| Palm Bay, Florida is located in Brevard County and is | | | | the town was located next to a palm grove that lived |
| the largest city in the county. It is attached to the city | | | | next to the bay on the Indian River. |
| of Melbourne and together the attached total | | | | Population continued to surge, especially after the |
| population is around 92,000 residents. | | | | formation of the National Aeronautical Space |
| Historic Palm Bay, Florida | | | | Administration (NASA) in 1958. Space-age related |
| Before settlers came to Florida, Palm Bay was settled | | | | industry came pouring into Brevard County boosting |
| by the Timucuan Indians, who were attracted to the | | | | the economy of Palm Bay. Companies like Radiation, |
| area around Turkey Creek at the Indian River. The | | | | Inc. helped to make the city what it is today. Now, |
| fresh water springs, wildlife, oysters and fish were the | | | | Harris Company owns Radiation, Inc. and is still the |
| major reasons for their settlement. Many | | | | city's leading employer. |
| anthropologists believe that the Timucuan Indians were | | | | Now, Palm Bay is home to more parks than almost |
| among the first ever to settle in Florida. | | | | any other city in the state of Florida. There is a park |
| The first white settlers started to settle in Palm Bay in | | | | for every occasion. Hurricane Paintball Park is the |
| 1850 when the city was just the little town of Tillman. | | | | perfect place to take part in paintball if you're an |
| Tillman became a leader in the area in the lumbering | | | | enthusiast. There is also an outdoor roller rink located in |
| business, the pack houses, and the orange business. | | | | Liberty Park. Both rollerblades and traditional skates |
| Orange groves dominated the area. But, real economic | | | | are welcome and you don't have to worry about |
| growth wasn't established until 1894 and the coming of | | | | skateboards, they're not allowed. Skateboarders can |
| the railroad. More goods were shipped to the Palm | | | | go to the Skate Park called Graffiti Skate Zone to |
| Bay area and the local merchants could ship their | | | | have some fun. And of course, there are traditional |
| items faster. | | | | parks with tennis courts, playgrounds, and all the |
| Around 1910, the Tillman area became the center for | | | | relaxation you could ever want. |
| the Indian River Catholic Colony, a major Catholic land | | | | Overall, Palm Bay is a great place to live if you love |
| organization that encouraged farmers to produce two | | | | the beach, love the outdoors, and love the space |
| crops a year. Within several years, farmers depleted | | | | program. It is also very close to the Florida Institute of |
| the soil of vital nutrients and the colony failed. Those | | | | Technology, a great technological school known for its |
| that stayed built St. Joseph's Church, which is still the | | | | flight program, and the Melbourne International Airport. If |
| oldest building in the city today. | | | | you're an aviation enthusiast you can always support |
| Modern Palm Bay, Florida | | | | FIT's Falcons Flight Team. Oh, and don't forget the |
| Tillman wasn't renamed Palm Bay until the 1920's when | | | | beach. You're just 5 minutes away from great |
| a group of Tillman businessmen decided it needed a | | | | beaches on the Atlantic Ocean. |
| more exotic name. They chose Palm Bay because | | | | |