920s and 1950s - Billy LaneBilly LaneFor other people of the same name see Billy Lane and Billy Lane William David Lane is widely known as a builder of custom motorcycles, owner of Choppers Inc. in Melbourne, Florida — and for his 2009 conviction following a drunk-driving incident in 2006, where Lane's driving resulted in the...
- owner of Choppers, Inc. and builder of custom motorcycles. - Jeff Lett - birthplace of bass player of CartelCartel (band)Cartel is a American pop rock band from Conyers, Georgia that formed in 2003. The band is best known for their single "Honestly", featured on their 2005 debut album Chroma, and for their 2007 appearance on MTV's Band in a Bubble....
- Melbourne ManMelbourne Bone BedMelbourne Bone Bed is a paleontological site located at Crane Creek in Melbourne, Florida. This site contains fossils from the Pleistocene period 20,000 to 10,000 years before present...
- human who lived in Melbourne in 10,000 BC - Jim MorrisonJim MorrisonJames Douglas "Jim" Morrison was an American musician, singer, and poet, best known as the lead singer and lyricist of the rock band The Doors...
- birthplace of the lead singer for The DoorsThe DoorsThe Doors were an American rock band formed in 1965 in Los Angeles, California, with vocalist Jim Morrison, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, drummer John Densmore, and guitarist Robby Krieger... - Henry MucciHenry MucciHenry Andrew Mucci was a colonel in the United States Army Rangers. In January 1945, during World War II, he led a force of 128 Army Rangers on a mission which rescued 512 survivors of the Bataan Death March from Cabanatuan Prison Camp, despite being heavily outnumbered.- Youth :Mucci was born in...
- US Army colonel who led the Great Raid in World War II to free the Bataan survivors - retired to Melbourne - Bill NelsonBill NelsonClarence William "Bill" Nelson is the senior United States Senator from the state of Florida and a member of the Democratic Party. He is a former U.S. Representative and former Treasurer and Insurance Commissioner of Florida...
- United States Senator from FloridaFloridaFlorida 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...
, graduated from Melbourne High SchoolMelbourne High School (Melbourne, Florida)Melbourne High School or Mel-Hi is a public secondary school located in Melbourne, Florida, United States and operated by Brevard Public Schools. The principal is Jim Willcoxon.- History :...
in 1960 - Reggie NelsonReggie NelsonReggie Nelson is an American professional football player who is a safety for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League...
- birthplace of professional football player - Jamie NobleJamie NobleJames Howard Gibson better known by his WWE ring name Jamie Noble, is an American former professional wrestler currently working for WWE as a trainer. He is best known for his work from 2002 to 2009 when a severe back injury forced him to retire from competition...
, professional wrestler. - Hans von OhainHans von OhainHans Joachim Pabst von Ohain was a German engineer, one of the inventors of jet propulsion.Frank Whittle, who patented in 1930 in the United Kingdom, and Hans von Ohain, who patented in 1936 in Germany, developed the concept independently during the late 1930s...
- one of the first people to develop the jet engine. Retired and died in Melbourne. - Will PerdueWill PerdueWilliam Edward Perdue is a retired American NBA basketball player who won four NBA Championships. Perdue is now an ESPN basketball commentator and analyst.Perdue attended Merritt Island High School, Merritt Island, Florida...
- birthplace of retired NBANational Basketball AssociationThe National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
forward/center (Chicago BullsChicago BullsThe Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center...
) - Stanford Parris - former U.S. Congressman from VirginiaVirginiaThe Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, was a primary resident of Melbourne after leaving Congress. - Tom RappTom RappThomas Dale Rapp is an American singer and songwriter, best known as the leader of Pearls Before Swine, the psychedelic folk rock group of the 1960s and 1970s. More recently he has practiced as a lawyer.-Life:...
- Singer/songwriter. Leader of 60s/70s band Pearls Before SwinePearls Before Swine (band)Pearls Before Swine was an American psychedelic folk band formed by Tom Rapp in 1965 in Eau Gallie, now part of Melbourne, Florida. They released six albums between 1967 and 1971, before Rapp launched a solo career.-Early years, 1965-68:...
, lived here from childhood - Stefanie ScottStefanie ScottStefanie Scott is an American actress and singer. Scott is best known for her roles as Dana Tressler in the feature film Flipped in which she won a 2011 Young Artist Award and in No Strings Attached as Young Emma. In the television industry, Scott currently portrays Lexi Reed on Disney Channel's...
- birthplace of teenage actress, who stars on the Disney show A.N.T. FarmA.N.T. FarmA.N.T. Farm is a Disney Channel television sitcom that premiered on May 6, 2011 as a special preview and continued as a regular series on June 17, 2011. The pilot episode, "TransplANTed" aired after the series finale of The Suite Life on Deck... - Jason Steele - State Representative 1980-2
- Tim WakefieldTim WakefieldTimothy Stephen Wakefield is an American professional baseball pitcher. Wakefield began pitching with the Red Sox in 1995, making him the longest-serving player currently on the team. Wakefield is also the oldest current active player in the majors, and one of two active knuckleballers, the other...
- birthplace of baseball player (Boston Red SoxBoston Red SoxThe Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
)