Fellsmere in Indian River County, Florida — The American South (South Atlantic)

Fellsmere Grade

Photographed by Jay Kravetz, June 23, 2016

1. Fellsmere Grade Marker

Inscription. Fellsmere, the northernmost town in St. Lucie County in 1919, had a population of over 800 people. The county built the first public road to cross the St. Johns River marsh in St. Lucie County (now Indian River County). Promoted as the Fellsmere-Tampa cross state road, this road allowed travel between the interior and the coast. From 1919 until the 1940's, this road served as an important transportation route from Fellsmere, across the river to Kenansville, the sawmill at Holopaw, and the cattle markets of Kissimmee, but it never reached Tampa. During these decades it became a state road (SSR 170) and provided a corridor to Central Florida and a recreational access to the St. Johns River marshes. The town of Fellsmere was dependent on the sportsmen attracted to these resources. In the late 1940's the bridges burned across the river and the Fellsmere Grade ended in the marsh six miles from this site. Today this road serves the public as a recreational access.

Erected 1999 by St. Johns River Water Management District, Indian River County Historical Society, and Florida Department of State. (Marker Number F-404.)

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This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Roads & Vehicles. A significant historical year for this entry is 1919.

Location. 27° 49.345′ N, 80° 36.448′ W. Marker is in Fellsmere, Florida, in Indian River County. It is at the intersection of Fellsmere Grade Road and Babcock Street SE (County Road 507), on the left when traveling west on Fellsmere Grade Road. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Fellsmere FL 32948, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Florida’s Space Coast.

It is also in the American South

and on the Eastern Seaboard. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region,

North America,

a Gulf of Mexico state,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain,

the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 4 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Frank and Stella Heiser House (approx. 1.8 miles away); The Fellsmere Railroad (approx. 3.4 miles away);

Photographed by Jay Kravetz, June 23, 2016

2. Fellsmere Grade Marker

Birthplace for Equal Suffrage for Women in Florida (approx. 3.4 miles away); Fellsmere Historic African American Community (approx. 3½ miles away); The Marian Fell Library (approx. 3.6 miles away); Fellsmere Historical Church (approx. 3.7 miles away); Fellsmere Veterans Memorial (approx. 3.8 miles away); Fellsmere (approx. 3.8 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Fellsmere.

Photographed by Jay Kravetz, June 23, 2016

3. Fellsmere Grade Marker

Credits. This page was last revised on June 29, 2016. It was originally submitted on June 28, 2016, by Jay Kravetz of West Palm Beach, Florida. This page has been viewed 1,558 times since then and 77 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on June 28, 2016, by Jay Kravetz of West Palm Beach, Florida. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.