Florida Historical Markers Programs - Marker Detail

Description: This pier was the western end of Walker Bridge, the first bridge linking Titusville to Merritt Island. Built in 1922, the hand-cranked, wooden drawbridge served the area until preparations for a modern causeway began in the late 1930s. Causeway construction halted following the United States’ entrance into World War II. A temporary connection was built linking the unfinished causeway to the bridge. In 1942, an Army transport laden with soldiers and equipment failed to make the turn at this juncture, which resulted in an accident that claimed the lives of six soldiers. Several inmates from a labor crew working nearby aided in the rescue. Despite saving several soldiers and recovering the bodies of the deceased, they received little public recognition for their efforts. After the war, construction resumed, and the causeway opened in 1949. Local citizens petitioned the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for ownership of this remaining part of Walker Bridge for use as a public fishing pier. Valued by locals and tourists alike, the pier has been restored through the generosity of the local community to ensure it will remain a cherished gathering place for generations to come.