February Open House
at the new BHC Home Was

A Huge Success

Commissioners Nelson, Sullivan and Bolin

with BHC President Eileen Szuchy

City Point Community Center
3783 North Indian River Drive
  February 18, 2011
Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

Board Members Linda and Victoria in Period Costume

Huge Estate Sale Was A BIG Success

Friday and Saturday; Dec. 3^rd and 4^{th  2010}

Large assortment of Depression Glass; Vintage and Newer Furniture; Housewares; Linens; Children’s Books, Bicycles, Helmets, and Designer Brand Clothes.

Get those Christmas presents for re-gifting. 

On the river

South Rockledge area.

 

We hope that you had a great time

and are enjoying all those bargains.

 

Thanks!

Mission Statement

To encourage education , preservation, restoration, maintenance and responsible restoration of vintage properties.

Celebrating 22 years of service to the community, as a non-profit organization, that recognizes properties throughout
Brevard County which have fulfilled these requirements.


Ongoing  Projects

Create a comprehensive database of historic
properties in Brevard County.

The BHC is registered with the Brevard County Parole Board
as a community service opportunity.
We help teach office and computer skills to parolees,
as we digitize historical records and photographs.


Educational Walking Tours of
Historic Cocoa Village



Fundraiser November 2010
We sold Antique Glassware and Cute Cat Coasters
at The Feline Show -
Radison Convention Center
Cape Canaveral


Board Member Mary Repass

When writing about the great Florida land boom of the 1920s, Helen Muir described it as “a fever that carried from person to person and place to place until finally no one remained untouched.” Two of Cocoa's most beautiful neighborhoods Carleton Terrace and Broadview Manor were both products of this period and the city beautiful movement that stressed planned communities with winding streets, landscaping, parks and architect designed homes.

Carleton Terrace was the brainchild of D.P. Davis a millionaire developer from Miami, who purchased a hundred acres along the river from the Wells family who had citrus groves there. This “high class”, restricted development was announced on December 13, 1923 and lots that averaged 50 X 130 were offered at a pre-development price of $550. Construction began immediately with Davis, investors and residents building homes there. Most notably Alfred Trafford Sr., a local realtor and investor, purchased several lots and hired noted Miami architect Martin L. Hampton to design ten Mediterranean Revival homes which he built on MacFarland Ave. These homes were offered for sale at prices ranging from $4,000 to $10,600, and buyers had the opportunity to choose interior colors and finishes if they purchased early enough. Davis put his brother M. H. Davis, who lived in the large home at 2105 MacFarland, in charge of finishing Carleton Terrace while he went on to his next project Davis Islands in Tampa Bay. As the land boom ended in 1926 and DavisEurope with his mistress and children. He was lost over board en route and was never heard from again. While some believe that he committed suicide in despair over his losses, others believed that he disappeared with millions to some unknown location. fortune dwindled, he embarked on a trip to

Platted in May of 1924 the Broadview Manor subdivision was developed by the Mexican Crude Rubber Company, of which two, of the areas most prominent citizens, Charles D. Smith and C. Sweet Smith, were principal investors. In order to garner publicity a contest was held to come up with a name for the development, with a prize of $100 being offered to the winner. The development was placed on the market at the start of 1925 during the height of the great Florida land boom of the 1920's. By August of that year the developers had sold all but sixty of the original one hundred and sixty-eight lots.

Broadview Manor was considered to be one of the model subdivisions on the East Coast and the Cocoa Tribune reported that, "Situated as it is on the high bluff of the Indian River, where cool breezes blow all the time among tropical trees and scenery, it was bound to sell quickly." The company made extensive improvements to the land, installing streets and sidewalks, street lights, a waterworks system and a park for the residents. The first three homes were constructed on Circle Dr. in the popular Mediterranean Revival style, but later homes were built in other styles, which included Colonial Revival and Foursquare. The neighborhood remains one of Cocoa's prettiest and the homes built there are charming examples of our area's history.                      by Michael Boonstra