| Melbourne was named in 1880 when homesteader Harry Goode's 8-year-old daughter drew its name on the longest of three broom straws. Melbourne was incorporated in 1888 and merged with Eau Gallie in 1969. Today, the City is approximately 38 square miles in size, with about 75% of that land in use. The population as of April, 2004 is 74,644 and is growing by about 2% each year. Melbourne International Airport, which consists of approximately 2,800 acres, serves the county with six airlines providing service to more than 500,000 passengers per year. |