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.

Indian Burial Mound with 96 Skeletons; Geocache marks the spot.

Many years ago in Cape Canaveral, a mass grave of 96 skeletons was found. A strange arrangement as the skeletons were arranged as spokes in a wheel with their heads pointed towards the apex of the mound. Among the skeletons discovered were interesting artifacts including a crystal necklace.

Such were the findings of a 1933-34 archeological expedition to the Cape Canaveral and Indian River areas. A Dr. George Woodbury under the direction of the Smithsonian's Bureau of Ethnology director Dr. Stirling, investigated burial mounds among a series of six mounds in the Artesia area of Cape Canaveral. The dig sites he researched revealed a culture of Native Americans that lived at the Cape 3,000 years ago, other researchers believed they may as old as 8,000 to 10,00 years old. This burial mound was one among six others in the Artesia area of Cape Canaveral that revealed other interesting artifacts.

Could these mounds be signs of the ancient Indian village of "Savochequueya" from the Ais Indians that lived in the area of Cape Canaveral? If not a city perhaps a large town or village. A Florida archaeological survey from the Bureau of Archaeological Review stated of the Fuller Mound. "One of a string of burial mounds (90-95) all making up a complex village site. This is the largest"

The human remains examined at the site consisted of 35 adult males, 42 adult females, 7 adults of uncertain sex and twelve infant skeletons. Artifacts found in their grave included 1 bone whistle, 1 shell bead, iron celt and 2 pendants. Other artifacts described by another anthropologist Irving Rouse from Yale University in his 1951 publication are a bowl and quartz crystal pennant. Rouse describes in his writings. "one of the St. Johns Plains specimens is almost complete bowl, 4.5 inches in diameter. A notched stone weight two single grooved, plumment shaped pendants of quartz crystal,fragments of four bone pins, one peg topped and one slotted, three being engraved. Then further south, to the Burns mounds another interesting artifact surfaced that indicated an advanced Indian civilization evident of their trade, an artifact of a copper snake was discovered. Described by Rouse, in 1954, "a thin strip of metal, 13cms long and 17cms. wide (of aboriginal manufacture, but of European-transported metal). The tail portion has been cut out to represent (see pic next page) rattles while the body is decorated in a repousse technique. A row of fine close-spaced dots borders each edge of the body. On the body of the snake are marks arranged in panels set off by horizontal bars. This kind of stylized representation of the rattlesnake - by the use of x-marks on the body-is typical of South Cult forms".

How did these Indians get copper? Since there were no natural veins of copper ore in the area, maybe they traded with the northern Indians the Timucuans. Perhaps they obtained the copper from Europeans and then cold hammered it into their own shapes and ornaments. There are a number of theories.

Who were these early Cape Canaveral residents and how did they live? M.W. Stirling reported that the deceased were tall people of robust physique, the crania being large, under-formed, and uncommonly thick; the long bones, heavy and massive." Many myths referred to them as being giants. (1)

Spanish explorers in the 17th century called the local Indian River natives of their time period as Ays Indians. A Spanish explorer and military cartographer by the name of Alvaro Mexia mapped and befriended the Indians on neighboring Merritt Island. Nowadays we use the word Ais instead of Ays pronounced (Aice). It was a harsh environment when the Indians lived at Cape Canaveral. This area named by Europeans as Cape of Cane Fields. Swamps, scrub mangrove trees
and wild cane fields stretched as far as the eye could see and the land was only 15 or 20 feet above sea level. Alligators and crocodiles basked in the sun waiting to gobble up their next meal. Wild beasts
routed through the canes and swarms of gulls screeched endlessly overhead.

Further evidence of a village may be considered in that there was a find of a circle in the area. The BAR master file states that a 20 foot circular area making up an Indian Wall was discovered. The reader may want to compare it with the Miami circle and other American earthworks.

(1) Giants? "Indians were not especially tall." said David Dickle of the Fl. Bureau of Archaeological Research Collections and Conservation Lab. "The reverse however is true- that is, Europeans of the time were generally short due to poor childhood diets (especially protein deficient) and childhood biological stress in general. The contrast was especially obvious to early Spanish and French sailors, who often came from lower economic classes and thus subject to more childhood stress. Thus Native Americans were not especially tall (6 foot would be a tall person), but many Europeans were short (5' 6" would be a tall person). The Europeans, being ethnocentric, instead of wondering why they were so short compared to Indians, instead wondered why the Indians were tall. Thus the story of extra-large Indians started. The guy looking up thinks the other guy is tall- the guy looking down thinks the other guy is short."


2) This was not the first time skeletons were found in this arrangement. "Boston Daily Globe April 24,1873 reported in their story entitled. "Indian Mounds in Florida- Burnham's Grove of Orange tree - Remains of a Giant Race- Curious Potter Recovered" "Sir Francis Sykes a British nobleman visited Cape Canaveral by Captain Burnham’s permission he excavated the mound, and took out twenty-seven complete skeletons. The skeletons were found lying side by side in a circle, with their heads towards the centre of the mound."

A geocache called Ais Indian Nation marks the location of where these mounds were once.

To be continued.

2024 May 22nd Pre-Memorial Day Event.

What: An Educational Seminar about Memorial Day

When: May 22nd 6:pm to 7:pm

Where: North Indian River County Library. 1001 Sebastian Blvd, Sebastian Floria.

Who: Ray Osborne with special guest speaker Lloyd Lasenby with Purple Heart Cane Project.

Cost: Free

Join us for this informative and entertaining seminar where you will learn more about the true meaning of Memorial Day. You will learn how veteran service organizations like the American Legion Post 189 rise to the occasion to honor those who served our nation and how they continue to serve our local community. Learn about new methods of paying your respects to our fallen.

Special guest speaker Lloyd Lasenby of the Purple Heart Cane Project will give a presentation on his project.

Don't forget to RSVP today, It's free to attend, but RSVP os recommended. Email PostHistorian189@gmail.com

Roseland History - Jackie James

Vist Jackie James interview Here. CLICK HERE

March for Local History; 2 Dates 2 Locations

Do you prefer Black and White?

Presidents Day 2024 - January 19, Monday webinar from 10:30 am to 11:30 am

Seating is limited, so RSVP today.

Presidential visits include Grover and First Lady Folsom Cleveland in 1888, Teddy Roosevelt 1905 Flordia visits. President Warren Harding fishing and golfing trips of the 1920's, JFK 1962 and more. Other topics include a sneak preview to upcoming local history seminars like notable women for Womens History Month, Patriots theme with the Final Naval Battle of the American Revolution, Native Indian Cultures, Treasure Tales, local history of Natural History, Celebrity visits to Florida and more. Consider joining my History Buffs Roundtable.

Our Last Moon Landing.

Considered one of the most memorable Apollo launches, the Apollo 17 blasted off from Launch Pad 39 at Kennedy Space Center on December 7, 1972. This was the first nighttime launch and it made a spectacular sight. The crew was made up by Command Module Pilot Ronald E. Evans, civilian geologist Jack Schmitt and the Spacecraft Commander Eugene Cernan they were lifted up from the Cape by a Saturn V Rocket. As usual, the CBS Newscaster Walter Cronkite was reporting live. But he made one of the most embarrassing gaffes of his career when he said that the night launch would "light up the sky like a firecracker. (There was a brief pause.) Uh, excuse me, Wally," Cronkite continued to guest commentator and former Astronaut Wally Schirra, "I should day, perhaps, like a roman candle." 

 Gathered at the launch viewing were hundreds of VIP’s and celebrities, the local paper reported that celebrities were dime a dozen. Pictures in the press showed celebrities, Eva Gabor, pointing to the fiery liftoff and Franks Sinatra staring and Jonathan Winter puffing a stogey, all captioned with “everyone was bedazzled.” There was confusion all around. Assigned seating in the bleaches was not observed by some as some people got it wrong. Former Florida Gov. Kirk got kicked out of a VIP stand for sitting in a taken seat, he had to leave as he didn't have a pass. Stumbling around the crowds looking confused was an Asian military man, his uniform draped with braiding, his shoulder festooned with stars, he wandered around the bleachers lost, unable to communicate. An elderly woman, not a big shot, steered the general back to his seat. 

  Meanwhile, in space, the Saturn rocket headed off on a journey to the moon. The lunar module made a soft landing in the Taurus-Littrow region of the moon. The headlines reported, “Landing Smoother Than Any” The newspaper dated December 12, 1972, reported astronaut Cernan as saying, 'It is Beautiful Out Here’. During the mission a mishap caused the fender on the Moon Rover to break and thus driving was difficult with lunar dust flying up at the moon rover riders. "I got to make a fender tonight," Astronaut Gene Cernan said. "Man I hate this dust." Radio communications with Houston Control resulted in a solution where a map was folded in such a way and duck taped to make a temporary fender, and it worked. Traveling along the moon surface an interesting discovery was made, orange soil in a crater. Astronaut Jack Smitt hesitantly suggested the strange appearing soil might have originated from a volcanic type vent, but added "But I hate to even suggest it." After all the experiments had been performed it was time to return to Earth. A short ceremony was held to end this final Apollo mission to the Moon. Astronauts Gene Cernan and Jack Schmitt unveiled a plaque commemorating all six Apollo landings on the moon and acknowledging all the ground crews that made this scientific achievement possible. "This valley of history has seen mankind completes his first evolutionary steps into the universe," geologist Schmitt said, "leaving the planet earth and going forth into the universe. Cernan recognized the support of the ground crews and workers. He concluded his farewell, “God willing, We'll Return”. 

 A letter from NASA director Kurt H. Debus on December 19, 1972, congratulated everyone. ‘I think it was entirely appropriate as Gene Cernan and Jack Schmitt positioned the American Flag on the moon that it was dedicated to all those people who made the Apollo lunar landings possible. It was quite a tribute and well deserved one for all of you. Sincerely, Kurt H.Debus’