Bethel Creek House of Refuge 1876 - Florida Historical Markers on Waymarking.com

The 1st house of refuge on Florida's east coast was constructed on this site which later became part of the U.S. Lifesaving Service. Houses of Refuge were built about 20 miles apart and provided a safe haven for those shipwrecked along the desolate coast. They offered food and shelter to passengers and crew. Houses of Refuge were built exactly alike and included a main house, a cistern, and boat house. John Houston was the first keeper. Keepers had to be physically sound and able to read and write. In 1915, the Life Saving service became the U.S. Coast Guard. The house was destroyed by fire in January 1917 and replaced by a building that was removed in 1936. The Cost Guard closed the station in 1929. During World War II, the Coast Guard reopened the station and built a 40-foot observation tower to watch for submarines. This 8 acre site was transferred to the City of Vero Beach by the Federal Government in 1950 and the Junior Chamber of Commerce (Jaycee's) began development of the park in 1956.

Marker Number: None Date: January 28, 2013 County: Indian River Marker Type: City Sponsored or placed by: Florida Society Colonial Dames XVII Century Ann Waggaman, President 2011-13 Website: Not listed

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Date Logged Log User Rating   12/27/2017 Markerman62 visited it