On November 3, 1953, photographers documented dedication ceremonies at the newly constructed Canaveral Harbor.
Here's the surprising part: Before becoming a major cruise port and supporting America's space program, its first business was commercial fishing. By 1958, tankers were transporting Central Florida orange juice to New York.
In 1965, the Canaveral Lock opened with a particularly unusual purpose: allowing enormous Saturn rocket components to pass through the waterways. Later, the port handled recovered Space Shuttle solid rocket boosters.