Editing Cocoa Beach, Florida (section)

==History==
The first non-native settlement in the area was by a family of [[Freedman|freed]] [[Slavery in the United States|slaves]] following the [[American Civil War]]. In 1888, a group of men from [[Cocoa, Florida|Cocoa]] bought the entire tract of land, which went undeveloped until it was bought out in 1923 by a member of the group&mdash;Gus Edwards, Cocoa's [[city attorney]]. At that time, Edwards' total holdings included approximately {{convert|600|acre|ha}}. He stopped practicing law to devote all his efforts to developing the area.<ref>[http://www.cityofcocoabeach.com/citylife/city_history_files/Gus%20Callaway%20Edwards%20Founder%20of%20Cocoa%20Beach%20Mayor.pdf Biography of Gus C. Edwards] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101123123747/http://cityofcocoabeach.com/citylife/city_history_files/Gus%20Callaway%20Edwards%20Founder%20of%20Cocoa%20Beach%20Mayor.pdf |date=November 23, 2010}} City of Cocoa Beach - Official Site. Retrieved on June 26, 2009.</ref><ref name="History">[http://www.cityofcocoabeach.com/citylife/city_history.htm City History] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080907121743/http://www.cityofcocoabeach.com/citylife/city_history.htm |date=September 7, 2008}} City of Cocoa Beach - Official Site. Retrieved on June 26, 2009.</ref><ref name="HistoryGlance">[http://www.cityofcocoabeach.com/citylife/History_at_A_Glance.htm History at a Glance] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130104190601/http://www.cityofcocoabeach.com/citylife/History_at_A_Glance.htm |date=January 4, 2013}} City of Cocoa Beach - Official Site. Retrieved on June 26, 2009.</ref>

Prior to incorporation, the area was known as Oceanus.<ref>{{cite book|last=Parrish|first=Ada Edmiston|title=Merritt Island and Cocoa Beach|year=2001|publisher=Arcadia|location=Charleston, SC|isbn=0738506680|author2=Field, Alma Clyde |author3=Harrell, George Leland}}</ref> The Town of Cocoa Beach was established on June 5, 1925. Cocoa Beach's first official meeting was held at the Cocoa Beach Casino on July 27, 1925, and adopted the City Seal.<ref name="Meeting Minutes for July 27, 1925">[http://www.cityofcocoabeach.com/Cityhall/Minutes/Minutes/1925/07-27.pdf Meeting Minutes for July 27, 1925] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110708160348/http://www.cityofcocoabeach.com/Cityhall/Minutes/Minutes/1925/07-27.pdf |date=July 8, 2011}} City of Cocoa Beach - Official Site. Retrieved on June 26, 2009.</ref> Gus C. Edwards was elected <ref name="Meeting Minutes for July 27, 1925" /> as mayor and served as a commissioner along with J.A. Haisten, and R.Z. Grabel. A little less than a month later, plans for a pier became official.

In 1935, the [[FDOT]] opened up what is now [[Florida State Road A1A|State Road A1A]] as a one-lane dirt road to [[Eau Gallie, Florida|Eau Gallie]].<ref name="cbhist">{{cite web|url=http://www.cityofcocoabeach.com/citylife/city_history1920-1980.htm |title=The History of Cocoa Beach |date=December 15, 2010 |publisher=City of Cocoa Beach |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090219211001/http://cityofcocoabeach.com/citylife/city_history1920-1980.htm |archive-date=February 19, 2009}}</ref> In 1938, a Deputy Marshal was appointed "to act in emergencies at night or at other times" for $.25/hour.<ref name="cbhist" /> By 1939, the town had 49 residents. In 1940, the town requested that [[Florida State Road 140 (pre-1945)|State Road 140]] (now A1A) be routed on Orlando Avenue instead of Atlantic Avenue.<ref name="cbhist" /> In 1942, the town prepared to receive men assigned to the newly opened [[Naval Air Station Banana River]]. Establishing regular [[waste collection|garbage collection]] was discussed when the town discovered that the Air Station was having theirs collected.<ref name="cbhist" />

On May 1, 1942, the [[Nazi Germany|German]] submarine {{GS|U-109|1940|2}} torpedoed the ''La Paz'' off the shore of Cocoa Beach. The crew was able to beach it with the help of tugs. Eventually it was returned to shipping. On May 3, the same [[U-boat]] sank the SS ''Laertes'' near the same spot.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cocoavillage.com/mysteryphotos/mysteryphotos2003.html |title=2003 Mystery Photos &#124; Cocoa Village |access-date=August 4, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110903185506/http://www.cocoavillage.com/mysteryphotos/mysteryphotos2003.html |archive-date=September 3, 2011}}</ref> Local boys were recruited for salvaging efforts and to rid the beach of subsequent debris.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20100818/LIFE/8180314/New%20book%20highlights%20Florida%20s%20role%20during%20World%20War%20II?GID=TCY2fY/MRMEAyPMROOyxMqf8zGETKpCYE1wGrTNd+mI%3D |title=New book highlights Florida's role during World War II |author=Chris Kridler |date=August 18, 2010 |work=Florida Today |publisher=Florida Today |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714035103/http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20100818/LIFE/8180314/New%20book%20highlights%20Florida%20s%20role%20during%20World%20War%20II?GID=TCY2fY%2FMRMEAyPMROOyxMqf8zGETKpCYE1wGrTNd+mI%3D |archive-date=July 14, 2014 }}</ref><ref>[http://www.uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/1584.html La Paz (British Motor merchant) - Ships hit by German U-boats during WWII]. uboat.net. Retrieved on September 18, 2013.</ref><!---or sunk off Cape Canaveral and the debris washed up on CB---> Shortly thereafter, the federal government realized the danger of back-lighting from the coast making easy targets of passing ships and ordered a blackout for the remainder of the war.

During [[World War II]], Cocoa Beach experienced money shortages to pay employees or to fix roads.<ref name="cbhist" /> In 1944, the town successfully fought a bill introduced in the Florida legislature which would have dissolved the city government.<ref name="cbhist" /> In 1947 a single police officer was hired for $1/hour. The same year, the city constructed works for the distribution of potable water. In 1950, a volunteer fire department was created which used a second-hand vehicle. In 1950, a proposal to prevent people from driving on the beach was defeated.<ref name="cbhist" /> In 1951, the city sought to place a [[stoplight]], the city's first, at the intersection of what is now A1A and Minutemen Causeway. In 1953, the city decided to mark the names of all streets. That same year, the city planned to pave A1A south from 520 down Orlando Avenue. The city intended to bear 1/3 of the costs, the adjacent property owners, 2/3.<ref name="cbhist" />

In 1954, the Women's Club opened a [[library]] in the building used by the Fire Department.<ref name="cbhist" /> In 1955, the speed limit in most of the town was raised to {{convert|35|mph}}. In 1955, the city prepared to house the people who were going to be launching missiles from what is now [[Cape Canaveral Air Force Station]].<ref name="cbhist" />

In 1956, the city attorney warned the council that [[African American|blacks]] might attempt to use the beach. If they did, he recommended clearing the beach of all persons, both white and black. The 1954 decision, ''[[Brown v. Board of Education]]'', had, in theory at least, integrated all general public facilities. Actual [[racial integration|integration]] came later.{{citation needed|date=July 2013}}

The city proposed selling the town dump to the school board for a junior high school, in order to keep students from being bused to [[Merritt Island, Florida|Merritt Island]].<ref name="cbhist" />

On June 29, 1957, the [[town]] of Cocoa Beach incorporated into a [[city]]. It sold its water system to [[Cocoa, Florida]] and contracted with them to furnish water.<ref>{{Cite news |first=Jim |last=Waymer |title=How the system came undone |url=http://www.floridatoday.com/story/news/2017/10/21/cocoa-water-how-system-came-undone/681946001/|newspaper=Florida Today |location=Melbourne, Florida |pages=8A |date=October 22, 2017 |access-date=October 27, 2017}}</ref>

In September 1959, the city voted to add more sidewalks, improve the streets in residential areas as well as the main streets, and to pave more roads.<ref>[http://www.cityofcocoabeach.com/citylife/city_history1920-1980.htm#20 The History of Cocoa Beach] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090219211001/http://cityofcocoabeach.com/citylife/city_history1920-1980.htm |date=February 19, 2009}}. Cityofcocoabeach.com. Retrieved on September 18, 2013.</ref>

In 1961, Ron-Jon opened their first store locally.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.floridatoday.com/story/news/2019/04/25/ron-jon-surf-shop-marks-60th-anniversary-iconic-east-coast-brand/3335084002/|title=Ron Jon Surf Shop marks 60th anniversary of iconic East Coast beach lifestyle brand|website=Florida Today|access-date=May 1, 2019}}</ref>

In 1965, [[Cocoa Beach High School]] requested that Cocoa Avenue, the street that the school was located on, be renamed Minutemen Boulevard, in honor of the school's mascot, the [[Minuteman]].

Cocoa Beach started its major growth during the 1960s. There was a 1000% population increase from 1950 to 1960, mainly as a result of the U.S. space program. [[NASA]]'s [[Kennedy Space Center|John F. Kennedy Space Center]] is located approximately {{convert|15|mi|km}} north of town. Many people moved to Cocoa Beach due to jobs connected to the space program and in search of new opportunities.

After crewed space flights, the town held parades in honor of the astronauts.

After NASA's [[Apollo program]] came to an end, and before the [[Space Shuttle]] program was in full swing, the town's economy reflected the resulting layoffs. At one point, in 1975, unemployment was 14.3%.<ref name="HistoryGlance" /> Many families lost their jobs or simply moved away. The housing market plummeted and some people unable to sell their homes simply abandoned them.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-01-31 |title=City of Cocoa Beach, Florida - Brevard County |url=https://businessviewmagazine.com/city-cocoa-beach-florida-brevard-county/ |access-date=2023-05-16 |website=Business View Magazine |language=en-US}}</ref>

Cocoa Beach was the setting for the 1960s sitcom ''[[I Dream of Jeannie]]'', although no episodes were actually filmed there, and star [[Barbara Eden]] only made two visits during the show's production—both in 1969, for publicity.<ref>Osborne, Ray ''I Dream of Jeannie Days''</ref> Cocoa Beach High School was used as the school in the 2002 movie ''[[Race to Space]]''.<ref>[http://movies.msn.com/movies/movie/race-to-space/?pkw=PI&vendor=Paid%20Inclusion&OCID=iSEMPI Race to Space (2000) - Overview - MSN Movies] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714230749/http://movies.msn.com/movies/movie/race-to-space/?pkw=PI&vendor=Paid%20Inclusion&OCID=iSEMPI |date=July 14, 2014}}. Movies.msn.com. Retrieved on September 18, 2013.</ref>

In 2002, 69% of the voters capped building height to {{convert|45|ft}}. Prior construction and later [[variance (land use)|variance]]s, resulted in about 80 buildings between {{convert|45|and|70|ft}} high, as of 2018.<ref>{{Cite news |first=Rick |last=Neale |title=Will Cocoa Beach vote to raise building height limit? |url=https://www.floridatoday.com/story/news/2018/02/22/cocoa-beachbuilding-height-limit/328897002/|newspaper=Florida Today |location=Melbourne, Florida|pages= 3A |date=February 26, 2018 |access-date=March 11, 2018}}</ref>

The 2010 [[Nebula Award]]s were held in the city.<ref>{{Cite news |first=Pam |last=Harbaugh |title=Nebula Awards honor science, fantasy writers |url=http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20100512/LIFE/5120323/Nebula-Awards-honor-science-fantasy-writers|publisher=Florida Today |location=Melbourne, Florida |pages= 1D |date=May 12, 2010}}</ref>

In 2016, the largest mansion in the city was destroyed by fire. It had been built on the beach by [[Al Neuharth]] in 1975. It contained {{convert|10000|sqft}} of living space, 11 bedrooms and 12 bathrooms. It was valued at several million dollars.<ref>{{Cite news |first=Jennifer |last=Sangalang |title=After the fire, city feels loss |url=http://www.floridatoday.com/story/news/2016/03/16/al-neuharth-pumpkin-center-cocoa-beach-fire/81864432/|newspaper=Florida Today |location=Melbourne, Florida|pages= 1A, 12A |date=March 17, 2016 |access-date=March 17, 2016}}</ref>