First Roman Catholic Church in Brevard County
Posted by: 
Markerman62
N 28° 02.027 W 080° 35.174
17R E 540670 N 3101013
Located at 1422 Northeast Miller Street, Palm Bay
Waymark Code: WM14ED0
Location: Florida, United States
Date Posted: 06/22/2021
Views: 1
In the early twentieth century, the North Dakota-based Florida Indian River Catholic Colony corporation advertised it was starting a Catholic community in central Florida. By 1914, the land company helped settle nearly 100 midwestern families, mostly of German and Slavic descent, in the area of Tillman, situated on the banks of the Indian River and Turkey Creek. During this time, Brevard County did not have a resident Catholic priest and services were administrated by clergy who traveled among rural communities. The corporation failed to deliver on a promise to build a proper church, so the parish members built one themselves. Bishop Michael J. Curley dedicated the church in 1914. Following the ceremony, 78 local children received the Sacrament of Confirmation. Named St. Joseph's, the church served the nearby communities of Melbourne and Eau Gallie. Residents traveled by wagon or boat to attend services. In 1923, a rectory was built and the church's first resident priest arrived a year later. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1987, St. Joseph's Church of Palm Bay is the oldest Catholic Church in continuous use in Brevard County.
Marker Number: F-1037
Date: 2018
County: Brevard
Marker Type: Roadside
Sponsored or placed by: Brevard County Historical Commission, Brevard County Tourism Development Council, and the Florida Department of State
Website: Not listed
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