Back in the 50's Nova Road was simply called the Truck Route or Canal Road for 30 years before the late 1950's. News-Journal editor Robert Hunter and Ted Brousseau owner of the Tomoka Oaks subdivision thought this name was not very attractive to prospective buyers for upscale developments. The space pro gram was making headlines and bringing many jobs to the area. The Merritt Island Space Center had begun testing the Nova Series rocket in 1959. The men decided this would be a very popular name for the road. Surprisingly nobody objected and it as re named easily. Sadly NASA instead went with the follow-up Saturn Rocket.