Brevard County Historical Commission Thanks Local Businessman For Support

Bob Baugher supports prehistoric preservation

Late last year B&B Enterprises, a company partially owned by Robert Baugher of Cape Canaveral Florida, agreed to a second archaeological survey of a tract of land in Cape Canaveral.

This tract of land had already been archaeologically surveyed by Environmental Services Inc. of Jacksonville back in 2006 under different ownership. ESI found a single prehistoric habitation site dating between 800 AD and 1500 AD and cleared the land for development.

After productive discussions with local experts, B&B Enterprises, at the behest of Mr. Baugher, not only agreed to a second survey (which uncovered a prehistoric site not detected during the 2006 survey) but even donated $685 to get a Carbon-14 date on a sample of animal bone retrieved from this second, smaller site.

A C-14 date was crucial for understanding this site because it lacked any pottery fragments or other “diagnostic” artifacts. The results came back 1285 AD. (See document below)

Given the poor state of historic preservation in east-central Florida and Brevard County it is certain that B&B Enterprises could have pursued their goals without permitting a second archaeological survey.

Their willingness to allow more archaeology and to pay for valuable information that the public can peruse in perpetuity speaks well of their organization and its leadership and makes me glad that there are people like Mr. Baugher on the Tourist Development Commission, one of the most important advisory commissions in Brevard.

Following the work at B&B’s property, a nearby landowner and business entrepreneur has commissioned a similar archaeological study of his property even though the land is not for sale nor up for development. Never once have I heard him wonder about the effects of the archaeology on his property values. (BTW: there are no effects, not in Florida!).

Rather, his sole interest seems to be in preserving this land and sampling its archaeological information for public edification, perhaps as a park called Ais Village Trail.

Not all landowners and business owners have the same attitude towards historic and prehistoric preservation as the two gentlemen mentioned above (and their associates). But all could do well to follow their examples. Archaeology will not hurt you, I promise.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Alan Brech is the chairman of the Brevard County Historical Commission, which was established by ordinance of the Brevard County Commission to “collect, arrange, record, and preserve historical materials” and to perform other functions such as obtaining narratives of the early pioneers, marking historical locations throughout the county, and recording historical information.

The Historical Commission has undertaken a number of projects to carry out its charter, including:

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