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| Early Vero Beach, Indian River Florida State Archives |
By Jane Feehan
Seems the citizens of Vero, as it was called in its early days, had big plans for their tiny community in 1925. On January 10 of that year, town notables, residents and guests gathered to dedicate the “largest electric road sign in the United States.” It bore the slogan— still used today—Vero, where the tropics begin.
Erected at the corner of Dixie Highway and Seminole Drive (then the main street through Vero) the illuminated sign spanned 50 feet, stood 10 feet high and was suspended 40 feet above the pavement. The sign was built for $2,000, a hefty sum for that time. It was paid for by residents and property owners.
Among the guests that day was Chicago developer Frank Croissant, who had established a reputation in Fort Lauderdale as developer of several communities, including Croissant Park. No doubt, the people of Vero had high hopes for similar development in their town. The Fort Lauderdale News touted Croissant as the “greatest city builder of the country.”
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| Vero Beach today, near the ocean |
The town, established in 1919, remained a sleepy agricultural center for decades.
Today with subdued (compared to that of South Florida), development of elegant communities, Vero Beach is home to Piper Aircraft and a growing list of celebrities—including Gloria Estefan—seeking a quiet alternative to the traffic and congestion of Broward and Miami-Dade counties.
Sources:
Fort Lauderdale News, Jan. 9, 1926
COVB.org
Wikipedia
Tags: Vero Beach history, Fort Lauderdale history, Frank Croissant, Vero Beach
