>>COMING UP ON CENTRAL FLORIDA ROAD TRIP, WE'LL EXPLORE THE BACK ROADS AND HIGHWAYS IN BREVARD COUNTY.

WE'LL REFLECT ON THE IMPACT OF PIONEER CIVIL RIGHTS LEADER, HARRY T. MOORE.

AND THEN WE'LL DIG INTO TITUSVILLE'S ANCIENT PATHS AT THE WINDOVER ARCHEOLOGICAL SITE.

AND AS AN ENCORE, WE'LL RAISE THE CURTAIN ON THE HISTORIC COCOA VILLAGE PLAYHOUSE.

ALL THIS AND MORE ON THIS EDITION OF CENTRAL FLORIDA ROAD TRIP.

♪ THEME MUSIC ♪ >>HELLO, EVERYONE.

I'M DR. PHIL HOFFMAN.

WELCOME TO THIS EDITION OF CENTRAL FLORIDA ROAD TRIP.

THIS WEEK WE HEAD OUT EAST TO UNCOVER MANY INTERESTING AND UNUSUAL STORIES ABOUT THE SPACE COAST AND BREVARD COUNTY.

BREVARD COUNTY WAS NAMED FOR JUDGE THEODORE W. BREVARD, AN EARLY SETTLER AND STATE COMPTROLLER.

THE OFFICIAL COUNTY SEAT HAS BEEN LOCATED IN TITUSVILLE SINCE 1894, ALTHOUGH THAT HAS BEEN A POINT OF CONTENTION THROUGH THE YEARS.

BREVARD IS A LONG COUNTY AND THE POPULOUS AREA OF PALM BAY WAS 50 MILES TO THE SOUTH, SO THOSE RESIDENTS THREATENED TO FORM THEIR OWN COUNTY.

THE COUNTY THEN BUILT AN ADMINISTRATION COMPLEX IN CENTRALLY LOCATED VIERA.

THE NORTHERN RESIDENTS THEN THREATENED SUCCESSION.

THE COUNTY MADE ENOUGH CONCESSIONS TO BOTH SIDES THAT THE OFFICIAL COUNTY SEAT REMAINED IN TITUSVILLE.

BUT FOR MANY PEOPLE, VIERA HAS BECOME FOR ALL PRACTICAL PURPOSES THE DEFACTO COUNTY SEAT OF BREVARD.

INTERESTINGLY, TITUSVILLE WAS ORIGINALLY CALLED SAND POINT, BUT LEGEND HAS IT THAT HENRY TITUS CHALLENGED CAPTAIN CLARK RICE TO A GAME OF DOMINOES TO DECIDE THE NAME OF THE TOWN.

TITUS WON AND SAND POINT WAS RENAMED TITUSVILLE IN 1873.

THANKS TO THE SPACE PROGRAM, BREVARD COUNTY AND THE STATE AS A WHOLE TOOK OFF DURING AN ASTOUNDING GROWTH SPURT IN THE 1950S.

>>IT'S INTERESTING TO NOTE THAT IN THE 1950S, FOLLOWING WORLD WAR II, THE POPULATION OF FLORIDA EXPANDED BY ABOUT 70%.

A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE MOVING HERE.

BUT THE POPULATION OF BREVARD COUNTY BECAUSE OF THE SPACE PROGRAM EXPLODED BY OVER 371%.

>>IT'S ACTUALLY THE SPACE PROGRAM THAT GIVES BREVARD COUNTY ONE OF ITS MOST ICONIC LANDMARKS, THE VEHICLE ASSEMBLY BUILDING.

THE VAB IS THE LARGEST SINGLE-STORY BUILDING IN THE WORLD, AND THE TOTAL VOLUME IS ALMOST FOUR TIMES AS LARGE AS THE EMPIRE STATE BUILDING.

SERVING AS A FACILITY FOR THE APOLLO AND SATURN MISSIONS, THE VAB IS A MAJOR LANDMARK, NOT JUST FOR BREVARD COUNTY BUT FOR ITS INCREDIBLE CONTRIBUTIONS TO SPACE EXPLORATION.

SO JIM, WE ARE HERE INSIDE THE VEHICLE ASSEMBLY BUILDING, VAB.

TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THIS BUILDING.

>>OKAY.

FIRST OF ALL, THE HISTORY OF THIS BUILDING STARTS IN THE EARLY 60S WHEN THE BUILDING WAS BEING CONSTRUCTED.

SO THAT STARTED US FOR THE SATURN V PROGRAM, WENT THROUGH GOING TO THE MOON, ALL THE COMPONENTS COMING TOGETHER IN THIS BUILDING.

>>SO JIM, WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF A TOUR, LOOK AT THE HISTORY AND THE FUTURE OF THIS BUILDING.

SO LET'S GO.

>>ALL RIGHT.

VERY GOOD.

>>OKAY, JIM.

WHAT IS THIS AREA THAT WE'RE MORE MOVING INTO NOW?

>>OKAY, WHAT WE'VE GOT HERE IS WHAT WE CALL THE LOW BAY.

WHAT WE USED THIS FOR IN THE SATURN V DAYS WERE TO BRING ROCKET STAGES IN THE LOW BAY TRANSFER AISLE, WHICH IS WHERE WE'RE STANDING.

WE USED OUR OVERHEAD CRANES TO LIFT THE LARGE COMPONENTS THAT MAKE UP A ROCKET.

SO HISTORICALLY, WHAT YOU'RE SEEING, THESE ORANGE PLATFORMS ARE REALLY LEFTOVER FROM SATURN V PROCESSING.

>>ALL RIGHT, LET'S GO TO THE NEXT STOP.

>>OKAY.

>>ALL RIGHT, JIM.

SO WE'VE GOT SOMETHING REALLY INTERESTING HERE.

THIS IS SOMETHING THAT JUST GOT MOVED IN HERE.

TELL ME WHAT THIS IS.

>>SO THOSE ARE ACCESS STANDS.

BECAUSE OF THE BIG PIECES, GOT TO HAVE WAYS TO GET TO IT.

>>AND THIS WOULD BE AN EXAMPLE OF THE ROCKET THAT'S GOING TO LIFT US OFF TO GO TO MARS.

>>THAT'S WHAT THAT'S FOR.

EXACTLY.

AND WE'RE GOING TO GO TO MARS ON ROCKETS LIKE THAT.

>>WELL, LET'S HEAD UP.

LET'S GO TO MARS.

>>LET'S GO TO MARS.

WE'LL GO FAR AWAY.

>>JIM, HERE WE ARE, THE TOP OF THE WORLD.

WE ARE ON TOP OF THE VAB.

WHEN YOU LOOK FROM UP HERE AND YOU LOOK ACROSS WHAT YOU SEE HERE AND DOWN TO THE CAPE AND EVERYTHING, THIS IS SORT OF THE HISTORY OF SPACE TRAVEL LAID OUT IN FRONT OF YOU, ISN'T IT?

>>ABSOLUTELY.

WHEN YOU START WAY DOWN ON THE CAPE SIDE, YOU START WITH SOME OF THE EARLY UNMANNED ROCKETS.

AND THESE ARE THE LAUNCH PADS WHERE WE PICKED UP WITH THE SATURN V ROCKETS, THE REALLY LARGE ROCKETS THAT WE SENT TO THE MOON AND TO THE SKYLAB, AND THEN THE SPACE SHUTTLE.

IT'S A REALLY NEAT PLACE.

>>YEAH.

>>YOU KNOW, YOU CAN SEE HOW DO YOU GET THIS VIEW HERE IN FLORIDA.

>>WHEN IT COMES TO PEOPLE OF IMPACT IN BREVARD COUNTY, MANY ARE UNAWARE OF THE CONTRIBUTION OF HARRY T. AND HARRIETTE V. MOORE, A COUPLE THAT PAID THE ULTIMATE PRICE, BUT THEIR SACRIFICE HELPED TO START THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT.

>>THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT GAINED NOTORIETY IN THE 1960S WITH DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING.

BUT THAT MOVEMENT ACTUALLY BEGAN NEARLY TWO DECADES EARLIER WITH AN ACTIVIST WHO LIVED IN THE SMALL BREVARD COUNTY COMMUNITY OF MIMS.

>>HARRY T. AND HARRIETTE V. MOORE WERE THE FIRST CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVISTS IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA.

THEY WERE BEFORE MARTIN LUTHER KING AND MALCOLM X, BEFORE WE KNEW THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT TODAY.

>>HARRY T. MOORE TRULY WAS A MAN BEFORE HIS TIME, AND TO PUT HIMSELF AND HIS FAMILY IN DANGER FOR THE BETTERMENT OF OTHERS TRULY SPEAKS TO THE VOLUME OF THE KIND OF CHARACTER.

>>HARRY T. MOORE TRAVELED ALL OVER THE STATE REGISTERING AFRICAN-AMERICANS TO VOTE.

HE HAD A HUGE IMPACT AND PAVED THE WAY FOR CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVITIES THAT ARE BETTER KNOWN IN THE 1960S AND BEYOND.

>>HE UNDERSTOOD THAT IF WE COULD GET INVOLVED IN THE VOTING PROCESS, THAT LIVES WOULD BE CHANGED.

>>HARRY T. MOORE WAS TEACHING BLACKS NOT TO BE AFRAID OF THE JIM CROW ERA.

HE KNEW HE WAS GOING TO ULTIMATELY PAY A PRICE, BUT HE SAID FREEDOM IS NEVER FREE.

SO ON DECEMBER 25, 1951, IT WAS CHRISTMAS.

THEY CELEBRATED IT LIKE YOU AND I, BUT THE KLANSMEN WAS HIDING IN THE GROVE.

AND THEY HAD THE LAY OUT TO HIS HOUSE.

THEY CRAWLED UNDER HIS HOUSE, 10:20 P.M., LIT THE DYNAMITE, AND THEY SAID THAT WAS THE LOUDEST BOMB HEARD AROUND THE WORLD.

♪ FREEDOM NEVER DIES, I SAY, FREEDOM NEVER DIES... ♪ >>HARRY DIED THAT NIGHT AND HARRIET JUST NINE DAYS LATER.

TODAY ON THE SAME LAND IN MIMS STANDS AN EXACT REPLICA OF THEIR HOME AS WELL AS A MUSEUM, ALL AS A TRIBUTE TO THEIR SACRIFICE.

♪ IT HAPPENED IN FLORIDA, IN THE LAND OF FLOWERS.

IT WAS ON A CHRISTMAS NIGHT ♪ >>THIS MUSEUM GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY TO BECOME AWARE OF THE LEGACY AND JUST HOW HE HAS IMPACTED LIVES TODAY.

>>WE'RE STANDING ON SOMEBODY'S SHOULDERS.

THERE WAS PEOPLE BEFORE US THAT FOUGHT WITH THEIR LIFE TO PAVE THE WAY FOR US.

LOOK AT AMERICA TODAY.

THE CHANGES WOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN MADE HAD HARRY T. MOORE NOT INSPIRED AND ENCOURAGED BLACKS BACK IN THOSE DAYS TO VOTE.

♪ ...FOR FREEDOM NEVER DIES ♪ >>MANY FOLKS HAVE NEVER HEARD OF A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF BREVARD'S HISTORY.

TWO MAJOR ARCHEOLOGICAL DIGS TOOK PLACE IN THE COUNTY THAT GAVE A RARE INSIGHT INTO OUR ANCIENT PAST.

THE FIRST FIND WAS ABOUT 100 YEARS AGO IN THE MELBOURNE AREA.

>>BACK IN 1923, A MAN BY THE NAME OF CHARLES P. SINGLETON STARTED AN ORANGE GROVE, AND HE HAD HIS WORKERS COME DOWN INTO THE JUNGLE HERE TO DIG UP MUCK TO SPREAD ON HIS NEW ORANGE GROVE.

WELL, AS THEY WERE DOING THAT, THEY FOUND SOME BONES.

AND THEY STARTED TO DIG HERE.

AND THEY FOUND ALMOST AN ENTIRE MAMMOTH SUBSEQUENTLY AND ALMOST A ENTIRE MASTODON.

AND HE WAS GOING TO GIVE IT TO THE CITY OF MELBOURNE TO BE MOUNTED IN THE OLD MELBOURNE HOTEL.

WELL, THEY COULDN'T RAISE THE MONEY TO RESTORE IT AND PUT IT TOGETHER, SO IT ENDED UP UP AT AMHERST COLLEGE, ALONG WITH THE LATER MASTODON.

BUT IT WAS A TRUE LOSS BECAUSE SO MUCH HAS BEEN FOUND IN BREVARD COUNTY, BUT VERY LITTLE OF IT STAYS HERE.

BUT HOPEFULLY, SOMEDAY SCIENTISTS WILL COME HERE AND REALLY DO SOME SERIOUS WORK BECAUSE THERE'S STILL MUCH TO BE DISCOVERED.

>>THE SECOND ARCHEOLOGICAL FIND, THE WINDOVER DIG, CAME ABOUT SIX DECADES LATER IN THE TITUSVILLE AREA.

>>BACK IN 1982, A BACKHOE OPERATOR NAMED STEVE VANDERJAGT WAS WORKING ON A HOUSING DEVELOPMENT CALLED WINDOVER FARMS AND HE UNCOVERED THIS BROWN, ROUNDISH OBJECT.

AND HE LOOKED AND HE SAW THAT THIS WAS A HUMAN SKULL THAT HE'D DISCOVERED AND HE'D UNCOVERED SEVERAL SETS OF HUMAN REMAINS.

CARBON DATING WAS EVENTUALLY DONE ON THESE BONES.

AND EVERYBODY WAS SHOCKED TO FIND OUT THAT THESE WERE BETWEEN 7,000 AND 8,000 YEARS OLD.

IT WAS A PREHISTORIC BOG WITH THE PH BALANCE AND THE ANAEROBIC ENVIRONMENT THAT WAS PERFECT TO PRESERVE THESE REMAINS.

AND IT WAS ONE OF THE MOST AMAZING ARCHEOLOGICAL FINDS ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD.

>>THE WINDOVER ARCHEOLOGICAL SITE, WHICH IS IN TITUSVILLE, IS A VERY IMPORTANT NORTH AMERICAN ARCHEOLOGICAL SITE.

THE TWO PRIMARY REASONS IS ONE, IT'S AGE.

IT IS WHAT WE CALL IN NATIVE AMERICAN TERMS EARLY ARCHAIC.

AND THE SITE WAS RADIOCARBON DATED TO BE 7,000 TO 8,000 YEARS OLD.

WE DO NOT HAVE MANY GOOD SITES OF THAT AGE IN NORTH AMERICA.

THIS IS PROBABLY THE BEST IN NORTH AMERICA.

THE OTHER REASON IT IS SO SIGNIFICANT IS THE DEGREE OF PRESERVATION.

WITH THE BURIALS, THEY FOUND THINGS AS DELICATE AS TEXTILES, SO IT'S A SNAPSHOT THAT THESE PEOPLE WERE WEAVING.

THIS IS PART OF WHY IT'S SUCH AN AMAZING SITE.

BUT THEY HAD IT PRESERVED IN THAT POND IN TITUSVILLE.

>>NOW, HERE ARE THE TOP THINGS YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW ABOUT BREVARD COUNTY.

EAU GALLIE'S OWN CAROLINE ROSSETTER BECAME THE FIRST FEMALE STANDARD OIL AGENT.

THE STANDARD OIL BOARD OF DIRECTORS REPORTEDLY VOTED AND STATED, "LET THE LITTLE LADY HAVE IT, SHE WON'T LAST A YEAR, AND THEN WE'LL GIVE IT TO A MAN."

NOT ONLY DID SHE LAST A YEAR, SHE LASTED 62 YEARS AT THE COMPANY, MORE COMMONLY KNOWN AS CHEVRON.

>>THREE, TWO, ONE.

>>THREE, TWO, ONE ISN'T JUST THE COUNTDOWN THAT WE'RE ALL USED TO HEARING BEFORE A LAUNCH.

IT ALSO BECAME BREVARD'S VERY FITTING AREA CODE.

TITUSVILLE'S OZZIE OSBAND DIALED UP THE IDEA OVER 20 YEARS AGO.

>>ONE OF MERRITT ISLAND'S LANDMARKS USED TO BE A BELOVED DRAGON SCULPTURE.

SCULPTOR LEWIS VANDERCAR BUILT ANNIE, A CONCRETE DRAGON THAT GUARDED OVER THE INDIAN AND BANANA RIVER LAGOON ON THE SOUTHERNMOST TIP OF MERRITT ISLAND, APPROPRIATELY NAMED DRAGON POINT.

AND WILL ALWAYS BE REMEMBERED AS AN ADORED SPACE COAST ATTRACTION.

IF YOU PLAY A STRINGED INSTRUMENT, THEN YOU PROBABLY ALREADY KNOW ABOUT GOLD TONE MUSIC GROUP.

FOR NEARLY THREE DECADES NOW, THIS TITUSVILLE COMPANY HAS PRODUCED SOME OF THE FINEST STRINGED INSTRUMENTS IN THE WORLD.

WAYNE AND ROBYN ROGERS HAVE A GENUINE LOVE FOR FOLK MUSIC.

IN FACT, THEY MET PLAYING FOLK MUSIC BACK IN THE 1970S.

WHEN THEY MOVED TO TITUSVILLE, THEY NOTICED THAT THERE WAS NO MUSIC STORE THAT CATERED TO STRING INSTRUMENTS OR FOLK MUSIC.

SO IN 1978, THEY FILLED THAT VOID BY OPENING STRINGS N' THINGS MUSIC STORE.

>>IT WAS MORE OR LESS JUST WE ENJOY PLAYING MUSIC TOGETHER.

AND SO THAT TIME PERIOD THERE WAS JUST AWESOME MUSIC OUT THERE.

THERE WAS THE FOLK.

THERE WAS THE START OF THE ROCK AND ROLL WITH FLEETWOOD MAC AND CROSBY, STILLS, AND NASH, AND THE HARMONIES AND THE BEAUTIFUL GUITAR TUNING.

SO THAT'S KIND OF WHAT WE... THAT'S KIND OF HOW WE, REASON WE GOT INTO IT.

>>THEY WERE VERY SUCCESSFUL SELLING INSTRUMENTS AND GIVING LESSONS.

BUT IN 1993, WAYNE DECIDED TO START DESIGNING HIS OWN STRINGED INSTRUMENTS.

AND AS THEY SAY, THE REST IS HISTORY.

THAT PAVED THE WAY FOR WHAT IS NOW GOLD TONE MUSIC GROUP, A FAMILY-RUN BUSINESS LOCATED IN A 14,000 SQUARE FOOT FACILITY IN TITUSVILLE.

>>THE CURRENT INSTRUMENTS THAT WE STOCK NOW ARE ABOUT EVERYTHING THAT HAS STRINGS ON IT, EXCEPT FOR ELECTRIC INSTRUMENTS.

AND ONE OF THE REASONS WHAT MAKES OUR INSTRUMENTS SO SPECIAL RESULTS FROM MY 15 YEARS IN THE RETAIL MUSIC BUSINESS.

THAT'S WHEN I LEARNED MY LUTHIER SKILLS.

LUTHIER IS A MECHANIC FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

SO I LEARNED AT THAT TIME THAT IN ORDER FOR ESPECIALLY BEGINNERS OR EVEN PROFESSIONAL PLAYERS TO ENJOY AN INSTRUMENT, IT HAD TO PLAY EASILY.

WAYNE'S KIND OF GOT THAT KIND OF MIND.

HE THINKS OF DIFFERENT THINGS.

HE TOOK DIFFERENT-SIZED BANJO BODIES AND STICKS GUITAR NECKS ON THEM.

THAT'S KIND OF WHAT WE DO.

AND THAT'S PROBABLY OUR NICHE IS THE ODDITY THAT WE CREATE WITH A BASIC INSTRUMENT.

FOLKTERNATIVE IS A DESCRIPTION OF INSTRUMENTS THAT A PLAYER THAT ALREADY HAS A KNOWLEDGE OF A PARTICULAR INSTRUMENT CAN PLAY, AND THESE FOLKTERNATIVE INSTRUMENTS GIVE YOU A DIFFERENT SOUND.

>>GOLD TONE HAS THOUSANDS OF CUSTOMERS, INCLUDING SOME NAMES YOU MIGHT KNOW; BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN, KID ROCK, MELISSA ETHERIDGE, COMEDIAN AND BANJO PLAYER STEVE MARTIN, AND THE LIST OF MUSICIANS GOES ON AND ON.

>>EVEN UP TO THIS DAY, 25 YEARS LATER, THE LAST PERSON THAT TOUCHES THE INSTRUMENT IS MY WIFE.

SO WHEN THE CUSTOMER TAKES THE INSTRUMENT OUT, THEY CAN TUNE IT UP AND IT'S GOING TO PLAY AS EASILY AS IT WAS SET UP.

AND US BEING ALL MUSICIANS HAS A LOT TO DO WITH THE SUCCESS OF THE GOLD TONE COMPANY.

>>MANY FOLKS IN BREVARD COUNTY HAVE EITHER DRIVEN, WALKED, OR BIKED ACROSS THE MAX BREWER BRIDGE IN TITUSVILLE.

BUT IF YOU'RE LIKE ME, YOU ALWAYS DRIVE ACROSS THERE AND THINK WHO THE HECK WAS MAX BREWER?

>>THE BRIDGE WAS NAMED AFTER ALBERT MAX BREWER, WHO WAS A TITUSVILLE ATTORNEY IN THE 1950S AND SERVED AS A STATE REPRESENTATIVE FOR BREVARD COUNTY.

IN 1983, A SWING SPAN BRIDGE WAS NAMED IN HIS HONOR.

IN 2010, THE ORIGINAL BRIDGE WAS REPLACED WITH TODAY'S 3,200 FOOT SPAN THAT ARCS 65 FEET OVER THE INDIAN RIVER.

THE MAX BREWER BRIDGE IS CLOSED TO VEHICLE TRAFFIC DURING KENNEDY SPACE CENTER LAUNCHES AND BECOMES AN IDEAL VIEWING SPOT FOR PEDESTRIANS.

>>COCOA BEACH IS CALLED THE SURFING CAPITAL OF THE EAST COAST.

IT'S ALSO HOME TO THE FLORIDA SURF MUSEUM WHERE THAT SURFING LEGACY IS HONORED.

HANG TEN, DADDIO.

♪ MUSIC ♪ >>COCOA BEACH HAS BECOME THE CENTER OF SURFING IN FLORIDA OVER THE LAST 30, 40 YEARS.

THERE'S ACTUALLY SURFING RECORDED IN BREVARD COUNTY AS EARLY AS THE 1930S FROM DIFFERENT NEWSPAPER ACCOUNTS.

AFTER WORLD WAR II, IT KIND OF GOT SLEEPY HERE UNTIL DICK KATRI AND JACK MURPHY DROVE UP HERE FROM MIAMI AND DISCOVERED THAT THE WAVES WERE MUCH BETTER HERE THAN DOWN SOUTH.

>>DICK KATRI IS PROBABLY OUR MOST LEGENDARY SURFER.

HE'S CALLED THE GODFATHER OF EAST COAST SURFING.

AND RIGHT ABOUT THAT SAME TIME, THE SPACE PROGRAM KICKED IN AND SUDDENLY THERE WERE JUST THOUSANDS OF YOUNG ENGINEERS WITH YOUNG KIDS THAT CAME TO THE BEACH AT THE SAME TIME, THAT THEY ALL WANTED TO SURF JUST LIKE THEY'D SEEN IN THE GIDGET MOVIES AND THE ENDLESS SUMMER MOVIE.

THE WHOLE SURFING SCENE KIND OF KICKED IN ON THE AFTERBURNERS IN THIS PARTICULAR PART OF FLORIDA.

>>THE FLORIDA SURF MUSEUM WAS ORIGINALLY CALLED THE COCOA BEACH SURF MUSEUM.

IT WAS STARTED IN 1999.

OUR PURPOSE HERE IS TO HELP PEOPLE UNDERSTAND JUST HOW IMPORTANT SURF CULTURE IS TO HERE AND HOW MUCH IT'S INTERTWINED WITH CULTURE IN GENERAL AND SAY WE'RE VERY GRATEFUL TO RON JON SURF SHOP.

THEY GAVE US THIS SPACE A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO AT NO CHARGE, AND SO WE'RE REALLY GRATEFUL TO THEM FOR THAT AND WE TRY AND DO THE BEST EXHIBITS WE CAN BECAUSE OF THAT.

>>SURFING IS INTEGRAL TO BREVARD COUNTY AND THE SPACE COAST.

JUST ABOUT EVERYBODY ON THE CITY COUNCIL OF COCOA BEACH SURFS, AND LAWYERS SURF, DOCTORS SURF, EVERYBODY SURFS HERE.

IT'S JUST A, COCOA BEACH IS RIGHT IN THAT SWEET SPOT.

IT'S JUST NOT TOO HOT, NOT TOO COLD, NOT TOO BIG, NOT TOO SMALL.

AND IT'S JUST MADE COCOA BEACH A REAL MAGNET FOR SURFING.

>>SURFING IS ACKNOWLEDGED ALL OVER COCOA BEACH, LIKE THIS SPACE AGE SURFING STATUE IN DOWNTOWN, AND, OF COURSE, A TRIBUTE TO BREVARD NATIVE KELLY SLATER, ONE OF THE BEST AND MOST SUCCESSFUL SURFERS EVER.

>>SURFING IS MORE THAN JUST A SPORT.

IT'S A LIFESTYLE.

IT'S A STATE OF MIND.

IT'S A WAY OF LIVING.

AND I'VE BEEN SURFING SINCE I WAS 12 YEARS OLD.

I'M 68 NOW.

AND I AM JUST AS STOKED TODAY AS I WAS THE FIRST DAY I SURFED.

SURFING IS HERE TO STAY.

THE WHOLE BREADTH OF THE SURFING EXPERIENCE IS HERE, AND IT WILL CONTINUE PROBABLY WELL INTO THE FUTURE.

>>WHEN IT COMES TO LONG-TIME LOCAL EATERIES, DIXIE CROSSROADS ALWAYS SEEMS TO BE AT THE TOP OF THE LIST.

LOCAL FOOD BLOGGER MARIA VAYO TAKES US BEHIND THE SCENES.

>>HI.

THIS IS MARIA VAYO.

AND TODAY I'M IN TITUSVILLE AT THE SEAFOOD STAPLE OF BREVARD COUNTY, WORLD-FAMOUS DIXIE CROSSROADS, HOME OF THE ROCK SHRIMP.

AND TODAY, WE'RE GOING TO LEARN HOW IT ALL GOT STARTED.

>>I'M SITTING HERE WITH LAURA LEE THOMPSON, CO-OWNER OF DIXIE CROSSROADS, AND TODAY SHE'S GOING TO GIVE US THE WHOLE HISTORY ABOUT HOW THIS WONDERFUL RESTAURANT GOT ITS START.

>>WELL, IT ACTUALLY GOT STARTED, MY DAD WAS IN THE BOAT-BUILDING BUSINESS.

HE BUILT COMMERCIAL FISHING BOATS.

HE BUILT SHRIMP BOATS AND LONG LINERS.

AND HE ALWAYS WANTED TO HAVE A RESTAURANT.

HE WAS A COOK IN THE AIR FORCE DURING THE KOREAN WAR, AND HE GREW TO LOVE COOKING FOR LARGE NUMBERS OF PEOPLE.

AND SO HE BUILT THIS LITTLE 30-SEAT DINER TYPE ESTABLISHMENT THAT HIM AND MOTHER COULD RUN BY THEMSELVES.

AND AS THE WORD SPREAD THAT YOU COULD GET REAL SEAFOOD FROM THE REAL OCEAN, NOT IMPORTED POND-GROWN SEAFOOD BUT REAL SHRIMP, REAL FLORIDA SHRIMP, THE WORD SPREAD.

SO WE SKYROCKETED FROM 30 SEATS TO 465 SEATS NOW.

>>AND I KNOW ROCK SHRIMP HAD AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN THE SKYROCKETING OF YOUR RESTAURANT.

>>THEY HAVE A HARD SHELL LIKE A ROCK, AND THAT'S WHY THEY'RE NAMED ROCK SHRIMP.

AND THEY'RE VERY, VERY DIFFICULT TO GET THE MEAT OUT OF.

SO MY DAD WAS THE ONE THAT CREATED THE VERY FIRST ROCK SHRIMP SPLITTING MACHINE.

AND NO ONE'S CREATED ANYTHING ELSE LIKE IT SINCE THEN.

>>SO GREG, TELL US ABOUT THE FAMOUS ROCK SHRIMP SPLITTING MACHINE WE HAVE BEHIND US.

>>OKAY.

WELL, CURRENTLY WE HAVE OUR NEWEST MODEL THAT SHE'S OPERATING RIGHT NOW.

WE SPLIT IT OPEN HERE.

WE TAKE IT TO OUR SHRIMP LADIES THAT ARE SITTING AT A TABLE.

THEY CLEAN IT, TRAY IT ONTO LITTLE BROILER PLATES AND THEN SPRAY BUTTER ON IT, SEND IT THROUGH A BROILER OVEN, THEN IT GOES TO THE CUSTOMER.

WE JUST WANT EVERYBODY TO BE ABLE TO HAVE FRESH FLORIDA SEAFOOD, SO WE GO THROUGH ALL THIS LABOR-INTENSIVE STUFF SO CUSTOMERS CAN HAVE A REALLY GOOD FRESH PRODUCT TO EAT.

>>I THINK OUR MONIKER OF BEING WORLD FAMOUS, ACTUALLY WE GREW ALONG WITH THE SHUTTLE PROGRAM.

SO DURING THAT PERIOD, WHEN THESE WRITERS WERE COMING FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD, THEY ALL CAME HERE.

WE BECAME WORLD FAMOUS ALONG WITH THE SPACE SHUTTLE.

>>FOR ALMOST 100 YEARS, THE HISTORIC COCOA VILLAGE PLAYHOUSE HAS BEEN AT THE HEART OF THE COMMUNITY.

AND NOW, IT HAS A PLACE ON THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES.

>>THE HISTORIC COCOA VILLAGE PLAYHOUSE IS SO RICH IN HISTORY FOR OUR COMMUNITY.

AND WHEN WE GO BACK TO AUGUST 18, 1924, WE CAN ONLY IMAGINE WHAT THAT MUST HAVE BEEN LIKE, THE OPENING OF THE ALADDIN THEATER.

AND BACK THEN, THEY CALLED IT THE SCENIC PLACE OF THE INDIAN RIVER SECTION.

AND PEOPLE DROVE ALL THE WAY AS FAR FROM FORT PIERCE BACK THEN FOR THE BIG OPENING.

>>THROUGH THE YEARS, THE THEATER HAS PROGRESSED FROM SILENT MOVIES TO TALKIES, TO VAUDEVILLE, AND NOW TO LIVE STAGE PRODUCTIONS.

THE THEATER HAS HAD SEVERAL NAMES THROUGH THE YEARS, INCLUDING ITS ORIGINAL NAME, THE ALADDIN THEATER.

AT ONE POINT, IT WAS THE STATE THEATER AND NOW CONTINUES THAT LEGACY AS THE HISTORIC COCOA VILLAGE PLAYHOUSE.

>>WE CONTINUE TO IMPROVE AND BUILD ON THE HISTORY OF OUR THEATER.

AND WHEN YOU WALK INTO THE THEATER, YOU CAN'T HELP BUT FEEL THERE'S SOMETHING VERY SPECIAL ABOUT THE HISTORIC COCOA VILLAGE PLAYHOUSE.

AND I'D LIKE TO BELIEVE IT'S ALL OF THE DREAMS THAT THE ORIGINAL PEOPLE HAD, THE ALADDIN THEATER, MAKING THOSE DREAMS COME TRUE.

>>THE THEATER WAS RENOVATED TO RESEMBLE ITS ORIGINAL DESIGN, REKINDLING MEMORIES OF DAYS GONE BY.

>>WHEN YOU FIRST ENTER THE THEATER AND YOU SEE THE GRAND CHANDELIERS, EACH ONE OF THOSE CRYSTALS REPRESENTS BLOOD, SWEAT, AND TEARS.

EACH ONE OF THESE CHANDELIERS WERE HAND STRUNG BY LOVING VOLUNTEERS.

WE PUT THE CHANDELIERS TOGETHER BY USING THE PHOTOS THAT THEY HAVE SENT.

EACH OF THE THINGS THAT YOU SEE WHEN YOU LOOK IN THE THEATER, LOVING VOLUNTEERS AND STAFF WORKING SO HARD TO HAND PAINT ALL OF THE METALLIC GOLD THAT YOU SEE.

THESE WERE THE COLORS THAT WERE MOST COMPLIMENTARY OF THE TIME PERIOD.

AND WHEN YOU SEE THE BURGUNDY CURTAINS, THOSE WERE HANDMADE.

>>BUT IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW WHERE WE CAME FROM AND TO KNOW WHERE WE ARE AND HAVE THE VISION OF WHERE WE'RE GOING.

WE'RE KNOWN NOW AS BROADWAY ON BREVARD BECAUSE THE STREET OUT FRONT IS BREVARD AVENUE.

SO BROADWAY ON BREVARD BRINGS SHOWS THAT HAS VOLUNTEER PERFORMERS FROM THROUGHOUT OUR COMMUNITY WITH A VERY HIGH-QUALITY LEVEL OF PERFORMANCE.

BUT HERE WE ARE NOT ONLY KEEPING LIVE THEATER ALIVE BUT REALLY KEEPING THE HISTORY ALIVE.

THIS THEATER IS FOR OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY.

IT'S FOR EVERYONE.

AND THAT'S WHY I CALL IT A GEM, A GEM RIGHT HERE IN THE MIDDLE OF COCOA VILLAGE.

>>ANOTHER BREVARD COUNTY LEGEND IS RICHARD E. STONE, A MAN WITH AN INTERESTING AND INVENTIVE LEGACY.

>>RICHARD STONE WAS THE FOUNDER OF STONE FUNERAL HOME IN COCOA AND MELBOURNE.

HE WAS AN UNUSUAL PERSON IN THAT HE WAS A THINKER AND HE WAS ALWAYS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE SOMETHING HAPPEN AND SOMETHING THAT WAS DIFFERENT.

THERE WAS NO AFRICAN-AMERICAN FUNERAL HOME BETWEEN JACKSONVILLE AND WEST PALM BEACH, SO HE STARTED STONE FUNERAL HOME IN 1923.

HE DECIDED TO MOVE TO THE COCOA AREA SO HE COULD SERVE THE ENTIRE COUNTY.

>>RICHARD STONE HELPED TO START THE COCOA-ROCKLEDGE CIVIL LEAGUE, ESTABLISH THE FIRST RECREATIONAL CENTER BUILDING, AND ALSO STARTED COCOA'S FIRST BLACK PROFESSIONAL BASEBALL TEAM.

AND THEN HE INVENTED AN ITEM THAT WE USE EVERY DAY, THE DIRECTIONAL TURN SIGNAL ON YOUR CAR.

UNFORTUNATELY, AN INVENTION FOR WHICH HE NEVER GOT PROPER CREDIT.

>>RICHARD STONE GOT A PATENT FOR THE DIRECTIONAL TURN SIGNAL, BUT HE COULDN'T FIND ANYBODY TO BACK HIM AND PROVIDE THE FUNDING.

AFTER THE PATENT WENT THROUGH ITS COURSE, ANOTHER PERSON CAME ALONG, MADE A MINOR CHANGE TO IT, AND THEY GOT THE CREDIT AND THE MONEY SO... >>AFTER ALMOST 100 YEARS, STONE FUNERAL HOME IS STILL SERVING THE BREVARD COUNTY COMMUNITY.

>>THINK YOU MIGHT KNOW A BIT ABOUT CENTRAL FLORIDA HISTORY THAT WE MISSED?

WELL THEN, HEAD ON OVER TO FACEBOOK.COM/WUCFTV AND LET US KNOW.

AND FOR MORE ADVENTURES AROUND OUR AREA, CHECK OUT THE OTHER EPISODES OF CENTRAL FLORIDA ROAD TRIP AT WUCF.ORG/ROADTRIP.

>>THAT'S IT FOR THIS BREVARD COUNTY EDITION OF CENTRAL FLORIDA ROAD TRIP.

I'M DR. PHIL HOFFMAN.

AND PLEASE JOIN US NEXT TIME AS WE CONTINUE TO EXPLORE THE RICH HISTORY THAT SURROUNDS US ALL EVERY DAY RIGHT HERE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA.