Historical Overview of Titusville

Sand Point to Titusville

In the 1850s, only a few hardy pioneers resided in this vicinity. During the Civil War, salt was produced here to aid the Confederate cause, and daring sea captains landed their vessels after eluding the Federal blockade along the Southern coastline. Soon afterward, settlers like Col. Henry Titus began to arrive, full of dreams and seeing opportunity everywhere they looked.

The first U.S. Post Office in the area was established in 1859 in what was then known as Sand Point. In 1867, Colonel Henry Theodore Titus (some would say a 'soldier of fortune' and nicknamed 'Border Ruffian') stepped ashore with the intention of building a town and opening up the Indian River Country on land owned by his wife Mary, the daughter of General Edward Stephen Hopkins. At the time of his arrival there were only a few families in the area: the Stones at Sebastian, Captain Miles C. Burnham at Canaveral, and the Dummetts on Merritt Island.

Col. Titus and Mary built the first hotel "The Titus House" (circa 1870), laid out many of the town's streets, established a trade route to the outside world by connecting the St. Johns and Indian rivers with mule-driven wagons, and donated land for the first courthouse and four churches.  Originally, "Titus House" was a large, one-story wood frame building located on Washington Avenue, just south of Main Street. 

One story has Col. Titus out-dueling a Captain Clark Rice in dominoes for the right to rename the town.  Another account has Col. Titus using his duties as Postmaster and Justice of the Peace to unilaterally name the town Titusville despite some local objections. Regardless of the circumstances, In 1873, Sand Point became Titusville.

In the 1880's and 1890's, the citrus and fishing industries fueled Titusville's growth along with commercial shipping and a railroad connection between Enterprise (on the north shore of Lake Monroe near Sanford) and Titusville.  Titusville's first railroad station was built in 1892. 

Because of the "Great Freeze" of 1894-95, the citrus industry in northern Florida was decimated and the Indian River region became one of the leading producers of citrus.  Much of the production and processing was centered in and around Titusville. 

Like many other Florida cities of the late 1800's, Titusville had a catastrophic fire in 1895 that destroyed much of the central business core - Washington Avenue, between Broad and Julia Streets.  Because of their propensity to burn, the woodframe pine buildings of downtown gave way to the masonry buildings of the turn-of-the-century.  The greatest losers of the fire of 1895 were Mrs. M.E. Titus and Captain T.W. Lund, both owning several downtown buildings.

From an estimated population of 200 in 1880, Titusville grew to a bustling 900 in 1900.  After the 'Freeze' and the 'Fire', downtown was rebuilt, and Titusville grew as a transportation and distribution center for produce and marine products as well as serving as the County Seat. 

As the automobile became popular toward and into the 1920's, more vacationers ventured south on the new Dixie Highway, sparking another industry - Travel & Tourism - to the Indian River region and all along the east coast of Florida.  The Florida Land Boom of the 1920's in South Florida bred new construction in Titusville, even beyond the traditional downtown.  Subdivisions were born.

The Boom fizzled in 1926, possibly a precursor of the 1929 Great Depression.  Titusville was more fortunate than most communities of Florida because of the county government employees with their steady paychecks.

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Historical Links

Historic Titusville Florida Walking Tour

The story of Historic Titusville is told on descriptive panels located along public walkways. Each panel reveals a specific historic site and features period images.

City of Titusville Florida History

Titusville was founded in 1867 when Confederate Col. Henry Theodore Titus stepped ashore on the banks of the Indian River ...

A History of North Brevard Florida

Prehistory to the Space Age from the NBBD website

Historic Photos of Titusville and North Brevard Florida
From the collection of Bob Paty from the NBBD website
 

North Brevard Historical Museum

Operated By Historical Society of North Brevard, Inc.  The purpose of the organization at that time and to this date has been the "collection, preservation, recording and display of historical artifacts, photographs, written records and aural histories" and the display of these items in a historical museum.

Brevard History Through It's Places

From the Aladdin Theater in Cocoa, the Melbourne Beach Pier, to the Windover Site in Titusville.