Rockledge, Florida | |
---|---|
City | |
City of Rockledge | |
Motto: "Preserving The Past, Planning The Future" | |
Location in Brevard County and the state of Florida |
|
Coordinates: 28°19′30″N 80°43′58″W / 28.32500°N 80.73278°WCoordinates: 28°19′30″N 80°43′58″W / 28.32500°N 80.73278°W | |
Country | United States of America |
State | Florida |
County | Brevard |
Founded | August 7, 1887 |
Founded by | Gardner S. Hardee |
Government | |
• Type | Council-Manager |
• Mayor | Thomas J. Price |
• City manager | James P. “Jim” McKnight |
• Deputy mayor, chairman | Frank T. Forrester |
• Vice chairman | Richard K. "Dick" Blake |
Area | |
• Total | 13.4 sq mi (34.8 km2) |
• Land | 11.9 sq mi (30.9 km2) |
• Water | 1.5 sq mi (3.8 km2) |
Elevation | 23 ft (7 m) |
Population (2010) | |
• Total | 24,926 |
• Density | 1,900/sq mi (720/km2) |
Time zone | Eastern (EST) (UTC-5) |
• Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
ZIP codes | 32955-32956 |
Area code(s) | 321 |
FIPS code | 12-61500 |
GNIS feature ID | 0294132 |
Website | www |
Rockledge /ˈrɒklɪdʒˌ-ˌlɛdʒ/ is the oldest city in Brevard County, Florida. The city's population was 24,926 at the 2010 United States Census, and is part of the Palm Bay−Melbourne−Titusville Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Rockledge was officially founded on August 7, 1887, making it the oldest incorporated municipality in Brevard County. The name Rockledge, attributed to Gardner S. Hardee, an early settler, comes from the many ledges of coquina rock that line the Indian River. Other sources refer to a man named Cephas Bailey Magruder, who built his home after settling in the area in 1876 near the Indian River. Magruder called his home "the rockledge home" and the name was eventually attributed to the whole town. It was originally referred to as Rock Ledge; the two-word name persisted through the 19th century. Early industry in the area was based on the citrus trade and accommodation for tourists traveling to South Florida via the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway of the Indian River.