In 1896, Fellsmere was little more than swampland on the banks of Blue Cypress Lake when two local farm companies, spurred by the arrival of the railroad, began selling plots of land to eager settlers. Nature reclaimed the land in 1907 and 1908, when severe storms submerged the region under three feet of water, causing many families to leave the area.

In 1910, New Zealand native and engineer, E. Nelson Fell, purchased the submerged land, dredged it, and built canals to minimize effects of flooding from heavy rains and hurricanes. Of three new communities he founded in the area, only Fellsmere survives to this day. Appropriately, Fellsmere's name comes from combining Fell's last name and "mere," which means "watery place."

The town, the first to be incorporated in Indian River County, quickly grew to include a school, library, and newspaper, the Fellsmere Farmer. In the 1930s, the Fellsmere Sugar Producers Association dominated the local economy, controlling the entire sugar production process, from cutting cane in the fields to processing refined sugar for grocery store shelves. When the sugar company closed its doors in the 1960s, most of its acreage converted to citrus groves and cattle ranches.

This quaint Florida town of some 4,500 residents hosts the annual Frog Leg Festival the third week of January. The first Saturday of April is reserved for Fellsmere Day. On this day, local residents commemorate the city's history with a parade and barbeque. Visitors should be sure to see historic city hall, Fellsmere Public School built in 1914, and the Marian Fell Library built one year later. Visitors should consider a trip to St. Sebastian River Preserve State Park to see the swampland from which Fellsmere emerged to become a part of Florida's unique historical landscape.

This podcast made possible through a grant from the Florida Humanities Council.Script written by Naomi Williams. Narrated by Jonathon Heide.