Fountain: Welcome to Downtown - Cocoa Beach, FL.

Welcome to Downtown Fountain

Cocoa Beach, FL

N 28° 19.578 W 080° 36.580

Short Description: 

The Welcome to Downtown Fountain is located in Triangle Park at the intersection of North Atlantic Avenue and North Orlando Avenue in Cocoa Beach, FL.

Long Description:

An 8' high by 12' wide circle of rectangular, gray, stone slabs are arranged horizontally to form a tapered tiered structure. Water emerges from near the top of the fountain and cascades down the stones, through small pools of water, into a stone basin at ground level.

In front of the fountain is a sign made of similar stones on which is inscribed:

WELCOME TO 

DOWNTOWN

COCOA BEACH

Living Statue: Robert Kelly Slater - Cocoa Beach, FL

Robert Kelly Slater

Cocoa Beach, FL

N 28° 19.595 W 080° 36.585

Short Description: 

A statue of world champion surfer Robert Kelly Slater is located in Triangle Park at the intersection of North Atlantic Avenue and North Orlando Avenue in his hometown of Cocoa Beach, FL.

Long Description:

Robert Kelly Slater, known professionally as Kelly Slater, was born on February 11, 1972 in Cocoa Beach, FL. He is both the youngest, at age 20, and oldest, at age 39, person ever to win the World World Surf League Championship. A title he has won a record 11 times: 1992, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2011.

On November 17, 2010 the City of Cocoa Beach unveiled a 9.5' tall bronze statue of Kelly Slater. The statue and accompanying plaque was conceived by Cocoa Beach resident Sam Drazich and created by his artist sister Natasha Drazich. The funds, $120,000, required to complete the project was raised by public subscription.

The larger than life bronze statue depicts Kelly Slater wearing a bathing suit and balancing himself on a surfboard while riding a wave. He is shown in a crouch with his right arm pointing forward and downward, his right leg outstretched, and right foot near the front of the board. His left leg is bent and his left foot is below his body. A short column raises the surfboard above a circular bronze plinth on which is inscribed with the word HONORING KELLY SLATER WORLD SURF CHAMPION and the years he won the World World Surf League Championship. The statue sit on top of a pile of moss covered rocks.

The bronze plaque at the north side of the sculpture is inscribed:

ROBERT KELLY SLATER

BORN FEB. 11, 1972

WORLD SURFING CHAMPION

1992, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2010

SURFING LEGEND ROBERT KELLY SLATER, WHO LEARNED TO SURF WITH
HIS BROTHERS ON THE SMALL WAVES OF COCOA BEACH, IS THE MOST
DECORATED ATHLETE IN HIS SPORT WITH 10 WORLD TITLES, AS OF 
2010. HE HOLDS THE RECORD FOR THE YOUNGEST, AT AGE 20 IN 1992,
AND THE OLDEST, AT AGE 38 IN 2010, TO WIN THE ASSOCIATION OF
SURFING PROFESSIONALS (ASP) WORLD TITLE. HIS PROGRESSIVE STYLE
OF RADICAL MANEUVERS HAS TAKEN THE SPORT TO A HIGHER LEVEL
AND HAS ATTRACTED FANS FROM TRESTLE TO TAHITI.

SLATER'S OTHER ACCOMPLISHMENTS INCLUDE:
SIX TIME WINNER OF BILLABONG PIPELINE MASTERS
FIVE CONSECUTIVE ASP TITLES
TWO TIME WINNER OF THE TRIPLE CROWN OF SURFING
AS OF 2010, HE HAS 45 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP TOURS VICTORIES
IN 2002, HE WAS INDUCTED INTO THE SURFER HALL OF FAME AND
WON THE EDDIE AIKAU BIG WAVE EVENT IN 40 FOOT WAVES
IN 2007, SLATER STARTED THE KELLY SLATER FOUNDATION TO RAISE
AWARENESS AND SUPPORT FOR THE ENVIRONMENTAL SOCIAL ISSUES.
ON NOV. 6TH, 2010 HE WON HIS BOTH ASP WORLD SURFING TITLE
KELLY SLATER IS CONSIDERED TO BE THE GREATEST SURFER OF ALL TIME.

COCOA BEACH SURF MUSEUM

Roadside Attraction: I Dream of Jeannie - Cocoa Beach, FL

I Dream Of Jeannie Tribute

Cocoa Beach, FL

N 28° 20.138 W 080° 36.613

Quick Description: 

Cocoa Beach celebrates its connection to the TV show "I Dream Of Jeannie" by naming a street and erecting an historical marker.

Long Description:

The City of Cocoa Beach is adjacent to Cape Canaveral, FL. Many workers and astronauts from NASA make their home there. Thus, the TV show "I Dream Of Jeannie" was set in Cocoa Beach although it was filmed in California. The cast and crew of the show visited Cocoa Beach just twice, in 1969. On June 27, a parade was held with Barbara Eden and the cast as guests of honor. On November 25 a mock wedding of Barbara Eden and Larry Hagman took place in Cocoa Beach, which included a visit to Cocoa Beach City Hall.

A street, actually a lane, was named in honor of the show and a sign erected by the Brevard County Historical Commission celebrating the City's connection to the show.

The lane is called I DREAM OF JEANNIE LN

The sign is inscribed:

I Dream Of

Jeannie

I Dream of Jeannie was part of Cocoa

Beach when a television sitcom ran

from 1965 to 1970 starring Barbara

Eden as a 2000 year old female genie 

and Larry Hagman as an astronaut. 

The TV series was set in and around

Cocoa Beach. 

Barbara Eden visited Cocoa Beach in 

1969 when the “I Dream of Jeannie” 

street sign was placed at 

Lori Wilson Park.

The Brevard County Historical Commission.

Fountain: The Resort at Cocoa Beach, FL

The Resort at Cocoa Beach Fountain

Cocoa Beach, FL

N 28° 20.373 W 080° 36.592

Short Description: 

A large circular fountain is located at the entrance to The Resort at Cocoa Beach at 1600 North Atlantic Ave, Cocoa Beach, FL.

Long Description:

The Resort at Cocoa Beach is a condo-resort that fronts on the Atlantic Ocean. The main entrance is on North Atlantic Avenue. This large fountain separates incoming from outgoing traffic. It is the signature feature of the establishment and is easily visible from the sidewalk and the street.

The fountain has a 40' diameter 2' high outer wall decorated with a line of predominately blue ceramic tiles containing a wave pattern The 22' diameter inner basin is completely surfaced with identical ceramic tiles. A large plume of water arises from the center basin. This is surrounded by several smaller plumes.

Bicentennial-Astronaut Monument - Cocoa Beach. FL

Bicentennial - Astronaut  Monument

Cocoa Beach, FL

N 28° 20.694 W 080° 36.569

Short Description: 

The monument celebrating the Nation's bicentennial contains a tribute to the citizens of Brevard County and seven original astronauts. It is located in front of Sidney Fischer Park at 2426 North Atlantic Avenue in Cocoa Beach, FL.

Long Description:

The City of Cocoa Beach in Brevard County, FL is adjacent to Cape Canaveral and was the home to many astronauts. On the occasion of the Nation's bicentennial Brevard County erected this monument which celebrates the bicentennial of the nation and their involvement with the space program. The street side of the monument has the seal of the United States and the inscription:

DEDICATED

JULY 20, 1976

TO THOSE MEN, WOMEN AND CHILDREN

OF BREVARD COUNTY WHO THROUGH

THE PRACTICE OF THE AMERICAN WAY

OF LIFE, LIBERTY AND THE PURSUIT OF

HAPPINESS, GAVE SACRIFICIALLY OF

THEIR TIME AND MONEY IN THE COM-

MEMORATION OF THE BICENTENNIAL

OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

AND WHOSE NAMES ARE INSCRIBED 

UPON PARCHMENT AND PLACED BR-

NEATH THIS MONUMENT.

WITH INNER FAITH 1776 - 1976 TO OUTER SPACE.

The south side of the monument has the bicentennial logo and a list of Port Authority members.

PORT

AUTHORITY

JAMES H. CLENDINEN

RODERICK S. McIVER

MALCOM E. McLOUTH

W.S. AUSTIN

CLYDE COWLIN

GEO. J. KING, MGR.

On the park side of the bicentennial logo is an engraving of a moon landing which includes: a (49 star) flag, the lunar lander, an astronaut, and a lunar roving vehicle which was used last three missions (# 15, #16 and #17) of the Apollo program. Below is the following inscription:

7 ORIGINAL

ASTRONAUTS

M. SCOTT CARPENTER

L. GORDON COOPER, JR.

JOHN GLENN

VIRGIL I. GRISSOM

WALTER M. SCHIRRA, JR.

ALAN B. SHEPARD, JR.

DONALD K. SLAYTON

Fountain: Fountain Cove Condominiums - Cocoa Beach, FL

Fountain Cove Condominiums 

Cocoa Beach, FL

N 28° 20.758 W 080° 36.592

Short Description: 

Fountain Cove Condominiums takes its name from the fountain located in the large lagoon contained within the property. It is located at 3165 North Atlantic Ave, Cocoa Beach, FL.

Long Description:

Fountain Cove Condominiums was built in 1985. It has a a 280' long by 180' wide irregular rectangular lagoon around which on three sides the condominium buildings. The east side of the property borders on north Atlantic Avenue.

The fountain is a single jet of water rises from a nozzle embedded in a small stone pyramid. The water rises about 30' into the air. You can see the plume of water as you drive by on North Atlantic Avenue. The lagoon and fountain is best viewed from the open south side.

Figurative Sculpture: Skating - Cocoa Beach, FL

Skating

Cocoa Beach, FL

N 28° 21.372 W 080° 36.484

Short Description: 

A series of sculptures depicting people engaged in outdoor activities are on display in front of the Ron Jon Surf Shop at 4151 North Atlantic Avenue, Cocoa beach, FL. This one depicts two different forms of skating.

Long Description:

The artist, John Underwood, calls these sculptures - life form sand sculptures - because the exterior of these fiberglass sculptures are coated with a material resembling sand. The sculpture was installed in 1996.

A circular 4' high yellow wall is planted with hedges. In the center of the hedges a 8' high skateboards half-pipe rises from a square supporting column. One end is higher than the other. On the high end a life-size boy wearing a T-shirt and pants along with protective gear, a helmet and knee pads, crouches on a skateboard. He is holding the backside of the skateboard with his left hand while his right arm is pointing right into the air above his head.

On the lower end a life-size girl wearing a ponytail, blouse, and shorts crouches almost into a seating position on a pair of in-line skates. Her left arm is pointing forward and her right arm is pointing slightly downward.

An aluminum plaque on one of the sculptures is inscribed:

Life Form

Sand Sculptures

Designed in Australia

by John Underwood

Roadside Attraction: Big Leprechaun Hat - Worcester, MA

Big Leprechaun Hat

Worcester, MA

N 42° 15.201 W 071° 47.904

Short Description: 

The Big Leprechaun Hat is located on the roof of Patsie Dugan's Pub at 49 Millbury Street in Worcester, MA.

Long Description:

The giant leprechaun hat is an iconic feature of Patsie Dugan's Pub. Originally the 10' diameter by 10' high green wooden hat was the centerpiece of a parade float. It was acquired by the owners of the Emerald Isle Restaurant. They put the restaurants name on the front, above the buckle, and created a support to display the hat on the roof so that it can be seen by motorists driving through Worcester on I-290.

Several years ago the restaurant was sold but the name was retained by the new owners. When the restaurant closed it was repurchased by the original owners who renamed the establishment Patsie Dugan's Pub. The name on the hat, however, remains unchanged.

Statue of Living Person: Robert Kelly Slater - Cocoa beach, FL

Robert Kelly Slater

Cocoa Beach, FL

N 28° 21.383 W 080° 36.481

Short Description:

A statue of surfing champion  known professionally as Kelly Slater, is located  in front of Ron Jon's Surf Shop at  4151 North Atlantic Avenue, Cocoa Beach, FL.

Long Description:

A plaque at the base of the statue provides biographical information and a listing of his surfing Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) World Championship years.

Kelly Slater 

Born on February 11, 1972, became the youngest 

world surfing champion ever at 20 years old and has gone on

to win ten more world titles with his most recent win in 2001. 

Kelly's rise to the top was developed spending countless 

hours in the challenging small waves of his hometown of 

Cocoa Beach, Florida. He holds the record for the most 

World Championship Tour (WCT) victories with 48 wins and has won 

the prestigious Pipeline Masters on the North Shore of Hawaii 

and the Triple Crown of Surfing multiple times. 

ASP World Champion in 1992, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1997,

1998, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009 and 2011. 

Kelly Slater is considered to be

the greatest surfer of all time.

An aluminum plaque on one of the sculptures is inscribed:

Life Form

Sand Sculptures

Designed in Australia

by John Underwood

Figurative Sculpture: Beach Volleyball - Cocoa Beach, FL

Beach Volleyball

Cocoa Beach, FL

N 28° 21.391 W 080° 36.482

Short Description: 

A series of sculptures depicting people engaged in outdoor activities are on display in front of the Ron Jon Surf Shop at 4151 North Atlantic Avenue, Cocoa beach, FL. This one depicts three people playing beach volleyball.

Long Description:

The artist, John Underwood, calls these sculptures - life form sand sculptures - because the exterior of these fiberglass sculptures are coated with a material resembling sand. The sculpture was installed in 1996.

A circular 4' high yellow wall is planted with hedges. In the center of the hedges 8' high V shaped volleyball net is embedded in a 2' high mound of sand. Three life-size figures are playing volleyball on a beach. All are barefooted. On one side of the net are a man and a woman playing defense. The man is wearing a sleeveless shirt, a swim suit, and a baseball cap. The woman has long hair and wearing a two piece bathing suit. Both are jumping. The man has has his left arm raised and his right arm by his side. The woman has both arms raised above her head. On the other side of the net a man, wearing a swim suit, has his right hand around the net support and is about to spike the volleyball with his left hand, which is high over the net.

An aluminum plaque on one of the sculptures is inscribed:

Life Form

Sand Sculptures

Designed in Australia

by John Underwood

Figurative Sculpture: Surfer - Cocoa Beach, FL

Surfer 

Cocoa Beach, FL

N 28° 21.400 W 080° 36.482

Short Description: 

A series of sculptures depicting people engaged in outdoor activities are on display in front of the Ron Jon Surf Shop at 4151 North Atlantic Avenue, Cocoa Beach, FL. This one depicts a surfer.

Long Description:

The artist, John Underwood, calls these sculptures - life form sand sculptures - because the exterior of these fiberglass sculptures are coated with a material resembling sand. The sculpture was installed in 1996.

A circular 4' high yellow wall is planted with hedges. In the center of the hedges 8' high cone shaped volume of water topped with a 6' high breaking wave. A life-size surfer wearing swim trunks balances himself near the back of his surf board. He is in a squatting position with his left leg forward. His right arm is extended back towards the wave and his left arm is bent back across his waist.  Older photographs show a windsurfer on this podium but I guess the sculpture was too frail for the sometimes extreme weather conditions.

An aluminum plaque on one of the sculptures is inscribed:

Life Form

Sand Sculptures

Designed in Australia

by John Underwood

Figurative Sculpture: Watercraft Rider - Cocoa Beach, FL

Watercraft Rider

Cocoa Beach, FL

N 28° 21.427 W 080° 36.477

Short Description: 

A series of sculptures depicting people engaged in outdoor activities are on display in front of the Ron Jon Rental Shop at 4275 North Atlantic Avenue, Cocoa Beach, FL. This one depicts a man riding a personal watercraft (PWC).

Long Description:

The artist, John Underwood, calls these sculptures - life form sand sculptures - because the exterior of these fiberglass sculptures are coated with a material resembling sand. The sculpture was installed in 1996.

A circular 4' high yellow wall is planted with hedges. In the center of the hedges 8' high column of water topped life-sized man on a PWC creating a wake as he is cutting through the water. PWCs have many different names depending on the manufacturer. They may be called Wave Runners, Jet Skis, Ski Doos, etc. The man is in a slighting squatting position with his knees bent and hands on the handlebars of his machine. The PWC is tilting slightly to the right. The rider is wearing swim trunks, a helmet, and a personal flotation device (PFD).

An aluminum plaque on one of the sculptures is inscribed:

Life Form

Sand Sculptures

Designed in Australia

by John Underwood

Figurative Sculpture: Scuba Diver - Cocoa Beach, FL

Scuba Diver

Cocoa Beach, FL

N 28° 21.436 W 080° 36.478

Quick Description: 

A series of sculptures depicting people engaged in outdoor activities are on display in front of the Ron Jon Rental Shop at 4275 North Atlantic Avenue, Cocoa Beach, FL. This one depicts a scuba diver.

Long Description:

The artist, John Underwood, calls these sculptures - life form sand sculptures - because the exterior of these fiberglass sculptures are coated with a material resembling sand. The sculpture was installed in 1996.

A circular 4' high yellow wall is planted with hedges. In the center of the hedges 10'' high column of coral and kelp. A life-size diver in full scuba gear is diving next to the kelp. The diver is nearly horizontal with his legs slightly lower than his body. He is wearing a wet suit, swim fins, and goggles. A single air tank on his back is connected by a regulator and hoses to a breathing mouthpiece. His right hand seems to be pushing away the kelp and he is holding a southern rock lobster in his left hand. Scuba is an acronym for Self Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus.

An aluminum plaque on one of the sculptures is inscribed:

Life Form

Sand Sculptures

Designed in Australia

by John Underwood

Historical Marker: Dr. Mahlon Loomis - West Springfield, MA

Dr. Mahlon Loomis

West Springfield, MA

N 42° 06.246 W 072° 37.367

Short Description: 

An historical marker honoring Dr. Mahlon Loomis is locate opposite 232 Park Street in West Springfield, MA.

Long Description:

Mahlon Loomis was born in Oppenheim, NY in 1826. Married a woman from West Springfield, Acshah Ashley, in 1856 and lived at 232 Park Street before moving to Washington, DC later that year to practice dentistry.

In 1866, he reported that he was able to transmit electrical signals through the air a distance of 14 miles from one mountain peak to another by using kites covered with thin copper gauze and the kite strings made of copper wire. A galvanometer was used to detect the passage of current. Loomis then made claims that he used this method for long-distance wireless communication by telegraphic and later by wireless telephone. However, no one actually witnessed these communications and there is no scientific basis for his invention to actually work.

An historical marker describing the work of Dr. Mahlon Loomis has been erected near the site of his former home in West Springfield, MA. The Marker contains a picture of the dentist turned inventor and the following inscription:

                  DR. MAHLON LOOMIS
                            1826 - 1886
            AERIAL SIGNALS PIONEER

In 1850, Dr. Mahlon Loomis, dentist, inventor and
wireless communications pioneer, lived with his wife,
Acshah Ashley, in a nearby cottage at 232 Park St.
It was here that he began experiments in electricity
that led him to prove that signals could be sent
without wires. In 1866, he successfully transmitted 
wireless signals between two Virginia mountains 14
miles apart. In 1872, he was granted a U.S. patent
as inventor of wireless telegrophy, and in 1873,
Congress chartered The Loomis Aerial Telegraph
Company. Unfortunately, a financial recession
eliminated his funding resources, allowing others to
develop and gain credit for the discovery of what
the world now calls radio.

West Springfield Historical Commission - Rotary Club - Bicentennial Committee

Engineering Landmark: Jackson Ferry Shot Tower - Max Meadows, VA

Jackson Ferry Shot Tower

Max Meadows, VA

N 36° 52.204 W 080° 52.220

Short Description: 

Jackson Ferry Shot Tower is one of the few remaining structures of this type in the United States. It is located in Shot Tower State Historical Park near I-77 west of the junction of Rt. 608 and U.S. 52 near Max Meadows, VA. It is listed by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers as an Engineering Landmark.

Long Description:

This gray limestone shot tower was built and operated by English immigrant Thomas Jackson in 1807 in order to manufacture lead shot for muzzle-loading shotguns and muskets. Lead from the nearby Austinville mines was melted and dropped from the top of the tower. When the lead falls it forms round balls that are cooled rapidly as they land in the water at the base of the tower. This drop process was patented in England in 1769 by William Watts of Bristol, England.

A description of the tower is given on an interpretative sign, near an historical bronze tablet, adjacent to the tower.

The tower stands seventy-five that goes to the depth of seventy-five feet which made the total drop 150 feet - the necessary height to form a perfect round ball. At the base of the river was an access tunnel that would allow workers to retrieve shot from the bottom of the shaft.

The Jackson Ferry Shot Tower is now owned and maintained by the Commonwealth of Virginia Department of Conservation and Economic development. It is listed as a Virginia Historic Landmark and as a National Register of Historic Places.

Humming Stone: Vermont Welcome Center - Guilford, VT

Vermont Welcome Center Humming Stone

Guilford, VT

N 42° 48.716 W 072° 34.002

Quick Description: 

A humming stone is now a feature of the Vermont Welcome Center on I-91 northbound at 1235 Broad Brook Rd, Guilford, VT.

Long Description:

No doubt some will be mystified by this 8' by 4' by 4' marble monolith to the right of the Vermont Welcome Center. The head size hole will be immediately recognized by those who are acquainted with humming stones. This one works really well. Hum inside while moving your head until you find just the right spot and you will feel the amazing resonance.

The staff member inside the Welcome Center said the humming stone was erected sometime in 2015.