This building was originally used as the public school in Fellsmere. It was added to the national…read moreregister of Historic Places in 1996 because it is the oldest masonry school in Indian river County. The building was constructed in 1915 and 1916 for a cost of $40,000. It was designed by architect Frederick Trimble and built by contractor Arthur Sander. 136 students in grades 1-12 began school in the building on Oct. 2, 1916. The school operated until 1982. When the town wanted to restore the building thirty years later they raised $650,000. A hurricane tore the roof off the building ruining everything they had done but they were able to restore it again with FEMA and insurance money. The FAU design department suggested placing city hall in the historic school building to combine Fellsmere's past with it's future. The Boys and Girl club needed a home so they moved into the building too. In 2010 the building once again reopened to the public. There is a marker out front of that relates the historical significance of the building. I had the opportunity to explore the building when I attended an event by Indian River Hauntings. We began our paranormal historic tour at the building and ended it there as well. During our initial presentation we could hear loud clanking by the elevator and no one was over there. Also the people sitting at the top of the stairs swore they could hear footsteps behind them in the hallway when again no one was there. I don't know for sure if the building is haunted but there were quite a few stories about it. In any case the building is exquisite.They don't build them like that any more. The wood work and windows were amazing. My favorite part of the building was the auditorium with the art deco detail on the side of the seats that were original from 1915. The old school is a beautiful historic building in quaint old Florida town.

This year was the 28th annual Pelican Island Wildlife Festival. The festival is held from 10:00 AM…read more- 4:00 PM in Riverview Park in Sebastian to commemorate the birthday of the refuge on March 14, 1903. Pelican National Wildlife refuge was created by one man's determination to protect the birds he loved. Paul Kroegel was a German immigrant and Sebastian resident and conservationist. He arrived in Sebastian in 1881 and homesteaded on the west bank of the Indian River across from Pelican Island. As he watched the birds on the island he fell in love with them and became increasingly disturbed by the hunters killing them. He took to protecting the birds by guarding them with his shotgun during a time when they had no lawful protection. Paul enlisted the help of the American Ornithologists Union and the Florida Audubon Society to help protect the birds. They joined together to pass legislation for protection of non-game birds. The Florida Audubon Society hired Paul Kroegel along with three other wardens to protect the birds from plume hunters and the sports hunters who would shoot at the birds while passing by on boats. During the time Paul served, two of the other wardens were murdered. Naturalist Frank Chapman and his fellow advocate, William Dutcher went to Theodore Roosevelts New York home to plead their case for the protection of the birds. In response President Roosevelt made Pelican Island the first National Wildlife Refuge in 1903. Paul Kroegel was hired as the first national wildlife refuge manager. He passed away in 1948. Since then the land was threatened in the 1960's developers attempted to buy the surrounding wetlands but local citizens stopped them. The Indian River Area Preservation League made up of local citrus growers, commercial fishermen, and sportsmen, joined with the Florida Audubon Society to convince the State to include the islands as a part of the refuge. In 1963, Pelican Island was designated as a National Historic Landmark by the Secretary of the Interior. Since then the refuge has gained over 500 more acres to help protect it from encroachment by development. There is a large parking lot with free parking adjacent to the park. Entrance to the festival is free. The event has live wildlife shows, food, environmental exhibitors, arts & crafts, a rehabilitated pelican release, raffle, amateur photography contest, native plant sale, educational presentations, historical reenactments with President Theodore Rossevelt, and for a fee boat tours to Pelican Island. I specially loved seeing all of the birds brought by the Treasure Coat Wildlife Center. Sadly because of their injuries, these birds can't be released into the wild and I was happy to donate to them. President Roosevelt is the Master of Ceremonies and is portrayed by Theodore Roosevelt interpreter, Joe Wiegand. He gave a wonderful presentation that taught about the history of Pelican Island and his efforts to protect its birds as well as other events in the life of President Roosevelt. The 2020 Pelican Island Wildlife Festival celebrated the 117th anniversary of the Pelican Island National Wildlife Reserve. The event is hosted by the Pelican Island Preservation Society and the City of Sebastian. It is a fantastic way to bring awareness to the refuge. Even though the festival is only held one day a year, you can visit the refuge 365 days a year.

The main portion of the Trans Florida Central Railroad Trail is located in Fellsmere FL on I-95…read more Cant miss it from north or south travel on the interstate. One of the largest historic landmarks that I have encountered in Florida.

The original rail line between Sebastian and Fellsmere was built in 1896. The 10 mile railway was…read morereplaced in 1910 and officially opened to the public on May 1, 1911. The line was originally used by the Fellsmere Farm Company to haul the heavy equipment that allowed them to excavate the drainage canals allowing them to build the town of Fellsmere. The Fellsmere Depot opened on January 23, 1913, and Edward Nelson Fell, the founder of Fellsmere, purchased the first ticket. The train was then used for passenger transportation. By April 1915, another 6 miles of track was added to extend to the next extinct town of Broadmoor. The Trans-Florida Central Railroad took over railroad operations on June 2, 1924. They operated the trains until November 30, 1952,when the railroad officially ceased operations after 42 years of service. The old railway corridor has now been transformed into the rails to trails project. The abandoned Trans-Florida Central Railway trails have been turned into hiking and mountain biking trails. The trail is a 2 mile hiking and biking pathway sitting in a former railroad corridor that once connected Sebastian and Fellsmere. The centerpiece of the trail is the iconic bridge over Interstate-95 where the name of the trail is displayed prominently in huge letters across the span of the bridge. It was designed to look like an old trail bridge. Though the railroad trail is about 15 miles long, only 2 miles of trail have been completed. You can enter the trail at the end of Fellsmere historic district where this marker is located. There is another entrance across from the Brookside Historical Cemetery.

The trails to view the island are beautiful! There are binoculars located at some stations to see…read morethe wild life from afar. I am so greatful to have found this place. There are real restrooms near the entrance not just which is great because there are a lot of trails.

A very nice hike and view inside Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge…read morePelican Island National WIldlife Refuge is located south of Sebastian inlet on the river, not ocean, side of the island. It has the distinction of being America's first National Wildlife Refuge. It may be a little island in the Indian River Lagoon but it is 5400+ acres of protected waters and lands. There is no fee. The roads to drive to the various places are hard dirt. There are several trails located within the refuge. One of the is Pete's trail. Joe's Overlook is off of that trail and is accessed by a short drive off Jungle trail and parking in the Viewing area and then hiking about 0.8 miles to the overlook. Bicycles are not allowed on Pete's trail but the hike is level and flat and typical Florida grass path through the mangroves until you come to the overlook. It is a very nice walk but I would suggest bringing a hat, water and possible bug spray depending on the time of year. Joe's overlook is a wooden walkway to a shaded viewing platform overlooking a pretty wetland area. It is a very pleasant trail, walk and view that I would recommend for the nature lovers in the crowd.

The Moores Creek Bridge is a 46 foot long single span, concrete, historic bridge on North 2nd St…read more in Fort Pierce. It was built by the Luten Bridge Corporation of Palatka Fl in 1925. The concrete bridge replaced a wooden one that connected a residential neighborhood with downtown Ft. Pierce and the water front. It was refurbished in 1997 by the city of Ft. Pierce and the Florida Department of Transportation. The bridge was added to the National Register of Historic Places on August 17, 2001. It has been nicknamed the tickle tummy bridge for the feeling you get in your stomach when going over it due to the high arch.

This historical marker is located on Indian River Dr. at the courthouse in Ft. Pierce Fl. Marker…read moreF-60 was erected in 1961 by the Florida Board of Parks and Historic Memorials. It is located in front of the Rupert J. Smith Law Library. The historical sign says that St. Lucie County was formed in 1844 and recreated in 1905. It is believed that this part of Florida was named for St. Lucie of Syracuse (283-304 AD) who was a Christian martyr who died during the Diocletianic Persecution. The Spanish were the first European explorers to reach Florida in the 1500's. One of the earliest references to St. Lucie (English version) was the 'Santa Lucia' Spanish colony located between Stuart and Vero Beach. As noted by the sign, the native inhabitants at the time were the Tequesta. After Florida became a state the U.S. government sought to move native people, the Seminoles who had previously been moved from Georgia by the government into Florida, west of the Mississippi which resulted in the Seminole Wars. The army established forts around Florida to chase the Seminoles. Fort Pierce established in this area in 1837, became the county seat. It was named for Major B.K. Pierce, the brother of Franklin Pierce who set up the fort. The settlement that sprang up around the fort became the City of Fort Pierce. This sign gives a brief glimpse of the history in this area. If you are interested in learning more and seeing historical artifacts, you can visit the St. Lucie Historical Museum also located in Fort Pierce. The museum has several displays exploring St. Lucie's history from the earliest humans, the Tequesta and Ais people to today.

Great service at the Clerk of Court in Fort Pierce on Wednesday. Polite, friendly, and very…read morehelpful. I've visited many a Clerk's office in Florida and the service in St. Lucie far exceeds them all.

This is an interesting bit of history I stumbled on as I was cutting across the state to the coast…read morefrom Yeehaw Junction. In the middle of nowhere is a historic marker for Fort Vinton, a military outpost that existed from 1839 to 1858. The sign is located a mile south of highway 60 near 122nd Avenue. As white settlers flooded into Florida, the government became determined to relocate all Native Americans west of the Mississippi. This forced removal policy sparked the Second Seminole War in 1835. The Seminoles fled south into Florida to evade capture and being sent out west and they moved into the Everglades in order to hide. In response the army set up forts south of Tampa to the east coast along rivers as they chased after the Seminoles who were much more skilled at surviving in the terrain than the soldiers. The fort was one of many that was built to help when problems arose between the setters and the Seminoles. Post #2 was established on April 7, 1839, approximately 18 miles northwest of Fort Pierce. It was abandoned in 1842 when the conflict ended. In May of 1850, Post #2 was opened again and renamed in honor of Major John Rogers Vinton (1801-1847). He had served in the Florida War and was killed in action in the Mexican War. Vinton was the grandfather of Francis L. V. Hoppin, a prominent American architect and painter from Providence, Rhode Island. Fort Vinton served as an outpost of Fort Capron at Indian River Inlet. On May 22, 1850 after the final battle with the tribe that ended the Second Seminole War, the post was closed. Fort Vinton was recommissioned for the third Seminole War from 1856-1858. The exact location where the fort existed has been lost to time. Different maps record different locations. No matter the exact location, it was in the middle of a mosquito infested swamp days away from civilization. Today the site is an orange an grapefruit farm. I always love discovering one of these historic markers. I read them and put together another piece of the puzzle of Florida's history. As for the Seminoles, they had the last laugh. Two hundred were able to escape into the Everglades and they were the only tribe to never sign a peace treaty with the US government. They now own the billion dollar Hard Rock gambling enterprise.

Had a great time at the out door bar. Great service and great food. The eggs Benedict were…read moredelicious.

A new bright star has opened on the Treasure Coast!…read more A beautiful historic building, built in 1909 and stunning from the outside. Open the door and you are transported back in time to a beautifully decorated parlor room with small booths and tables. The chef has carefully crafted a wonderful menu. We had 3 appetizers and 1 entree and shared a dessert. The soup de jour was a Tomato Purée, which was very good, the Cheddar Bacon Biscuits were delicious and the Truffle Caviar Deviled Eggs were amazing. Our entree was a 10 oz Wagyu Sirloin which was good, though a little tasteless. And the Crème Brûlée was outstanding. Service was excellent, prices are reasonable and the experience was fabulous. Upstairs there is a fabulous "Speak Easy" and the is also outside seating and a bar. If you are local, this will become your new favorite restaurant and if you are visiting the Treasure Coast, this is a must visit restaurant. I highly recommend The Boston House as the #1 restaurant in Ft Pierce

The Birthplace For Equal Suffrage For Women historic marker is part of the Florida Historical…read moreMarker Program, one of the Division of Historical Resources' most popular and valued public history programs. The markers raise awareness of Florida's cultural history while enhancing the enjoyment of historic sites for residents and tourists. The blue historic markers tell the stories of the people and places that were important to Florida's history and they can be found in front of schools, forts, roads, archaeological sites, battlefields, cemeteries, churches. and historic buildings. Historic marker F-519 was installed in 2004 by the National Organization for Women -Indian River and the Florida Department of State. An interesting fact about Fellsmere Florida is that is known as the birthplace for equal suffrage for women in Florida. In February 1915, citizens met to incorporate the city of 500 residents and establish a charter. Included in the formal request to the state of Florida was a proposal that women be "granted full and equal privilege for suffrage in municipal elections." Legend has it that a lot was going on in the state government at the time and so nobody took the time to read the whole bill. When the city was incorporated it was the first time women were allowed to vote in Florida. Mrs. Zena M. Dreier was the first woman to cast a ballot in Fellsmere, in all of Florida, and south of the Mason-Dixon Line. It would be another five years until Congress ratified the 18th amendment In 1919, a U.S. Constitutional amendment granted suffrage to women. By that time women were already voting in Fellsmere. The decision to include women in the electoral process was a testament to the town's progressive spirit and the recognition of women's contributions to the community. I love learning interesting and unique history facts. Every time I see the sign for the town of Fellsmere I think about how they led the way for women's rights in Florida. You can find this historical marker at the end of Broad street a few blocks down from the Marsh Landing.

This historic theater building opened on October 20, 1924 in Vero Beach. It was previously known as…read morethe Vero Theatre or Florida Theatre. The 800-seat theatre was designed by architect F.H. Trimble and was the city's first motion picture theatre. The building was designed in Mediterranean Revival style that was popular in Florida during the land boom years in the 1920's. It has the stucco exterior walls and terra cotta decorative tiles that were popular style elements of the time. On opening day, the first feature film shown was The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Even a potential hurricane with torrential rain could not stop people from coming out even though the rain resulted in the flooding of the theatre's $10,400 pipe organ temporarily putting it out of commission. This theatre is directly responsible for the creation of Indian River County. In 1925, St. Lucie County Sheriff J.R. Merritt began Sunday raids of the theater to enforce the county's blue laws which restricted certain businesses and activities on Sunday. Farmers enjoyed taking their families to town on Sunday to watch a film and pointed out that blue laws ere not enforced in St. Lucie. The theater manager William Atkin, ticket seller William Frick and theater operator Henry Metz were all arrested. Eventually even the first mayor and part theatre owner Rep. A.W. Young was also arrested. in response Vero representatives went to Tallahassee to form their own county, The Legislature approved the bill in May, naming Vero the county seat of the new Indian River County. Governor John Martin signed it into law in June 1925 creating Indian River County. The last film to be shown in the theatre was Desperately Seeking Susan. The theatre closed shortly after due to competition from larger, more modern movie theaters. This was the only movie theater in Vero Beach before World War II, and is one of the last commercial buildings from the 1920's in downtown Vero. In 1990, the building was purchased and turned into apartments upstairs and retail stores on the ground level. Over the years, there have been intermittent efforts to refurbish the inside of the theater. On April 28, 1992 the historic theater was added to the National register of Historic Places. Today new life is being brought to the old building with the opening of businesses like Downtown Dippers, an ice cream shop.