Merritt Island

Merritt Island, Florida
—  CDP  —
Location in Brevard County and the state of Florida
Coordinates: 28°21′28″N 80°41′5″W / 28.35778°N 80.68472°W / 28.35778; -80.68472
Country	United States
State	Florida
County	Brevard
Area
- Total	47.1 sq mi (121.8 km2)
- Land	17.7 sq mi (45.7 km2)
- Water	29.4 sq mi (76.1 km2)
Elevation	3 ft (1 m)
Population (2000)
- Total	36,090
- Density	766.2/sq mi (296.3/km2)
Time zone	Eastern (EST) (UTC-5)
- Summer (DST)	EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP codes	32952-32954
Area code(s)	321
FIPS code	12-44275[1]
GNIS feature ID	0294625[2]

Merritt Island is a census-designated place in Brevard County, Florida, United States. It is located on the east coast of the state on the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2000 census, the population was 36,090. It is part of the Palm Bay–Melbourne–Titusville Metropolitan Statistical Area. The name "Merritt Island" also refers to the extent of the former island, which is now a peninsula.

Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge and NASA's John F. Kennedy Space Center are located on the northern part of Merritt Island. The area is heavily residential, with centralized light commercial and light industrial areas.

The island does not belong to any official city. The central part of Merritt Island, previously known as Merritt City,^[3] is home to the majority of the population and includes the local high school, library, and shopping district.

History

Merritt Island's recent history dates back into the mid-1800s and centers on the growth of citrus, stressing the cultivation of pineapples and oranges. The Indian River oranges and grapefruit come from this sandy area.

The Island became grew in the 1950s and '60s as the Space Race began and nearby NASA expanded. Construction of a barge canal to the Intracoastal Waterway from the Atlantic Ocean (for power plant oil shipments) cut off the northern half of the island for many years and to this day it remains slightly less developed with few areas remaining cattle pasture or citrus land. The small towns on the island vanished with the coming of the Space Age, and now only live on in the names of streets and historic churches.

Sea Ray operated a factory on Merritt Island until 2008.

Geography

South end of Merritt Island from about 4,000 feet looking east

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 47.0 square miles (121.9 km²), of which, 17.6 square miles (45.7 km²) of it is land and 29.4 square miles (76.1 km²) of it (62.49%) is water.

Merritt Island was originally an island and is still referred to as one. The construction of the Crawlerway in the north (for the NASA space vehicles to move to the launch pad over the Banana Creek) connects Merritt Island to a mainland peninsula. To the west and south it is separated by the Indian River Lagoon and the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway. The east side of Merritt Island splits and is divided by Sykes Creek and Newfound Harbor. They, in turn, are separated by the Banana River Lagoon from Cocoa Beach, Florida.

To the north, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, along with a narrow barrier island that make up Canaveral National Seashore, offer an unpopulated protected buffer area for the space shuttle launching site of Kennedy Space Center. Migrating migratory birds join the more resident wildlife including, alligators, manatees, dolphins, sea turtles, bald eagles, ospreys, bobcats, and the elusive Florida panther. A number of bald eagle nests are monitored atop power line poles along SR 3 in Kennedy Space Center.

To the west, the island connects to mainland Brevard County near Titusville and Cocoa on its northern end, and in Melbourne, Florida on its southern end.

Etymology

Merritt Island also owes its name to the generosity of the king of Spain. The entire island was part of a land grant given by the king to a nobleman named Merritt.^[4]

Places on Merritt Island

Merritt Island has several concentrations of population known as a place.

• Allenhurst
• Angel City
• Audubon
• Banyan
• Courtenay
• Fairyland
• Georgiana
• Indianola
• Lotus
• Merritt City
• Orsino
• Shiloh
• Tropic
• Wilson

Government

With the lack of a municipal government Merritt Island is left to the administrative care of the local county government and the water and sewer (where available) are handled by neighboring Cocoa, Florida. As a result, there are no city taxes. The county maintains sheriff, fire, and EMS coverage.

Economy

Personal Income

According to the 2000 Census:

• Median household income = $43,532
• Median family income = $52,388
• Median income for males = $41,393
• Median income for females = $25,787
• Per capita income = $23,961
• Below the poverty line:
  • Families = 7.2%
  • Population = 9.4%
  • Those under age 18 = 13.8%
  • Those over age 64 = 7.0%

Industry

There are also light industrial fabrication centers around the Merritt Island Airport, and NASA-related industrial activities to support space shuttle and other rocket launches on North Merritt Island.

Redevelopment

Merritt Island has a redevelopment agency funded by the county.^[5]

Infrastructure

Roads

The island is linked by causeways, SR 520 and SR 528, to the barrier island to its east and the mainland to the west.

SR 3, a 4-lane highway, connects the Space Center, for workers from the more densely populated central and southern sections of the Island.

Airports

Merritt Island Airport is a public general aviation airport located on South Merritt Island and run by the Titusville-Cocoa (TICO) Airport Authority.

Demographics

As of the census^[1] of 2000, there were 36,090 people, 14,955 households, and 10,049 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 2,044.6 people per square mile (789.5/km²). There were 15,813 housing units at an average density of 895.9/sq mi (345.9/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 90.22% White, 5.31% African American, 0.41% Native American, 1.65% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.68% from other races, and 1.66% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.83% of the population.

Of the 14,955 households, 27.1% had children under the , 52.9% were married couples living together, 10.7% had a female householder with no husband, and 32.8% were non-families. 26.8% of households were solely individuals and 11.4% had a lone resident of 65 or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 2.86.

In the CDP the population was spread out with 21.8% under the , 6.1% from 18 to 24, 26.1% from 25 to 44, 26.2% from 45 to 64, and 19.8% of 65 or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females there were 95.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.3 males.

Landmarks

• J. R. Field Homestead
• Georgiana Church and Cemetery, 19th Century
• Hacienda del Sol, large historic agricultural estate on South Merritt Island (home still exists, property is now housing development)
• Old Haulover Canal
• Dr. George E. Hill House
• NASA Kennedy Space Center
• Mather's Bridge Restaurant (now closed), previously Hacienda del Sol's workers mess hall, was joined by former field workers quarters (since destroyed) across South Tropical Trail at Mather's Bridge
• Merritt Island Airport
• Merritt Island Barge Canal
• Merritt Island Dragon (crumbled into water because of negligence by owner and county)
• Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge
• Merritt Island Rotary Park Nature Trail and Center
• Pine Island Conservation Area
• Old St. Luke's Episcopal Church and Cemetery
• Ulumay Wildlife Sanctuary

Notable residents

• Emory L. Bennett - medal of honor recipient. Lived here briefly as a child
• Eric Robert Rudolph - Right-wing domestic terrorist, perpetrator of the terrorist attack on the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta. Born on Merritt Island.^{[citation needed]}
• Cecil W. Stoughton, photographer for John F. Kennedy, lived in Merritt Island

See also

• List of Cape Canaveral and Merritt Island launch sites

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Merritt Island, Florida

• Shuttle Landing.com

• Merritt Island, Florida is at coordinates 28°21′28″N 80°41′05″W / 28.357901°N 80.684734°W / 28.357901; -80.684734 (Merritt Island, Florida)Coordinates: 28°21′28″N 80°41′05″W / 28.357901°N 80.684734°W / 28.357901; -80.684734 (Merritt Island, Florida)

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