Brevard County's Historic Haulover Canal in the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge #historicaltidbits #haulover #merrittisland #brevardcounty #History #wildliferefuge | Historical Tidbits

Think you know the Haulover Canal? Most people don't realize the current canal is actually the "new" one. The original 1854 shortcut was a disaster that almost stifled the local citrus industry before it began. Why did they abandon it? The Structural Fail: It was hand-dug through coquina rock on a soft shell base. Strong currents eventually collapsed the banks, choking the depth to a measly 1.7 feet. The Marsh Trap: The old canal opened into Haulover Bay, requiring over 5,000 feet of difficult d