VERO OVERVIEW
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City of Vero Beach 1919-2019 VeroBeach100.org
IDLETTE FAMILY
Joe Idlette Sr., son of a sharecropper, moved here from Sumter County, Ga., in 1923 in hopes
of finding work with the Florida East Coast Railway. He was unsuccessful initially and in the
meantime helped build Ocean Drive and A1A. He eventually did hire on with the railway, and
is pictured here standing on the far right with other railway workers. His father-in-law, William
Cookley, came to the area in the 1890s and picked beans on farms on the barrier island. Today,
the Idlette family is involved in many facets of the community. Joe’s son, Joe Jr., was the first
African-American to serve on the Indian River County School Board. The Idlettes were honored
in 2017 as the outstanding pioneer family of the year by Vero Heritage Inc.
houses,” the newspaper reported. “The line will provide much
needed service at Riomar, the casino and in Beachland Estates as
development in these subdivisions continues.”
Development of the barrier island began with Riomar, a winter
colony for wealthy midwesterners. Alex MacWilliam Sr., the
builder, had been wounded in World War I and was hospitalized
in Cleveland.
“A group of doctors, when he got well, convinced him to go
to Vero Beach and develop a winter resort,” his daughter, Helen
MacWilliam Glenn, said.
He moved to Vero in 1919 and since there was no bridge, had
to transport workers, mules and building materials across the
river by barge, Glenn said. He built Riomar’s first five cottages and
the golf course. The nine MacWilliam children grew up in a nearby
farmhouse. All of them were born at home.
“We had chickens and cows and pigs and horses,“ Glenn said.
“We had those Tarzan-style swings on the big oak trees, and of
course the ocean was within walking distance. We had a wonderful
childhood.”
Alex MacWilliam later served as Vero’s mayor and as a state
representative.
“He was always insistent that we have good zoning,” Glenn said.
SMITH COLLECTION, ARCHIVE CENTER, IRC MAIN LIBRARY
Farmers Bank, above, opened in 1914. A new building
replaced it in 1925 and the building today houses the Vero
Furniture Mart.
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