Geocaching with history at the Indian River Hotel Rockledge

One of the first hotels in the Rockledge/Cocoa area was built in 1881 by A.L.Hatch and was known as the Rockledge House. It caught fire and burned down in 1884 and rising from its ashes, a grander hotel was built. The hotel was purchased by Joseph Wilkinson who renamed it the Hotel Indian River in 1885. The positioning of hotel in a charming location along the river added to its popularity among tourists. A seasoned and experienced manager by the name of J.M.Lee was hired and with his experience of running big hotels in Jacksonville turned the hotel into a showcase. It was advertised as the finest and largest hotel on the East Coast of Florida between St. Augustine and Key West. The stationary from the hotel read that the Indian River Hotel had 300 rooms, had its own telegraph office and its motto was "The Tropical Health and Pleasure Resort of America".

A highlight in history is when President Grover Cleveland visited the area and had a picture taken of his entourage at the front of the hotel. Rockledge hotels in this time period became the pride of Brevard County during the 1880's and 1890s.

The Indian River Hotel was sold in 1910 to SF Travis of Cocoa and two New Jersey men who put the establishment in "first class shape." The hotel had a major remodeling and on January 24, 1924 and was formally opened as The New Hotel Indian River where an estimated 400 people celebrated the grand opening. Architecture of the building was of Spanish style which was popular for this time period.

Use your GPS and visit the location of this hotel by visiting this
Historical-Geocache and discover a Million dollar bill. Be the first to find this replica note.


To be continued with more interesting facts. Be sure
to become a follower of this blog.

Historically yours,

-RKO

President Harding visit marked by Historical-Geocache

Ray Osborne's series on Presidential visits to Florida continues with the visits of Warren Harding. This President loved vacationing in the Sunshine State. An examination of his visits reveals a President who values his leisure activities with golf, fishing and being just a good ole' boy. President Warren Harding spent a considerable amount of time in Merritt Island and Daytona prior to his Presidency. The historic newspaper Cocoa Tribune and Indian River Advocate have accounts of his visits to these areas. President Harding was an avid golfer and sports fisherman, and would often sail aboard a luxurious vessel into the area. The Indian River Advocate reported on February 11, 1921 that he arrived onboard a boat called the Victoria. However it got stuck in Mosquito Inlet and wallowed in the mud the better part of two days. At one point President Harding got out of the vessel and stretched his legs in Titusville at the recently built Gulf Refining company wharf, He he shook hands with a hundred or more of his Titusville constituents. He took a ride in a "for hire' Ford with its driver and bought some mullet from a local fisherman. In March 1923, The President and First Lady returned to Florida for a short vacation. The President was to get in a round of golf in Rockledge and some other choice golf courses in Florida. Both the President and the First Lady were in a weakened physical condition. Mrs. Harding had narrowly escaped death from nephritis in October 1922 and the President's health was causing concern to his doctors. Breathing difficulties made it impossible for him to lie flat in bed at night and he complained of chest pains and shortness of breath. Playing golf with his aide, Colonel Edmund Starling, President Harding complained, 'Why, after playing eleven or twelve holes do I drag my feet and feel so tired: To Starling's suggestion that he should play fewer holes in future, Harding retorted, "Hell if I can't play eighteen holes I won't play at all." The Cocoa Tribune reported President Harding’s arrival on beautiful houseboat called "Pioneer" on March 8, 1923. At a gathering of local businesses and city officials, Cocoa Beach real estate developer Gus Edwards presented the President and Mrs. Harding with a deed for an ocean-front lot at Cocoa Beach, inviting them to make their home when President Harding retires from the most important job in the US. Unfortunately President Harding was never able to take him up on this offer as he died during his administration that same year. Visit the President Harding's Oceanfront Lot Historical-Geocache -RKO

President Cleveland's 1888 visit to Central Florida

It was election year in 1888 and President Grover Cleveland made a visit to the Land of Flowers ,the great state of Florida. It was a full itinerary that included visits to Jacksonville, St. Augustine, Palataka, Titusville, Cocoa and finally Sanford and Winter Park,

President Grover Cleveland, the First Lady, and entourage's trip to Florida continued from St. Augustine with a train trip to Titusville, Florida with a brief stop in Palatka. As typical with their other whistlestop's, huge crowds gathered to catch a glimpse of the Executive General. At the Titusville Wharf, the President's party boarded a paddleboat, called Rockledge.

Going south on the Indian River the Rockledge Steamer docked at the wharf of the citrus grower, Mr. G. Hardee, at 11:30 am in Rock Ledge. Under the shade of several live oaks, in front of Mr. Hardee's residence, a reception was feted. A large number local officials, of this Indian River area, had the opportunity to shake hands with the President. The people were enthusiastic and warmly welcomed the party into the beautiful grounds of Mr. Gardner Hardee's estate and into his magnificent orange grove. Mrs. Cleveland pitched the first orange from the laden branches, which was followed in suit by other members of the party.

Mr. Hardee selected one of the finest oranges in the grove and peeled it in the Ole Florida style, for the President. Since the President was extremely pleased with that one, he announced that this one variety orange would be known as "The Cleveland Orange". A reception was held at the Indian River Hotel and is memorialized in a photograph of the President, entourage and local citizenry.

The New York Times reported that the First Lady Mrs. Cleveland was greatly amused at some of the strange watercraft that came up the dock. A local fisherman presented a huge channel bass to the President and he made the donor happy by saying, "I don't believe I could pull that fellow in myself. "The entire party were reported to be in the most congenial spirits and spoke highly of their delightful trip.

The President and his entourage departed Rock Ledge at 2:45 pm by paddleboat, back to Titusville where they were welcomed by a large crowd. Waving to the crowd and making handshakes the Presidential boarded their train and steamed off to their next whistle-stop, Sanford.



Footnotes:

1) Click the Sanford link above to continue the story.

2) The city of Rockledge back in 1888 was spelt as two words.



Sources:

For more on this story visit Google Books for free Ebook Review

Library of Congress Archives at Florida State University

Florida Star newspaper March 1, 1888.

Jeannie Days; Barbara Eden visits marked by Historic Marker

Here's comes that Jeannie Magic!

Everybody knows the 1960's TV series "I Dream Of Jeannie."  The story begins when an astronaut, Major Tony Nelson, discovers a Genie bottle on a deserted island beach. A blond female named Jeannie vapors out of the bottle, and from then on, astronaut Major Nelson gets all that he wishes and then some.

Fewer people know that the stars of the show made occasional visits to Florida's East Coast due to the shows frequent references to Cocoa Beach and the Space Center at Cape Canaveral.

The Jeannie Day celebration made a splash in history as it demonstrated the cooperation of multiple organizations to plan a star-studded event.

The first visit of Barbara Eden was on June 27th, 1969, when Brevard commissioner Lee Wenner flew his small aircraft South to Miami to meet up with Barbara Eden the actress that played the character of Jeannie. Lee transported her to Brevard County where he landed his small aircraft at the Merritt Island Airport.

The Florida Today newspaper headline read; "Smiling, Wide-Eyed Jeannie Wows Em in Cocoa Beach."

Barbara's first activities in the area were to press a button that launched a weather rocket from Complex 43 at Cape Canaveral and then to be the guest of honor in a parade through Cocoa Beach. Later in the evening, she was given a reception at Lee Caron's Carnival Club where she was showered with gifts. The most remarkable gift she was presented was an 8-foot (inert) rocket replica to commemorate the real one she launched earlier in the day.

Barbara Eden and cast returned to the Cocoa Beach area on November 25th, 1969, for a publicity event to promote the final episode where a mock wedding was to take place. In attendance were her real-life husband Mike Ansara, and actor-groom Larry Hagman, the show's producer Sidney Sheldon and other cast members. At the event were many VIPS including Florida's Governor Claude Kirk, Major General David Jones and the Astronaut, Gene Cernan.

It would be 27years before Barbara Eden was to return to the area. A three-day-event in Cape Canaveral called "Space Day at Kennedy Space Center" was held in the second weekend in July 1996." Even the City of Cocoa Beach got involved when city officials commemorated the TV show by creating a special Jeannie Day, which included renaming Primrose Ave, to become “I Dream of Jeannie Lane.“

Other Jeannie Days were held in 2004 and 2005 although Barbara Eden could not personally
attend. A Jeannie Look-a-like contest, raffles, and other events were among the festivities.

Jeannie Day was reborn in 2009 for the 40th Anniversary of the first visit by the actress. A get together was held at a restaurant called the Surf in Cocoa Beach, the original location where Barbara and cast had a meal. Among the attendees were participants of previous Jeannie Days who shared their memories. On this occasion comma there was a storytelling presentation with historic photos and a raffle drawing for a replica, I Dream of Jeannie bottle.

2010s Jeannie Day was even better. A telephone interview with Barbara
Eden was recorded and her message was shared with the residents of the Space Coast. In addition, there was a Jeannie Look-a-Like contest, a bellydancing demonstration, a slideshow presentation with storytelling. There was a raffling of a replica Jeannie Bottle and other collectibles; the proceeds of which will be used to support a local historic marker project.

Visit the location where Jeannie Days started by visiting this
Historical-Geocache

Sources: Ebook "Jeannie Days Remembered" by Ray Osborne. Email author
for details on buying a copy of this popular story.


-RKO