LOOKING BACK

TITUSVILLE HAS A RICH HISTORY, from our first native inhabitants to early pioneers, through amazing growth and community development, to the space age with Mercury, Gemini, Apollo and the Space Shuttle programs to today’s robust new space age with more launches on the manifest that most of us ever dreamed. Titusville is a community of proud and accomplished citizens with a love of the charm such a magnificent historical place on the planet enjoys.
Legend is that Titusville got its name when Colonel Henry T. Titus won the honor in a domino game against Capt. Clark Rice to determine which player got to name the town.  If Col, Titus had not won that historic game (1873), Titusville might just be called Riceville.

SOME HISTORIC FACTS & LOCAL PLACES.

​At 325 South Washington Ave, you can see historic architecture, a building that has held many stories…and businesses…in Titusville.

​In 1926, the first floor was occupied by Florida Power & Light Company.  The second floor was occupied by the Veron Hotel and Café.  In the 1950s, it was the location of Sease Electric Company which installed the vintage Hotpoint sign still prominent today.

​At 327 South Washington Ave, was The Pritchard Building.  Here Capt. James Pritchard operated James Pritchard & Son Hardware. It’s a short walk down the street to his still famous residence. The Historic Pritchard House is open for tours by appointment (call 321-607-02030).

​In 1927, Titusville’s first aviation center opened for use as an emergency landing field for mail services. No airports existed on the east coast between Jacksonville and Miami at the time. Significantly, it was also used for auxiliary pilot training During WWII. This is the location of the present-day Arthur Dunn Airpark now used for skydiving and private aviation.

​These stories and historical facts are from the City of Titusville’s Historic Preservation Board 2021, and can be further explored on the City’s website.