Opening of Indian River Lagoon Scenic Highway Welcome Center

Lagoon House, the official welcome center for the Indian River Lagoon Scenic Highway in East Central Florida, was opened with a ribbon cutting on April 4, 2005. Guests reviewed exhibits of the history of this National Estuary, beginning with the Ais Indians, who had a village on the site of Lagoon House. The exhibits continued through the Spanish exploration beginning with Ponce DeLeon, who landed near the Lagoon House site, the early English settlement, and up through the Cape Canaveral space program and modern times.

Lagoon House began as an idea for a building in which people would learn about and come to appreciate the wonders of the Indian River Lagoon, which has a unique abundance of marine, bird and plant species.

The Indian River Lagoon Scenic Highway, a 156 mile corridor begins at Canaveral National Seashore on the north, encompasses the heart of the Indian River Lagoon on the mainland and barrier island, and ends at the Wabasso Causeway in the south. It was designated by FDOT on June 13, 2000, and has also been designated a National Scenic Byway.

AJT & Associates, Inc., of Cape Canaveral, contributed an elevation, a cost estimate and a rendering of a proposed building to help get the Lagoon House project started.

On March 28, 2000 the Palm Bay Council approved submission of a $100,000 grant application to the Florida Inland Navigation District for Lagoon House. The City also applied for a National Scenic Byways grant of $800,000, and an additional $100,000 from the Florida Department of Transportation.

In November, 2000, Jan Smith, daughter of T. R. and Dorothy Tomlinson, contributed $97,000 from the Tomlinson estate to the Marine Resources Council to go toward furnishings and exhibits for Lagoon House.

Lagoon House is now operated as an environmental learning center and a scenic highway visitors information center by the Marine Resources Council, under a long term contract with the City of Palm Bay.

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