Rediscovering Eldora's Forgotten Past
As a Floridian, I admit I take our beautiful beaches for granted. They are always there. They are the life force that makes New Smyrna Beach what it is.
Lately, its surrounding land has been compromised to build big hotels right up to the coast but there's a place nearby that has kept its pristine state.
This wonderland is the Canaveral National Seashore. It's maintained and protected by the National Park Service. The protected area consists of a main road that follows the beach. It is also cuddled by the river. There are nature walks and picnic areas near the river.
When J.J. and I were there, we walked by a lone, historical house that stands by the river. Looking at the map , I saw the Eldora Trail. What an interesting name. It prompted me to look up the name and the house. What I found was pretty interesting!
Eldora , separated from the mainland, was a beautiful town surrounded by the river, the beach and orange groves. Sadly, a hard freeze destroyed most of their crops. Most people left the town at this point, but a very influential figure in the conservation of this area. Her name was Doris Leeper. In 1975, she helped create the Canaveral National Seashore which included Eldora. She was also responsible with the conservation of the Rose Bay Area and conceived the Atlantic Center for the Arts.
She passed away as the last resident of Eldora in 2000. The management of the town was handed over to the federal government because the town is located more than 2 miles within the boundaries of the national seashore. The town has no more official residents and it's only open during operating hours.
We visited all the beaches...well mostly. The last beach segment is a clothing optional beach. Seeing its not the best idea to bring a camera, we breezed by it but we're bound to check it out sometime. It's nice to know that we have a beach like this nearby.
We walked all the nature trails and saw a plethora of wildlife! My favorite moment was when we were at the river at the end of the trail, a couple of manatees passed by us within 5 feet. It was breathtaking!
