Name: Melbourne’s Time Travelers’ Society (MTTS)
Slogan: Preserving Melbourne’s Past for a Vibrant Tomorrow
Logo: Bulldog sticking its head through a book, also the cover of the 1963 MHS yearbook.
Publications: Dug from the Backyard

Melbourne’s Time Travelers’ Society (MTTS) is a student-led historical organization operating out of Melbourne High School. Founded on September 5, 2023, the society emerged from a shared passion for Melbourne’s rich history and a growing need to engage young historians. The founders, Kyle McLaren and Paige Tetterton, were inspired to establish MTTS during their research into the school’s relocation to its current campus. They soon realized that much of Melbourne’s history is fragmented, poorly documented, or at risk of being lost. With guidance from Dr. Jessica Wells, a history teacher at Melbourne High, MTTS was officially born.

The society’s name, “Melbourne’s Time Travelers’ Society,” reflects the idea that exploring historical artifacts—such as old yearbooks and personal stories—can feel like a journey through time. Additionally, the name distinguished MTTS from a hypothetical "Melbourne Historical Society," avoiding confusion with the school’s initials (MHS).

Origins and Early Preservation Efforts

One of MTTS’s earliest missions began with the discovery of mid-century modern architecture at Melbourne High. The school’s archived yearbooks, dating back decades, were being sorted and discarded. When President Kyle McLaren learned about this, he took action to rescue more than 60 yearbooks from being sent to DCR (a program run by Brevard Public Schools to redistribute surplus resources). Today, the MTTS Yearbook Collection boasts nearly 75 yearbooks, most of which were salvaged during this effort.

Community Projects and Challenges

MTTS has worked on numerous projects to connect with the local community and uncover hidden pieces of history. One of their first major undertakings was the search for a rumored time capsule. While reviewing a 2005 Melbourne High yearbook, the group found a map marking a “Time Capsule” near the baseball field. After weeks of inquiries with teachers and administrators, the group learned the time capsule might still exist but was likely made of plastic. Despite using metal detectors and digging trenches along the fence, the time capsule was never found. The search ended in October 2024 when renovations to the field began, displacing the capsule permanently.

In another project, MTTS sought to preserve artifacts from the former Sears property, which was fenced off in March 2024 for redevelopment into an apartment and storage complex. Thanks to former treasurer Caiden Fordley, the group contacted the site managers to request bricks from the Sears Auto Center before its demolition. Although the demolition crew never received the request, an anonymous donor later provided MTTS with an extensive collection of materials, including 160 bricks from the Auto Center and six from the main Sears store.

Expanding the Collection

MTTS has continued to save and curate historical artifacts from Melbourne’s past. Some of the group’s notable items are:

A 1985 Sears and Roebuck Co. television-radio combination unit.
A 1960s Singer sewing machine.
Numerous paper artifacts found along the perimeter of the former Sears property.
A leasing sign for the Sears property.
Historic school records donated by Melbourne High in March 2024.
A 1940s bed
Two bricks from one of the remaining mid-century Melbourne High buildings.
Store signage from Rue 21 and The Limited (now a subsidiary of Belk).
A purple shopping cart, nicknamed “Jeremy James Nathan the First” by Caiden Fordley.

Looking Ahead

MTTS remains committed to preserving Melbourne’s history and inspiring the next generation of historians. From saving lost artifacts to collaborating with alumni and local organizations, the society continues to uncover and celebrate the stories that shaped Melbourne’s past.

Melbourne's Time Travelers' Society

Preserving Melbourne's Past for a Vibrant Tomorrow

Photo Memories 2011

Rent a Historian

MTTS Sponsors

Hall of the Hounds Tiles

Hall of the Hounds Tiles

Melbourne's Time Travelers' Day (2024 Rescheduled)