The Apollo program was NASA's human spaceflight initiative that fulfilled President John F…read more Kennedy's goal of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to Earth before the end of the 1960s. Between 1961 and 1972, the program conducted 12 crewed missions, which successfully landed six astronauts on the moon. Named after the Greek god Apollo, the program forever changed the United States space program. The Apollo 1 crew Virgil "Gus" Grissom, Edward H. White II, and Roger B. Chaffe lost their lives in a devastating launchpad fire during a pre-flight test in 1967. Safety improvements led to Apollo 8 becoming the first crewed mission to leave Earth orbit, travel to the Moon, and orbit it, paving the way for the historic landing that followed. On July 20, 1969, Apollo 11 achieved one of humanity's greatest milestones when Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first people to walk on the Moon, while Michael Collins remained in lunar orbit aboard the command module. The program concluded with Apollo 17 in December 1972, the final lunar mission, during which astronauts spent the longest time on the Moon's surface and made extensive use of the Lunar Roving Vehicle. In all, 12 American astronauts walked on the Moon, conducting scientific experiments and returning approximately 842 pounds of lunar rocks and soil to Earth. The Apollo program remains one of the United States greatest scientific achievements. This monument, located in Space View Park as part of the U.S. Space Walk of Fame, was created to honor that legacy. Groundbreaking took place on July 16, 1999, at exactly 9:32 a.m., precisely 30 years after the liftoff of Apollo 11. Designed by Merritt Island artist Sandy Storm and dedicated in 2007, the memorial features 12 bronze panels that tell the story of the Apollo program. Bronze handprints of the Apollo astronauts surround the monument, while those who had passed away before the castings were made are honored with raised profile reliefs. It was a moving experience to place my hand where these astronauts hands once laid. A life-size statue of President John F. Kennedy stands at the center memorializing how he inspired a nation to reach for the moon. If you're familiar with the history of the space program and Apollo missions, this memorial is incredibly moving. Seeing it in person gave me a deeper appreciation for the courage, sacrifice, and determination that made the Moon landings possible. I'm very glad i had the chance to visit.

As I entered the trails at Enchanted Forest near the visitor center, I noticed this historical…read moremarker tucked among the trees just off the road. The blue sign is part of Florida's Historical Marker Program, one of the Division of Historical Resources' most popular public history initiatives. These markers commemorate significant people, places, and events throughout the state and can be found along roadways, at archaeological sites, battlefields, cemeteries, churches, colleges, historic districts, schools, and other historic landmarks. Historic Marker F-602 was erected in 2007 by the Brevard County Tourist Development Council and the Florida Department of State. The marker tells the story of an ambitious engineering project that ultimately failed. In 1911, Edgar W. Ellis, J. H. Beckwith, and a consortium of developers founded the Titusville Fruit and Farm Lands Company after acquiring 22,500 acres of marshland in the western portion of the old Delespine Grant. Their goal was to drain the wetlands and transform them into agricultural land. By 1913, crews using heavy earthmoving equipment previously employed in the excavation of the Panama Canal had completed 43 miles of parallel drainage canals. They then began work on a main canal that would connect them, divert floodwaters from the St. Johns River to the Indian River through Addison Creek, and create a navigable waterway for transporting crops to market at Addison Point. What the developers failed to anticipate was the coquina rock ridge that lay beneath the landscape. Their excavation machinery was unable to cut through the hard rock, and without completing the main canal, the entire venture collapsed financially. Ultimately, the project's failure helped preserve the land in its natural state. In the 1990s, the property was designated for conservation, and on August 27, 1999, Enchanted Forest officially opened to the public as the first property acquired under Brevard County's Environmentally Endangered Lands (EEL) Program. Today, visitors can explore a landscape where northern temperate and southern subtropical ecosystems meet. The overgrown remnants of the century old canals are still visible throughout the preserve and have been recognized as a Florida Heritage Site, serving as a lasting reminder of a engineering vision that nature ultimately reclaimed.

This is a single stage lock. You can see how locks work close up. There is seating and picnic…read moretables for your use. You can see boats pass thru and many times dolphins go thru also. The best part about this area is the unobstructed view of the Space center launch site. We have watched one from the causeway and Jetty Park and this is the best. I believe this is an unknown site due to its location but it's easy to get to. Take binoculars but you can see without. On the 1/30/18 launch there were probably eight cars in the lot. It's 5.5 miles from the launch pad.

I have a love for historic buildings, so this beautiful brick structure immediately caught my eye…read moreas I strolled through downtown Titusville. An interpretive sign nearby explained the building's history revealing it to be a significant city landmark. The Indian River Bank was established in 1888 by Captain James Pritchard, a Confederate veteran who served in the Army of Missouri during the Civil War. After the war, he settled in Titusville and became one of the area's most influential pioneers. His preserved home, now a museum, still stands just across the street where you can see its beautiful Queen Anne architecture. The bank was officially incorporated in 1889. Constructed of brick, it was one of the very few downtown buildings to survive the devastating fire of 1895, making it a rare reminder of Titusville's early commercial district. Captain Pritchard sold the bank in 1925, and it closed its doors in 1928 as the economic downturn that preceded the Great Depression made it increasingly difficult to collect on outstanding loans. The building later became the Davis Drug Store. Today, this handsome historic building remains one of downtown Titusville's architectural treasures. it tells a story of resilience, entrepreneurship, and the city's early history.

This is one of the military memorials in Cocoa Riverfront Park. It honors Melvin Morris who was…read moreborn on January 7, 1942. I have an interest in military history and the story of this soldier is a fascinating one. Morris is an African-American United States Army veteran of the Vietnam War, a Special Forces soldier, and a recipient of the Medal of Honor. He retired from the US Army with the rank of Sergeant First Class. In December 1990, Morris and his family became residents of Brevard County. Melvin Morris began his military career in 1959 when he joined the Oklahoma Army National Guard followed by active duty in the United States Army. In 1961 he was one of the first US Army soldiers to qualify as a Green Beret at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. He volunteered for two tours in South Vietnam. Morris received the Medal of Honor for his heroic actions on September 17, 1969, while commanding the Third Company, Third Battalion of the IV Mobile Strike Force near Chi Lăng, South Vietnam. He led an advance across enemy lines to recover the body of a fallen sergeant. After two members from his unit were injured he escorted them to safety and then returned to charge the enemy. Using a bag of grenades he was able to single handedly neutralize the enemy threat that was pinning down his battalion. During this engagement he was shot three times. He received the Distinguished Service Cross in April 1970 for extraordinary heroism during this 1969 battle. Morris received the Medal of Honor from President Barack Obama in a March 18, 2014 ceremony at the White House. The award came after the Defense Authorization Act, which called for a congressionally-mandated review of veterans from World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War who may have been eligible for the Medal of Honor but were overlooked due to their race or religion. At the Medal of Honor Ceremony it was stated "Staff Sergeant Morris' extraordinary heroism and selflessness above and beyond the call of duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army."

This is one of the military memorials in Cocoa Riverfront Park. Emory Lawrence Bennett stands near…read morefellow Medal of Honor honoree Staff Sergeant Melvin Morris. I have an interest in military history and it was interesting to learn more about both men. Bennett was born on December 20, 1929 in New Smyrna Beach, Florida. He moved to Cocoa in 1937 where his family ran the Bennett Fish Market. His older brothers fought in WWII and he enlisted in the army on July 25, 1950. In Fenruary 1951 Bennett was sent to Korea where he served with first class with Company B of the 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division. In the early morning hours of June 24, 1951, his company took a hill near Sobangsan from the Chinese. The next day 1.500 troops swarmed up the ridgeline in a ferocious human wave, known as a banzai charge, to take back the hill. Bennett's company only had 200 soldiers. He left his foxhole and stood exposed to hostile fire as he attempted to repel the enemy. Even though he was injured he maintained the position long enough to momentarily halt the enemy advance and allow Company B to regroup. Bennett voluntarily stayed behind to provide covering fire while the rest of his unit withdrew. During his companies retreat he was mortally wounded. When he was last seen he had 50 of the enemy piled around him. His body arrived home to Florida on November 23, 1951 and he is interred at Pinecrest Cemetery in Cocoa, Florida. For his heroic actions during the battle, he was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor six months later, on February 1, 1952. Nine other fallen soldiers were also awarded the nation's highest honor for valor that day. A portion of his citation reads "Although wounded, Pfc. Bennett gallantly maintained his one-man defense and the attack was momentarily halted. During this lull in battle, the company regrouped for counterattack, but the numerically superior foe soon infiltrated into the position. Upon orders to move back, Pfc. Bennett voluntarily remained to provide covering fire for the withdrawing elements, and, defying the enemy, continued to sweep the charging foe with devastating fire until mortally wounded. His willing self-sacrifice and intrepid actions saved the position from being overrun and enabled the company to effect an orderly withdrawal. Pfc Bennett's unflinching courage and consummate devotion to duty reflect lasting glory on himself and the military service." In addition to this monument in Cocoa Riverside Park, in 1993, a veterans' nursing home in Daytona Beach, Florida, was built and named in his honor and the Bennett Causeway in Brevard County was also named for him. On Merritt Island, a wing at the Brevard Veterans Memorial Center is dedicated in his honor. Cocoa Florida will never forget the sacrifice made by Emory Lawrence Bennett.

While driving through Titusville, I came across this blue historical marker beside a beautiful old…read moreGothic church. The marker is part of Florida's Historical Marker Program, one of the Division of Historical Resources' most recognizable public history initiatives. These markers commemorate significant people, places, and events throughout the state and can be found along roadways, at archaeological sites, battlefields, colleges, historic districts, schools, churches, and historic cemeteries such as this one. Historical Marker F-488 was erected in 2003 by the Brevard County Historical Commission and the Florida Department of State. Founded in the 1870s and named after pioneer Casper Neil Mims, Mims is an unincorporated community in Brevard County that flourished as a citrus and timber center following the arrival of the Florida East Coast Railway in the 1880s. In the early 1900s, a two-acre parcel of land north of LaGrange Community Church and Cemetery was donated to the Mims African American community to establish a cemetery. Today, it is a resting place for the community and a well spring of local history. The Mims Community Cemetery is the African American section of the historic LaGrange Cemetery. Among its most notable burials are educators and civil rights activists Harry T. and Harriette V. Moore. On Christmas night in 1951, their twenty-fifth wedding anniversary the Moores' home in Mims was bombed. Both died from injuries sustained in the explosion, and their murders remain unsolved. Each December, a memorial service is held at the cemetery to honor their lives and legacy. Nearby are the graves of several pioneering African American families who helped shape the community after settling here during the 1800s, including the Stricklands, Warrens, Cylers, Sheldons, and Highsmiths. While the earliest marked graves date to 1903, many earlier burials remain unmarked. Together, these graves tell hundreds of stories adding to the rich history of Mims and the surrounding LaGrange community.

Project Gemini was NASA's second human spaceflight program, bridging the gap between Project…read moreMercury and the Apollo Moon landings. Operating from 1961 to 1966, the program completed ten crewed missions that developed and perfected the essential spaceflight techniques needed to send astronauts to the Moon. While Project Mercury proved that a single astronaut could survive and work in space, Gemini expanded those capabilities by flying two astronauts together on each mission. The program's primary objective was to teach astronauts how to maneuver their spacecraft in orbit, rendezvous and dock with another vehicle, conduct spacewalks, and safely return to a precise landing location. Just as importantly, the missions prepared crews to respond to emergencies. One of the most dramatic examples occurred during Gemini VIII, when Neil Armstrong and David Scott successfully recovered their spacecraft after it went into a violent, uncontrolled spin that nearly caused them to lose consciousness. Throughout the program, NASA achieved a remarkable series of milestones. Astronauts completed the first American spacewalks, remained in orbit for up to two weeks, perfected orbital rendezvous and docking with Agena target vehicles, and demonstrated the precision reentry and recovery techniques that would become essential for future lunar missions. These accomplishments, technologies, operational procedures, and astronaut skills ultimately made the Apollo Moon landings possible. The Gemini monument is located in Space View Park as part of the U.S. Space Walk of Fame. Located on a narrow protected strip of land between the Indian River and a nearby condominium complex, it honors the extraordinary achievements of Project Gemini and the astronauts, engineers, technicians, and countless support personnel who made the program a success. Groundbreaking for the monument took place on July 16, 1999, at exactly 9:32 a.m., precisely 30 years after the launch of Apollo 11. Designed by Parker R. Shannon of Atlantic Design Company, with William B. Shapbell serving as lead engineer, the monument features two Roman numeral II shaped granite pedestals displaying the bronze handprints and sculpted likenesses of the sixteen Gemini astronauts who flew the program's ten missions in 1965 and 1966. It was thrill to visit this monument in person and lay my hands over the brass handprints of the astronauts. The Gemini Monument pays tribute to one of NASA's most important but often overlooked chapters. The lessons learned during Project Gemini set the stage for the Apollo Moon landings.

In 1997, this twelve foot tall monument was constructed at the end of Space View Park on the Indian…read moreRiver next to the Harbor Pointe high rise condo. In the park, there is a large bronze placard explaining the Space Walk of Fame Project Gemini. The stainless steel structure is dedicated to the astronauts on the NASA Gemini project. The monument is only a walkable landmark since close parking is extremely limited.