Melbourne Village in Brevard County, Florida — The American South (South Atlantic)
Original Melbourne Village Hall
Photographed By Jamie Cox, February 13, 2012
1. Original Melbourne Village Hall Marker
Inscription.
Original Melbourne Village Hall. . This community hall was constructed, circa 1941, as a barracks on the Banana River Naval Air Station. Following World War II, the Naval Air Station became Patrick Air Force Base. In 1948, this building was declared surplus, and sold to the American Homesteading Foundation (AHF), located in Melbourne Village, Florida. The building was barged down the Banana River and Indian River to Melbourne and trucked on the then two-lane U.S. Route 192 to this location. As the center of Village life, the Hall was used for AHF Trustee meetings and annual AHF Membership meetings. It was also used for square dancing, life saving and first aid classes, Women's Guild activities, study groups for organic gardening, art and drama, plus children's crafts, drama, and story time programs. From 1957 until 1963, it provided office space for the newly incorporated Town of Melbourne Village. After 1963, it was used for recreational activities and the Village Men's Club. In 1996, the Town of Melbourne Village Historic Preservation Commission began a campaign to restore this historic landmark. The Town of Melbourne Village with the support of a grant from Brevard County completed the restoration in 2003. A Florida Heritage Landmark.
This community hall was constructed, circa 1941, as a barracks on the Banana River Naval Air Station. Following World War II, the Naval Air Station became Patrick Air Force Base. In 1948, this building was declared surplus, and sold to the American Homesteading Foundation (AHF), located in Melbourne Village, Florida. The building was barged down the Banana River and Indian River to Melbourne and trucked on the then two-lane U.S. Route 192 to this location. As the center of Village life, the Hall was used for AHF Trustee meetings and annual AHF Membership meetings. It was also used for square dancing, life saving and first aid classes, Women's Guild activities, study groups for organic gardening, art and drama, plus children's crafts, drama, and story time programs. From 1957 until 1963, it provided office space for the newly incorporated Town of Melbourne Village. After 1963, it was used for recreational activities and the Village Men's Club. In 1996, the Town of Melbourne Village Historic Preservation Commission began a campaign to restore this historic landmark. The Town of Melbourne Village with the support of a grant from Brevard County completed the restoration in 2003. A Florida Heritage Landmark.
Location. 28° 5.091′ N, 80° 39.884′ W. Marker is in Melbourne Village, Florida, in Brevard County. Marker is on Hall Drive. Marker is located at the end of Hall Drive which is a dirt road as of 2012. Hall Drive can be reached from Dayton Boulevard off of US 192. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Melbourne FL 32904, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Credits. This page was last revised on January 26, 2020. It was originally submitted on February 17, 2012, by Jamie Cox of Melbourne, Florida. This page has been viewed 903 times since then and 47 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on February 17, 2012, by Jamie Cox of Melbourne, Florida. • Craig Swain was the editor who published this page.
