Palm Bay

History

The Ais people, attracted to the mouth of Turkey Creek at the Indian River by freshwater springs, fish, oysters, and wildlife, are thought to have been the first inhabitants in the Palm Bay area. The earliest place names for this area on early maps of the late 1700s were Turkey Creek, Elbow Creek and Crane Creek. An 1870 map of the Indian River by John Andrew Bostrom shows the area void of any settlements within about 15 miles of Turkey Creek. The first prominent European-American settler was John Tillman in the late 1870s. Tillman's wharf marked the mouth of Turkey Creek at what became known as Palm Bay on the Indian River. By the mid-19th century, there was a lumber operation, orange groves, and packing house. Growth was slow until the arrival of the railroad in 1894. Then goods were brought in and produce was shipped to market faster. Between 1910 and 1914, a land company known as the Indian River Catholic Colony became established at Tillman. Attempting to grow two crops a season, farmers quickly depleted the soil, and the colony failed. Those remaining built St. Joseph's Church on Miller Street, the oldest building still standing. In the 1920s, the city was renamed as Palm Bay, after the bay bordered with sabal palm trees known as Palm Bay, located at the mouth of Turkey Creek. In 1926, a fire among the dredges and a severe hurricane caused extensive damage, leading to an economic downturn in Palm Bay. The Melbourne-Tillman Drainage District went bankrupt. In 1959, General Development Corporation purchased and platted extensive tracts of land in Palm Bay for a large residential project known as Port Malabar. The city of Palm Bay incorporated on January 16, 1960. Prior to expanding its borders, the city population was 2,808 that year. The active development…

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which is land and , or 4.56%, is water. The city is often referred to in four quadrants: Northwest, Northeast, Southwest, and Southeast, each containing multiple zip codes. The most urban area is in Northeast. The most rural area is in Southwest, containing an area called The Compound. This area is home to Bombardier Recreational Products. “The compound” area is primarily used by recreational off road vehicles and persons engaging in various recreational activities. During the early 1990s, Fred Poppe Regional Park (formerly Palm Bay Regional Park), a soccer and athletic complex in the western part of the city, was constructed. It is the largest of a citywide system of parks and recreation areas. The Turkey Creek Sanctuary is a small nature reserve in the northeast part of the city. The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild winters. According to the Köppen climate classification, the City of Palm Bay has a humid subtropical climate zone (Cfa). * St. Johns River; Sawgrass Lake; Lake Hell 'n Blazes; Osceola County * Grant-Valkaria; Malabar; Indian River Lagoon * West Melbourne; Melbourne * Indian River County

Race & ethnicity

Most-observed species

• Red-bellied Woodpecker

  Melanerpes carolinus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  9,148
• Mourning Dove

  Zenaida macroura (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  9,147
• Northern Cardinal

  Cardinalis cardinalis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  8,922
• Osprey

  Pandion haliaetus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  8,469
• Blue Jay

  Cyanocitta cristata (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  7,499
• Fish Crow

  Corvus ossifragus A.Wilson, 1812 · Aves
  7,376
• White Ibis

  Eudocimus albus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  7,095
• Turkey Vulture

  Cathartes aura (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  6,919

Largest nearby schools

• MELBOURNE SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL
  High · MELBOURNE · 2,249 students · 23.2:1 ratio
• HERITAGE HIGH SCHOOL
  High · PALM BAY · 2,007 students · 22.3:1 ratio
• BAYSIDE HIGH SCHOOL
  High · PALM BAY · 1,854 students · 22.9:1 ratio
• ODYSSEY CHARTER SCHOOL
  Other · PALM BAY · 1,847 students · 22:1 ratio
• PALM BAY MAGNET SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL
  High · MELBOURNE · 1,486 students · 20.9:1 ratio
• CENTRAL MIDDLE SCHOOL
  Middle · WEST MELBOURNE · 1,127 students · 17.3:1 ratio
• PINEAPPLE COVE CLASSICAL ACADEMY
  Other · PALM BAY · 1,044 students · 16.1:1 ratio
• SOUTHWEST MIDDLE SCHOOL
  Middle · PALM BAY · 920 students · 20:1 ratio

Most recent

• M 2.5 — 2026-05-29
  Blue Origin New Glenn rocket explosion