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is a city in Brevard County, Florida, United States. The population was 16,412 at the 2000 census. According to the U.S Census estimates of 2005, the city had a population of 16,898. It is part of the Palm Bay–Melbourne–Titusville Metropolitan Statistical Area.
The city was founded by fishermen. The first families arrived in Cocoa around 1860. A post office was established at Magnolia Point two miles north and the first commercial building in Cocoa was erected in 1881 or 1882. First plats of the new settlement were made in 1882 under the name "Indian River City" on land owned by Captain R. A. Hardee. The name Indian River City was unacceptable to the U.S. Postal authorities who claimed it was too long for use on a postmark.
In 1885, the S. F. Travis Hardware store opened. It was still in business in 2009.
In 1925, the Cocoa Tribune published several accounts, supplied by readers, of the town's naming. Ruby Myers credited Captain R.C. May with recommending the name Cocoa at a town meeting in 1884. Those attending the meeting focused on a local product or characteristic feature of the area; e.g., citrus plants and Cedar Key. The name was forwarded to Washington, D.C. where it was approved.
Another story suggests that while a group of citizens were seeking a name for the town, an old woman received inspiration from a box of Baker's Cocoa and her suggestion was adopted. Still another version suggests that along the bank of the Indian River lived an old woman who would supply hot cocoa to the sailors as they traversed the Indian River. As they passed, they would call out "cocoa, cocoa" until the woman supplied them with refreshment. Whatever its origin, by 1884 the name Cocoa had become permanently associated with what was then an infant settlement
In 1964, the city built the Cocoa Expo Sports Center (Cocoa Stadium) for the Colt 45s spring baseball training. The team later became the Houston Astros. In the early 1980s, the city was confronted with upgrading the stadium. It tried to get the Astros to pay for needed repairs. In 1985, the team responded by moving its training to Osceola County Stadium in Kissimmee, Florida. As a result, it was decided that future negotiations with major league teams would be done at the county government level.