Merritt Island Dragon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Merritt Island Dragon |
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Artist | Lewis VanDercar |
Year | 1971 |
Type | Concrete sculpture |
Location | Merritt Island, Florida |
The Merritt Island Dragon was a giant green dragon statue made of concrete. It stood at Dragon Point on Merritt Island, Florida, where the Indian River meets the Banana River. Artist Lewis VanDercar and property owner Aynn Christal built it in 1971. Later, in 1981, new owner Warren McFadden made it even bigger! He added a tail, a longer neck, two 'cavepeople' named Fred and Wilma, and four baby dragons: Joy, Sunshine, Charity, and Freedom. The statues were located between Melbourne, Florida and Indian Harbour Beach, Florida, north of the Eau Gallie Causeway.
This huge dragon was made from 20 tons of concrete and steel. It was 35 feet tall and 65 feet long! People called the dragon 'Annie'. It was a famous landmark for everyone, especially boaters. Kids loved playing inside it! Sometimes, Annie even breathed fire, which was super cool. Sadly, in August 2002, a storm badly damaged Annie. Part of the statue fell into the water.
Bringing the Dragon Back
After the storm, people wanted to fix the dragon. The owner and local officials couldn't agree on how to rebuild it. In 2004, there was a plan to fix the sculpture, but it didn't happen. Then, in 2008, a builder wanted to put a fancy hotel on Dragon Point. They planned to rebuild the dragon as a main attraction, but that plan also fell through.
Efforts to Rebuild Annie
In May 2012, a group called Save Dragon Point started. They wanted to rebuild the dragon statue. Later that year, the big house on the property where the dragon stood was set to be torn down and sold. Save Dragon Point then changed its name to Annie and Kids Arts and Education Foundation.
A New Dragon Rises
In January 2015, a local builder named Don Facciobene bought the property. He announced exciting news: a new dragon named "Rojak" would be built! The story goes that Rojak is Annie's fifth baby dragon, who was kept hidden. To help raise money, a Dragon Boat Festival was planned for June 13, 2015. The money raised would go to Save Dragon Point.
In April 2015, a plan was announced to build Rojak by 2017. Work began in March 2017 to clear the land at Dragon Point. This made room for a new big house and, of course, Rojak, the new dragon.