North Area...
Homer Powell Nature Center
2000 Wuesthoff Street, Titusville
Location
FROM US Hwy 1, go west 1.5 miles on SR-50, turn left on Barna Avenue, go 0.1 miles, turn right and go to the end of Wuesthoff Street. MAP
Information 321-264-5105
The rustic nature center located at Wuesthoff Park was renamed the Homer Powell Nature Center on July 13, 2002. The facility was dedicated to Mr. Powell who was a City of Titusville appointee to the North Brevard Commission on Parks and Recreation from August 1995 until his death on November 19, 2001. He was president of the Space Coast Wilderness Club (not currently meeting), and taught wilderness survival classes at Wuesthoff Park.
Mr. Powell's interest in the wilderness started when he was a revenuer in Georgia. As an agent in charge of the Augusta office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, he learned how to blend into the countryside when out in the woods keeping a moonshine distillery under surveillance. At one time during his Augusta tenure, Powell had the national record for "known seizures" (arresting moonshiners) at a distillery site. [From Mountain Spirits-A Chronicle of Corn Whiskey from King James' Ulster Plantation to America's Appalachians and the Moonshine Life" by Joseph Earl Dabney.]
Mr. Powell also worked with Boy Scouts for 40 years. He served on the Executive Board, and achieved the Wood Badge—the most advanced training available for Scout Leaders who are involved Boy Scouts of America programs. Additionally, he served as chairman of the Titusville Environmental Commission, president of the Toastmasters, and was a member of Elks.
See Nature Programs for Environmental Activities for North Area and EEL Program North Region
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Central Area-Merritt Island/Beaches...
Rotary Park | Lori Wilson Park
Rotary Park
Nature Center at
Rotary Park-Merritt Island
899 S Courtenay Parkway
Merritt Island
Location
FROM SR-520 go south 2.0 miles on S Courtenay Parkway. The park is on the right. FROM the Pineda Causeway (SR-404), go north on S Tropical Trail/Courtenay Parkway 8.9 miles. MAP
Information 321-455-1385
The Nature Center is modeled after
a "Florida
Cracker"
schoolhouse and joins directly onto the boardwalk
nature trail. Both the Nature Center and trail
are part of a community service project that spans more than a
decade and includes hundreds of Merritt Island Rotary Club and
community
volunteers
working in cooperation with the Brevard
County School Board, Board of County Commissioners, and other governmental
agencies. The Rotarians were not only instrumental
in promoting park development, but participated in hands-on
construction, including that of the Nature Center and trail. The
nearby Richard Arnold Pavilion was dedicated in memory of a Rotarian
who
helped launch the vision of a park that would capture the essence
of primitive Florida—as Rotary Park-Merritt Island certainly
does.
Construction of the park began in 1988,
with construction of the Boardwalk Trail in 1990. The 1800' boardwalk
was designed by architect Carlos Marcet and built by Doug Merrick
(both Rotarians). The 5' wide walkway meanders in a loop through
pristine woods, is handicapped-accessible, and includes benches
for group education sessions. Design of the 1,500
sq. ft. Nature Center was by Rotarian Spence Wise. Construction
commenced in the fall of 1991 with an old fashioned barn-raising,
and culminated
with
the
dedication ribbon-cutting ceremony on June 26, 1993.
The Merritt Island Rotarians consider
the accomplishments at Rotary Park to be "a tribute to the
spirit of Merritt Islanders who put in their sweat, money, and
tax dollars
to create a living legacy for generations to come", and "also
a tribute to the cooperation between government and the public
where
state and county funds have been appropriated along with donations
from the community." (Quoted from Shuttlegram, Merritt Island Rotary Club Official Bulletin, August 30, 1990)
Park Historical Timeline
- Property - 38-acres leased by the Brevard
County School Board to the Brevard County Parks and Recreation
Department
- Project Inception - A Merritt Island Rotary Club project since the 1982-83 Rotary year when former president Con Nowakowsky led the club to adopt Rotary Park as a full-time community service
project.
- Initial Conceptual Design - former
Rotarian Brian Bussen
- Phase 1
- Playground Construction, November
1988 (Rotary Club community service project, with more
than 1500 volunteers working dawn to dark on November
18, 19, 20 constructing it)
- Richard Arnold Pavilion-4000 sq. ft.,
Spring of 1988 (Parks & Recreation Department project)
- Phase 2
- 4 Soccer/Multiuse Fields (Parks & Recreation
Department project)
- Boardwalk Nature Trail-1800'
Dedicated August 30, 1990 (built by Rotarian Doug Merrick)
- Nature Center-1,500 sq. ft.
Began Fall 1991, dedicated June 26, 1993 (Rotary Club
community service project)
- Phase 3 - Final Phase of the 1982-83 Rotary Club
Community Service Project
- West
Driveway & 151
Parking Spaces, 1995-96 (Rotary Club community service project)
- 4 Family Sized Pavilions, 1997-98
(Rotary Club community service project)
- Later Projects
- Renovation of Soccer/Multiuse Fields (Parks & Recreation
Department project)
- Playground
Replacement, 2004 (Parks & Recreation
Department project)
- Rotarian "Centennial Tree" at
Nature Center, 2004-05 (Rotary
Club community service project)
-
Lori Wilson Park
Maritme Hammock &
Nature Center
1500 N Atlantic Avenue
Cocoa Beach
Location
1.5 miles south of SR 520 on A1A MAP
Information -
PH: 321-455-1385
Lori Wilson Park was named after Florida State Senator Lori Wilson who sponsored the Florida ERA resolution defeated in 1975. She was a Senate member from 1974 to 1976 (and appears to be the only woman in the group). She was married to Allen H. Neuharth (the founder of USA Today) for seven years. They resided in a home in Cocoa Beach.
Lori Wilson Park - Johnnie Johnson Nature Center
The Nature Center at Lori Wilson Park was named in memory of local naturalist and historian Johnny Johnson. During the 1960s, Johnnie Johnson helped record what remained of the Ulumay mounds and also named the site Ulumay -- now known as Ulumay Wildlife Refuge. While Johnny Johnson, a long time member of the Brevard Historic Commission, was recording what little was left of the Ais sites, he headed a trailblazing effort along the dike at Ulumay. When the Nature Center was built the community considered it a perfect site to commemorate his service to Brevard County.
However, storms and hurricanes took their toll on the beachside facility until it was beyond repair. The building was removed, and the County's plans to rebuild are contingent upon funding, which is not currently available.
See Nature Programs for Environmental Activities for Central area - Merritt Island/Beaches
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South Area...
Erna Nixon Nature Center
at Erna Nixon
Park
1200 Evans Road, Melbourne
Location
FROM US-192 by the Melbourne Square Mall, go north on Evans Road 0.9 miles. The entrance is on the left just before Nasa Blvd. MAP
Information 321-952-4525
Eran Nixon Park was named in honor of Erna Nixon, who discovered the rare hammock in 1955 when she and her husband moved to South Brevard. Mrs Nixon, who lived to be 95 years of age, was a trained biologist, lifelong student and teacher of nature, and was consulted by experts throughout the county. She credited Melbourne High School teacher Gerald Einem with calling her attention to the distinctive acreage that hosts a pine flatwood, wet transitional zone, and oak/palm hammock.
In the early 1970s, the land the park now occupies was zoned for warehouses. With the thought of bulldozers toppling 300-year old oaks, plowing Simpson stopper trees into the dust, and destroying forever the serpent ferns and butterfly orchid, Erna Nixon was aware that a natural treasure was about to be destroyed. She recognized that preservation of the hammock and pine flatwoods had far greater value for future generations. With the assistance of the Junior League of South Brevard, Mrs. Nixon convinced the County and the State to purchase the land.
Initially purchased as a protective measure in 1972 by the Nature Conservancy, the County received a $100,000 Florida Recreation Development Assistance Grant from the Florida Department of Natural Resources and appropriated an additional $5,600 of County funds to purchase the property from the Nature Conservancy. The 53.93-acre tract of land included two hammocks, a pond and wetland area, along with adjacent pine flatwoods.
Title of the land went to the State of Florida Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund. On May 3, 1973, the County entered into a Contract and Agreement with the State of Florida, Department of Natural Resources for the purpose of assuring perpetual recreational use of the site.
Through funding from a bicentennial grant from the State of Florida and assistance from the Junior League of South Brevard, the park was made accessible to the public by installation of a 2700-foot elevated boardwalk and a pavilion, with construction of the boardwalk by a Parks Maintenance crew. The Junior League also contributed time and money to have scientists from Florida Tech conduct a study of ways to protect natural growth patterns of vegetation and identification of various plants. Additionally they trained tour guides to lead visitors along the winding boardwalk through the three protected ecological communities of the hammock.
In 1976 the park opened to the public. Today school children and adults can still experience Florida where Ais Indians once roamed in search of game and shelter—the green and beautiful Florida that Erna Nixon cherished..
See Nature Programs for Environmental Activities for South Area, EEL Program South Region and South Beaches Region
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Other Historic Sites...
Discover additional historic interest sites in parks managed by Brevard County Parks and Recreation.
Cultural & Historic Sites
North Area
Mims, Info 321-264-6595
Titusville, Info 321-264-5105
Central Area
Merritt Island - On Sykes Creek
South Area
Satellite Beach, Info 321-255-4400
Melbourne Beach, Info 321-255-4400
Grant-Valkaria, Info 321-723-8543
Cultural and Heritage Map
Brevard County History Books
