Celebrating the history of Merritt Island on “Pioneer Day” is an annual event that has an exciting appeal for history, art, music, and nature lovers, and children of all ages from 1 to 100. Stop by the Brevard Indian River Lagoon Coalition booth for the latest news on Lagoon Restoration.
The February 8th event is a partnership between Sams House at Pine Island and St. Luke’s Episcopal Church located on a sleepy little stretch of North Tropical Trail on North Merritt Island. From 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. the Sams House and St. Luke’s will host a wide variety of activities, most of which are free.
Pioneer Day is held near the birthday of John Sams, a citrus-grower and the first Superintendent of Brevard County Schools. Mr. Sams built the oldest standing home in Brevard County (circa 1875). The Sams Cabin is now a museum within the 1,000-acre Pine Island Conservation Area, which is owned and operated by the Brevard County Environmentally Endangered Lands Program. Mr. Sams also helped to build St. Luke’s Chapel in 1888 and is buried in the church cemetery.
Primary parking available at St. Luke’s with limited parking at Sams House.
Suggested donation of $5 for parking includes continuous shuttle service between venues.
Print list of events here.
Perrine Hall: Lunch includes a variety of homemade chilis (traditional, white and vegetarian), grilled hotdogs and loaded baked potatoes.
10:00 to 12:00 Cemetery Quest: Start your quest at the playground to win a prize! For ages 7 and up.
10:30 CEMETERY:
Guided Tour “Island History”: Stories of locals who cleared the land, built our community, and launched us into space.
11:00 CHURCH “Harry and Harriette Moore; Activists and Educators – Their Story” Educators by profession, teaching in segregated public schools in Brevard, Harry and Harriette were also the first true civil rights activists of the modern civil rights era in the State of Florida.
11:30 CHAPEL: Pioneer Music
12:00 CHAPEL: “St. Luke’s Chapel: A Gem of Carpenter Gothic Architecture” Jonathan Rich will give a talk on how this unique style of architecture came to the Florida frontier of the 1800s.
12:30 – 1:30 Cemetery Stroll: Hear from some of the inhabitants tell their story in this historic cemetery.
1:15 CHURCH: “Notes on a Wet Cocktail Napkin”: It began on October 31, 1948, when Bernard Fischer opened Bernard’s Surf in Cocoa Beach. Rusty Fischer reveals the tales of Cocoa Beach from sleepy town to the host of astronauts, movie stars, and celebrity journalists.
2:00 CEMETERY: Guided Tour “Island History” Stories of locals who cleared the land, built our community, and launched us into space.
On-going Events:
Self-guided tour of St. Luke’s Historic Chapel & Cemetery
Events at Sams House (10 am to 4 pm) 6195 N. Tropical Trail