Florida Forest Service

About forestry service, 32922, Cocoa, FL, US, Florida

Cocoa is a city in Brevard County, Florida. Its population was 19,041 at the 2020 United States census, up from 17,140 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Palm Bay–Melbourne–Titusville metropolitan statistical area. == History == === Etymology === Several stories circulate among Cocoa old timers as to how the town got its name. One story says that the mail used to come by river boat and was placed in an empty tin box labeled Baker's Cocoa. The box was nailed to a piling in the river next to downtown. Additionally, an early hotel in the area, located on the Indian River Lagoon, was named Cocoa House. Another story speaks of an elderly African-American woman who lived on the banks of the Indian River. She would supply hot cocoa to sailors traversing the Indian River. The sailors approaching her house were said to yell out "Cocoa!, Cocoa!", alerting the woman that they were present and wanted the beverage.