This space in Florida, so different and so unexpected, has been preserved through the teamwork of three federal agencies. It was set aside in the late 1950's as a buffer zone for nearby National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) activities. When the space race launched the John F. Kennedy Space Center into world prominence, preservation of this barrier island was ensured. In cooperation with NASA, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has managed Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge since 1963, and the National Park Service has operated Canaveral National Seashore since 1975. These agencies are caretakers of this special area, where species as diverse as bald eagles and alligators, bromeliads and mangroves are nourished by the warm waters and temperate climate.

Winds blow and Atlantic waters splash against the beach, together massaging grains of sand into dunes that parallel the shore as far as you can see. Hidden in this graceful image is the buttress of a barrier island — a low-lying ribbon of land braced with a spine of sand dunes. Behind this protective island, salty Atlantic water flowing through inlets combines with seasonal rains to form the Indian River and Mosquito Lagoon estuaries. Fish, oysters, clams, and shrimp begin life in these fertile nurseries, which, in turn, attract an abundance of waterfowl.

Until the late 1950's the marshes also nurtured saltmarsh mosquitoes, which at times could produce a million mosquitoes per square yard in one day. Because saltmarsh mosquitoes do not lay eggs in freshwater, engineers divided 69,000 acres of marsh into walled impoundments to control water levels, salinity, and saltmarsh mosquitoes. The new environment attracted new residents, and today it is common to see waterfowl, alligators, otters, and wading birds, such as snowy egrets, white ibises, and great blue herons.

The barrier island and its waterways offer sanctuary for an abundant blend of plants and animals. Recorded here are 1,045 species of plants and 310 species of birds. Hammocks of ancient oaks draped with Spanish moss grow near sand dunes covered with palmetto and sea oats. Thousands of migratory birds stop over during their journeys north and south. This haven supports 15 wildlife species federally listed as endangered or threatened, including sea turtles, West Indian manatees, southern bald eagles, wood storks, peregrine falcons, eastern indigo snakes, and Florida scrub jays. Together, Canaveral and Merritt Island form a sheltered space, where the countdown is not of spaceships but of endangered animals ensuring life for future generations.

Canaveral, from a word given by Spanish explorers meaning "place of canes," is one of the oldest recorded geographical names in North America. Merritt Island is thought to have been named by Pedro Marratt, a surveyor who charted the island in the early 1800's. But humans left their imprint here long before European explorers ventured ashore. American Indians, attracted by the fertile estuaries and temperate climate, harvested oysters and clams and discarded the shells in heaps that archeologists study today as middens. In April 1513, Ponce de Leon's sailors claimed the land for Spain, and in 1763 the British gained control of Florida's east coast. But the extensive wetlands, clashes with Seminole Indians, and clouds of salt marsh mosquitoes delayed development until 1830, when Douglas Dummett planted an orange grove that began the Indian River citrus industry.

During the next century villages near citrus groves or water passageways took hold for a while, then lost out to storms, isolation, or occasional killing frosts. One such town was Eldora, a late 19th century community built near Mosquito Lagoon, marked now by a lone house.

Today this inviting space is yours to enjoy. Relax on a deserted beach or hike through tropical forests of live oaks draped with Spanish moss. If you love being on the water, scout Indian River by pleasure boat, sail, or canoe, and explore Mosquito Lagoon for oysters, clams, pink shrimp, and blue crabs. Not to be missed is the 6-mile Black Point Wildlife Drive, which can take an hour or all day, depending on how many stops you make to view wildlife.

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