Description of Original or Historic Appearance as written by Anne K. Florin – from Historical Registry Application - Page 16

ST. JOSEPH’S ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH

In the year of 1912, a group of families, mostly German and Slovanic ancestory, arrived by Florida East Coast Railway, from Indiana, Wisconsin, Kansas, Oklahoma, to the sleepy hamlet of “Tillman”, situated on the banks of the Indian River and Turkey Creek.  Now known as Palm Bay, Brevard County, Florida.

They brought furniture, personal belongings and bags of seeds with them.  By 1914, a total of one hundred families from the Midwest arrived in much the same way.

A land company, called “Indian River Catholic Colony”, traveled to the Midwest promising the farmenrs prosperity in the sunny south by farming two seasons a year, with no freezing or snow.  They purchased the land at $30.00 to $40.00 per acre and soon learned that strange and hardy plants grew wild, but, the land did not respond to cultivation because of the poorly drained sandy soil and the unexpected freezes.  The only thing they found in abundance were mosquitoes and insects.

The principal crops were potatoes, peppers and eggplant.  The potatoes were shipped in barrels by railroad to Plant City, Florida.  Peppers and eggplant were shipped in boxes.

Horse and buggy and mule drawn carts were the principal means of transportation.  They traveled in the, “ruts” created by them since there were no roads.  Supplies were brought to the area by boat on the Indian River and also by the Florida East Coast Railway.

During this period of time, Brevard County did not have a resident Catholic priest.  The spiritual needs of the isolated catholics were administered by the priest and missionaries who would come from great distances on horseback or boat.

Mr. Joseph Slama, the first business man, opened a Hotel and a General Store, located immediately west of the railroad depot.  (Now known as the N. W.. corner of Pollak Avenue and Main Street.  It served as a meeting place where early settlers could make purchases, exchange views and woes.

In 1913, Mass was celebrated in the Slam’s Hotel by Father Gabriel Ruppert O.S.B:, affectionately remembered as Father Gabriel.  He would come to the area from Fort Pierce.  Later that year the John Myer residence was build and Mass was then celebrated in the “front room” of the Myer residence.  Confessions were heard upstairs before Mass.  The residence has been continuously occupied by family members until early 1986.  (The house is located on the S. E. corner of Pollak Avenue and Miller Street.

In 1914, under Father Gabriels’s leadership, the parishioners built the church, known as St. Joeph’s.  Frank Minehardt designed the rectangular structure.  He was assisted by Mr. Missario who helped to supervise the construction.

Labor was volunteered by members of the parish.  The names recalled by surviving families include, Frank Bohaty, J. Barthelmea, Leo Knecht, William Knecht, Joseph Koten, George Koutnik, John Kuenchenberg, Mathew Michels, Matt Miskovsky and Louis Scmitt.

The native building material was obtained from the Union Saw Mill located in Hopins.  (Now known as South Melbourne.)

S. Joseph’s Church, completed, was dedicated by Bishop Micheal J. Curley in October 1914.  Following the dedication, seventy eight youngsters received the Sacrament of Confirmation by Bishop Curley.  Subsequently, Bishop Curley became Archbishop Micheal J. Curley of Baltimore.

Only four families resided within close proximity to the church during this period of time.

In 1923, the parishioners build a Rectory, as a residence for the priest, on the N.W. corner of of Miller Street and Hickory Avenue.  In 1924, Father Patrick Bresnahan was appointed as the first resident priest of St. Joseph’s.

The church services at St. Joseph’s Church were also attended by catholic residents from Melbourne and Eau Gallie who arrived by horse and buggy or by boat.  The residents who resided south of “Tillman”, as per early settler Philamena Myers Weber, she relates that due to the lack of roads they were unable to attend church services regularly; they looked forward to their only annual celebration of Mass on Christmas Day.  (Weber residence location now know as Valkaria.)

In 1931, Father John F. Walsh supervised the building of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in Melbourne.  It was designated as a Mission of St. Joseph’s.

St. Joseph’s Church of Palm Bay has served the Catholic Community of South Brevard for the past seventy two years.  It is the oldest religious building, in continuous, active use, as a house of worship, on the east coast of Florida, south of St. Augustine.

STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE:

(a)    The one hundred five families that settled in “Tillman” came from established Midwest catholic communities.  As devout catholics they missed the spiritual environment and the fellowship that the churches provided.

(b)   Under Father Gabriel’s leadership St. Joseph’s Church was built in 1914.  All the labor and funding was provided by the early settlers.

(c)    General information, as to the early settlers as a group they arrived from the Midwest, industrious farmers, simple and genteel in nature, seeking to improve their quality of life by farming in a sunny climate.

(d)   St. Joseph’s Church, used as a House of Worship, attracted catholics from the entire South Brevard area.

The City of Palm Bay, formally known as “Tillman”, is sixty five square miles in area; the fastest growing city in Brevard County.  The present population is 43,860.

St. Joseph’s Parish, from its very humble beginning, now has a new church complex on Babcock Street; a Mission church in Barefoot Bay and an eight grade elementary school and kindergarten.

From one hundred five catholic families who settled “Tillman”, the parish family of St. Joseph’s today is comprised of 2400 families.

From the date of the dedication in October of 1914, St. Joseph’s Church has actively, continuously without interruption served and continues to serve the catholic community spanning a period of 72 years.