Rockledge, Florida facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Rockledge, Florida
City
City of Rockledge
Seal
Motto(s):  "Oldest City in Brevard" Preserving the Past, Planning the Future"
Location in Brevard County and the state of Florida
Country	United States of America
State	Florida
County	Brevard
Incorporated	August 7, 1887
Founded by	Gardner S. Hardee
Government
• Type	Council-Manager
Area
• Total	14.93 sq mi (38.68 km2)
• Land	13.22 sq mi (34.24 km2)
• Water	1.72 sq mi (4.44 km2)
Elevation	23 ft (7 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	27,678
• Density	2,093.80/sq mi (808.44/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP Codes	32955, 32956
Area code(s)	321
FIPS code	12-61500
GNIS feature ID	0294132

Rockledge is the oldest city in Brevard County, Florida. In 2020, about 27,678 people lived there. This makes it part of the larger Palm Bay−Melbourne−Titusville area.

History of Rockledge

A view of early Rockledge, FL and the Indian River

Modern-day picture of the Magruder-Whaley House

Rockledge was officially started on August 7, 1887. This makes it the oldest city in Brevard County. The name "Rockledge" comes from the many ledges of coquina rock found along the Indian River. An early settler named Gardner S. Hardee is often given credit for the name. Another story says a man named Cephas Bailey Magruder built his home near the Indian River in 1876 and called it "the rockledge home." The name then spread to the whole town.

In the early days, the city's economy relied on growing citrus fruits and hosting tourists. Visitors would travel to South Florida using the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway on the Indian River. Even President Grover Cleveland and his wife visited the city in 1888.

Rockledge as a Resort Town

In the late 1800s and early 1900s, Rockledge had several large hotels. These hotels welcomed tourists from the North who wanted to escape cold winters. Some famous hotels included the Hotel Indian River, the Plaza, and the Rockledge Hotel. They were all located near the river.

By the early 1900s, Rockledge was known as a popular resort town. During the winter, the number of people living there would jump from 200 to almost 2,000. Before 1911, people mainly reached Rockledge by boat and train. Steamboats on the Indian River connected with Henry Flagler's trains. This helped bring people and goods to the area.

After World War I, cars became more common. This made it easier for more people to travel to Rockledge. The Dixie Highway was finished in 1915, and later, US1 was paved in the 1920s.

Growth and Modern Development

In 1939–1940, a visitor donated money to build a hospital. The mayor helped get land for it from a former golf course. In 1941, Wuesthoff Hospital opened with 10 beds.

Rockledge grew a lot in the 1960s. It became a "bedroom community" for people working at the nearby Kennedy Space Center. Many families moved to the city during the Apollo program and the space shuttle program. More recently, in 2022 and 2023, the city has expanded even further west.

Today, Barton Boulevard and US Route 1 are important centers for business and culture. New neighborhoods have spread south along Fiske Boulevard. You can now find businesses along Fiske Boulevard, Murrell Road, and Barnes Boulevard. Most of Rockledge's population still lives between US Route 1 and Interstate 95. However, new mixed-use developments are planned for the west side of Interstate 95.

Many neighborhoods were built from the late 1950s to the 1990s. These include Virginia Park, Marlin Manor, Fairway Estates, Rockledge Country Club Estates, Golfview Estates, Kings Grant, Georgetown, Levitt Park, and Woodsmere. Levitt Park and Woodsmere were built on land that used to be a gladiola farm and an orange grove.

Geography

Rockledge covers about 14.93 square miles (38.68 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with about 1.72 square miles (4.44 square kilometers) being water.

The city is bordered by Cocoa to the north. To the west are the St. Johns River and scrubland. To the south, you'll find Viera and Melbourne. To the east, it's bordered by the Indian River Lagoon and Merritt Island.

		Cocoa
	St. Johns River		Indian River
		Rockledge
		Viera

Climate

Rockledge has a humid subtropical climate. This means it has warm and humid weather, mostly because it's close to the Gulf Stream in the ocean.

The area has two main seasons:

• Warm Season: This lasts from June to late September. It's hot and rainy.
• Cool Season: This is from October through May. It brings milder temperatures and less rain.

Protecting the Environment

Rainfall in the city can flow into the Indian River Lagoon, which can cause pollution. To help protect the environment, Rockledge has banned using certain fertilizers from June 1 to September 30 each year.

Population and People

Recent Population Changes

In 2020, there were 27,678 people living in Rockledge. This included 10,768 households and 7,486 families. In 2010, Rockledge had the lowest percentage of people living in poverty in Brevard County, at 5%.

Places to Visit

Rockledge has several interesting places to see:

• Barton Avenue Residential District
• H. S. Williams House
• Marion S. Whaley Citrus Packing House
• Persimmon Mound
• Rockledge Drive Residential District
• Valencia Subdivision Residential District

Parks and Fun Activities

Rockledge has many parks for outdoor fun:

Economy and Jobs

Businesses in Rockledge often focus on technology and aerospace. This is because the city is close to the Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral. While there isn't much large-scale citrus farming anymore, some local businesses still make citrus treats and souvenirs for tourists.

Jobs and Income

In 2007, about 11,886 people in Rockledge were part of the workforce. Most of these people were employed. The most common jobs in Rockledge include:

• Management and professional roles (36%)
• Sales and office jobs (28%)
• Service jobs (15%)

About 72% of workers in Rockledge work for companies, 19% work for the government, and 6% are self-employed.

Local Events and Tourism

Rockledge hosts several community events and festivals each year:

• Art/Craft Fair
• Cruise-On-In Car Show
• Independence Day Family Picnic
• Light Up Rockledge and Holiday Parade
• Memorial Day Parade
• National Night Out
• Taylor Park Fall Family Festival

Education

Public schools in Rockledge are managed by the Brevard County Public School Board. Local public schools include:

• Hans Christian Andersen Elementary
• Golfview Elementary
• John F. Kennedy Middle School
• Ronald McNair Magnet Middle School
• Rockledge High School

There are also several private schools:

• St. Mary's Catholic School
• Rockledge Christian School
• Trinity Lutheran School
• Rockledge Montessori School

Transportation

Main Roads

U.S. Route 1 runs through Rockledge. This is a major north-south road. Many other main roads in the city run east-west towards it.

• U.S. 1 is a six-lane road that carries about 45,000 vehicles daily.
• Interstate 95 has a small part that goes through the city at Exit 195.
• SR 519 (Fiske Blvd) is a four-lane state road. It connects to Stadium Parkway in Viera and SR 520 in Cocoa.
• CR 502 (Barnes Blvd) links US 1, Murrell Road, SR 519, and I-95.
• CR 515 (Rockledge Drive) follows the Indian River. It is part of the Indian River Lagoon Scenic Highway. Along this road, you can see old oak trees and historic homes.

Other Transportation

• Bus: Space Coast Area Transit offers public bus service in Rockledge and nearby areas.
• Rail: The Florida East Coast Railway runs through Rockledge, but trains do not stop there anymore.
• Air: The city has a private runway at the Rockledge Airpark. It was closed in 2015 due to safety concerns.

Famous People from Rockledge

See also

In Spanish: Rockledge (Florida) para niños