I love the story of Paul Kroegel who was what we would call a conservationist or eco-warrior today. 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. read more

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On Pelican Island in Florida in the late 1800s, plume hunters were hunting the birds to sell their valuable 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.] read more

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