VERO BEACH — Early Florida residents were a hardy lot, battling swarms of mosquitoes, poisonous snakes and alligators, dealing with often oppressive heat, sans air conditioners, and generally traveling from mainland to barrier island by boat.
Recognizing the worthy contributions of such families to our community, Vero Heritage Inc. hosts an annual Pioneer Family Dinner and this year’s honorees are members of the Carter Family. The 11th annual Pioneer Family Dinner will be held on Saturday, May 1, beginning at 6:30 p.m. at the Heritage Center. In the early 1900’s, R.D. Carter came to our area as one of the engineers tasked with surveying property for the Indian River Farms Company of Davenport, Iowa. He drove the first stake into the ground for the future town of Vero, surveyed McAnsh Park, helped to build the Wabasso Bridge and surveyed and designed what is now State Road 60.
His son, Egerton, and grandson, Marvin, followed in the engineering tradition and the firm of Carter Associates continues today. His granddaughter, the late Millie Carter Bunnell, led the charge to save the landmark building now known as the Heritage Center when the City of Vero Beach planned to demolish the building in 1991. She was a leading proponent of historic preservation in the community.
The Sexton, Schumann, Michael, MacWilliam, Graves, Helseth, Vocelle, Zeuch, Cox/Gifford, and Holman families have been honored at previous dinners.
Proceeds from the dinner will benefit the Heritage Center, a building listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
For more information call (772) 770-2263 or e-mail veroheritage@bellsouth.net.