City Presents Gems “Emerald” Award to Melbourne Founders Museum
The City of Melbourne Beautification and Energy Efficiency Board (BEEB) presented the Melbourne Founders Museum with its Gems “Emerald” Award on Saturday, September 26, recognizing the museum’s efforts to enhance its property with Florida-f...
The City of Melbourne Beautification and Energy Efficiency Board (BEEB) presented the Melbourne Founders Museum with its Gems “Emerald” Award on Saturday, September 26, recognizing the museum’s efforts to enhance its property with Florida-friendly and native landscaping while celebrating Melbourne’s natural and cultural history.
The museum has been operating for several years, but its landscaping was transformed approximately two years ago after the building was relocated to its current site in 2020.
“We wanted our facility to visually invite visitors to learn our area’s history while incorporating nature,” said James (Jim) Shackleford, lead volunteer for the museum.
- Advertisement -
Advertise here
Your business in front of Brevard County
728 × 90 · LifeStylesCentral display advertising
After months of planning and with sponsorship support from Keith Donald, museum volunteers worked with Change of Greenery to create a landscape featuring exclusively Florida-friendly or Florida-native plants. The design surrounds the museum and parking area with approximately a dozen plant species, including yellow beach sunflowers and green coonties. The landscaping not only creates an inviting entrance to the museum but also provides habitat and food for a variety of wildlife.
The colorful flowers and trees provide a welcoming view from Lipscomb Street, while a special addition of crushed shell helps stormwater percolate into the ground.
The museum’s current location at the corner of Lipscomb Street and Brothers Avenue is fittingly tied to Melbourne’s history, with the streets named after two of the city’s founding families. Inside, the all-volunteer-run museum preserves original woodwork and furniture, helping visitors connect with Melbourne’s past.
With its new exterior landscape, the museum has taken on a renewed presence in the neighborhood, inviting residents and visitors to stop by, explore and learn more about Melbourne’s beginnings.
Attending the Gems Award presentation were lead volunteer Jim Shackleford, Elsenna Jordan, Charles Jackson Sr. and other museum volunteers; Pastor Cheryl Wilcox of Greater Allen Chapel AME Church; and City of Melbourne BEEB members and staff.
Throughout the year, BEEB recognizes residential properties and businesses within the City of Melbourne for efforts to beautify the community and incorporate environmentally friendly landscaping practices.
For more information about the Gems Award criteria or to nominate a property, visit the Gems Award Program page.
Photo and story credit: Photo: City of Melbourne / melbourneflorida.org. Originally published by the City of Melbourne.
