VERO OVERVIEW
I R C H S |S C H U M A N N S C H O O L
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SMITH COLLECTION, ARCHIVE CENTER, IRC MAIN LIBRARY
The Indian River Courthouse, designed by William H. Garns and Son of Vero Beach
with funding from the Public Works Administration, opened in March 1937.
island in 1956, when she and her late husband, Luke, moved to
Vero Beach with their young children to operate Corey’s Pharmacy
on Ocean Drive.
“It was windy and no one was around and we thought it looked
like a very desolate place, but the next day looked better, so we
stayed,” Corey said.
Community leader Alma Lee Loy said the city is special because
of those who came before.
“They had so much vision and worked hard to build this city,”
she said, “and they were always willing to help each other. If the
Methodists were building a church, the Baptists went over to
help, and vice versa.”
PRESERVING HISTORY
Another thing that makes Vero Beach distinctive, she said, is its
restriction on building heights. Indian River County set a threestory
height limit in the 1950s. In 1968, after a pair of 14-story
oceanfront condos rose in Vero’s beach business district, city voters
agreed to reduce building heights in the city from five stories
to three.
Groups such as Main Street and the Cultural Council of Indian
River County are working to enhance the historical downtown.
Nearby residents are also seeking ways to preserve the historical
qualities of Original Town and Osceola Park. The city has adopted a
historical preservation ordinance, and preservationist Anna Brady
has updated historical resource surveys of both neighborhoods.
“It is incredibly important for future generations to have authentic
FOR THE VISUAL & PERFORMING ARTS
Celebrating Vero Beach’s 100th Year Anniversary
Indian River Charter High School presents an original
theatrical performance of:
WALDO SEXTON, VERO BEACH PIONEER
January 26, 2019 | 2PM & 7PM
Waxlax Center for the Performing Arts
Saint Edwards School
For tickets visit www.IRCHS.org
772.567.6600 EXT. 118
City of Vero Beach 1919-2019 VeroBeach100.org
history that they can see,“ Brady said.
With decades of well-planned growth, Vero Beach is no longer
the remote backwater of a century ago. The Vero Beach Municipal
Airport, founded in 1930 as a fuel stop for Eastern Airlines, has become
a hub for business and industry, notably Piper Aircraft, the
only general aviation manufacturer to offer a complete line of aircraft,
from trainers to high-performance turboprops. The airport
still offers regular air service by Elite Airways. The Los Angeles
Dodgers’ spring training facilities, vacated when the team left in
2008, have become the Historic Dodgertown Conference Center.
The city boasts countless amenities, such as Riverside Theatre, the
Vero Beach Museum of Art, and an array of well-maintained parks,
beaches and ball fields.
If Alex MacWilliam could see what the city has become, “I think
INDIAN RIVER CHARTER HIGH SCHOOL | www.IRCHS.org he’d be very pleased,” Glenn, his daughter, said. F
/www.villafrancogarcia.com
/www.irchs.org
/www.IRCHS.org
/www.IRCHS.org
/VeroBeach100.org