I love the story of Paul Kroegel who was what we would call a conservationist or eco-warrior today…read more The Kroegel family name is well known in this area. German immigrant Paul Kroegel arrived in Sebastian in 1881 and homesteaded across from what is now Pelican Island. He fell in love with the birds on the island and became increasingly distressed by the plume hunters arriving daily to kill pelicans, egrets, herons and spoonbills for their feathers during a period of Florida history known as the Feather Wars. In response he started protecting the birds with his shotgun. He partnered with the Audubon Society to get federal protection for the birds. Frank Chapman an ornithologist and curator of the American Museum of Natural History brought Kroegel's story back to Washington, D.C., where it eventually gained the ear of President Theodore Roosevelt. President Roosevelt made Pelican Island the first National Wildlife Refuge on March 14, 1903 and Paul Kroegel was hired as the refuge manager, a position he held until 1926. It was a dangerous job and one of Paul's fellow wardens, Guy Bradley, was killed in the Everglades. In honor of his contributions to conservation and the centennial of Pelican Island, there is this statue of Paul Kroegel with his pelicans in Riverview Park in downtown Sebastian. It was created in 2003 by local resident Rosalee Hume who actual knew Paul Kroegel when she was a child. He was known as a gentle man and a renowned boat builder. The statue was placed facing Pelican Island so Paul could keep watch over his beloved birds forever. The inscription on the stature reads "One person can make a difference." and he surely did.

On Pelican Island in Florida in the late 1800s, plume hunters were hunting the birds to sell their…read morevaluable feathers to the fashion industry. Paul Kroegel was a local resident who took it upon himself to protect the island's bird inhabitants. Pelican Island was established as the first National Wildlife Refuge in the country and Kroegel was appointed as its first manager thanks to his efforts. In his honor, this statue stands on the mainland. His eyeline over the Indian River focuses on the Pelican Island refuge. The statue was unveiled in 2003 and depicts Kroegel smoking his pipe with a few pelicans standing safely at his feet. There is a caption that reads, "One person can make a difference. Paul Kroegel, 1864-1948. Audubon Warden, 1901. First Refuge Warden 1902-1926. Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge Established March 14, 1903." The statue is next to Sebastian's Riverview Park where you'll find parking. [Review 19299 overall - 1647 in Florida - 269 of 2023.]

The Sebastian Millennium Clock Tower was erected to celebrate Sebastian, Florida's 75th anniversary…read moreback in December of 2001. It sits on the edge of a parking lot and across the street from Riverview Park. Well this might not be a tourist attraction worthy of flocks of people coming from all over the world to witness, it is an interesting part of sebastian, Florida and something that would trigger a happy memory for many of the people who have called here home at one point or another. Communities need these little mementos of memories for those who call that community home. I am glad that I stumbled across this.

The Wabasso Bridge has historically been an important crossing point over the Indian River for…read morelocal residents and visitors to this part of the Treasure Coast. The original bridge in Wabasso sat on what was known as Two Dollar Bluff, a navigational aid for ships on the Indian River since 1887. It was located on property of pioneer and citrus grower A.B. Michael who made Indian River citrus world famous. The bluff was an Ais Indian midden, a kind of ancient garbage dump for the original inhabitants of this area. In 1927 the midden yielded shells, pottery shards, and bones that were used for road material. At different times this area was part of Brevard, St. Lucie, and Indian River counties. The bluff became the Michael family dock. Eventually it was replaced in 1927 with a narrow, wooden bridge with a metal swing span that crossed to the community of Orchid. This bridge allowed travel between the Orchid Island groves and the railroad for transport of citrus. It also opened up the northern part of Indian River County to tourism and land development. During World War II the bridge tender would only allow island residents to cross to prevent German spies from infiltrating the island and signaling to U Boats offshore. On October 5, 1964, a 400-foot section of the old wooden Wabasso Bridge caught on fire. Before it was scrapped the old swing bridge was purchased by Walt Disney World and refurbished for use in the Main Street Railroad. In 1970, a modern, high-arch bridge causeway was constructed over the main channel. For years it was the known as the A.B. Mitchell Wabasso Bridge. In 2020, it was renamed the A.B. Michael Bridge to correct a typo made over 50 years ago. Today the bridge properly honors A.B. Michael who brought Indian River Citrus to the world. The Wabasso Bridge takes travelers to the beaches of the Treasure Coast which got its names from Spanish Treasure Fleet that sunk off the coast in a hurricane in 1715. During storms it still yields its treasure to the shore. On the island side of the bridge is Sebastian Inlet State Park and the McLarty Treasure Museum. You can get a great view of the underside of the bridge from Wabasso Causeway Park which is a popular fishing spot.

It's seem that today's bridges don't get the press that the bridges they replaced may have gotten…read more This can be attributed to the fact that bridges today in most cases are replacement bridges and not the original bridge built to span the river, bay, etc., so they are basically taken for granted, in today's world since we expect there to be one in every location for our convenience. As time passes fewer of us ever think about or remember how challenging or inconvenient it must have been to get to the other-side. I'm sure when this bridge was opened in 1970 it was thought of as quite the accomplishment by those that drove across the former rickety wooden structure that preceded this concrete monster and even more so by those that had to rely on a ferry, a boat or a canoe to cross this span of water. The former bridge built in 1927 must have had a far greater impact on those living in the area than any of us realize, for the first time they could travel at will and only had to deal with the bridge tender's obligation to open the old draw bridge to river traffic or a fire which temporarily closed the bridge in 1961. This old bridge remains operable today even though it no longer links the shores at it original location. The antique steel beams and girders were so nostalgic it was re-purposed by Disney prior to the opening of Disney World in 1971. The names of hundreds of boats that were scratched into the tired old bridge trusses by the pen knives of lonely bridge tenders over the many years the bridge stood sentinel over the river remains intact after being purchased by Disney, redesigned and reassembled over the canal on the route of the "Main Street Railroad" where millions of happy tourists from every corner of the world have ridden since the opening. It is unlikely many of them are aware of the history of the old bridge. The Imagineers may have been more interested in saving an old bridge than in saving money, it seems this old bridge will join Mickey Mouse in immortality...

It is so fun to discover public art and this guy put a smile on my face. Patriot is a 10 foot high…read morefiber glass horse that has been a fixture in Pocahontas Park in downtown Vero Beach since the 1960's. It is believed that the horse came from Florida Wonderland's Dodge City once located in Indian River City in northern Brevard County. The park had the horse displayed outside its entrance along with two others. Horses made from this same mold can be found all over the country. In 2003 the beloved downtown park mascot was named Patriot by Mrs. Creech's 5th grade class from Rosewood Magnet School. In 2009, the statue underwent a 10 week renovation by Vero Beach resident and auto body specialist Todd Biron who has become Patriot's caretaker. In 2017 he did further repairs on Patriot after Hurricane Matthew ripped the statue off of its mountings and blew it over the surrounding picket fence. It was rescued from a nearby sidewalk with a leg and tail broken off and puncture wounds. Patriot underwent extensive repairs and today he looks no worse for wear as he continues to delight the families visiting the park.