History

In the late 1800s, it was Captain Frank Forster, who had had a sailing career that took him all over the world, who was the first with a desire to make a home in the area where the Town of Orchid is now located. He was only 29 years of age, but he had a vision for the area which at that point was still only accessible by boat - perfect for a sea captain ready to put down roots.

He acquired land under the Homestead Act. The home he built was on the riverside of Orchid, north of where the Wabasso bridge is now, and had a long dock that extended into the lagoon from which he frequently fished. At that time, it was said that the river was so thick with fish that boats had difficulty making headway!

He planted a citrus grove on his property, but also successfully grew other crops. The fruit his grove yielded was delicious and enjoyed by many travelers aboard Henry Flagler's Florida East Coast Railway, where it was available in the dining cars.

It was Captain Forster who first dubbed the area “Orchid Island” for the indigenous Epidendrum Tampense wild orchid variety (also known as the Encyclia Tampensis orchid), which grew in profusion on oak trees and flowered beautifully every May and June.

The scent of these small flowers is very appealing. The barrier island in Indian River County is to this day officially titled Orchid Island.

Early on, he had the intent of sharing the beauty of Orchid Island with others by selling portions of his property to new settlers with whom he could start a community, such as the Michael family.

Today, the visionary Captain Forster is celebrated through the 110-acre Captain Forster Hammock Preserve. This beautiful preserve is open to the public and features trails through both maritime, wetland, and coastal habitats.

The preserve is a great way to experience old Florida as it was in those early days of settlement. It remains a great place to spot the tiny orchid variety that Captain Forster came upon when he first arrived and after which he named the area.

In 1886, Stephen Kelita Michael was among the first settlers to purchase a piece of property from Captain Forster and to construct a family home on it. The building materials for the first homes had to be floated down the river from Titusville, as there was no physical connection yet between the mainland and Orchid Island. The first bridge was finally constructed in 1926 and was made of wood.

Nevertheless, the residents of Orchid Island enjoyed postal service as early as 1887, and it was Captain Forster who served as the first Postmaster to the area.

Alfred Benjamin "A. B." Michael; Great Floridian

Stephen Michael had established a small citrus grove on Orchid Island after settling there with his family. After the grove was devastated by severe frost, his son A. B. Michael took over and reestablished the grove across 10 acres of land in 1902. He was just 25 years old at the time. Grapefruit produced from this thriving grove would become world-famous for its fine quality and juicy sweetness.

In 2000, A. B. Michael was posthumously honored with a designation as a Great Floridian by the Florida Department of State's Division of Historical Resources in partnership with the Florida League of Cities. A plaque with this special designation is on display at Town Hall.

It was awarded to A. B. Michael, as he is considered "the Dean of Florida Citrus Industry," having been a founding director of the American Fruit Growers and the Florida Citrus Mutual, as well as being a charter member of the Indian River Citrus League.

He also served on the Everglades National Park Commission and on the Florida State Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. Orchid would remain an agricultural community for a century; even in the ​late ​1990s, citrus trees still grew here.

The Michael family continues to reside on Orchid Island to this day.

On May 12th, 1965, the Town of Orchid was incorporated. The prevailing reason for this small community to incorporate was to preserve the natural beauty of the area for future generations. According to the Indian River News at the time, the residents realized the historical and beautiful area had to be preserved; unwise development of the area could and probably would destroy its natural beauty, which a carefully planned expansion program would preserve.

A local municipal government dedicated to the retention of the splendors of early Florida's natural beauty would best preserve the unspoiled area by enacting reasonable ordinances and promoting policies and procedures that would best serve the area.

There were only 7 registered voters residing in the new Town, which had been newly endowed with municipal powers and privileges by the State legislature.

On March 7th in 1966, the first Councilmembers were elected. George Lier was chosen as the first Mayor. In a statement to the Indian River News, he said, "The whole idea of the unhurried atmosphere of the ol' South being continued by the incorporation of the ‘Town of Orchid’ deeply appeals to me.

I appreciate the efforts of my constituents in making it possible for me to be Mayor of a Town that will continue to be as naturally beautiful as it was when the pioneers first came here... a lovely area with Florida Sunshine and the resultant healthy atmosphere for work, play and rearing children... where the blue herons walk in the front yard and the big white cranes stand silently in the waters of the River.”

Ann Denby Michael served as the first Vice-Mayor, and she said of Orchid; “It is my prayer that, in reactivating the ‘Community of Orchid’ as the ‘Town of Orchid’, we may remember to preserve its natural beauty for our children, their children and for the State of Florida.”

Jeannette Lier, Joe Michael and Helen Ryall, Sr. completed the first council (pictured left). The Town also had a Town Clerk, Louise Johnston. A local law firm, Gould, Cooksey and Fennell, provided the Town with legal counsel. As there was no regular meeting schedule right away, Mayor Lier (or 3 of the Councilmembers) could call a meeting with just 2 hours’ notice.

For 20 years, a simple white river-cottage would serve as the Town Hall. Although 1 might be tempted to believe that this small and young Town was informal in its dealings, its Council had to abide by all the same rules and regulations as larger, more established municipalities did.

As a municipality of the State of Florida, the Town of Orchid had power over its zoning and taxation. In 1967, the Town budgeted for expenses of $2,000 and collected $1,914.24 in taxes. Times sure have become more expensive since then!

In 1985, the Deerfield Groves Partnership purchased land owned by Deerfield Company (2 separate, unrelated entities), most of which was within the boundaries of the Town of Orchid. The intent was to process and aggressively market the Orchid Island grapefruit. At the time, the land use permitted in the Town of Orchid was quite restrictive, permitting only 8 living units per acre. Ideal for the citrus groves that still dominated the area, while the remainder of the barrier island in Indian River County had started to be developed. The Town still was a close-knit community of just a few households at the time.

Just a couple of years later, the land in the Town of Orchid was sold to the Orchid Island Association Ltd. Part of the deal was to disincorporate a tract of land on Earring Point to allow grove owners in that area to live outside of the Town of Orchid. Some of these were descendants of the original settlers such as Joe Michael, son of A.B. Michael, and his wife, Anne Michael. They decided to have their property, which was located south of the Wabasso bridge, de-annexed from the Town, fearing that development of the Town would destroy what had made it special to begin with.

Robert Haines III of Avon, CT was a general partner and President of the group. It was his intent to establish a luxury, gated community of a few hundred homes in the Town. Generously sized lots were marked out around an 18-hole golf course. Homes were constructed and priced at the $3,000,000 mark.

A Home Rule Charter of Orchid, FL was adopted on September 20, 1988, which stated: The Town of Orchid in Indian River County, Florida, which was created by the Florida Legislature, shall continue as a municipal corporation with a Council-Manager form of government. Nevertheless, the first Town Manager wouldn’t be hired until over 2 years later in October 1990.

Meanwhile, councilmembers were appointed rather than elected, and it was Robert “Hutch” Haines IV (son of the developer) who served as the Mayor. Together with Councilmember Robert Bradshaw, he also filled the function of a planning and zoning commission. The development plan for the Town included 1,343 housing units on 480 acres of developable land for a gross density of 2.79 units per acre.

The projection for the Town’s 2010 population was a total of 2,801 residents, of which 700 would be year-round. At that time, there were only “4 homes in Orchid. 2 were mobile homes placed there by the developer in 1989 and occupied by council members so that they could be legal residents of the town, while the others were a $40,000 home built in 1939 and a vacant $40,000 home built in 1980. According to the plan, the only public facility the town expected to build over the 20-year planning period was a Town Hall, which would be built with property taxes.”

A major component in the vision that Robert Haines III had for the Town was the creation of the Orchid Island Golf & Beach Club. He would break ground on its construction in 1988. Arnold Palmer designed the Club’s world-famous golf course; an emerald jewel between the beautiful blues of the Atlantic Ocean and the Indian River. He said of the area that it was “an ideal location. It’s 1 of the nicest spots along the Treasure Coast of Florida.”

“It was a time of great anticipation and excitement; more than 100 workmen were on the property each day, creating what would become the magnificent 22.000 square foot Beach Club,” described Ann Zugelter of the period.

Ernie Polverari, the first Town Manager for Orchid, was said by the Town’s long-time attorney, Bruce Brakett, to have been “instrumental in transforming a tiny community that just happened to be incorporated into a real town with a budget and other structures of government.” Indeed, Ernie served the town in many ways, including in functions as Police Chief and Building Inspector.

On August 15th in, 1991, residents in Orchid received a letter informing them that a foreclosure suit was filed because Robert Haines III faced financial hardship. Development in Orchid came to a halt, and its future was momentarily uncertain. The facilities of the Orchid Island Golf & Beach Club were closed, and security services at the gated community became minimal.

The Town Council continued to meet on a regular basis, nonetheless. Mayor Robert Haines IV reassured residents with the words “We are here as a town, regardless of (what happens with) the developers.” However, he did add that “The Town’s property owners would be well advised to keep someone looking out for their holdings.”

At the final budget hearing that year, the Town’s incorporation came under threat. Representative Charles Sembler was considering introducing a bill to abolish Orchid as a Town. His reasoning regarded what he saw as a developer-controlled Town Council, which he spoke of at the County Commission meeting a week prior to Orchid’s final budget hearing. He was particularly concerned about the Councilmembers who lived in trailers provided by the developer in Orchid.

Bob and Sally Sibson, who were early property owners in the Town, along with property owners Dan and Ann Zugelter, started a “Save the Town” initiative. This mail and telephone campaign encouraged Orchid’s property owners to contact Representative Sembler. The Town’s residents expressed their negative reactions to the proposed bill that would abolish the Town of Orchid. They had an ally in County Commissioner Dick Bird, who favored keeping Orchid as a municipality, because the “development can market itself better and the residents can control their own destiny.”

Orchid resident Ted Leonsis pointed out that the Town’s Council had never had a true property owner on the council, since the developers had bought the Town years before. He suggested that this was probably another reason Sembler was considering abolishing Orchid. By the end of September, on the 29th, Ted Leonsis and Lynn Velde were the first property owners appointed to the Council in years.

It wasn’t long until the former was selected as Mayor and the latter as Vice-Mayor. Velde explained that he was not on the board "to shake anything up, but I want it to be a legitimate board. We're working for the town, not the developers. At this point, my agenda is to learn all I can about the Town of Orchid, to see how we, as a board, can straighten out a few of the problems they've had in the past and make this into a lovely little village."

The addition of these 2 new Councilmembers brought the number of Councilmembers to 5 for the first time since the developers had bought the Town. Despite the Town’s Charter calling for a five-strong Council, it had been operating with just 3 Councilmembers until this time.

Bob Sibson made Representative Sembler aware of this shift from developer to citizen control in the Town. Ultimately, Representative Sembler’s proposal to the County Commission failed, and the Town of Orchid remained a municipality.

​By November 1991, the court appointed Vista Properties Management as the receiver of the Town’s land. Its president, John Kurtz, closed the sales office and began a comprehensive inventory of everything on the property. Meanwhile, the previous developer’s son, Robert Haines IV, who was no longer serving as Mayor, but still as a councilmember, failed to attend several Council meetings, favoring instead spending time in Connecticut with his father’s business. In December 1991, Emily Appleton was appointed to fill his seat on the Council.

Eventually, Robert Haines III defaulted on more than $50,000,000 in loans, and 12 lawsuits were filed. “The doors to the elegant, $8,000,000, West Indies-style Orchid Island Beach Club were locked; the cabanas, dining room and airy terraces visited only by the wind and a security guard. Across State Road A1A, the Arnold Palmer-designed, 18-hole championship golf course sits unused, closed to play with only a skeleton crew to maintain it. A telephone answering machine answered calls to the Orchid Island Golf and Beach administration and sales office with a message saying the office is closed until further notice.”

In March 1992, the Town held its first real election since 1966. The post-election Council was made up of Ted Leonsis, Lynn Velde, Emily Appleton and Ann Zugelter. Later, Barbara Greenbaum would join this Council, after moving into Orchid in July of 1992.

Town Manager Ernie Polverari worked together with Town Planner Mary Jane Vreeland to draw up a Master Plan for the Town. It was adopted by the Town Council, as was a Code of Ordinances. These documents included many planning and zoning restrictions relating to the Town’s future development. They served to “preserve the character of the community” and would shield the Town from being purchased and developed by, among others, a California hotel chain and by Mobil Oil.

The work on the Master Plan and the Code of Ordinances by the Town Manager, Town Planner, and Town Council is to be credited with the Orchid that exists today. Ann Zugelter said that Ernie Polverari, as the first Town Manager, particularly deserves credit for his vision for Orchid.

In May 1993, Orchid Island Golf & Beach Club was purchased by First Union for Resolution Trust Company for $19,000,000, and its development was restarted. By March 1994, the golf course was restored to playing condition once more. During this time, the Town of Orchid’s community slowly began to grow, and a great pride in the small municipality grew with it.

In October 1994, the property was purchased by TorWest for $20,000,000. Around this time, in November, the Town Council also saw some changes. Lynn Velde was (unanimously) selected as Mayor, while Ted Leonsis became Vice-Mayor. Following her resignation, Barbara Greenbaum was replaced by Dr. Jim Zickler. By 1998, Barbara would make a return to Council as Vice-Mayor.

By 1996, the Town had 34 residents, but soon room would be made available for more, as the Town approved the development of ocean-front condominiums. In 2000, the Town took under consideration several applications for use of the 510 parcel of land zoned for commercial use. In the fall of 2001, Torwest purchased the 510 property. In 2002, the Town made overtures to Galen Weston to see if he would sell the 510 property to the Town, but he declined the offer.

On March 31, 2000, the Town of Orchid received official recognition from the US Postal Service and Orchid, FL 32963-9504 became an official mailing address. In March 2001, the Press Journal reported that the Town had grown by 1,300% in the last decade.

​In 2001, the first Town Manager, Ernie Polverari, passed away. Between then and now, five more Town Managers have served Orchid, namely; David Jakubiak, Maria Aguilar, Deb Branwell, Noah Powers, and Cherry Stowe (present).​

The Town of Orchid is almost entirely "built out" at this time. Few vacant lots for single-family residences remain (just 6 in 2026). Commercial development in the Town remains of a country-club nature.

The Town's priority has turned to maintaining a high standard of living for its residents. The governmental administration works closely with leadership of the Orchid Island Golf & Beach Club and Community Association in that endeavor. The Town has many responsibilities, but its greatest may be the protection of the community from coastal inundation. The barrier island is vulnerable to water intrusion from the east and westside. Dune repair projects conducted by the Town have kept the protective dune robust during the tumultuous years of Hurricanes Matthew, Irma, Dorian, Ian, Nicole and Milton. Starting in 2025, the Town folded in greater attention to the lagoon-side of the community as well, with several vulnerability assessments supported by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.

The Town never reached the proportions originally predicted by Robert Haines IV. There are around 310 single-family residences and 10 condominium buildings with 66 units overall. The Town boasts around 680 residents during the winter season; far fewer than once forecast, but certainly, vastly more than the population of 7 of its very early days. The Town remains one of Florida’s most scenic and desirable places to live.