Launching Rockets

Launching rockets to the Moon and deep space has always attracted a lot visitors. Beaches and roads were packed with spectators to watch our nation’s boldest endeavor into the final frontier of space.

The limelight of America’s space program brought many VIP's and celebrities to experience the awesome rush and excitement of watching firsthand the thunderous liftoffs of our country’s quest into Space

The list of stars visiting and witnessing rockets launches include: Charles Lindberg, Jack Benny, Johnny Carson, Robert Gullet, Cary Grant,Festus Parker, Vincent Price, Michael York, Frank Sinatra and many others. A regular cluster of stars.

Many film actors visited the area for active roles they were playing on the set with scene shots in the Brevard County area.  Movies where space exploration was the theme and scenes from the Space Coast area include:


*  Marooned  a 1969 American film directed by John Sturges and starring Gregory Peck, Richard Crenna, David Janssen, James Franciscus, and Gene Hackman.


* Armageddon - Cast included Bruce Willis, Ben Affleck, Billy Bob Thornton, Liv Tyler, Owen Wilson, Will Patton, Peter Stormare, William Fichtner,  Michael Clarke Duncan, Keith David and Steve Buscemi.


* Space Cowboys-2000 science fiction film directed and produced by Clint Eastwood. Eastwood also stars in the film alongside Tommy Lee Jones, Donald Sutherland, and James Garner as four older "ex-test pilots" who are sent into space to repair an old Soviet satellite. Filming started in July 1999.


* Contact a 1997 American science fiction drama film adapted from the Carl Sagan novel
of the same name and directed by Robert Zemeckis. Both Sagan and wife Ann Druyan.


* Apollo 13 is a 1995 American drama film directed by Ron Howard. The film stars Tom Hanks, Kevin Bacon, Bill Paxton, Gary Sinise, Kathleen Quinlan and Ed Harris.


Even a TV series entitled The Cape ran in 1996-1997 starring Corbin Bernsen of "L.A. Law" 
fame and Ben Affleck.

Air Force Space and Missile Museum in Cape Canaveral

Although it may cost an individual several million dollars for a journey into space, a journey into space history is free at the Air Force Space Missile History Center in Cape Canaveral.

This new 3,200 square foot history center is located just outside the Cape's South Gate at 100 Space Port Way and is free to the public. Visitors will find a variety of eye catching and mind boggling history exhibits arranged in order of the launch complex where space history was made.

The history center delivers the information in an entertaining way on every launch complex on Cape Canaveral. Artifacts, displays and presentations includes but not limited to launch consoles, control panels, nosecones, rocket engines, and even a Mercrury capsule prototype.

Each exhibit tells the visitor fun facts based around the history of that launch pad while at the same time helping the visitor understand the inter-related purposes the missions had with one another.

For example at LC 43, one learns of rockets called, "Cajun Dar, Nike Smoke, Nike Javelon." (One would be forgiven thinking these were athlete shoes.) Mission programs from this Launch Complex supported Aeronomy, the study of upper atmosphere meteorological studies. These weather rockets were launched before major manned rockets to test atmospheric and weather condition prior to the main launch. Another fun fact learned here is immortalized in historic photos of Barbara Eden of I Dream Of Jeannie fame who pressed a button that launched a LOKI/Dart rocket in June of 1969 from here. This rocket was used to measure atmospheric conditions prior to the Apollo 11 launch.

But this history center is more that just displaying facts in a fun way, it is about honoring all the space workers who made the dreams of space flight possible. Brig General ED. Wilson of the 45th Space Fighter Wing summed it up well when he said, "This center is a testament to all those who have come before us, to the hard work and the dedication they expressed, and the sacrifices those individuals made."

Well worth the visit just a few miles North East of 528 Beeline on state road
401. Picnic benches outside the building so considering bringing a packed lunch.
Estimated time to visit all the exhibits is an hour. Gift store inside gives the visitor the opportunity to purchase some mementos of their visit.


Hours: Closed Monday.
Open Tuesday to Friday 9 am to 2 pm
Saturdays 9 am to 5pm
Sunday Noon to 4 pm
Admittance: Free


GPS: N 28° 25.023 W 080° 36.275
-RKO

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

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

This Day in History, Apollo 17 man's last visit to the Lunar surface came to an end.

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, a civilian geologist Jack Schmitt, and the Spacecraft Commander Eugene Cernan. They were launched into space from Cape Canaveral 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 Frank Sinatra starry-eyed and Jonathan Winter puffing on a stogey, all captioned with “everyone was bedazzled.”
There was enough confusion to go 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. But he 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.


Sources:
US Space Walk of Fame Museum in Titusville
FLORIDA TODAY December 1972
Wikipedia
Photo credit: NASA Archives

A Period of Friendship: Mexia and the Ais Indians

At the moment this writing project at this site is a landing page for work in progress.

Most of the content for this story is contained at a Wikipedia entry on Alvaro Mexia. Researchers and writers are welcome to add to the article.

This is a historical research and writing project in progress. These accounts will be used for an oral presentation by reenactors for a Heritage Day event planned for March 23rd, 2013. The plan for the event is to engage both visual arts with other forms of expression including performing arts around the historical period when the Europeans met the indigenous tribes of Florida. Scholarly and constructive advice is always welcome.

This writing project first started with an article the author published years ago called 96 Skeletons

The Ais Indian Nation Geocache marks the spot where six mounds of these Indians were found. A beautiful and tranquil point of interest in a small city park in Cape Canaveral.

-RKO