The first settlers, a family of freed slaves, arrived at Central Florida's east coast in the late 1860s. An 1885 hurricane discouraged any further development for more than 40 years. Finally, in 1925, the City of Cocoa Beach was established by Gus Edwards. During the mid 1900s a plan for a manned space flight program brought in thousands of new residents. Although Cocoa Beach is just south of Kennedy Space Center, it took a television sitcom to acquaint the remainder of America with the Space Coast. I Dream of Jeannie ran from 1965 to 1970, with its first episodes filmed in black and white. Cocoa Beach joined the Kennedy Space Center in its 50th anniversary celebration of the Apollo 11 launch. It was July 20th, 2019, that marked the 50th anniversary of the first men to land and walk on the moon.
   Cocoa Beach is also known as a surfing town. Billed as the 2nd oldest surfing contest in America, the Ron Jon Easter Surfing Festival is held every year at the Cocoa Beach Pier. The 57 year old competition draws over 300 amateur and pro surfers from all over the world. Cocoa Beach also celebrates its hometown surfing hero Kelly Slater, and honors him with a bronze statue. Slater's claim to fame is an unbelievable string of eleven world surfing championships. This seascape finds a full moon shining over the 840 foot Cocoa Beach Pier, a landmark for over 50 years. With consistent days of rideable surf and breaks on almost every type of swell, the beach here has long been viewed as the best area in the world to catch your first waves.

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