Sebastian and Fellsmere are two of the simplest names to identify in the Indian River County lexicon of city titles. In the early 20th century, travelers between the towns boarded the imaginatively named “Dinky Train,” an odd modification of a Model-T car that ran on railroad tracks.
What do Broadmoor, Cummings, Echo, Enos, Kitching, Narrows, New Haven, Quay, Reams, Stanwood, Toledo and Woodley have in common? They are all towns, post offices or railroad stops that once existed in what is now Indian River County. Each has a story and reason behind the name; some can be verified, while others need further research. Some remain on present-day maps as a place with no boundaries and no indication by a street name or sign that they ever existed. Other names are still in current use, though even here there are many theories as to how they came about.
Take the best known name of all. Vero is a simple enough four-letter word, yet the town nearly ended up being called “Zero.” Why the mix-up? It all goes back to the founding Gifford family.
In 1887, Henry Gifford, a former sheriff in Vermont, moved to a site alongside the Indian River with his family. Four years later he figured his community had grown enough to rate a post office; the application would require five signatures and the little settlement now had five families.
Read the entire article in the January 2008 issue
True Tails is a series written by Amy Robinson for Vero Beach’s dog lovers. Ask Amy about your dog’s behavior by clicking below.
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