Melbourne Village is a town in Brevard County, Florida. The population was 662 at the 2010 United States Census. It is part of the Palm Bay–Melbourne–Titusville Metropolitan Statistical Area, and is the smallest incorporated municipality (by population) in Brevard County. History The area that is now the town was previously used for raising cattle. Aerial photographs from circa 1943 of the area show some native oak hammocks, pine lowlands, and cleared areas for cattle grazing. Virginia Wood, Elizabeth Nutting, and Margaret Hutchinson came from Dayton, Ohio, following the end of World War II to the area of Melbourne, Florida. Their goal was to build a community from scratch for people wanting to establish a lifestyle that was simple and close to nature. This social experiment was an “intentional community”, a response to the hardships of the Great Depression. The founders were influenced by the concepts and teachings of Ralph Borsodi, who also lived in Melbourne Village from 1950 to 1960. Many early residents cleared their land, built their own houses, and ran small home businesses, from organic gardening to raising chinchillas, in order to help support themselves and their families. There was a community store run on the honor system. Early families overcame the lack of construction materials for civilian use immediately following World War II by purchasing and relocating surplus military barracks from nearby bases. Two of these barracks still remain, one being the Original Melbourne Village Hall and the other a private residence. The Town of Melbourne Village was incorporated in 1957 out of concern of being annexed by Melbourne or included in the subsequent incorporation of West Melbourne. Geography According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 0.6 square miles (1.0 km), primarily land, with several small ponds. The village is surrounded by West Melbourne, except the northeastern portion of the town, where it is bordered by Melbourne. Environment Over 90% of lots are between and , with houses nestled in among the native oaks and pines. It is common in Melbourne Village for a lot to have at least 30% canopy coverage, from mature live oaks and southern pines. Erna Nixon Park The eastern section of the town includes a portion of the Erna Nixon Park. The park's namesake and Melbourne Village resident, Erna Nixon, was a force behind the preservation of the area. This park is surrounded by a