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57-440: In the early 1880s the communities around Lake Worth were at the end of the mail routes. The mail was carried by a series of Star routes from Titusville to Palm Beach. There was no mail delivery south of Palm Beach. To the south, Miami and the communities around Biscayne Bay received mail by a weekly schooner from Key West . A Star route to carry mail between Lake Worth and Biscayne Bay was established in 1885. The route involved

114-568: A National Historic Landmark because of the significance of its remains. At the time of European encounter, this area was inhabited by the Ais Indians , who gathered palmetto , cocoplum and seagrape berries. They also fished the Indian River, called the Rio de Ais by Spanish explorers. By 1760, however, the tribe had disappeared due largely to infectious disease, slave raids, and

171-565: A 5-foot tall black galaxy granite pedestal that replaced the 40-year-old Athena stone version, which had incurred significant damage due to age, weather and vandalism. In 1939 the Treasury Department 's Section of Fine Arts contracted with Stevan Dohanos to paint six murals depicting the "Legend of James Edward Hamilton, Mail Carrier" in the West Palm Beach , Florida Post Office. Charles W. Pierce, who had been one of

228-814: A dry goods store near the Florida East Coast railway station. In his store he also served as town postmaster, a career that spanned more than 30 years. He served from 1900 until 1903, then from 1908 until his passing in 1939. Pierce also served as president of the Bank of Boynton, and was one of the first masters of the Masonic Lodge in Boynton Beach. Pierce married Yallahs Lizette Wallack on February 26, 1896, in Lemon City, Florida , north of Miami. They had one son, Charles Leon "Chuck" Pierce,

285-625: A man known only as Stafford. Henry John Burkhardt was the last barefoot mailman. The welcome signs (three in succession) of the Town of Hypoluxo , incorporated in 1955, said "Welcome to Hypoluxo – home of the Barefoot Mailman". A Florida state history marker, located at Boca Raton on the grounds of the Spanish River State Park, honors barefoot mailmen. The original stone statue of the Barefoot Mailman by Frank Varga

342-535: A manuscript of his experiences and adventures in his Florida pioneer days. The 698-page work, titled "On the Wings of the World" remained unpublished for decades. In the 1960s, Judge James R. Knott, a prominent Palm Beach County historian, sought the help of Florida Atlantic University history professor Dr. Donald Walter Curl. Dr. Curl took the manuscript and added historical context to the masterpiece. The resulting book

399-478: A prominent planter from Darien, Georgia . He laid out roads and in 1870 erected the Titus House, a large, one-story hotel next to a saloon . He also donated land for four churches and a courthouse, the latter an effort to get the town designated as county seat. Local history says that Titus challenged Capt. Clark Rice to a game of dominoes to decide the name of the town. Titus won the game, and Sand Point

456-541: A round trip of 136 miles from Palm Beach to Miami and back, and took six days. The carrier would leave Palm Beach on Monday morning, traveling by boat to the southern end of the Lake Worth Lagoon . He would then cross over to the beach and walk down to the Orange Grove House of Refuge in what is now Delray Beach , where he would spend the night. The next day (Tuesday) he would continue walking down

513-671: A sailing vessel (the Fairy Belle) for the family to sail down the Mississippi River towards Florida. Just as they were preparing for the trip, the Great Chicago Fire consumed most of the city, but not the Pierce boat. The family set sail and eventually moored at Cedar Key . Hannibal Pierce sold the boat and the family went by train and steamer to Sand Point ( Titusville, Florida ). They camped for several weeks on

570-465: A sloping beach without tiring, were called "beach walkists" or "beach walkers". The barefoot route continued until 1892 when a rock road was completed from Lantana to Lemon City, and the mail contract from the Lake Worth area was taken over by Guy Metcalf. The first known use of "barefoot mailman" was in 1939, when Charles William Pierce , who had been one of the carriers on the barefoot route, used

627-588: A spur line to the Jacksonville, Tampa & Key West Railroad at Enterprise Junction in present-day DeBary, Florida . Henry Flagler extended his Florida East Coast Railroad south from Daytona , building a station at Titusville in 1892. Many tourists arrived by railroad to enjoy the mild winter climate. In addition, the railroad was a means to ship area produce to northern markets, and the Indian River area increasingly became an agricultural and shipping center for pineapple and citrus goods. A wooden bridge

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684-496: Is 52% below average statewide for cities of its size. A 2011 study rated the pension fund for city employees as mediocre or poor. Titusville's five city council members (one of whom is the mayor) are elected at-large to four-year, staggered terms. As the city's legislative body, the council determines all municipal policies not explicitly covered by the city charter or state legislation. It also adopts ordinances and resolutions , cote appropriations , approve budgets, determine

741-462: Is at the Oyer Building (site of the old Boynton Beach Post Office), 523–525 East Ocean Avenue, Boynton Beach, Florida In 2008, Pierce's great-grand nephew Harvey Oyer III, published a children's book based on Pierce's early Florida adventures. The American Jungle: The Adventures of Charlie Pierce became a standard reader for children in many Florida school districts, where Florida history

798-461: Is believed to be the state's largest manufacturer of small arms. Parrish Medical Center, located in Titusville, is the city's largest employer. In October 2013, Barn Light Electric Company opened a new manufacturing plant, providing work for at least 60 former NASA workers and men who had completed drug rehabilitation. The city has benefited from tourism associated with the space program , and

855-455: Is run by a council-manager government . The elected city council serves as the city's legislative branch, while the appointed city manager carries out policies defined by the council. The city is governed according to its Charter , adopted on June 3, 1963. Titusville has the highest city tax rate in the county. In 2007, the city had a taxable real estate base of $ 2.34 billion. The city has 1.8 police officers per thousand residents. This

912-602: The Indian River until a fire destroyed their possessions. Hannibal Pierce then accepted a position as an assistant lighthouse keeper at the Jupiter Lighthouse . After serving at the Jupiter Lighthouse for a year, Hannibal Pierce homesteaded a large portion of Hypoluxo Island, located in the Lake Worth Lagoon . At the time of their homestead claim, the island had no name. In conversations with

969-573: The Smithsonian American Art Museum . In 1943 the Theodore Pratt novel The Barefoot Mailman , based on the story of James Hamilton, was published by Duell, Sloan and Pearce , New York. In 1951 the book was made into a movie starring Robert Cummings , Terry Moore , Jerome Courtland and John Russell . The South Florida Council of Boy Scouts of America sponsors an annual 35-mile, 2-day hike along portions of

1026-495: The TICO Warbird Air Show each March draws about 40,000–50,000 visitors. While 47 miles (76 km) from the event, the city gets a noticeable economic effect from bikers on their way to the annual Daytona Beach Bike Week . Titusville was the site of the defunct amusement park Tropical Wonderland . The unemployment rate was 3.6% in 2000 and 2005. In 2007, the average size of Titusville's labor force

1083-406: The tax rate , and appoint citizens to serve on advisory boards and commissions. The mayor presides over all city council meetings and votes as a council member. The mayor is the recognized head of city government for ceremonial and military law purposes, but has no regular administrative duties. The vice mayor is chosen from among the council members at their annual organizational meeting and takes

1140-500: The Bonton in 1885. The hunting party killed thousands of birds for their plumes, which were used to decorate women's hats. The egret plumes were worth more than their weight in gold. Pierce began piloting boats through the inland route to Titusville , the main point of trade on the lower Florida east coast at that time. Pierce entered the U.S. Postal Service in 1886, starting as assistant postmaster at Hypoluxo. In 1888, he became one of

1197-597: The Seminole Indians, Hannibal Pierce learned that the name was Hypoluxo, which meant "water all around, no get out." Here the family built a house from driftwood and palmetto thatch. Hannibal Pierce became the keeper of the Orange Grove House of Refuge, in what would become Delray Beach . The United States federal government built five Houses of Refuge in Florida to care for shipwrecked sailors. It

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1254-411: The barefoot mailmen was James E. "Ed" Hamilton , who had come to Hypoluxo from Cadiz, Kentucky ( Trigg County ) in 1885. Hamilton became the barefoot route contractor when E. R. Bradley quit in 1887. Hamilton disappeared while walking the barefoot route soon after October 10, 1887. Hamilton was not feeling well when he passed through Hypoluxo on October 10. When Hamilton had not returned to Lake Worth at

1311-607: The beach to the Fort Lauderdale House of Refuge , where he would spend that night. On Wednesday the carrier traveled by boat down the New River to its inlet, and then would walk down the beach to Baker's Haulover at the north end of Biscayne Bay . Finally, he would travel down Biscayne Bay by boat to Miami. On Thursday he would start the return trip, arriving in Palm Beach on Saturday. By an alternate account,

1368-470: The carriers on the "barefoot route", was Postmaster in Boynton Beach , Florida at the time, and corresponded with Dohanos, providing photos of James Hamilton in the clothes he wore on the "barefoot route". Dohanos later recalled that Pierce first used the term "barefoot mailman" in their conversations, and that the term thereafter was applied to the murals. Some of the studies for the murals are now in

1425-459: The city was $ 18,901. About 9.3 percent of families and 12.4 percent of the population were below the poverty line , including 17.6 percent of those under age 18 and 6.8 percent of those age 65 or over. In 2018, Titusville, had a median household income of $ 43,765. Between 2017 and 2018 its median household income grew from $ 42,561 to $ 43,765. Many of Titusville's major employers are aerospace companies. Knight's Armament Company in Titusville

1482-782: The city was 48,789, up from 43,761 at the 2010 census. Titusville is located along the Indian River , west of Merritt Island and the Kennedy Space Center , and south-southwest of the Canaveral National Seashore . It is a principal city of the Palm Bay – Melbourne –Titusville, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area . Near Titusville is the Windover Archeological Site , a National Historic Landmark recognizing its important collection of human remains and artifacts of

1539-671: The city. In 2010, the median age was 43.4 years. Also, for residents 25 and older in 2010, 89.3% had completed high school, 22.6% had at least a bachelor's degree. As of the census of 2000, there were 40,670 people, 17,200 households, and 11,094 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,913.4 inhabitants per square mile (738.8/km ). The racial makeup of the city was 83.80 percent White , 12.64 percent African American , 0.39 percent Native American , 0.94 percent Asian , 0.04 percent Pacific Islander , 0.73 percent from other races , and 1.46 percent from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.52 percent of

1596-616: The council advised on the city's financial situation, keeping the council and public informed of the city government's operations. The Brevard County Courthouse is located here. A new jail was built outside town to meet current standards. A full range of county services are provided at the county seat. In 2010, private business was 24.7 percent "other"; 21.5 percent trade, transportation and utilities, 18.1 percent professional and business services; 13.7 percent educational and health services; 12 percent construction; and 10 percent leisure and hospitality. The economy shrunk after lay-offs involving

1653-509: The country. Demolition of Miracle City Mall occurred February 2015. The site has been redeveloped as a mixed-use outdoor shopping complex called Titus Landing. Because of population decline, the USPS had closed two post offices in Titusville by 2013, and discussed closing a third. Titusville is located at 28°35′28″N 80°49′12″W  /  28.59111°N 80.82000°W  / 28.59111; -80.82000 (28.591210, –80.819911) in

1710-483: The disruptive effects of rum . The United States acquired Florida from Spain in 1821, and the Seminole Wars delayed settlement of portions of the new territory. This community was originally called Sand Point , and a post office was established in 1859, although it closed a few months later. Henry T. Titus arrived in 1867, intending to build a town on land owned by his wife, Mary Hopkins Titus, daughter of

1767-466: The early Archaic Period (6,000 to 5,000 BC.) A secondary, de facto county seat was established beginning in 1989, at Viera, Florida , in the geographic center of the county, to better serve the more populous southern portion of the county. Indigenous peoples had inhabited this area for thousands of years, as shown by discovery in 1982 of the Windover Archeological Site , dating to the early Archaic Period (6000 to 5000 BC). It has been designated as

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1824-424: The end of the space shuttle program in 2011, since many employees live in Titusville. Titusville has a high unemployment rate. In 2000, the median income for a household in the city was $ 35,607, and the median income for a family was $ 42,453. This had risen to $ 44,925 median per household in 2010; $ 24,374 per capita income. Males had a median income of $ 36,076 versus $ 23,998 for females. The per capita income for

1881-563: The end of the week, a search was started. Hamilton's possessions, including all of his clothes, were found on the north bank of the Hillsboro Inlet . He had never arrived at the Fort Lauderdale House of Refuge, south of the inlet. The boat that Hamilton used to cross the inlet was missing. He was presumed to have drowned or been taken by a shark or alligator while trying to swim across the inlet to retrieve his boat from

1938-508: The endangered Dicerandra thinicola , or "Titusville mint" grows. The fields are located along a 13 miles (21 km) strip between the Titusville wellfield and Mims . Titusville has a humid subtropical climate , with hot, humid summers and mild winters. As of the 2020 United States census , there were 48,789 people, 18,930 households, and 11,012 families residing in the city. As of the 2010 United States census , there were 43,761 people, 18,174 households, and 11,508 families residing in

1995-549: The famed " Barefoot Mailmen " (a term he was the first to use, in 1939) who walked the beaches and crossed the rivers between Hypoluxo and Miami, a trek of over 60 miles (97 km). In 1893, Pierce began captaining the mail steamer "Hypoluxo" which delivered mail through the Lake Worth Region along the 22 miles (35 km) length of the inland waterway. Pierce also farmed tracts on Hypoluxo Island on his homestead. In 1895, Pierce moved to Boynton, Florida , where he had

2052-531: The far side. His body was never recovered. A "stranger from the north", identified by House of Refuge keeper Charles Coman, was suspected of having taken Hamilton's boat across the inlet and leaving it on the south side. The stranger was later charged with tampering with government property (Hamilton's row boat). Tried in Federal Court in Jacksonville, the "stranger" was acquitted and therefore his name

2109-435: The first boy of European descent born in Boynton Beach. Yallahs Pierce was the daughter of traveling entertainers Watty Wallack and Fannie Petersen Wallack. Yallahs Pierce died February 14, 1922. Pierce then married Ethel Sims August 16, 1924. Charlie Pierce died July 10, 1939, following a short illness; Charlie and Yallahs are interred at Woodlawn Cemetery in West Palm Beach . Towards the end of his life, Pierce worked on

2166-609: The former swing bridge built in 1949. In May 2012, the Brevard County School Board closed Riverview Elementary School for budgetary reasons. It closed South Lake Elementary School on May 25, 2013. In January 2013, Miracle City Mall closed, a victim of a declining local economy after the termination of the Space Shuttle program in 2012. In addition, county population had moved to the south, and changing shopping habits had adversely affected malls across

2223-415: The mayor's place during absence or disability. City Council, as of 2024: The city manager is chosen by the city council on the basis of training, experience and ability, and serves at the pleasure of the council for an indefinite period of time. The city manager is tasked with enforcing all laws and ordinances, appointing and removing department heads and employees, supervising all departments, keeping

2280-621: The northern half of Brevard County. According to the US Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 34.2 square miles (88.7 km ). 29.4 square miles (76.1 km ) of it is land, and 4.9 square miles (12.7 km ) of it (14.26 percent) is water. Titusville is located on the Indian River Lagoon , part of the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway . The city is the only place in the world where

2337-448: The population. In 2000, there were 17,200 households, out of which 26.7 percent had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.9 percent were married couples living together, 12.6 percent had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.5 percent were non-families. 29.9 percent of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.9 percent had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size

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2394-435: The route to Miami originally started from Jupiter, but was shortened in 1887, when a new Star route was established from Jupiter to Hypoluxo (south of Palm Beach), with the shortened route running from Hypoluxo to Miami for the rest of its existence. This route was called the "barefoot route" because the carriers walked barefoot on the beach. The mail carriers, and others who had learned the method of walking long distances on

2451-459: The space program led to the city's two nicknames in the 1960s: Space City USA and Miracle City. Searstown Mall opened in 1966. Miracle City Mall opened in 1968, built on 32 acres (13 ha). It had 275,000 square feet (25,500 m ) of covered floor space. The jail at the county courthouse became overcrowded by the 1980s. A new jailhouse was built in Sharpes in 1986. Computer Shopper

2508-568: The term in correspondence with Stevan Dohanos , who was painting murals of James Edward Hamilton, another carrier, for the West Palm Beach post office. The term first appeared in print in The Palm Beach Post in 1940. Another source states that (in 1869) the mail is carried along the coast from St. Augustine to Jupiter Inlet in boats, from there to Miami by foot, and then to Key West by schooner. The first barefoot mailman

2565-466: The trails used by the Barefoot Mailmen. The Scouts carry actual U.S. Mail and are to be totally self-sufficient (except for water) for the entire duration of the hike from Pompano Beach, Florida to South Miami Beach, Florida. Titusville, Florida Titusville is a city in and the county seat of Brevard County, Florida , United States. As of the 2020 census , the population of

2622-664: Was "Pioneer Life in South Florida," heralded as an authoritative work on pioneer history in South Florida. In 1981, the Florida Department of State and the Florida League of Cities created the Great Floridians program to recognize deceased individuals who made significant contributions to the state's history and culture. Charles Pierce is one of 89 Floridians given this great honor. His plaque

2679-403: Was $ 158,900. Shopping centers include Walmart Supercenter and Target . They are located in the city's shopping district at the southern end of the city, near the intersection of State Road 405 and State Road 50 . Charles William Pierce Charles William Pierce (July 16, 1864 – July 10, 1939) was one of South Florida 's most important pioneer citizens. Arriving in 1872, Pierce

2736-426: Was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.86. In 2000, in the city, the population was spread out, with 22.9 percent under the age of 18, 6.9 percent from 18 to 24, 26.2 percent from 25 to 44, 23.2 percent from 45 to 64, and 20.8 percent who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.1 males. Titusville

2793-650: Was 20,716. Of that group, 19,879 were employed and 837 were unemployed, for an unemployment rate of 4 percent. In December 2010, the city had the highest unemployment in the county, 13.8 percent. As of the census of 2000, there were 19,178 housing units at an average density of 902.3 per square mile (348.4/km ). In 2008, 55 building permits for 64 units were issued. This was down from 195 permits for 657 units in 2007. The city issued 292 permits for 360 units in 2006. In 2001 149 permits were issued for $ 18.6 million worth of property; 453 in 2005 for $ 65.7 million; 45 in 2010 for $ 9.5 million. The median home price in 2007

2850-497: Was Edwin Ruthven Bradley, a retired Chicago newsman and Lake Worth resident, who won the postal contract in 1885 with a bid of $ 600 per year. He and his son, Louie, took turns carrying the mail once a week for about two years. His second son, Guy Bradley , would later become famous after his murder while serving as an early game warden protecting the egrets being poached for tail feathers. The third, and most famous, of

2907-510: Was a community leader in banking, seamanship, the postal service, and author of the sentinel book on early South Florida life. Charlie Pierce was the son of Hannibal Dillingham Pierce and Margretta Louise Moore. Born in Waukegan , Illinois, Pierce's family moved to Chicago. Pierce's uncle, William H. Moore, told the Pierce family of the warm Florida weather, and how he believed it would cure his developing tuberculosis. Hannibal Pierce purchased

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2964-600: Was at the House of Refuge that the first child of European descent was born, Lillie Pierce ( Lillie Pierce Voss ), in 1876. The Pierce family returned to its Hypoluxo Island homestead. Pierce led many expeditions through the Everglades on hunting and fishing trips, being one of the first to explore what would become Everglades National Park. Pierce accompanied his boyhood friend Guy Bradley , Bradley's brother Louis and famed egret plume hunter Jean Chevalier aboard Pierce's boat

3021-501: Was built east to Playalinda Beach in 1922. In October 1918, Titusville officials were the first in the county to order closed all places of assembly, including schools, churches, and movies, to avoid spreading the Spanish flu . Beginning in the late 1950s, the growth of Cape Canaveral , and later the Kennedy Space Center on Merritt Island , stimulated growth in the community's economy, population and tourism. The association with

3078-553: Was founded in Titusville in 1979 by Glenn Patch, first as a tabloid. It was later expanded as a magazine of over 800 pages per issue. It was published in Titusville until September 1989. That year operations were to be moved to New York City in a joint venture between Patch Communications of Titusville and Ziff Davis . The A. Max Brewer Bridge , a 65 feet (20 m) fixed high-level span on SR-406 connecting Titusville to Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge and Canaveral National Seashore , opened on February 5, 2011, to replace

3135-477: Was never entered in the court records. After Hamilton's disappearance, Andrew Garnett, who had previously been the postmaster at Hypoluxo, successfully bid for the barefoot route contract. Charles William Pierce substituted for Garnett when he could not travel the route. Other men who have been reported as carriers on the barefoot route included George Charter, Bob Douthit, Dan Kelly, Dan McCarley, Frederick Matthaus, Otto Matthaus, Edward "Ned" Peat, George Sears and

3192-605: Was permanently displayed on the shores of the Hillsboro inlet next to the Hillsboro Inlet Light with the following inscription: In Memory of James E. Hamilton United States Mail Carrier Who Lost His Life Here in Line of Duty October 11, 1887 On March 19, 2012, during an HLPS tour, Hillsboro Lighthouse Preservation Society President Art Makenian and artist Frank Varga unveiled a bronze 8-foot tall statue on

3249-409: Was renamed as Titusville in 1873. The city was incorporated in 1887, the year construction began on St. Gabriel's Episcopal Church, as listed in the 1972 National Register of Historic Places . At one point, Titusville was nicknamed "The City of Churches ". The Atlantic Coast, St. Johns & Indian River Railroad reached Titusville in 1885, constructed from Enterprise, Florida . It was connected by

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