Cape Canaveral
Cape Canaveral
Spanish: Cabo Cañaveral | |
---|---|
Location in Florida | |
Coordinates: 28°28′N 80°32′W / 28.46°N 80.53°W | |
Location | Florida, United States |
Offshore water bodies | Atlantic Ocean |
Elevation | 3.1 m (10 ft) [1] |
Cape Canaveral (
Other features of the cape include Port Canaveral, one of the busiest cruise ports in the world, and the Cape Canaveral Lighthouse. The city of Cape Canaveral lies just south of the Port Canaveral District.[2] Mosquito Lagoon, the Indian River, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge and Canaveral National Seashore are also features of this area.
History
Humans have occupied the area for at least 12,000 years.[3]
During the middle
During the
In the early 16th century, Cape Canaveral was noted on maps, although without being named. It was named by
English privateer John Hawkins and his journalist John Sparke gave an account of their landing at Cape Canaveral in the 16th century.[8] A Presbyterian missionary was wrecked here and lived among the Indians.[9] Other histories tell of French survivors from Jean Ribault's colony at Fort Caroline, whose ship the Trinité wrecked on the shores of Cape Canaveral in 1565, and built a fort from its timbers.[10][11]
In December 1571,
The first Cape Canaveral Lighthouse was completed in January 1848 to warn ships of the coral shoals off the coast.[13]
The hurricane of August 1885, pushed a "wall of water" over the barrier island (elevation, 3.1 m (10 ft)) devastating Cape Canaveral and adjacent areas. The ocean waves flooded the
The 1890 graduating class of Harvard University started a gun club called the "Canaveral Club" at the Cape.[note 2] This was founded by C. B. Horton of Boston and George H. Reed. A number of distinguished visitors including presidents Grover Cleveland and Benjamin Harrison were reported to have stayed here. In the 1920s, the grand building fell into disrepair and later burned to the ground.[15]
In the 20th century, several communities sprang up in Cape Canaveral with names like Canaveral, Canaveral Harbor, Artesia and De Soto Beach. While the area was predominantly a farming and fishing community, some visionaries saw its potential as a resort for vacationers. However, the stock market crash of 1929 hampered its development.[16] In the 1930s, a group of wealthy journalists started a community called "Journalista Beach", now called Avon by the Sea. The Brossier brothers built houses in this area and started a publication entitled the Evening Star Reporter that was the forerunner of the Orlando Sentinel.[17]
Construction of
Rocket launch site
Cape Canaveral became the test site for missiles when the legislation for the
The first rocket launched at the Cape was a
Cape Canaveral was chosen for rocket launches to take advantage of the Earth's rotation. The linear velocity of the Earth's surface is greatest towards the equator; the relatively southerly location of the cape allows rockets to take advantage of this by launching eastward, in the same direction as the Earth's rotation. It is also highly desirable to have the downrange area sparsely populated, in case of accidents; an ocean is ideal for this.[21] The east coast of Florida has logistical advantages over potential competing sites.[18] The Spaceport Florida Launch Complex 46 of the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station is the easternmost near the tip of the cape.[21]
In 1999, the
Name changes
A post office in the area was built and listed in the U.S. Post Office application as "Artesia" and retained this name from 1893 to 1954.[23] It was "Port Canaveral" from 1954 to 1962, and then the City of Cape Canaveral from 1962 to 1963, when a larger post office was built.
In 1963, President
Although the name change was approved by the U.S. Board on Geographic Names of the Department of the Interior in December 1963,[32] it was not popular in Florida from the outset,[28][33][34] especially in the bordering city of Cape Canaveral. In May 1973, the Florida Legislature passed a law restoring the former 400-year-old name,[35][36] and the Board went along. The name restoration to Cape Canaveral became official on 9 October 1973.[37][38] Senator Ted Kennedy had stated in 1970 that it was a matter to be decided by the citizens of Florida.[34] The Kennedy family issued a letter stating they "understood the decision". NASA's Kennedy Space Center retains the "Kennedy" name.[39]
The Gemini,[40] Apollo,[41] and the first Skylab missions were all launched while the area was named Cape Kennedy.[42] The first crewed launch under the restored name of Cape Canaveral was Skylab 4, the final Skylab mission, on 16 November 1973.[43][44]
Notes
- ^ Florida was named earlier, April 2, 1513, by Ponce de Leon, whose men also named Las Tortugas, now Dry Tortugas. From the account by Spanish historian Antonio de Herrera y Tordesillas published in 1601[6]
- ISBN 978-1563477058.
References
- ^ "Cape Canaveral Map (Florida)". Yellow Maps. Archived from the original on 28 December 2016. Retrieved 13 October 2013.
- ^ "Cargo Destinations Locator Map" (PDF). Port Canaveral Official Website. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 August 2012. Retrieved 13 October 2013.
- ^ Zimmerman, Vera "The First Settlers, 10,000 BC to 1820" Archived December 14, 2007, at the Wayback Machine Retrieved on August 11, 2007
- ISBN 0-8130-1273-2.
- ISBN 0-8130-2645-8.
- ^ Stewart, George R. (1945). Names on the Land: An Historical Account of Place-Naming in the United States. New York: Random House. pp. 11–13.
- ^ a b "The History of Cape Canaveral, Chapter 1: Cape Canaveral Before Rockets (B.C.–1948)". Spaceline, Inc. Retrieved 29 December 2008.
- OCLC 603544979
- ISBN 9780912451091
- ^ Osborne 2008, p. 3
- ^ Brammer, Robert (2 October 2018). "District Court finds the Shipwreck Discovered off the Coast of Florida is la Trinité from the Lost French Colony of Fort Caroline". Library of Congress. Retrieved 23 November 2022.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-404-15668-8.
- ^ "Img_0338 (Cape Canaveral Lighthouse Florida heritage marker)" Archived June 18, 2013, at the Wayback Machine Cape Canaveral Lighthouse Foundation Retrieved on November 10, 2012
- ^ Williams, John M. and Duedall, Iver W. "Florida Hurricanes and Tropical Storms, Revised Edition" (from National Sea Grant Digital Library) Archived April 4, 2014, at the Wayback Machine page 7 University Press of Florida
- ^ Osborne 2008, pp. 18–20
- ^ Osborne 2008, pp. 39–42
- ^ Osborne 2008, p. 40
- ^ a b c "Evolution of the 45th Space Wing" Archived June 13, 2011, at the Wayback Machine. Patrick Air Force Base Official Website Retrieved on October 13, 2013
- ^ "A Proud History" Archived October 16, 2013, at the Wayback Machine Port Canaveral Official Website Retrieved on October 13, 2013
- ^ Lethbridge, Clifford J. (2013) "Cape Canaveral Launch Chronology, From July 1950 to September 2013" Spaceline.org Retrieved on October 13, 2013
- ^ a b c "Historical Programs – Cape Canaveral – The Cape Canaveral Name" Kennedy Space Center official website Retrieved on October 13, 2013 Archived from the original on October 6, 2013
- ^ "3-2-1, Call Cape Canaveral". The New York Times. 23 November 1999. p. 6. Retrieved 13 October 2013.
- ^ Osborne 2008, p. 42
- ^ "It's Cape Kennedy now". Daytona Beach Morning Journal. Florida. Associated Press. 29 November 1963. p. 1.
- ^ Webb, Alvin B. Jr. (29 November 1963). "Cape Canaveral now Cape Kennedy". Eugene Register-Guard. Florida. UPI. p. 4A.
- ^ Warden, Philip (29 November 1963). "Canaveral renamed for John F. Kennedy". Chicago Tribune. p. 1, sec. 1.
- ^ "Cape's space center named for Kennedy". Chicago Tribune. 30 November 1963. p. 3, sec. 1.
- ^ a b "Cape Kennedy remains despite the opposition". The Victoria Advocate. Texas. Associated Press. 8 December 1963. p. 7A.
- ^ "JFK views test firing of Polaris". Eugene Register-Guard. Oregon. Associated Press. 16 November 1963. p. 1A.
- ^ "Kennedy watches firing". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Florida. UPI. 17 November 1963. p. 1.
- ^ Young, Robert (17 November 1963). "Stage missile show at Cape for Kennedy". Chicago Tribune. p. 1, sec. 1.
- ^ Osborne 2008, p. 88
- ^ "Canaveral's name change isn't simple". Chicago Tribune. Associated Press. 30 November 1963. p. 3, sec. 1.
- ^ a b "Senators ask for Canaveral". Daytona Beach Morning Journal. Florida. Associated Press. 26 November 1970. p. 17.
- ^ "House approves renaming Cape Kennedy". Daytona Beach Morning Journal. Florida. 19 May 1973. p. 2A.
- ^ Fla. S.B. 217, ch. 73-369 (1973)
- ^ Lethbridge, Clifford J. "Cape History". Spaceline.org. Retrieved 23 March 2011.
- ^ "Cape Kennedy is now Cape Canaveral". Lakeland Ledger. (Florida). (Washington Post). 10 October 1973. p. 8A.
- ^ Hoyt, Clark (16 February 1972). "Senate Hearing Slated on Renaming Cape". Miami Herald. Retrieved 23 November 2022.
- ^ "Gemini success spurs space hopes". Eugene Register-Guard. Oregon. Associated Press. 9 April 1964. p. 2A.
- ^ "Astronaut says: 'Little late, but good show!'". Eugene Register-Guard. Oregon. Associated Press. 7 December 1972. p. 1A.
- ^ "Skylab linkup due today". Eugene-Register-Guard. Oregon. wire services. 28 July 1973. p. 1A.
- ^ "Skylab astronauts set for 9:01 launch today". Daytona Beach Morning Journal. Florida. 16 November 1973. p. 1A.
- ^ "Third Skylab crew fired aloft". Spokane Daily Chronicle. Washington. Associated Press. 16 November 1973. p. 1.
Sources
- Osborne, Ray (2008) "Images of America: Cape Canaveral" Arcadia Publishing, USA ISBN 978-0-7385-5327-6