Sebastian,
Florida Real Estate & Information
 John
& Becky are Sebastian Realtors and also Sebastian residents
themselves. As a Sebastian real estate team, they are able to cover
a wide territory to include Vero Beach, Sebastian and all of Indian
River County real estate opportunities. If you are looking to buy
or sell Sebastian real estate or surrounding Florida area please
contact John and Becky today.
Sebastian,
Florida Area Information
Silver lagoons and turquoise seas, ruby sunsets and golden sunrises
gracefully adorn the Sebastian River Area.
Sebastian's
wealth includes gems of another sort... rare antiquities washed
upon its shores. Its colorful history boasts of shipwrecks and lost
fortunes dating to the 1500's. Today archeologists and treasure
hunters continue to search these waters for gold, jewelry, and other
artifacts lost in history.
 While
on land, explorers of a different sort, tourists, discover the pristine
beauty of this land. Blessed with diversity, it will stir the heart
of any visitor.
The Sebastian
River Area sits on one of North America's diverse estuaries, the
Indian River Lagoon.
This estuary,
which is home to over 400 species of fish, originated thousands
of years ago when the Atlantic Ocean deposited a massive sandbar
along Florida's coast, which cut off a long narrow strip of ocean
that became the lagoon. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
designated the Indian River Lagoon "an estuary of national
significance" in April 1990.
The Indian River
Lagoon is home to one of Sebastian's treasured landmarks. Pelican
Island was discovered in 1859 as a haven for thousands of herons,
egrets, pelicans, ibises, and spoonbills.
Unfortunately
annihilation by plume hunters reduced the population to only brown
pelicans. By 1903 Pelican Island was the last home for brown pelicans
along the entire east coast of Florida.
When Paul Kroegel
took a special interest in this island, he was hired by the Florida
Audubon Society to protect it. On March 14, 1903, President Roosevelt
proclaimed Pelican Island America's first National Wildlife Refuge.
Kroegel was appointed as the first warden for a salary of $1 per
month.
Today the Refuge
encompasses about 4,760 acres of submerged bottomlands and grass
beds in addition to over 100 acres of buffer along the shoreline
of the adjacent Barrier Island. Many recreational activities are
available throughout the refuge although access to Pelican Island
is restricted.
 Sebastian,
Florida History
Indian River County was established in 1925. The first settlement
dates back to the early 1880's when 40 pioneers migrated to the
area. With the arrival of Flagler's locomotives along with the development
of icehouses for packing the product, commercial fishing became
a stronghold in Sebastian. One of the original commercial fishing
families, Archie Smith and Bascomb Judah still operate from their
original fish house, located on Indian River Drive.
Tales of bountiful
fishing, Florida pioneering, and "rum runners" describe
the very adventuresome past of the early settlers of this area.
For an entertaining lesson on the lifestyle of these early residents
visit the exhibitions displayed by The Sebastian River Area Historical
Society located next to the Sebastian River Area Chamber of Commerce
on Indian River Drive 700 Main Street.
A visit to the
little town of Fellsmere reveals more history of the old south.
In the architecture of its quaint buildings such as the charming
Marian Fell Library. Dating to 1914 this was the first library in
the county.
John
& Becky Boncek ~ Sebastian REALTORS®
See: www.cityofsebastian.org
the official city website
Source: Sebastian,
Florida Chamber of Commerce |
