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Melbourne is a city in Brevard County, Florida, United States. As of 2008, the population estimated by the U.S. Census Bureau is 77,351. Melbourne is a principal city of the Palm Bay–Melbourne–Titusville Metropolitan Statistical Area.

The city was named Melbourne in honor of its first postmaster, Cornthwaite John Hector, an Englishman who had spent much of his life in Melbourne, Australia.

History

Early human occupation

Evidence for the presence of Paleo-Indians in the Melbourne area during the late Pleistocene epoch was uncovered during the 1920s. C. P. Singleton, a Harvard University zoologist, discovered the bones of a Mammoth (Mammuthus columbi) on his property along Crane Creek a mile and a half from Melbourne, and brought in Amherst College paleontologist Frederick B. Loomis to excavate the skeleton. Loomis found a second elephant, with a "large rough flint instrument"[7] among fragments of the elephant's ribs. Loomis found in the same stratum mammoth, mastodon, horse, ground sloth, tapir, pessary, camel and saber-tooth cat bones, all extinct in Florida since the end of the Pleistocene 10,000 years ago. At a nearby site a human rib and charcoal were found in association with Mylodon, Megalonyx and Chlamytherium (ground sloths) teeth. A finely worked spearpoint found with these items may have been displaced from a later stratum. In 1925 attention shifted to the Melbourne golf course. A crushed human skull with finger, arm and leg bones was found in association with a horse tooth. A piece of ivory that appeared to have been modified by humans was found at the bottom of the stratum containing bones. Other finds included a spear point near a mastodon bone and a turtle-back scraper and a blade found with bear, camel, mastodon, horse and tapir bones.[8] Similar human remains, Pleistocene animals and Paleo-Indian artefacts were found in Vero Beach, 30 miles south of Melbourne, and similar Paleo-Indian artefacts were found at Helen Blazes, ten miles southwest of Melbourne.

Settlement

Melbourne originally was a training area for Confederate soldiers during the American Civil War.[citation needed] Some soldiers, who were attracted to the river and the ocean, returned and bought land at 5 cents per acre.[citation needed] After the Civil War, pioneer families arrived and Melbourne was founded in the late 1860s by former slaves. The city was named Melbourne in honor of its first postmaster, Cornthwaite John Hector, an Englishman who had spent much of his life in Melbourne, Australia. The first school in Melbourne was built in 1883 and is now owned and on permanent exhibit on the Florida Tech campus. In the late 1890s, the Brownlie-Maxwell Funeral Home opened and is still in business. The oldest black-owned business in the county is Tucker's Cut-Rate plumbing. It opened in 1934.

In late 1942 the Naval Air Station Melbourne was established as a site to train newly commissioned Navy and Marine pilots for WWII. The program ran until 1946, and the land that was used for that program makes up most of what is currently the Melbourne International Airport. In 1969, the cities of Eau Gallie and Melbourne voted to merge, forming modern day Melbourne.

Geography

Melbourne is located approximately 60 miles (97 km) southeast of Orlando on the Space Coast along Interstate 95. It is approximately midway between Jacksonville and Miami. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 35.49 square miles (91.9 km2). 30.20 square miles (78.2 km2) of it is land and 5.29 square miles (13.7 km2) of it (14.9%) is water.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 71,382 people, 30,788 households, and 18,257 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,363.9/mi² (912.6/km²). There were 33,678 housing units at an average density of 1,115.3/mi² (430.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 84.53% White, 9.33% African American, 0.34% Native American, 2.32% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 1.20% from other races, and 2.21% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race constitute 5.54% of the population.

There were 30,788 households out of which 24.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.0% were married couples living together, 11.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.7% were non-families. 32.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.22 and the average family size was 2.82.

In the city the population was spread out with 20.7% under the age of 18, 9.3% from 18 to 24, 28.4% from 25 to 44, 21.9% from 45 to 64, and 19.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 94.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.1 males.

Economy / Personal income

The median income for a household in the city was $34,571, and the median income for a family was $42,760. Males had a median income of $32,242 versus $22,419 for females. The per capita income for the city was $19,175. In Melbourne, about 8.6% of families and 11.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.4% of those under age 18 and 8.5% of those age 65 or over.

Industry

The Melbourne International Airport is located near the center of the city. Melbourne is one of the cities which makes up the Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville metropolitan area. Its proximity to Orlando and access to the beach have helped establish a tourism industry. It has the second largest population on the Space Coast. Melbourne contains defense and technology companies with a high concentration of high-tech workers. The following corporations have operations in Melbourne:

* DRS Technologies
* General Electric Transportation Systems and GE Energy Automation
* Harris Corporation (including corporate headquarters)
* Liberty Aerospace
* Northrop Grumman
* Rockwell Collins

In May 2005, the Melbourne-Titusville-Palm Bay area was among the top 20 in home price appreciation from 2003 to 2004. Melbourne is also home to the Florida Institute of Technology and houses a campus for the Brevard Community College (BCC).

Workforce

In 2007, the average size of Melbourne's labor force was 39,391. Of that group, 37,708 were employed and 1,683 were unemployed, for an unemployment rate of 4.3%.

Housing

In 2008, 259 building permits were issued for 263 units. There were 209 permits issued for 320 units in 2007, which was down from 329 permits for 512 units in 2006.

The median home price in 2007 was $215,000.

Healthcare

The area has three hospitals, day care for senior citizens, hospice, walk-in and urgent care facilities.

Arts and culture / Annual cultural events

* The annual Melbourne Independent Filmmakers' Festival, held in early November, provides a venue for new filmmaker talent.
* The Melbourne Area Pilots Association hosts a General Aviation Day at Melbourne International Airport in September.
* The Annual IndiaFest And India Day that are held in February and in August.
* The Melbourne Arts Festival, held in April, drew about 70,000 visitors in 2006.
* The Melbourne Oktoberfest has been held each October since 1977. Most recently this was held at the Wickham Park Pavilion.

Museums and points of interest

Rossetter House
Gleason House
Roesch House

There are three places on the National Register of Historic Places:

* Florida Power and Light Company Ice Plant (1927) located at 1604 South Harbor City Boulevard
* William H. Gleason House located at 1736 Pineapple Avenue
* James Wadsworth Rossetter House (c.1860s) located at 1320 Highland Avenue

The following places are also historic:

* Henegar Center (1919) located at 625 East New Haven Avenue
* Holy Trinity Episcopal Church (1886) located at 50 West Strawbridge Avenue
* Melbourne Bone Bed located at Crane Creek
* Nannie Lee House - Strawberry Mansion (1905) located at 1218 East New Haven Avenue
* Roesch House (c.1901) located at 1320 Highland Avenue
* Winchester Symphony House (1890s) located at 1500 Highland Avenue

Museums

* Brevard Art Museum located on 1463 Highland Avenue
* Historic Rossetter House Museum located on 1320 Highland Avenue
* Liberty Bell Memorial Museum located on 1601 Hickory Street

Performing arts / Groups

* Brevard Symphony Orchestra
* City of Melbourne Pipes and Drums

Buildings

* Henegar Center for the Performing Arts
* Maxwell C. King Center for the Performing Arts
* Melbourne Civic Theatre located in downtown Melbourne
* Melbourne Auditorium located on Hibiscus Boulevard

Sports

Melbourne is the home of the Brevard County Manatees baseball club of the Florida State League and Washington Nationals spring training.

Melbourne also was an official host city for the 1996 Olympic Torch Relay.

Parks, recreation, and attractions

The City of Melbourne contains over 554.72 acres (2.2449 km2) of city park land, including 17 community parks, 13 neighborhood parks, and five smaller city parks.

* Brevard Zoo
* Nearby beaches in Indialantic and Melbourne Beach are near Melbourne.
* Fall 2007 Leisure Pursuits - The City of Melbourne Publications
* Andretti Thrill Park located on 3960 South Babcock Street
* Wickham Park

Government

The Melbourne City Council consists of the mayor and six district council members[27][28]. Melbourne utilizes a Council-Manager form of government.

City Officials

* Harry Goode, Mayor - Re-elected on November 2008, term expires November 2012
* Mike Nowlin, District 1 Council Member - Elected on November 2008, term expires November 2012
* Mark LaRusso, District 2 Council Member - Elected on November 2006, term expires November 2010
* Kathy Meehan, District 3 Council Member - Re-elected on November 2004, term expires November 2012
* John Thomas, District 4 Council Member and Vice Mayor - Elected on November 2006, term expires November 2010
* Molly Tasker, District 5 Council Member - Elected on November 2008, term expires November 2012
* Joanne Corby, District 6 Council Member - Elected on November 2006, term expires November 2010
* Paul R. Gougelman, III, City Attorney
* Jack M. Schluckebier, City Manager
* Cathleen A. Wysor, City Clerk

Melbourne city officials created the Babcock Street Redevelopment District in 1998 to stimulate new development along Babcock Street from U.S. 1 south to U.S. 192. A 218-unit apartment complex being built is just the latest (2005) step in an effort to revitalize this area.

Melbourne is also attempting to revitalize the downtown Eau Gallie Riverfront district.

A $156 million budget was proposed for the 2007-8 fiscal year.

In 2007, the city had a taxable real estate base of $4.96 billion.

A local soup kitchen has been trying to expand its facility since 2005. Neighbors have opposed this thereby stopping the expansion.

Education

88.5% of all residents 25 years or older are high school graduates. 25.7% have a Bachelor's Degree or higher.

Public Schools are run by the Brevard County School Board.

Colleges and universities

* Brevard Community College
* Florida Institute of Technology
* Florida State University Satellite Campus
* University of Central Florida Regional Campus
* Keiser University
* Everest University

Elementary Schools

* Roy Allen Elementary
* Ascension Catholic School
* Dr. W. J. Creel Elementary
* Croton Elementary
* Harbor City Elementary
* Holy Trinity Episcopal Academy Lower School (Preschool – 6)
* Longleaf Elementary
* Meadowlane Primary
* Meadowlane Intermediate
* New Covenant Christian School
* Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School
* Quest Elementary
* Sabal Elementary
* Sherwood Elementary
* Suntree Elementary
* University Park Elementary

Middle Schools

* Ascension Catholic School
* Central Middle School
* Florida Air Academy
* Holy Trinity Episcopal Academy Upper School
* L. B. Johnson Middle School
* New Covenant Christian School
* Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School
* Stone Middle School
* West Shore Junior/Senior High School

High Schools

* Eau Gallie High School
* Florida Air Academy
* Holy Trinity Episcopal Academy Upper School
* Melbourne Central Catholic High School
* Melbourne High School
* New Covenant Christian School
* Palm Bay High School
* Viera High School[39]
* West Shore Junior/Senior High School

Adult education

* Palm Bay High Adult/Community Education
* South Area Adult Center