The people I was with and I had lived in Cocoa, FL for almost various years before I wondered why it was called Cocoa? I had never seen a cocoa tree or bush somewhere in the area.
I didn’t smell chocolate unless you were walking the streets of Cocoa Village, where they had a myriad of shops.
I decided to do some research into why they called Cocoa, FL, Cocoa. I found that there were various stories that the outdated timers tell about how the town got its name. There is 1 story that says the mail used to be delivered by river boat. It was venued in an empty tin box that was labeled Baker’s Cocoa. The box was nailed to a piling in the river that was next to downtown. This story says the town was named after the tin box that held the mail. It was shortened to Cocoa to make it easier for the river boat. There is also the legend that the town was named after an early hotel that was situated on the Indian River lagoon. The name of this hotel was the Cocoa House. I couldn’t find any information on why it was called the Cocoa House. I wondered if the weather conditions was weird back then than it is now. I’m sure they didn’t have air conditioner, and I was glad I did. All the research I was doing, had myself and others wishing someone would lower the temperature control so I could relax. Since I was the only 1 house at the moment, I had to get up and lower the temperature control myself.