SPRING 2022: 27
Couples get married under the oaks of
Deer Head Hammock, where the ashes
of some departed villagers rest.
Dave Jones came to the village as a
child. Sixty-three years later, he is still
there, as is his sister, who lives a few
roads down.
“It as a great place to grow up in,” said
Jones, a town commissioner.
His dad, who bought two adjoining
lots, built the family home himself.
When Jones had a family, he built on
the adjoining lot.
“My three daughters grew up there,”
he said.
The town, incorporated in 1957 to halt
possible annexation by Melbourne
or West Melbourne, has successfully
maintained its green charms.
“Melbourne Village fights over
its differences and to retain those
differences,” wrote Crepeau.
SAFE AND SOUND
A police department, unusual for a
town so small, makes sure everyone
is safe and that traffic never goes over
the speed limit.
“If you go away, the police will do
house checks every day,” Downey said.
“People leave their keys with them in
case the water heater breaks.”
Responsible growth ordinances restrict
any possible McMansions from
going up.
“We didn’t want a giant house crammed
in a third of an acre,” Downey said.
At least 30 percent of most lots remain
adorned with a canopy of live oaks and
southern pines.
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ROB DOWNEY
Produce from the community garden is shared among the village residents.
Villager Elmer Cartledge shows off prized garden produce
in this circa 1950s photo.