The Hester Wagner Community House in Melbourne Village

After end of eworld War II, an aerial survey of the Melbourne Village area showed only the pastures of a large cattle ranch. Then came the American Homesteading Foundation. They purchased the land, surveyed it into large lots and began selling it to people who were dues-paying members of the organization. The town of Melbourne Village was incorporated in 1957, primarily to prevent the area from being annexed in nearby Melbourne or Melbourne Beach. The town government is a separate entity from the AHF and, at this point in time, the AHF functions primarily as a private Parks and Recreation Department for the town.