Visitors at the fourth annual Heritage Celebration on March 13, 2014 at the Heritage Center in downtown Vero, will go on a virtual tour of Indian River County’s historic structures, all under one roof!

Large photos (4’x6′)  of some of the county’s most significant historic structures, including schools, a church, private homes and businesses, will be on display.  Small exhibits on each building will also be included. The theme is “If These Walls Could Talk,” and residents with knowledge about the buildings will be on hand to share stories and answer questions.  Buildings from communities in the county will be depicted, including Fellsmere, Sebastian, Wabasso, Gifford, Vero Beach, Oslo, and the historic Riomar neighborhood in Vero Beach.

Also planned is a Wall of Shame that will show historic buildings such as the Royal Park Inn and Del Mar Hotel, both former Vero Beach landmarks that didn’t escape the wrecking ball. The Royal Park Inn site is occupied by condominiums, and the Del Mar Hotel made way for a downtown parking lot years ago.  And to keep things in perspective there will also be a Wall of Fame showcasing buildings and structures saved from demolition that are still in use and that continue to serve the community.

The Heritage Celebration will take place from 5 – 8 p.m. on March 13.  Sponsors for this fundraising event include Edlund, Dritenbas, Binkley Architects & Associates, P.A., Indian River Exchange Packers in honor of George F. Hamner, Sr., Bernard Egan Foundation, Graves Brothers Company, Capital Investment Advisors, Inc., Bill Mitchell, Golden River Fruit Co., Schacht Groves, Frances Ellis Graves, Center State Bank, Stewart Evans Stewart & Emmons, PA, Clemens Bruns Schaub Architect and Associates, PA, Gould & Associates, PA, CPA, Countryside Citrus, descendants of Waldo Sexton, Hogan & Sons, Inc., Harry Gandy Howle, Architect and the Florida Foundation for Architecture.  Sponsorships are available.  Admission is $10 per person, and visitors will receive printed histories of the buildings as they stroll around the main hall of the Heritage Center.

Elizabeth Graves- Bass, President of the Board of Directors  of Vero Heritage, Inc., which operates the Heritage Center,  heads the committee.  Other members include Mary Jane Stewart and Celeta Arden, past board members; Judy Roberts,  Janie Gould, Cathie Callery and Randy Wytrval, current board members; Pam Cooper, Florida history and genealogy librarian at the Indian River County Main Library; Vicky Gould, president of the Historic Osceola Park Neighborhood Association; Anna Brady, historic preservationist; Suzan Phillips, author of a book about the history of McKee Botanical Garden; and Rebecca Rickey, Executive Director of the Heritage Center.

The Heritage Center and Indian River Citrus Museum are located at 2140 14^th Ave., in Pocahontas Park, in historic downtown Vero Beach.

For information about sponsorships, call 772-770-2263 or 772-473-3773, or email info@veroheritage.org or gravesbass@bellsouth.net.

Vero Heritage brings local history to life!