Brevard County Real Estate: Explore Florida’s Space Coast

The earliest inhabitants of the Indian River region now called Brevard County were Native Americans who ventured into the area perhaps as long as 12,000 years ago. Their descendants became diversified into distinct tribes, the Ais and the Timucua, which lived along the shores of the Indian River lagoon and left behind huge mounds of discarded shellfish, animal bones, and fractured pottery. These were the native peoples who were encountered by the first Europeans. Early Spanish explorers sailed along the Brevard County coastline and gave Cape Canaveral its name. There are well-documented accounts of European shipwreck survivors traveling among the native tribes in this region.

Gradually, pioneers trickled in and in the 1850s a small community was emerging in the vicinity of Sand Point, then a part of Volusia County and now the site of Titusville. By 1860, families were also settling the area around what would become Eau Gallie. The region remained very sparsely settled throughout the Civil War, though some of its men were recruited into Confederate service and died for the Southern cause. The Indian River region really began to open up to settlement immediately following the Civil War when defeated Southern soldiers and northern veterans as well moved their families to the unoccupied frontier to seek new lives and opportunity.

Brevard County was established by an act of the Florida Legislature in 1854 and was signed into law by the Governor early in 1855. The origin of the county’s name is widely attributed to Theodore W. Brevard, Florida Comptroller at the time of the county’s creation.

The towns of Titusville, Rockledge, and soon Melbourne, began to emerge and grow as trading, fishing, and agricultural centers along the Indian River. Primary transportation between the communities was by water. Commercial fishing, citrus agriculture, resort tourism, and a variety of smaller industries continued to fuel the area’s economy and growth until World War II. In the years immediately following the end of the war, the undeveloped coastal scrub of Cape Canaveral became the home to America’s missile testing program, and by the 1960s, the home of America’s human space flight program and the launch site for the first U.S. astronauts. Read more.

Listen to how life used to be in Brevard County prior to the post-World War II population explosion. Listen now.

Brevard County, Florida is home to the Brevard Historical Society and Library of Florida History.

Brevard County’s unique environment has numerous natural treasures that add value to Florida’s Space Coast properties.

As one of the longest stretches of undeveloped Atlantic coastline in Florida, the Canaveral National Seashore offers the tranquility of Playalinda Beach, and its lagoon, dune, and hammock habitat is home to many threatened and endangered birds, amphibians, and plants.

The Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge was established to serve both migratory birds and the space program. Hiking, fishing, hunting, and birding are all enjoyed with the reserve’s 140,000 acres. Connecting Mosquito Lagoon and the Indian River is the Haulover Canal, a known spot in the reserve for kayakers looking to spot bioluminescent plankton and comb jellies.

The Banana River Aquatic Preserve’s 300,000 acres of surface waters are nestled between Merritt Island and the outer beach barrier island. The northern area of the preserve is one of the most important spring habitats for the east coast manatee population, in addition to supporting large pelican, alligator, and diamondback terrapin turtle populations.

Golden sand and consistent waves draw beginners and experts alike to surf and kitesurf off the coastal city of Cocoa Beach. Heading south, Satellite Beach, Indialantic Beach, and Melbourne Beach add even more to the surfing atmosphere of this coast. 

South of Melbourne and extending down along 20 miles of shoreline in Brevard and Indian River counties is the Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge, protecting important nesting areas for many endangered sea turtles including loggerhead and green turtles.

At the southernmost end of Brevard lies the Indian River Lagoon State Park. The barrier island was historically utilized to grow pineapples, citrus, and guava and is now presently undergoing restoration. It’s mangrove wetlands and salt marshes are of critical importance to protecting the shoreline from erosion, maintaining water quality, and filtering runoff. Even with limited facilities, the park’s trails are excellent for running, hiking, biking, and spotting gopher tortoises, marsh rabbits, and gray foxes.

Read more in the Florida Coastal Access Guide.

Of the many parks and facilities available throughout Brevard County, those that the Parks and Recreation Department manages include 117 parks, 3 campgrounds, 3 nature centers, 3 education centers, 78 beach access sites, 10 school athletic sites, and more than 16,500 managed acres of Environmentally Endangered Land sanctuaries and conservation areas. The Parks and Recreation Department’s website offers residents and visitors a place to discover the unique features and recreational opportunities available throughout our parks.

Read more about Brevard Parks and Recreation.

Brevard County, Florida is the world’s only Quadramodal Transportation Hub – Land, Air, Sea, Space.

Florida’s Space Coast maintains an intricate network of road, rail, transit, bicycle & pedestrian throughways to help connect travelers inside the county and to major arteries reaching across the state. Read more from the Space Coast Transportation Planning Organization.

The Melbourne Orlando International Airport (MLB) recently unveiled a $72 million-dollar renovation and expansion project adding more than 86,000 SF of new and improved facilities and amenities. Serving nearly 750,000 passengers each year, Allegiant, American Airlines, Delta, Sun Country Airlines, and Tui offer international, domestic, and regional flights with quick and easy access to modern terminals and an array of ground transportation options.

Brightline announced in March 2024 that Cocoa in Brevard County, Florida will be its next expansion point to build a new high-speed rail station so that riders from the Space Coast can travel on one of 32 hourly trains per day between Orlando International Airport and Miami.

Florida’s Space Coast is home to notable military and defense installations to include NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Patrick Space Force Base, US Naval Ordinance Test Unit (NOTU), and US Coast Guard Auxiliary.

Brevard County, Florida is recognized as a USAA Great American Defense Community and is a designated Military Spouse Economic Empowerment Zone (MSEEZ) by the U.S. Chamber Foundation’s Hiring Our Heroes initiative.

Cloud 9 is your Certified Military Relocation Specialist and is proud to connect new residents to area resources like these:

• Civilian Military Community Foundation
• Women In Defense Space Coast Chapter
• Brevard Veterans Coalition
• AVET Appeals for Veterans’ Benefits
• Indian River Colony Club
• Brevard Veterans Memorial Center
• Valiant Air Command
• Institute of Military Technology