History of the city of Vero Beach, Florida

Vero Beach colonists began to make build homes during 1840s. The town began to boom in 1890 and the greatest momentum of growth during those years can be identified of two cases. The first of these two cases was the Henry Flagler’s East Coast Railroad or known as FEC was made and its operation began in 1893. This project was a farm to market road as its main purpose was to provide a fast shipping of the fishermen and farmers’ products to the northern market. In addition to, the growth of the land become fast. Also, most of the companies bought lands from the railroad and presented the whole cities. The linking of Fellsmere to Sebastian was made through the spur of the railroad.

The making of Drainage Districts during 1905 which brought growth to the area was identified as the second era of development. Through that project the development of the population earned impulse. Through the Drainage project many landed estate wetlands from unlivable land turn to a highly real estate. As a result, The Fellsmere Farm Company and the Indian River Farms Company were founded in 1910 and 1912 respectively. Those two large companies were funded privately in Indian River County.  

In 1919 the first bridge was made and this bridge connecting the mainland to the barriers island and on that year the Vero Beach was integrated. In 1924 the Indian River County has been made when the Vero Beach business owners forced for breakup from adjacent St. Lucie County. From 1942 to 1947 the municipal airport of Vero Beach was serving as a naval air station. Also in 1957 the Piper Aircraft constructed a research and development center on the bases of the late naval station.

Vero Beach was the place of Dodger town where the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers baseball made their spring training camp during 1948 to 2008 become they transfer to a new facilities in Arizona. The sports arena was also the home of the minor league Vero Beach Devil Rays. However, the license was clod to the Ripken Baseball Group and it didn’t come back for the 2009 season in Vero Beach. In 2009, Dodger town was leased to Minor League Baseball, and there is no word yet if a new team will make it its home.

As the era ended, the railroad offered a faster mode of travel and broadened the markets for citrus and produce. It also opened up venues for passenger travel. The drainage district program created better agricultural lands and industries.  Cities grew and the face of Vero Beach and Indian River County changed forever. Today, with 98 percent of Vero Beach developed or built-out, public concern has turned to preserving the natural beauty of the town with a focus on organized growth, green space and the preservation of wildlife and historical buildings.