Originally, Titusville was called "Sand Point" and was a popular tourist destination along the Indian River. The railroad connection allowed winter visitors to get away from the cold northern weather. Colonel Henry T. Titus arrived in 1867 and -- according to the legend -- won the right to name the town in a dominoes match. He named the town Titusville and it became an incorporated city in 1887. It wasn't until NASA began launching space shuttles from the area in 1950, however, that the city really started to grow.
Titusville has recently been recognized as a real estate trendsetter in Brevard County and has seen a surge in building and housing permits. As people look to relocate to the Orlando metropolitan area, they consider Titusville as a natural choice. With its stunning natural beauty and favorable climate for housing and development, Titusville is seeing an influx in new residents and businesses alike. Awed spectators still swarm Titusville beaches to catch a glimpse of the space shuttle; however, there are numerous other popular destinations nearby. The city combines the best of science and space in such attractions as the World Center of Space Exploration, Valiant Air Command Warbird Museum, the Astronaut Hall of Fame and -- of course -- the Kennedy Space Center visitor complex. The Skydive Space Center is the only drop zone in the world that overlooks the Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral, as well as the spectacularly beautiful beaches of eastern Florida. Titusville's unique natural environment provides plenty of other interesting and educational things to do. Canaveral National Seashore encompasses 24 miles of unspoiled Atlantic beach. Visitors and residents alike can watch birds, take a jungle cruise or spot an endangered Florida panther at 140,000-acre Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. The refuge features more endangered species of plant and animal life than any other in the continental United States. The Indian River Lagoon system bordering the refuge has more species of plants and animals than any other North American estuary. |