Melbourne in Brevard County, Florida — The American South (South Atlantic)
Harbor City Hotel
Photographed By Karen Cox, October 30, 2011
1. Harbor City Hotel Marker
In 1902, the East Coast Lumber and Supply Co. built its planing mill and novelty works at this site. A waterwheel powered by an artesian well created electricity for the mill.
In 1925, the Harbor City Hotel was built here. Estimated cost of the building was $150,000. The name was changed to Oleanders Hotel a few years later and eventually it became known as the Imperial Hotel. In the 1970's it was known as River House. The aging building was razed in 1991.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Railroads & Streetcars • Waterways & Vessels. In addition, it is included in the Florida East Coast Railroad and Hotels series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1902.
Location. 28° 7.87′ N, 80° 37.57′ W. Marker is in Melbourne, Florida, in Brevard County. Marker is at the intersection of Pineapple Avenue and Eau Gallie Boulevard on Pineapple Avenue. At the west end of the Eau Gallie causeway near the west bound side. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1400 Pineapple Avenue, Melbourne FL 32935, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other
this page online
More about this marker. Marker is in front of Squid Lips Restaurant, easily viewed from the sidewalk.
Additional commentary.
1. Regarding Our Site and the "Oleander's Hotel”
As owner of Conchy Joe's I had the unfortunate task of demolishing what remained of the once beautiful Oleander's Hotel. The hotel (which opened as the Harbor City Hotel and was also called the Imperial Hotel for a period) occupied this site from 1925 until 1991. I am enamored by old buildings, and I would have loved to save this historical structure. Regrettably the hotel, in the years after it was closed, had been vandalized, stripped, and had deteriorated to a point beyond restoration. At the time I first looked at the building the fire department feared
Photographed By Jamie Cox, May 22, 2023
2. Harbor City Hotel Marker on Pineapple Avenue
The marker is visible left of center, on the east side of Pineapple Avenue.
Even in this dismal state I hoped there would be numerous odds and ends, light fixtures, etc., that we could salvage for the sake of history and display in Conchy Joe's, however this was not the case. The building had been so thoroughly stripped that there was very little to be salvaged. We did salvage what we could.
The floor you are standing on, as you read this, is the hardwood pine floor that was in the lobby in front of the main fireplace in the hotel. It is clear from its coloring where it stops and starts within Conchy Joe's, essentially flooring our lobby. The decorative cornice, just to your left, dated 1925 came from the top center of the southern wall of the hotel, bordering Eau Gallie Blvd. Construction began on the hotel in 1925, it opened May 8th, 1926.
In our main dining room the decorative screen in front of the fireplace was the screen that embellished the fireplace in the main lobby of the hotel during the warm weather months. Above the doorway to the right of our fireplace the sign reading "Coffee Shop" was found in the hotel. The steam heat radiator below the coffee shop sign also came from the hotel as did the steam radiators in the bar
Photographed By Jamie Cox, May 22, 2023
3. Oleander's Hotel History Plaque
This description of Conchy Joe's and the Oleander Hotel is located in the lobby of the restaurant.
We purchased the piano that is in our lounge from Mr. Herb Richter. Mr. Richter related to us that this piano had been the original piano in the lobby of the hotel. The piano is dated 1905. The windows which make up the southern wall of our lounge chickee came from the hotel. These windows were found stacked against a wall in the lobby of the hotel, but they were the only original wooden windows and there were no frames so that we could not use them in their original double hung configuration. The four-inch light bases which hold the small "school house" lights behind the bar came from the old hotel but there were no globes for them. The toilet tank over the public phone in the lounge came from the hotel, a treasure!
Unfortunately, these items were all that was left worth salvaging from inside the Oleander's Hotel...
There is a display of historical photographs and memorabilia of the hotel, as well as pictures we took of the hotel prior to demolition, in the hallway to the restrooms.
The framed railroad spike next to this presentation was found during excavation for the construction of Conchy Joe's. In 1893 the first station was built for Henry Flagler's Florida East Coast Railroad on the northern portion
Photographed By Jamie Cox, February 22, 2014
4. Harbor City Hotel 1925 Cornice
Sometimes late at night, after closing, you can still hear the train whistles and riverboat horns blowing ....
Thank you for journeying to Conchy Joe's.
Frederic M. Ayres
— Submitted May 22, 2023, by Jamie Cox of Melbourne, Florida.
Photographed By Jamie Cox, October 30, 2011
5. Squid Lips Restaurant
Photographed By Jamie Cox, October 30, 2011
6. Squid Lips Sign
Marker is close to this sign
Credits. This page was last revised on May 27, 2023. It was originally submitted on November 1, 2011, by Jamie Cox of Melbourne, Florida. This page has been viewed 1,281 times since then and 98 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on November 1, 2011, by Jamie Cox of Melbourne, Florida. 2, 3, 4. submitted on May 22, 2023, by Jamie Cox of Melbourne, Florida. 5, 6. submitted on November 1, 2011, by Jamie Cox of Melbourne, Florida. • Craig Swain was the editor who published this page.
