When future historians try to decipher Brevard's past, one of the primary places they will look will be the Brevard County Historical Commission archives.
Since Steve Benn took over as director in 2002, the commission has taken a leadership position in the preservation of the county's rich heritage and put together a lengthy list of achievements.
Before Benn arrived, the commission was something of an afterthought, operating with part-time staff out of a closet in the Agricultural Center in Cocoa. It had been established in 1963 to act as an advisory board to county government.
"We have made tremendous strides since them," Benn said. "There has been phenomenal growth."
The 15-member board of the historical group is appointed by the County Commission and all of its members are historians. Ed Bradford is the chairman, backed up by such luminaries as Roz Foster, Ada Parrish, Ben Brotemarkle and other leaders in the historical field.
The Brevard County Historical Commission was established by ordinance of Brevard County to "collect, arrange, record and preserve historical materials" and to perform other functions such as obtaining narratives of the early pioneers, marking historical locations throughout the county and recording historical information. It has done all of that and more.
One of their most visible projects is placing state historical markers at sites of importance. Over the years, the group has placed about 17 markers at places ranging from the Harry T. and Harriett V. Moore Memorial Homestead in Mims to the Juan Ponce de Leon Landing Park in Melbourne Beach.
"The markers are funded by the Tourism Development Council," Benn said.
The 100-pound cast aluminum signs are only made by one company in the nation: Sewah Studios in Ohio.
"Our area is really rich in history," he said. "The commission has applied to the state for approval to put up several new markers at the Canaveral Lighthouse, Addison Canal, Valencia Historic District and the Georgiana Railway."
The commission's responsibilities go beyond marking historic sites. It also is scanning in county archives and putting them in a digital format.
"We want to have hurricane-proof archives. It's part of our five-year plan. Most people don't realize that when Katrina hit New Orleans, they lost all of their records -- birth certificates, death certificates. It is so important to get these records digitalized. You can protect them and also make them available online so anyone can see them."
Benn's family moved to Cocoa Beach in 1957, and he grew up playing on an Indian mound in Snug Harbor.
"It was destroyed years later," he said. "So much of our history has been destroyed."
After a career that included stints in the military, law enforcement, emergency management and meteorology, he found himself leading the historical commission.
"I have always been a history buff," he said.
He enjoys working with other historical societies and museums throughout the area. The historical commission does not compete with these groups; it supports them where it can.
Other major projects of the commission include:
The publication of an official Brevard County History. Three books -- the earliest starting with the natives who lived here 10,000 years ago and the last moving up to modern era -- can be purchased from the commission. The publication of a "Guide to Historic Landmarks in the County." The preservation of early newspapers, maps and records. The collection of individual oral histories on video. The publication of The Indian River Journal. The publication of history videos about Brevard County. The list barely scratches the surface of the important projects Benn accomplishes with the help on one other full-time employee, Archivist Lisa Olzewski, plus the help of many volunteers.
If you would like more information about the Brevard County Historical Commission, call Benn at 433-4415 or visit www.brevardcounty.us/history.