Castle Windy is a 17 foot tall midden located on the barrier island, which dates from 1200 CE and continued for another 300 years.

It dates to the historical period, called Surruque by early Spanish mapmakers, named for native people residing in the area.

In 1955, the National Park Service published Our Vanishing Shoreline (1955), which made the case for protecting undeveloped coastal areas for conservation and recreation.

Soon afterwards, NASA undertook acquisition of  over 100 square miles of lands along the barrier island, Mosquito Lagoon, and mainland areas as a launch buffer.

In 1963 NASA and the Department of Interior reached agreement to dedicate 25,000 acres as Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge.

68-51 requesting the Department of the Interior to establish a National Seashore on the east coast of Volusia County, Florida.

On April 5 and 6, 1974, Congressman Roy Taylor, chairman of the house subcommittee on National Parks and Recreation, brought a congressional party to review the proposed site.

[13] For many years Rep. Frey credited  Doris Leeper as "the driving force behind establishment of Canaveral National Seashore.

"[10] The Canaveral National Seashore is a popular place for boaters, kayakers, fishers, sun-bathers, and hunters with many opportunities for recreation.

It features numerous boat ramps and locations for launching kayaks, along with miles of beaches popular with locals and tourists.

Shoreline anglers target species such as speckled trout, redfish, sheepshead, black drum and mangrove snapper.