History of the Fellsmere Estates Corporation Building / Marsh Landing Restaurant
In 1925, there was a land boom in Florida.1 Droves of people from the North were purchasing land to come to the “Land of Sunshine”. The famous New York real estate developer and master builder tycoon, Louis Gold, bought 100 square miles of land in Fellsmere in March 1925.2 On July 27, 1925, Louis Gold met with the Fellsmere town commissioners and presented his plans for development. These plans included the donation of a plot of land for the building a community house and he donated $3,000 for its construction. He also promised to build a public swimming pool, and outlined his intention to build 500 hundred homes, to extend Broadway and Pennsylvania Avenue (now CR 512), and to complete the street lighting system to cover every street in Fellsmere.3 On August 8, 1925, the Fellsmere Estates Corporation was incorporated with Louis Gold as its president.4 Construction of the Fellsmere Estates Corporation administrative building (now Marsh Landing Restaurant) at 44 North Broadway began by October 1925.5 The building was completed on Christmas Eve, December 24, 1925, just in time for Gold to host two “jollification” events for the residents of Fellsmere on Christmas Day.6
Gold’s company advertised prolifically. The Fellsmere Chamber of Commerce published a booklet in the latter part of 1925 with numerous advertisements for the Fellsmere Estates Corporation and heaped accolades upon Louis Gold for the future prospects that he was to bring to Fellsmere.7 Walter A. Siewert, a longtime prominent resident and self-styled historian of Fellsmere, wrote in his booklet entitled A History of the Fellsmere Drainage District that “the Fellsmere Estates Corporation did a big business. The large Administration Building on Broadway was the nerve center of town. The company had its own bus to bring in prospective buyers. An observation tower behind the Administration Building provided an excellent overview. Company cars provided tours over the properties themselves”.8
The presence of the Fellsmere Estates Corporation in Fellsmere was short lived. After the hurricane of 1926, real estate sales continued a steady decline. The Florida real estate boom was in decline. The Bank of Sebastian nine miles east of Fellsmere closed.9 In July 1926, Louis Gold resigned as president of the corporation but Frank Heiser, an early resident of Fellsmere and well respected businessman, retained his position of treasurer and general manager. Frank was known as the “practical construction engineer and general manager of the famous Fellsmere properties acquired by Louis Gold”.10 Louis Gold had a high regard for Frank Heiser and had him come to New York for a two months stay during the early summer months of 1926.11
In addition to managing the Fellsmere Estates Corporation, Frank Heiser also served as General Manager and later Vice President of the Trans Florida Central Railroad from 1925 to 1931.12 Prior to that, Heiser had helped organize the Standard Agriculture Chemical Company in 1923 and Ammoniate Products Corporation in 1925 that built a fertilizer (muck drying) plant in Broadmoor, five miles west of Fellsmere.13 The Standard Agriculture Chemical Company became the largest single landowner in Indian River County in the 1920s under Frank Heiser’s leadership.14 Unfortunately, the fertilizer plant closed in early 1927.15
In 1927, Walter Siewert stated that “Default on land payments and outright abandonment of purchase contracts multiplied by the score. The “Daily Record of Sales of the Fellsmere Estates Corporation was becoming a negative report of “tracts returned” and contracts cancelled”. The same year Frank Heiser became the Vice President of the Fellsmere Estates Corporation on July 30, 1927,16 and Registered Agent on December 31, 1927.17 By 1930, the Fellsmere Estates Corporation had all but ceased operations in Fellsmere. The Fellsmere Estates Corporation was ultimately dissolved on May 16, 1946.18
Knowing that the “boom” in the real estate market was ending by the late 1920s, Frank Heiser turned to experimenting with the possibility of raising sugar cane in the rich, fertile soil of Fellsmere. In 1927, after the Broadmoor fertilizer plant closed, Heiser planted a test crop of sugar cane that had good results. In 1929, Heiser had 100 acres of sugar cane planted.19 The resultant crop proved to be so successful that Frank Heiser decided that a sugar mill should be built in Fellsmere. However, the Great Depression had just started on “Black Thursday”, October 24, 1929, and with the advent of the collapse of the stock market, people had little appetite for investing their money in anything that appeared to have the slight element of risk.20
Undaunted, Frank Heiser used his business acumen to persuade financiers to back his project. While he was employed by the Fellsmere Estates Corporation in the 1920s, Louis Gold involved Frank in his business meetings and ventures in New York City.21 There Frank developed strong business ties with four wealthy businessmen which he was able to use to his advantage in raising $1 million in capital in the early 1930s to fund the construction of a sugar mill.<sup22 He incorporated the Fellsmere Sugar Company on December 14, 1931,23 and established its headquarters in the Fellsmere Estates Corporation administration building on Broadway in Fellsmere, Florida.24
Frank Heiser quickly dispatched sugar engineer T.B. Ford (from Cuba) in early 1931 to scout Cuba and Louisiana for materials to build a sugar mill. T.B. Ford found an old dilapidated sugar mill in Louisiana which was purchased by the Fellsmere Sugar Company. Frank Heiser had it dismantled and shipped to Fellsmere on 57 railroad flat cars hauled over the Trans Central Florida Railroad to the sugar mill site approximately 3½ miles southwest of the City of Fellsmere.25 Using materials from the abandoned fertilizer plant in Broadmoor five miles west of Fellsmere,26 materials from Cuba and the old sugar mill in Louisiana, construction of the Fellsmere Sugar Mill began in May 1932. It was reported that despite the Great Depression, there was no unemployment in Fellsmere.27
While the mill was being constructed, Heiser had 700 acres of sugar cane planted and readied another 700 acres for planting. Soon after completion of the mill at the end of 1932, it started operating in early February 1933, and finished operating on April 7, 1933. During its first period of operation, the mill produced 2 million pounds of high grade raw sugar while employing 225 people in a town that had only 356 people in it.28
Frank Heiser, who was also the President of the Fellsmere Drainage District from 1925 to 1946,29 realized that good drainage was essential for the success of his cane fields.30 When the Fellsmere Drainage District ran out of funds for maintenance of drainage ditches and canals, Heiser moved the District office into the Fellsmere Estates Corporation building in 1933, and paid the wages of the District secretary and treasurer.31 He had the Fellsmere Sugar Company make many drainage improvements to insure the cane fields would be protected.32
By 1933, the offices of the Fellsmere Estates Corporation, the Fellsmere Sugar Company, the Ammoniate Products Company, and the Fellsmere Drainage District were all located in the Fellsmere Estates Corporation administrative building on Broadway. Paychecks were handed to employees at the pay window that was located at the southern outside door of the administrative building.33 The Fellsmere Sugar Company also issued their own coinage known as “Bozine” at the pay window since Fellsmere did not have a bank at the time. Bozine was accepted by merchants in both Fellsmere and Vero Beach. The Bozine coins could be redeemed at the Fellsmere Estates Corporation building.34
Not content with just making “raw” sugar, Heiser solicited more capital for the construction of a sugar refinery. His investors thought he was crazy, but despite overwhelming odds, Heiser pursued his goal. First, in 1935, he began the reorganizing the Fellsmere Sugar Company into the Fellsmere Sugar Producer’s Association in 1935. He then secured a small start-up loan from the federal government and raised an additional $50,000. Three of his initial four investors provided the additional amount of money he needed to finance construction of the refinery. Construction of the refinery began in September 1935, and was completed in December 1935.35
During its first year of operation, the refinery produced 125,000 to 150,000 pounds of refined sugar daily under the trademark “Florida Crystals”. The refined sugar was sold in 5, 10, 25, and 100 pound bags up and down the Eastern seaboard.36 As a result, Fellsmere prospered. On October 1, 1937, the Fellsmere Sugar Producers Association was incorporated, and a year later the association produced 6.6 million pounds of refined sugar.37 In 1943, the Puerto Rican Sugar Producers purchased the association and all of its properties in 1943. That same year Frank and his wife, Stella, left Fellsmere and moved to Jacksonville, Florida, but Frank remained as a consultant to the Puerto Rican Sugar Producers. Through his hard work, determination, and perseverance, Heiser became a captain of industry who saved Fellsmere from economic collapse during the Great Depression, and provided employment for the people of Fellsmere for many years thereafter. Heiser’s sugar mill and refinery remained the largest employer in Fellsmere for decades afterward.38
On October 15, 1956, a freak autumn storm dumped over 14 inches of rain on Fellsmere, which flooded the town. Water covered the floor of the Fellsmere Estates Corporation building to a depth of four (4”) inches. However, all the water went down by the next day.39
In 1963, the South Puerto Rico Sugar Company purchased the Fellsmere Sugar Producers and two years later in 1965, it transferred its Fellsmere operations to Okeelanta, Florida,40 and abandoned the Fellsmere Estates Corporation building.
In order to obtain the Fellsmere Estates Corporation building for use it as a community center for Fellsmere, on February 10, 1967, the Fellsmere Jaycees asked the Fellsmere City Council to submit a proposal to the South Puerto Rican Sugar Company to exchange 26 lots of Block 76 (south of County Road 512 between Pine and Hickory Streets) for Lots 5 through 11, Block 97, on Broadway (between Colorado Avenue and County Road 512).41 The following year in 1968, the Fellsmere Estates Corporation building became the “Fellsmere Community Building”.42 City Council meetings were held in the large interior room (now the main dining room at Marsh Landing Restaurant). The Fellsmere Police Dept. occupied the north end of the building (where the kitchen and restaurant office are now located). The concrete vault that was previously built to hold important documents for the Fellsmere Sugar Company was reportedly was used to hold prisoners overnight awaiting morning transportation to the Indian River County jail during the time the police department was housed in the building.43 The building also served as the headquarters of the Treasure Coast Senior Services Congregate Meals Program and for regular meetings of the Hibiscus Grange.44
In 1982, the City of Fellsmere moved its administration and police department into the old Fellsmere Public School at 22 South Orange Street.45 The City sold the Fellsmere Estates Corporation building to Michael Hyman on July 22, 1982, for $27,200.46 However, improvements weren’t made and eventually, the roof, walls, and window sills needed major repairs.47 After the building was boarded up, and after many code violations, the City of Fellsmere eventually condemned the building.48 Michael Hyman deeded the building back to the City on June 26, 1991, for $100.49 In October of 1994, upon the recommendation of Vero Beach architect John Dean, Fellsmere City Council decided to abandon plans to restore the Estates building for a future city hall.50 The City of Fellsmere entered into a contract to demolish and haul off the building for $7000. Hearing of the plan, Fran Adams, president and owner of Fellsmere Nurseries and president of Magnolia Farms, Inc., met with Fellsmere Mayor Bob Baker and City Administrator John Little. Fran Adams encouraged them to put the property up for public auction instead for these reasons: 1) The City would not have to spend $7,000 to demolish the building; 2) The historic building and property would be placed back on the tax rolls; 3) The City could require the buyer to restore the building to meet code, thereby increasing the property value and related taxes which would increase revenue for the City. Being that it was a win-win proposition for the City, both Bob Baker and John Little agreed to hold a public auction.51
The City put the building up for auction on October 26, 1995, with the intention that if no bids were received, the City would proceed with the demolition of the building.52 The doors of the Fellsmere Estates Corporation building were opened to the bidders and public for viewing. What the public saw inside was a mess. The floors were damp; bird droppings from owls nesting inside were everywhere; the windows were all boarded up as they had no glass; and spider webs adorned every corner.53 Fran Adams jokingly referred to the building as “The Fellsmere Planetarium” because when looking up at the ceiling, she could see stars through the cracks.54 On the day of the sale, there were three bidders. Fran Adams was the only bidder from Fellsmere. One bidder dropped out of bidding at $17,000, but Fran Adams continued to bid against Karl Hedin, a builder and businessman from Vero Beach. Fran was encouraged to keep bidding by friends who told her they would help by contributing funds to her to enable Fran to purchase the building. When the bidding reached $32,000, Karl Hedin decided to drop out of the bidding and the winning bid was awarded to Fran. The crowd erupted in cheers and applause. A local Fellsmerian had prevailed! Together with a bid of $32,000 and a $2,500 auctioneer charge, Fran Adams became the proud owner of the 70 year old historic Fellsmere Estates Corporation building.55
Winning the bid for the building was only the beginning for Fran. The City of Fellsmere deeded the building to Magnolia Farms, Inc. (Fran Adams, President) on November 27, 1995.56 Her first order of business was to hire Charles Hampton, a Fellsmere contractor, to shore up the walls to keep the building upright and intact, and to have the roof repaired. That alone cost approximately $100,000. Fran also worked with Architect John Dean of Vero Beach, Florida, to design a restaurant commensurate with preserving the historical character of the building when Louis Gold originally built it in 1925. The name that Fran had envisioned for her restaurant was “Marsh Landing.” Fran had grown up in the restaurant business in Wilson, North Carolina, specializing in the local fare of fried chicken and barbeque.57
Restoration and design efforts were well underway when Fran encountered another dilemma. To meet state requirements, the restaurant was required by the Indian River County Dept. of Environmental Health to have a 5,000 square foot drainfield for its septic system. At the time, there was no sanitary sewerage system in Fellsmere, so a large drainfield was the only option. The nearest land available to install such a large drainfield was on North Cypress Street in front of the Fellsmere Elementary School. Not wanting to build a large drainfield in that location, Fran decided to seek an alternative.
Fran contacted Florida State Representative Charles Sembler to see if there was an economically feasible way to extend the Indian River County pressurized sewage force main three miles west from the Fellsmere interchange of Interstate 95 and County Road 512 into Fellsmere. Representative Sembler was able to find a statewide program grant to extend a 4ʺ diameter sewage force main into Fellsmere at no cost to the City of Fellsmere. Unfortunately, this meant delaying the opening of Marsh Landing Restaurant by two years to construct the force main.
Fran realized that there was another problem in that the 4ʺ diameter pipe was too small to allow for numerous other connections to the sewage force main in the City of Fellsmere. Again, she contacted Representative Sembler. Subsequently, he was able to find a federal grant that enabled installation of an 8ʺ diameter sewage force main. Conditionally, the federal grant required Fran to sign a guarantee with both the state and federal government that she would hire a minimum of 12 people at no less than the minimum wage for a period of two years or be financially liable for the force main extension estimated to cost $800,000. Consequently, the additional grant and construction of an 8ʺ diameter force main extension added another two years for a total of four years in delaying the opening of the Marsh Landing Restaurant.58
During the waiting period, Fran loaned the use of the Fellsmere Estates Corporation building to the Sebastian Junior Woman’s Club to hold a Halloween haunted house for two consecutive years, loaned the building to the Fellsmere Beautification Committee for one year, and for storage of pews while the Fellsmere Historical Church refurbished its interior.59
Fran had to secure a $500,000 loan from the Indian River National Bank (now defunct) to complete the restaurant as planned. Capp Custom Builders, Inc. of Sebastian, Florida, finished the interior of the building using the original tongue and groove ceiling for the wainscot around the interior walls and for the dining room tables. All the old doors were reused except for the two back exit doors. Because no original windows remained, all of them had to be replaced.60
Two baby owls were born in the south wall of the large banquet room on the restaurant’s south side, the day Capp Custom Builders started the final buildout. Fran named the baby owls “Joel” and “Ruby” after two Fellsmere City Council members who always seemed to be at odds with one another. Work proceeded around the two owls and, eventually, Fran had an owl house built. It was hung in the oak tree just south of the banquet room and a 2 foot wife by 12 foot-long walkway was built from the ceiling vent to the owl house. The problem remained as to how to get the owls out of the building alive. Fortunately, one day Ruby (one of the owls) strolled over to the owl house followed by Joel (the other owl), and the opening in the building was permanently sealed immediately. Problem solved! To this day, descendants of Joel and Ruby nest in the owl house and many have observed their sunset flights as the owls leave to hunt for food.61
After spending approximately $500,000, Fran Adams transformed the old 5,568 square foot dilapidated building into a 125 seat family “Florida cracker style” restaurant that serves catfish, frog legs, gator tail, southern fried chicken, swamp cabbage, corn bread, collard greens, and much more.62 The full capacity of Marsh Landing is 225 people. That includes the main dining area, an 80- seat banquet room on the south side of the building, and two private dining rooms along the back wall (with 10 and 12 seats respectively).63
After finally being able to connect to the Indian River County wastewater system, Fran Adams and her daughter, Susan, initially opened Marsh Landing on October 2, 2002.64 They held their grand opening extravaganza on November 13, 2002, according to Kate Daniel, longtime waitress who began work on that day.65 Fortunately, the restaurant survived the closings during the Covid-19 pandemic of 2020 and 2021 and celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2022.
Ben Bishop, the first manager of the restaurant, deserved much credit for overseeing the final design and construction of the kitchen and getting the restaurant off to a good start. His capable skills and knowledge were instrumental in maintaining the momentum in seeing the restaurant come to fruition. Between the initial opening and the grand opening, Ben, Fran, and others worked on fine tuning any problems they encountered during the first month of operation.66
Larry Bass was one of the first chefs at Marsh Landing. He went to culinary school in Macon, Georgia, after serving in the Army. Following his move to the Treasure Coast, Larry was the Executive Chef at Vista Meadows for five years. He joined the Marsh Landing team so he could utilize his love of southern food and southern cooking. Larry was originally the Sous Chef but Fran elevated him to Executive Chef.67
The large aluminum sign with the words “MARSH LANDING Restaurant” that hangs from the center of the porch ceiling between two columns on both sides of the front door was made in 2003 by revered Fellsmere machinist Danny Emmons. Danny cut the letters and palm trees in the sign by using a computer numerically controlled cutter and then had the sign powder-coated orange. The sign was designed by Fran’s daughter, Susan, and was given to her mother, Fran Adams, as a gift.68
The Fellsmere Estates Corporation building is unique to Fellsmere. It is a prime example of “Spanish Mission” style architecture, which gained widespread popularity during the decade before the collapse of the Florida land boom in 1926. The building has a curvilinear parapet along the front of the roof with orange terra cotta roof tiles on both sides, a large enclosed porch with four white round columns, a peach colored stuccoed façade, casement windows, and double doors.69 Some of the rafters have the old Graves Lumber Company logo on them.70 In the early part of the 20th century, Graves Lumber Company operated a huge saw mill in Wabasso, Florida, on the south side of County Road 510 and west of the Florida East Coast Railway.71
The Fellsmere Estates Corporation building also has decorative ceramic reliefs above its double doors to the left and right of the porch, and the name “Fellsmere Estates Corporation” is spelled out in ceramic relief in the façade above the porch.
The wooden windows and door frames are the original cypress frames made from trees that were logged locally and cut in nearby lumber camps. The wainscot around the interior walls was made from the original tongue and groove ceiling. The wainscot had been covered in years of old paint that had to be planed off and then varnished to reveal the rich golden hues of the original wood. Most of the doors are original. Every effort was made to refurbish the building similar to the early days. The banquet room at the south end of the building was sectioned off the main room as it was back in the day and the two private dining rooms at the back of the restaurant mimic the early executive offices of the Fellsmere Sugar Company.72
Marsh Landing Restaurant not only serves food but serves as a de facto museum of Fellsmere. The walls inside are covered with hundreds of historical photographs of Fellsmere, old tools, musical instruments, citrus industry labels, animal hides (including a gator and rattlesnake), stuffed animals, and trophy catches donated by patrons since the restaurant opened. The old safe deposit boxes from the State Bank of Fellsmere that closed in 1922 are found inside to the left of the front entrance. A bust of longtime Fellsmere resident Gilbert Barkoskie “Cattleman of the Century” hangs on the wall behind the boxes. Copies of pages from the Fellsmere Farmer (1912-1913) and Fellsmere Tribune (1914-1921) protected by layers of lacquer adorn all of the tables in the main dining room. Even the tables and chairs were made from wood from the original building walls and roofs.73
In 2003, Danny Emmons, the expert Fellsmere machinist who made the Marsh Landing sign, approached Fran to host a weekly bluegrass jam session at the Marsh Landing. Danny is also a talented bluegrass musician who plays several instruments such as banjo, guitar, and string bass. He wanted an indoor venue so he and his musician friends could play.74 Fran was receptive to Danny’s suggestion and as a result, the initial jam session turned into a weekly event. It is now traditionally held on Thursday nights starting promptly at 6:30 p.m. and ending at quitting time. Musicians and bluegrass lovers from all over the Treasure Coast and as far north as Melbourne have filled the old Florida dining spot since the first jam session began. In season, people line up outside the restaurant for a two-hour wait, hoping to join what owner Fran Adams calls “the largest bluegrass jam in the South.” The old wooden building made it perfect for acoustics.75
In the back of Marsh Landing Restaurant is a room dedicated to the world famous Fellsmere Frog Leg Festival, which is held every year on the grounds of the old Fellsmere Public School (now Fellsmere City Hall) at 22 South Orange Street. Five years prior to Fran buying the Fellsmere Estates Corporation building, Fellsmere residents Fran Adams, Debbie Hall, Carol Hendrickson, and Sue Justice met in 1990 to discuss ways to promote tourism in Fellsmere and at the same time raise funds for Fellsmere’s Recreation Department to provide more recreational activities for children. They bandied about different ideas but snickered when Fran mentioned the idea of having a frog leg dinner. The idea was dismissed until Fellsmere City Council Member Luella (Lu) Cosner asked the group for their help to hold a Winterfest in Fellsmere. The idea of frog leg dinner was revived and the little group of four convinced Lu and the rest of the City Council to proceed with the dinner.76
The first frog leg festival was held during January 1991 from Thursday, January 17th through Saturday, January 19th. Wayne Yates, long time resident of Fellsmere, caught 400 pounds of frogs in the Stick Marsh west of Fellsmere. Ralph Craig, the best frogger around at the time, helped Wayne secure another 100 pounds of frog legs. The Frog Leg Festival volunteer group thought that 500 pounds of frog legs would be enough to last for three days. They cooked the frogs in fryers outside the old Fellsmere Public School. Fellsmere resident Ruby Korman and other Fellsmere women brought cole slaw and hominy grits to serve with the frog legs.77 After setting up for the first day’s dinner, all the ladies in the group with the exception of Fran left to go to the movies before the Festival opened, figuring that only a small number of people would attend. They couldn’t imagine how successful the event would be.
Crowds of people lined up to buy dinners on the first day throwing poor Fran into a panic to find more frog legs because 400 pounds of frog legs were sold out the first day! Those who ventured forth in the marsh came back with 500 pounds of frogs but again the frog legs were sold out the same day. That night the temperature turned cold causing the frogs to burrow in the mud to stay warm. So, on Saturday, Fran had her 14 year old daughter, Susan, and 13 year old daughter, Sarah, take her nursery van and drive up and down the streets of Fellsmere looking for airboats. When they found one, they would stop and ask the owners of the boats to sell them frogs. Fran promised to pay them on Sunday, January 20th, the day after the festival. In the true spirit of Fellsmere and airboating, another 500 pounds of frog legs were supplied, just enough to barely get through Saturday, January 19th, the last day of the festival.78
The success of the first dinner marked the beginning of the annual event famously known now as the “Fellsmere Frog Leg Festival”. The remainder of 1991 was spent planning for the next festival which evolved from a three day into a four day festival that is always held during the third week of January. The first official “Fellsmere Frog Leg Festival” was held in January 1992. There were 24,000 frogs taken out of the marsh for that festival.79 As of this writing, Fran Adams is the longest serving member of the Frog Leg Festival Board of Directors.
The world renowned Fellsmere Frog Leg Festival has attracted people from all over the globe. In 2001, through the efforts of Sharon Anderson and the Festival Entertainment Committee, the Frog Leg Festival received two certificates from the Guinness Book of World Records. They read as follows:
“The Fellsmere Frog Leg Festival held in Fellsmere, Florida, USA, is the largest frog leg festival in the world attracting 75,000 visitors from 18 to 21 January 2001”, and “At the Fellsmere Frog Leg Festival, Florida, USA, the most frog legs sold within the space of a working day was a world record 32.43 kg (71.5 lbs.) on 19 January 2001.” [AUTHOR’S NOTE: This was an error; most likely the world record should have read 3243 kg (7,135 lbs.) from January 18-21, 2001.]80 These two 8-1/2” x 11” certificates hang high in a framed case mounted on the rear (west) wall of the Frog Leg Festival Room at Marsh Landing Restaurant. Alongside the official letter of acceptance issued on July 10, 2001, by A. M. Collins, Correspondence Administrator for the Guinness Book of World Records, is the Proclamation issued by then Fellsmere Mayor Joel Tyson on August 16, 2001, proclaiming the recognition of the two world records and designating Fellsmere as the “Frog Leg Capital of the World”. Elsewhere in the room are posters, tee shirts, newspaper articles, and other memorabilia from all of the Frog Leg Festivals from its inception.
After more than 30 years of Festivals, more than $1.2 million dollars have been contributed by the Fellsmere Frog Festival Board of Directors to build and improve Fellsmere ballfields, parks, and other recreational facilities; for swim lessons for 3rd graders at the Fellsmere Elementary School; for restoration work at the old Fellsmere Public School; and to financially aid the many youth groups that help to hold the Festival Frog Leg Festival every year. Each year, there are more than 200 volunteers who are involved in the annual Festival to contribute to its success.81
Fran Adams, a former Indian River County Commissioner who served from November 17, 1992 to November 16, 2004, is now retired from Marsh Landing. However, as of this writing, her daughter, Susan Adams, former Mayor of Fellsmere from November 20, 2008, to November 19, 2015, operates the restaurant. Susan was elected to the Indian River County Board of County Commissioners in November 2016 to the seat her mother, Fran, held to represent District One in Indian River County. As of this writing, Susan has served on the County Commission from November 22, 2016, to the present.82