Sebastian Inlet State Park History
The history of the Sebastian Inlet area goes back to the end of the last ice age. The barrier islands formed from sandbars off the coast of the mainland. As vegetation took hold on the sandbars, animals moved in, followed by the first human inhabitants, the Paleo hunters.
The Ais Indians were more recent inhabitants of the barrier islands. They were a tribe of hunters and gatherers who lived off the bounty of the land and sea. The Ais captured the English Quaker Jonathan Dickinson after his ship wrecked in 1696. Dickinson’s descriptions of the Ais and their lifestyles are the best record we have of these people. By 1760, all of the Ais Indians were gone. Like the other natives of Florida, they succumbed to European diseases and mistreatment.
In 1715, eleven Spanish treasure galleons sank along the east central Florida coast. One of the survivors’ campsites was located on the present day site of the McLarty Treasure Museum. Seven hundred people lost their lives in this disaster, while 1,500 people survived.
The Inlet
In 1872, Captain David P. Gibson promoted a movement to dig an inlet across a quarter mile strip of barrier island near present day Sebastian Inlet. The next attempt to dig an inlet was in 1881 by Thomas New. New’s Cut was listed on the United States geological map of 1880. It was not until 1895 that water flowed for the first time between the Atlantic Ocean and the Indian River Lagoon at Gibson’s Cut. This was a spot where the ocean frequently washed over the dunes. The inlet was quickly closed the same year by a storm and shifting sands.
Twenty-three years later in 1918, Roy D. Couch spearheaded a project using his own dredge to cut an inlet through the sandy banks and build a jetty to project the opening. This was the first time a dredge was used to cut through the barrier island. The cut was completed but a storm wrecked the project. The next attempt to open an inlet was in 1919 organized by commercial fishermen that wanted quick access to the ocean. Working with the Florida Legislature the Sebastian Inlet Tax District was created to build and maintain a permanent inlet. Roy Couch was elected as chairman and served at this post for 32 years.
In 1924, using funds from a $100,000.00 bond issue, the Sebastian Inlet Tax District re-cut the Sebastian Inlet 100 feet wide and 6 feet deep. A 400-foot long rock jetty was constructed to protect the new Sebastian Inlet. Between 1924 and 1941 the Sebastian Inlet was opened and closed as sand washed in from the ocean and men re-dug the narrow cut. In 1941, due to fear of German attack and wartime (WWII) lack of maintenance, a sandbar formed and closed the inlet. In 1947, after World War II was over, Sebastian Inlet was moved a little south and reopened to a width of 100 feet and a depth of 8 feet. In just a few months a storm closed the inlet again. On October 28, 1948, the inlet was reopened and has remained open ever since. The jetties were also strengthened and capped with concrete. In 1952, the north jetty was extended 300 feet. In 1955, the north jetty was extended another 250 feet. The south jetty was extended 175 feet. In 1959, Brevard and Indian River County residents voted to transfer three miles of barrier island south of Sebastian Inlet. This was done in exchange for Indian River County building a bridge across Sebastian Inlet and making a paved road from Wabasso to the inlet bridge.
Revenue bonds backed by Indian River County’s share of the gasoline tax financed the project. The 1,548-foot bridge over Sebastian Inlet was opened on February 12, 1965 at a cost of $745,000.
In 1966, Mr. Robert McLarty donated seven acres to the Florida Park Service. This was the site of the 1715 Spanish salvage camp. In 1970, The McLarty Treasure Museum was opened, displaying artifacts and telling the story of the 1715 Spanish Treasure Fleet’s disaster. Also in 1970, the north and south jetties were extended. In 1971, Sebastian Inlet State Recreation Area was opened with three miles of beachfront. In 1998, the Sebastian Fishing Museum was opened on the south side of the inlet. This museum tells the story of the early commercial fishing in the Sebastian area. In 2003, a new north jetty was constructed over the existing jetty with a larger area for fishing.
The Ais Indians were more recent inhabitants of the barrier islands. They were a tribe of hunters and gatherers who lived off the bounty of the land and sea. The Ais captured the English Quaker Jonathan Dickinson after his ship wrecked in 1696. Dickinson’s descriptions of the Ais and their lifestyles are the best record we have of these people. By 1760, all of the Ais Indians were gone. Like the other natives of Florida, they succumbed to European diseases and mistreatment.
In 1715, eleven Spanish treasure galleons sank along the east central Florida coast. One of the survivors’ campsites was located on the present day site of the McLarty Treasure Museum. Seven hundred people lost their lives in this disaster, while 1,500 people survived.
The Inlet
In 1872, Captain David P. Gibson promoted a movement to dig an inlet across a quarter mile strip of barrier island near present day Sebastian Inlet. The next attempt to dig an inlet was in 1881 by Thomas New. New’s Cut was listed on the United States geological map of 1880. It was not until 1895 that water flowed for the first time between the Atlantic Ocean and the Indian River Lagoon at Gibson’s Cut. This was a spot where the ocean frequently washed over the dunes. The inlet was quickly closed the same year by a storm and shifting sands.
Twenty-three years later in 1918, Roy D. Couch spearheaded a project using his own dredge to cut an inlet through the sandy banks and build a jetty to project the opening. This was the first time a dredge was used to cut through the barrier island. The cut was completed but a storm wrecked the project. The next attempt to open an inlet was in 1919 organized by commercial fishermen that wanted quick access to the ocean. Working with the Florida Legislature the Sebastian Inlet Tax District was created to build and maintain a permanent inlet. Roy Couch was elected as chairman and served at this post for 32 years.
In 1924, using funds from a $100,000.00 bond issue, the Sebastian Inlet Tax District re-cut the Sebastian Inlet 100 feet wide and 6 feet deep. A 400-foot long rock jetty was constructed to protect the new Sebastian Inlet. Between 1924 and 1941 the Sebastian Inlet was opened and closed as sand washed in from the ocean and men re-dug the narrow cut. In 1941, due to fear of German attack and wartime (WWII) lack of maintenance, a sandbar formed and closed the inlet. In 1947, after World War II was over, Sebastian Inlet was moved a little south and reopened to a width of 100 feet and a depth of 8 feet. In just a few months a storm closed the inlet again. On October 28, 1948, the inlet was reopened and has remained open ever since. The jetties were also strengthened and capped with concrete. In 1952, the north jetty was extended 300 feet. In 1955, the north jetty was extended another 250 feet. The south jetty was extended 175 feet. In 1959, Brevard and Indian River County residents voted to transfer three miles of barrier island south of Sebastian Inlet. This was done in exchange for Indian River County building a bridge across Sebastian Inlet and making a paved road from Wabasso to the inlet bridge.
Revenue bonds backed by Indian River County’s share of the gasoline tax financed the project. The 1,548-foot bridge over Sebastian Inlet was opened on February 12, 1965 at a cost of $745,000.
In 1966, Mr. Robert McLarty donated seven acres to the Florida Park Service. This was the site of the 1715 Spanish salvage camp. In 1970, The McLarty Treasure Museum was opened, displaying artifacts and telling the story of the 1715 Spanish Treasure Fleet’s disaster. Also in 1970, the north and south jetties were extended. In 1971, Sebastian Inlet State Recreation Area was opened with three miles of beachfront. In 1998, the Sebastian Fishing Museum was opened on the south side of the inlet. This museum tells the story of the early commercial fishing in the Sebastian area. In 2003, a new north jetty was constructed over the existing jetty with a larger area for fishing.
