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- DeLand... The 'Athens of Florida' (The Play)
- 1st
Airplane Lands
- Hotel
College Arms
- Stetson
University
- Lake
Helen, Florida
- DeLand
Fire Department
- The
Sheriffs Department
- My,
How We Have Grown
- Seville,
Florida
- Pierson,
Florida
- Volusia
County Fair
- Early
Homes
- DeBary
- DeBary
Hall
- DeLand
Police Department
- Emporia,
Florida
- Barberville,
Florida
- Faces
Of DeLand
- Planes
Over DeLand
- The
First Baptist Church of DeLand
- Early
Recreation in DeLand Part 1
- Early
Recreation in DeLand Part 2
- Orange
City, Florida
- Orange
City, Florida Hotels, Churches, Schools, Trains,
People
- Lake Beresford
- DeLeon
Springs, Florida
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Click
on Book Links for Description
Videos
1st
Airplane Lands in DeLand (1918)
In
1918, excitement for DeLand residents was high as news
of the first airplane had landed on the College Arms
Golf Course. This plane was from the flying school at
Sebring, Florida. The pilots would take trips on weekends
to the beach at Daytona. They would land at low tide
and pull their planes into the dunes. If the tide was
too high, they would land at the College Arms Golf Course
to wait for the tide to go out.
In
1956, Carl Ward leased some of the buildings at the
airport and opened the Florida Military School. It was
a great success until the Vietnam War started. Military
schools all over were victims of the back lash and many
had to close because they lost their students. This
was a great loss to our community.
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Hotel
College Arms and Golf Course
The
hotel was started by J.Y. Parce, brother-in-law of Henry
DeLand, who called it the "Parceland Hotel."
John B. Stetson bought the hotel in 1896 and changed
the name to "College Arms Hotel." He completed
the Hotel and added an 18-hole championship golf course,
one of the finest in the Country. The top professionals,
men and women, played here.
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Stetson
University: The Early Years (1883)
Henry
DeLand founded the DeLand Academy, later DeLand College
and then DeLand University in 1883. After the severe
freezes in 1885, Mr. DeLand's finances could not support
the University and he persuaded Mr. Stetson to take
over the endowment of the University. In 1886, Mr. DeLand
asked the Board of Trustees to change the name of the
school to John B. Stetson University. The "John
B." was dropped in 1951. The first football teams
were started in 1884.
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Lake
Helen, Florida: The Prettiest High Pine Town in the
State
In
1883-84, Henry DeLand purchased a 350 acre tract of
land to the southeast of DeLand. He was so impressed
by the tract's beauty that he could think of no more
befitting gesture than to name both its lake and its
town after his daughter, Helen.
From
its original identity as a winter resort and citrus
grove area, Lake Helen evolved as a railroad terminus,
lumber mill town, and location for a starch factory,
Nautilus Fitness headquarters, and film studios. During
these periods of change, the citizens of Lake Helen
developed their local government, municipal services
and schools. They also developed various forms of recreation,
not the least of which were fishing, "sugar parties,"
and the Lake Helen Baseball Team. Join us in this sentimental
journey back to historic Lake Helen and see that, although
her enterprises may have changed over the years, her
fundamental charm and relaxed beauty have prevailed.
Narrator:
Bill Dreggors, local historian
Producer: Rosa Meddaugh
Running time: 44 minutes 17 seconds
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History
of the DeLand Fire Department
From
its beginnings in the late 19th century, the DeLand
Fire Department gave its citizens an excellent return
on their investment. The initial annual budget was a
mere $350.00! The money all went to equipment; the first
firemen were all volunteers.
In
1886, a devastating fire spread from the Wilcox Saloon
and reduced the 100 block of North Woodland Blvd. to
ashes. Ordinances were soon passed against any more
wooden structures in the business district. Saloons
were also prohibited through the mid-1930's.
Although
horse drawn equipment gave way to modern fire trucks,
the department figured prominently in the town's municipal
parades during the many decades leading up to the television
era. The Department has always been proactive in its
community service and fire prevention education roles.
Folk
historian Bill Dreggors helps us recall the Fire Department's
many growth phases. His narration is richly illustrated
by the scores of photographs representing the Department's
growth. He identifies most of the firemen, fire chiefs,
and even the mischievous boys who scattered the Department's
horses soon after the turn of the twentieth century.
A hint of pride may be detected in Mr. Dreggor's voice
as he describes his own father's career as a volunteer
fireman.
Narrator:
Bill Dreggors, Local Folk Historian
Producer: Rosa Meddaugh
Running time: 30 minutes
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History
of Volusia County's Sheriff Department
According
to Folk Historian Bill Dreggors, law enforcement in
Volusia County has a history which is colorful enough
to create the plots for a whole series of "Who
Dunnit" novels. Starting with its first elected
Sheriff in 1885, the Department has had to deal with
desperadoes, fugitives, shoot-outs, moonshiners, rumrunners,
and even lynch mobs. Each of these episodes is illustrated
not only by Mr. Dreggors' insightful narrative, but
several photographs taken during each period.
This
documentary takes the viewer back to the times when
several county prisoner work camps were situated so
that prisoners could be moved via horsedrawn wagon to
their road work, field labor, or turpentine still labor.
Also discussed are the effects of the Prohibition era,
with moonshine stills and rumrunners showing up in the
cross-hairs of the Sheriff's guns. Want to know who
was fed road kill on a regular basis? Want to know who
was the last Florida prisoner to be executed by hanging?
Which jail was referred to as the "Boarding House"?
It's all on the inside, folks.
Narrator:
Bill Dreggors, Folk Historian
Producer: Rosa Meddaugh
Running time: 25 minutes
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My,
How We Have Grown
The
history of Volusia County's development is a microcosm
of Florida's overall growth. Starting with a handful
of hardy pioneers, Volusia needed visionaries to provide
investment capital and to promote the area's potential
to people up north. One of these visionaries, Henry
DeLand, fell in love with the "tall pine"
section that he discovered during a rare vacation from
his upstate New York factory. The end result: DeLand,
Florida.
Next
came the role played by railroads, hotels, and tourism.
Soon after the East Coast Railroad pushed into Daytona
Beach, a host of hotels such as The Breakers, The Neptune,
and The Sea Breeze sprouted up. Northerners seeking
relief from their cold winters flocked to these hotels
from the early 1900's until fires and shifting consumer
demand ushered in the motel period during the late 40's
and 50's.
The
area's industrial plants peaked early in the 20th century,
then declined just as the housing industry began to
surge. Such was the case when DeBary's Ox Fiber Brushes
(made from cabbage palms) gave way to the plastic during
the 1960's. At approximately the same time Ox Fiber
Brushes shut down, a building boom was starting in nearby
Deltona. At first scoffed at by longtime residents,
Deltona soon became our largest city.
Narrator
Bill Dreggors began to learn and appreciate the history
of Volusia's growth while listening to old time stories
at his father's knee. His vivid story telling illustrated
by a collection of vintage photographs, enables us to
travel back to the time when the place we call home
was a very different place, indeed.
Narrator:
Bill Dreggors, local Folk Historian
Produced by: Volusia Magazine
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Seville,
Florida: Tangerine Capital of the World
Seville's
origins are in one way, similar to those of nearby DeLand's.
Seville's founder, William Lente, just like Henry DeLand,
also went broke in the process of attempting to achieve
a goal for his town. In Lind's case the goal was a railroad
connecting Seville to St. Augustine. When the rails
finally came, they brought Teddy Roosevelt, who during
a stopover with his Rough Riders, declared Seville's
log depot the most attractive he'd ever seen.
Once
dubbed the "Tangerine Capital of the World,"
Seville evolved in a number of ways since the 1880's.
The excellent quail hunting, the Seville Hotel, its
town baseball team, and a tour boat called the Alma
May were were sources of community pride.
In
addition to the Lente family, names such as Prevatt,
Harvey, Miller, Cowart, Robinson, Graham, Cade, Meyer,
Causey, Morrison, Thigpen, Gordon, Flowers, Newman,
Haynes, and Raulerson, figured in shaping
the town.
Narrator:
Bill Dreggors, local folk historian
Producer: Rosa Meddaugh
Running time: 35 minutes 17 seconds
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Pierson,
Florida: Fern Capital of the World
How
many towns can claim to be named by a train conductor?
In 1886, when the first train rolled in, this small
town was still unnamed. The conductor of the train asked
the first five men that he met for their names. When
all five answered Pierson, he declared the town's
name to be Piersonville.
Peter
and Nels Pierson, and their three cousins had come to
Florida in 1876, hoping to expand a fern growing business
they had previously operated near Boston. Although they
were accidentally responsible for the town's name, their
business and fields (and the fields of other owners)
were grown by purposeful design. They kept on growing
until the town could rightfully claim to be the "Fern
Capital of the World."
This
recording takes through Pierson's early days, when citrus
crops and commercial fishing competed with fern crops
for leadership as the area's economic base. Old-time
Pierson farmers, field hands, warehousemen, store and
hotel owners, church congregations, teachers and students,
athletic teams and musical groups beckon to us from
over the decades.
We
revisit many of the old family faces and names that
were an integral part of Pierson history. Several generations
of Piersons, Engstroms, Hagstroms, Bennetts, Swansons,
Andersens, Jones, Ericksons, Merriams, Pledgers, Botts,
Cades, Taylors, Carlisles, Petersons, and Smileys, to name a few, gaze out at us from the distant past.
Narrator:
Bill Dreggors, local Folk Historian
Producer: Rosa Meddaugh
Running time: 44 minutes 10 seconds
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Volusia
County Fair: The 1st 100 Years
Circuses
actually were the first type of entertainment to come
to the area in approximately 1890. The first fair was
held at the Aquatic Club on the west side of Blue Lake
about 1914. the Fair Grounds on West New York Avenue,
across from the DeLand Depot was built in 1924 and was
in continuous use until the late 1930's and again for
one year after World War II in 1954. The City then sold
the property and the Fair was moved to the National
Guard Armory on South Alabama Ave. for the years 1955,
56 and 57. It was held at the old Naval Hospital site
in 1958 and 59. Its next stop was on McDonald Ave. at
the airport in 1966 and 67. The first fair on Hwy. 44
was held in 1968 and has continued to grow in this location.
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Early
Homes in DeLand
When
northerners began to move to DeLand, they built homes
similar to their places up North. They called their
homes "winter cottages."
Many
of these beautiful old homes have been torn down to
make room for "progress." Those that remain
are treasures that we should preserve for future generations.
These
homes are mostly built of native "yellow pine";
base boards, door facings and built-in cabinets often
were made of "curly pine." This wood was rare
and this kind of lumber is no longer available. This
is another reason to save these beautiful homes.
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DeBary,
Florida
Historians
cannot help but note the ironic fact that the city of
DeBary is one of the area's youngest, a mere ten years,
yet boasts the oldest standing domicile in West Volusia
County; DeBary Hall. Part of the reason for DeBary's
relatively slow ascent to incorporation is owed to its
original creation by a single man, Frederick DeBary,
and a total dominance by him and his family well into
the 20th century. The DeBary clan, wealthy even by comparison
with the robber barons of their era, invested so heavily
in the land surrounding their sumptuous winter home
that by the early 1900's, approximately 9,000 acres
was in their use for either agricultural, hunting, or
fishing purposes, or in support of their other area
enterprises, not the least of which was the DeBary Merchant
(steamship) Line.
The
enclosed video, narrated by folk historian Bill Dreggors,
takes us on a pictorial journey through DeBary's early
days as several loose clusters of residential homes
and shops; to be joined by early churches, bridges,
highways and larger businesses, most notably the Florida
Power generating plant. Many who thought they knew DeBary
will come away with a greater appreciation of their
city's growth after viewing the video.
Narrator:
Bill Dreggors, Local Folk Historian
Producer: Rosa Meddaugh
Running time: 45 minutes
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DeBary
Hall
DeBary
Hall looks too elegant to be a seasonal hunting and
fishing lodge, yet Frederick DeBAry and his son Adolph
built it specifically for that purpose in 1871. They
and their well healed guests were able to lounge in
the kind of luxury they were accustomed to whenever
they returned from their outings on Lake Monroe, the
St. Johns River and surrounding forest. The senior DeBary
had plenty of money to invest in this winter home thanks
to his thriving wine import business. In fact, he had
enough left over to plant orange groves, pecan trees,
on the surrounding acreage (up to 6,000) and even start
up a bustling steamship business, the DeBary Merchant
Line.
In
the enclosed tape, folk historian Bill Dreggors describes
some of the more unusual aspects of this area's oldest
standing structure, including its ice house, caretaker's
shack, its lightning rods, swimming pool (Florida's
first), and even a private airplane strip and hangar.
The same airplane shown in this tape crashed in 1941,
causing Frederick's granddaughter's death and leading
to family divestiture in DeBary Hall. However,
thanks to several decades of strident preservation efforts,
we are now able to visit this fine architectural sample
of a by-gone era. This tape will enable us to preview
such a visit or serve as a keepsake.
Narrator:
Bill Dreggors, Local Folk Historian
Producer: Rosa Meddaugh
Running time: 32 minutes
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History
of the DeLand Police Department
As
Bill Dreggors tells it, DeLand's first department was
a one man operation, a town marshal. Funding for the
marshal nearly dried up until the shade tree tax refund
was revoked.
Folk
Historian Bill Dreggors traces the history of the Department
with particular emphasis on the individual patrolmen
and chiefs who managed our law enforcement from the
1920's to the present day. He also touches on the phasing
in of modern police techniques such as motor cars, motorcycles,
a two-way communications system, and interaction with
the FBI.
By
viewing this recording, we learn who was DeLand's best
known motorcycle patrolman, who made a famous "mystery
stew" and who was photographed in the act of controlling
a wild turkey. Names such as Cosimini, Battles, Cooper,
Dillard, Hays, Slaughter, Richardson, Dreggors, Heath,
and Bibbey, to name a few, are given to the faces peering
out from old Police Department photographs. Mr. Dreggors
pays tribute to all that they done over the years to
make DeLand such a peaceful community.
Narrator:
Bill Dreggors, Local Folk Historian
Producer: Rosa Meddaugh
Running time: 30 minutes
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Emporia,
Florida
Though
never a large community, Emporia enjoyed its own little
boom period from the late 1880's through 1920's. Its
prosperity was done partly to an influx of Northern
tourists who stayed at the Emporia Hotel and (some)
decided to build their own impressive two-story "painted
houses." Emporia's other economic stimuli came
from a a saw mill, a turpentine still, orange groves,
a packing house, and cattle ranching. Some of the local
agriculture consisted of subsistence farms.
Like
so many early communities, Emporia featured a small
school house, a small post office, and a small Baptist
Church. Any unusual or new event would draw intense
local interest. Such was the case when Emporia's first
flush toilet was installed, inspiring school children
to conduct "grasshopper swirl" demonstration.
Assisted
by the inputs of John Turner, Maxine Turner, and Ethel
Murphy, Bill Dreggors narrates this story.
Current
day relatives of Emporia's pioneer families, named Richardson,
Dillard, Roberts, Beers, DeLong, Wesson, Miners, Mozart,
Ballard, Stone, Felton, and Wilson will hear their
ancestors credited with helping build Volusia County.
Narrator:
Bill Dreggors, Local Folk Historian
Producer: Rosa Meddaugh
Running time: 22 minutes
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Barberville,
Lungren, Volusia
As
its original name "Midway" implies, Barberville
has always been a crossroads, owing much of its early
progress to the railroads, stage roads, and the St.
John's River. From the time progress to the railroads,
stage roads, and the St. John's River. From the time
Mr. Barber opened his store in 1882, through the steamboat
commerce out of Astor Landing, and with the opening
of the Barberville Railroad Depot in 1886, transportation
was a key to the town's growth. Inevitably, progress
has changed the scenery of the town and its surrounding
areas. Gone are the hand-operated river ferries. Gone
are the Indian mounds whose shells were hauled away
for surfacing county roads. Gone, also, is the Lake
George lighthouse, burned down in 1971, but not before
it hosted one of Florida's greatest murder mysteries.
Certain
visionaries recognized the importance of preserving
the town's rich heritage, and thus created the very
popular site known as Barberville Pioneer Settlement.
By visiting the Settlement, one can take a huge step
back in time and experience the Barberville of the Nineteenth
Century.
As
they review this recording, old-timers and their descendants
will recognize their faces smiling out from old home,
work, church, and school photographs. Names connected
with those faces include Dillard, Murphy, Clifton,
Underhill, Seymour, Russell, Ward, Hunter, Long, Hatch,
Rutledge, Beasley, Lemons, Richardson, Buckles,
and Morrison to name a few.
A
warm thank you to John and Maxine Turner and Ethel Murphy
for their contributions to this video.
Narrator:
Bill Dreggors, Local Folk Historian
Producer: Rosa Meddaugh
Running time: 51 minutes, 2 seconds
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Faces
Of DeLand (The Play)
By Larry
Sands
The Cast |
| The
Interviewer |
|
Larry
Sands |
| Cyrenius
Wright |
|
David
Rigsby |
| Capt.
John Rich |
|
Vann
Rhodes |
| Clara
Rich |
|
Pamela
Rintz |
| Henry
A. DeLand |
|
Bill
Dreggors |
| John
Forbes |
|
Pete
Rougeux |
| Hettie
Austin |
|
Andrea
Finkle |
| C.P.
Wilcox |
|
Jim
Armstrong |
| John
B. Stetson |
|
Gary
Meadows |
| Fanny
Burlingame |
|
Janet
Bollum |
| Mayor
David Rigsby |
|
Himself |
Production
Crew
|
| Producer/Director |
|
Rene
Sands |
| Researchers |
|
Bill
Dreggors, Elysha Dunagan, Pat Nordman, Beverly
Outlaw, Larry & Rene Sands |
| Stage
Managers |
|
Paunny
Brandt, Martha Desmond, Midge Ashley |
| Set
Construction |
|
Felton
Construction |
| Scenic
Art |
|
Ralph
Batten, Len Berroth |
| Lights |
|
Josh
Rigsby |
| Stage
Crew |
|
John
Watson, Katie Keyser, Kim Sarich |
| Costume
Coordinator |
|
Julie
Flowers |
| Music
Coordinator |
|
Jeffrey
Sands |
Theater
Center Coordinators
|
| Artistic
Coordinator |
|
Darlene
J. Lentz |
| Technical
Supervisor |
|
Mike
Keyser |
| Administrative
Director |
|
Pattie
S. Pardee |
| Box
Office Manager |
|
Bonnie
Keyser |
Acknowledgments |
T.C.E. Rentals, Inc. (Larry and Carol Curran,
Frank Phelan), Gibbs for Men, Seaside Music
Theater
Mike Rushkin, Scott Price, LaVerda Felton, Jacki
Cosimini, Alan Parker, Marty Wilson, Rebecca
Wilson, Christopher Hayes, Larry Campbell, Tim
Utting, Lynn Brandenburg, Carol McGauvran, Debbie
Turner, Irene Johnson, Beverly Buzzeli, Sandy
Walls, Carol McCormick
This production is licensed in part by ASCAP
- the American Society of Composers, Authors
& Publishers.
|
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Planes
Over DeLand (1943-46)
By
1943, DeLand Naval Air Station was at full staff and
was turning out SBD Squadrons weekly for the Pacific
Fleet. Keeping these old planes flying was a compliment
to the line chiefs and mechanics. Even then, they had
crashes regularly. The drone of the plane engines over
DeLand was constant, day and night.
Officers
and sailors were on the streets of town and at the Athens
Theater and the bowling alley with their dates every
evening. It was a real boom time for local merchants.
The
U.S.O. was located in the old Chamber of Commerce building
on the S.W corner of New York and Florida Aves. This
was a popular place for service men and the local girls.
The
Catholic church had dances for servicemen weekly The
residents did all they could to make the servicemen
feel "at home." DeLand was booming!
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WWII
- Navy Base Closes (1946)
The
DeLand Naval Air Station had auxiliary bases in New
Smyrna, Spruce Creek, Crescent City, Lake George, DeLeon
Springs, and bombing targets near Pasley, Hawkinsville,
and East of Lake Dias. New Smyrna refueled and rearmed
planes practicing landings at Spruce Creek and target
practicing over the ocean. The planes carried a 500
lb. bomb when they were over the ocean in case they
spotted a German sub. They did bomb quite a few whales
thinking they were subs. Lake Crescent and Lake George
were used by the Naval Air Station in DeLand. DeLeon
had two sailors stationed at the Springs to patrol Lake
Woodruff. The College Arms Hotel was taken over by the
Navy to be used by the armed guard personnel as a rest
center. These men manned the guns on freightliners and
tankers going all over the world. They were not recognized
for any benefits until about forty years after the end
of the war. their wives and girlfriends stayed at Mrs.
Whitley's Boarding House across from the hotel. The
war ended and the base closed on March 15, 1946. the
Base was then turned over to the City of DeLand.
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Navy
Lands in DeLand (1942)
On
November 11, 1942, the DeLand Naval Air Station officially
opened after several months of land acquisition and
building construction. Capt. Tom Turner, first base
commander, officiated. A band had not been formed so
the DeLand High School band played for the opening of
the base.
The
first planes were "Venturas." They were not
here for training, but were patrolling the coast of
Florida looking for German submarines.
When
the "SBD" dive bombers began to arrive, along
with pilots and crew members, the "Venturas"
were reassigned to Brazil for patrol duty.
The
"SBDs" were planes that were being replaced
in the Pacific fleet. It was the "SBD" that
sank the four Japanese carriers at the Battle of Midway.
Many
of DeLand's citizens were employed at the base and were
paid wages that were great coming out of the depression.
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DeLand
in the '50s: The War Boom
The
1950's saw new items in the stores. People had saved
their money during the war and were ready to spend it.
Throw out the old antique furniture and get new chrome
and plastic. The first subdivision since the 20s and
shopping centers were built. G.I. loans were available
and veterans took advantage of them. The City of DeLand
gave free lots to any veterans living in the city with
the stipulation that they had to build on them within
one year.
The
economy slowed in the latter part of the 50's and every
thing stayed the same for awhile.
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DeLand
in the '60s and '70s
The
economy began to pick up in the 60's and DeLand again
showed new growth and more new shopping centers. The
downtown business district showed a drastic change;
grocery stores moved out to the shopping centers, as
well as some of the retail businesses. Main street would
not recover until the 1990's. Home construction was
now supervised by new county and city departments that
were created for buildings permits. Inspectors were
hired to check all work. Prior to this, you could build
whatever-wherever. As you look back at life in the 1900's
and compare it to today, there were more changes in
this past century, than in all the previous years combined.
Wonder what the next 100 years will bring?
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John
B. Stetson in DeLand, Florida
Mr.
Stetson came to DeLand in 1886 to escape the cold winters
in Philadelphia. His friend, Henry DeLand, told him
about this wonderful area. Stetson purchased several
hundred acres of land, planted orange groves, built
an electric plant, an ice plant, and put in a water
system West of DeLand. His groves froze in the 1894-95
freezes and he built wood slat houses over them so they
would never freeze again.
His
electric plant was the first in Florida and the three
street lights were the first in Florida. The generator
he used was the fourth one made by Edison.
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DeLand
During the Depression
World
War I was over, people had money to spend and the economy
boomed.
Prohibition
was passed and alcohol dried up, until the boot leggers
got geared up. Gangsters, Rum Runners, Bath Tub Gin,
Moonshine, and Home Brew was the order of the day. Land
prices in Florida went out of site. In Miami, land was
going up to $10,000 a front foot. It all ended in 1926,
when a severe hurricane hit Miami. In 1928, the banks
closed and the entire county was caught up in a deep
depression. DeLand was no exception, hard times hit
here also.
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DeLand
in the '20s: The Boom Days
The
1930's were tough years, financially. Laborers, if they
could find a job, were paid $1.00 per day. These were
10 to 12 hour days, Monday through Saturday. Groceries
were cheap, but most people had a garden, chickens,
a pig, and some lucky ones even had a milk cow. Boys
and girls both went to school bare footed to save money.
When Dave Sholts, of Daytona Beach, was elected governor
he legalized slot machines and the profits paid for
school books so parents did not have to any more. After
4 years, slot machines were removed but books remained
free. Even if we were poor, most everyone else was,
so we did not know it. It was a really wonderful time
to grow up here. During the war years (1940's) DeLand
bustled with the Navy boat works and glider factory.
This will be highlighted in another video.
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DeLand:
As You Remember It ('40s)
A
video of DeLand and the close surrounding area during
the war years of the 40's, the town where you grew up
or spent some of your young years...
the
way it was then and never will be again...
the changes brought on by the war that touched us at
our very doorsteps...
the things you did, the places you went, the people
you knew...
This
brand new video will let you view the old town again
as it was "THEN"... step
back in time for an hour or so... let your mind wander
back to younger, less hectic, more innocent days...
to DELAND -- as you can remember it!
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DeLand:
The WWI Era
From
1900 to 1920 DeLand experienced slow but steady growth.
The County Jail was built on West New York Avenue across
from the Court House. When a person was sentenced to
hang, the hanging was carried out in that county. Here
it took place in the rear of the jail. A new Post Office
was built in 1917 on the northeast corner of Indiana
and Florida Avenues. World War I ended in 1918 with
six local men killed. Officers were trained at Stetson
University's ROTC program to serve in WWI. The "Downtown"
had only one wood building left by 1920.
Downtown
was changing with new construction. Everything was located
downtown. There were no shopping centers!!
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DeLand:
The Years 1890-1920
This
thirty year period was momentous in the changes it brought.
DeLand continued to grow both in its downtown area,
as well as, in population. The telephone and electric
were becoming more accessible to the households in the
area. DeLand experienced the worst freezes in it's short
history, in 1894 and in 1895. It was about 10 years
before the groves made a comeback. Mr. Stetson died
in 1906 and Henry DeLand died in 1908. Woodland Boulevard
was bricked in 1917. Part of the road to New Smyrna
Beach bricked in 1919 after World War I.
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The
Founding of DeLand
Henry,
A. DeLand arrived in Central Florida on April 7, 1876,
and made his first land purchase the next day. Describing
the area as the most beautiful place he had ever seen,
he purchased more land and laid out a city. The few
settlers who were living in the area met and named the
city for him, electing the first city officials in 1882.
Henry
DeLand founded the "Academy" (later to become
Stetson University) in 1883. He made DeLand a center
of culture and learning and called it "the Athens
of Florida."
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St.
Johns River: The Steamboat Era
In
1886 settlers began coming to central Florida to homestead
government property and by the 1880's, tourists, traveling
mostly by steamboat on the St. Johns River, had found
Florida. The 1870's and 80's were the "Honeymoon
Years" of the steamboats. During this time, it
was said that you could stand on the deck of a steamboat
and see another one anytime of the day or night.
The
coming of the train to central Florida in 1886 would
end the steamboat era by the early 1930's.
Visit
these fascinating years of the St. Johns and the steamships
that helped build Florida.
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Lue
Gim Gong: The Citrus Wizard
Lue
Gim Gong came to DeLand, Florida, in 1888. He died here
in 1925 and is buried in Oakdale Cemetery.
His
Lue Gim Gong Orange was an early fruit that ripened
in September, but it could hang on the tree for four
years and still be good. This orange won him the Silver
Wilder Medal from the Department of Agriculture in 1911
- the only time it was ever given for citrus.
He
conducted church services every Sunday in his orange
grove. Everyone was invited and many came.
Learn
more about this quiet and gentle man who was a true
citrus wizard.
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History
of DeLeon Springs
It
is said that Ponce DeLeon came to Florida in search
of the "Fountain of Youth." It is also said
that Spanish records show that he came up a large river
that flowed to the north (St. Johns). He passed through
a very large lake (Lake George) and a few miles later
came to another lake (Lake Dexter). A short stream connected
it (Tick Island Run) with another large lake (Lake Woodruff).
Flowing into this lake on the north side was a large
clear stream (Spring Garden Run). He followed it to
its source, and he found at least two springs (DeLeon
Springs). He drank eagerly of the water, but alas he
grew no younger and another dream had vanished.
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Ghost
Towns of the St. Johns
St.
Francis (Old Town), Crows Bluff, and Hawkinsville were
located on the west bank of the St. Johns River, four
miles west of DeLand.
St.
Francis is 116 miles south of Jacksonville, Crows Bluff,
119 miles, and Hawkinsville, 121 miles. Hawkinsville
was granted a post office on April 26, 1858. Discontinued
on Feb. 2, 1869. Regranted Sept. 23, 1872. It was then
moved to Crows Bluff on Aug. 23, 1888 and discontinued
on May 13, 1931. St. Francis was granted a post office
on March 15, 1888 and discontinued on Oct. 15, 1909.
These
important river towns served the steamboat traffic in
these early years. But, when the train came to Central
Florida from Jacksonville in 1886, taking the commerce
from the steamboat lines, these towns began to die,
and in a few years they became "ghost towns"
that hold many great stories of Florida's early beginnings.
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Florida's
Giants: The Bald Cypress
Step
Back In Time -- when the Bald Cypress stood sentinel
on the banks of the St. John's River.
The
Bald Cypress, reaching heights up to 150 feet and a
diameter of 25 feet, grew from Delaware to Florida,
over to Texas and up the Mississippi River to Illinois.
Lumbermen
began to harvest the cypress, in earnest, in the 1860's.
Cypress
is a hardy wood, resistant to insects and rot... used
for many purposes, including water tanks for the railroads.
Bill
Dreggors gives us a rare look into this important time
in the history of Florida.
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Blue
Spring: Gem of the St. Johns
Blue
Spring is indeed the "GEM" of the St. Johns
River. It has been occupied for more than 2000 years.
First by the Mayaca Indians, then the Seminoles, and
in the 1840's, the first white settlers.
It's
character has changed very little since Louis Thursby
built his home on the shell midden in 1872.
Blue
Spring is now a state park of some 2800 acres and the
home of the West Indies manatee. It is the only spring
on the St. Johns where they winter in large numbers.
Special?
Yes, Indeed!!
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History
is Alive
Join
fourth-graders, Tom and Anna as a seemingly ordinary
classroom lesson turns into an adventure in time travel!
Local historian, Bill Dreggors, dons the garb and persona
of the founding father of the City of DeLand, Henry
Addison DeLand, and takes the children on a journey
to some of the historic buildings and places that have
played an important role in Volusia County's past.
Cast
Tom:
Thomas Brett
Anna: Anna Christina Randolph
Timucuan Indian: Reese Moore
Narrator/Henry Addison DeLand: William J. Dreggors,
Jr.
Running
time approximately
15 minutes.
Written, produced and directed by Senta Goudy.
Editing and technical production by Beachwood
Productions, Inc.
Videography by Volusia County Community Information
Division.
Produced
by the Volusia County Historic Preservation Board with
assistance from the Volusia County Community Information
Division. This project has been financed in part with
historic preservation grant assistance provided by the
National Park Service, United States Department of the
Interior, administered through the Bureau of Historic
Preservation, Florida Department of State, assisted
by the Florida Historic Preservation Advisory Council.
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FIRST
BAPTIST CHURCH OF DELAND
The
histories of DeLand and its First Baptist Church have
been intertwined from the very start. Thanks to a lifelong
familiarity with both, Bill Dreggors is able to take
us back to the first services held in an open pine forest,
then DeLand's first school house, and then on to the
three different church structures; each providing the
space needed to accommodate the church's ever-growing
membership.
A
number of old photographs and slides (some of these
literally rescued from the trash collector) are used
to illustrate Dreggor's narrative as he describes each
phase of the church's history. Pictures from decades
past will take many on a trip back to their own childhood
and young adulthood. They will see themselves participating
in services, choirs, Sunday school classes, construction
projects, and even Valentine Day parties.
Narrator: Bill Dreggors, Folk Historian
Producer: Rosa Meddaugh
Running time: 40 minutes
Copyright 2005
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DELAND
REVISITED
Bill
Dreggors, Janet Bollun, dressed as Henry DeLand and
Helen DeLand, Heritage Day, circa 1990, strolling in
downtown DeLand, up to DeLand Hall, and met the president
at Stetson University.
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EARLY
RECREATION IN DELAND, FLORIDA PART I
Folk
historian Bill Dreggors takes us on a nostalgic trip
through several eras of recreation in West Volusia County.
In the late 19th century, the main attraction was our
climate and the abundant opportunities for fishing and
hunting. Then, as the new (20th) century dawned, the
Blue Lake Aquatic Club became the preferred gathering
place, not only for the water sports, but also for those
fortunate enough to belong to the Blue Lake Automobile
Club.
From
World War I through the 1940's the DeLand Band Shell
hosted a wide variety of entertainment events. High
on that list were concerts by our own municipal band
and the "Talent Night" competition. The Florida
Cowboys were also among the more popular musical groups.
Dreggors also tells how DeLand's first movie houses:
the Athens, the Dreka, and the Washington served the
dual roles as entertainment palaces for adults and baby
sitters for their children.
Dreggors
explains how throughout the early decades, outdoor recreation
reigned supreme. Shuffle boards, horseshoe pits, tennis
courts, golf courses, and checker boards were found
in a variety of places, then kept relocating right up
to the current day. A zoo as part of a trailer park;
power boat racing on a city lake; a city dump reconfigured
as a golf course; each story entertains the modern day
viewer nearly as much as we were originally entertained
"back in the day".
Narrator: Bill Dreggors, local folk historian
Produced by: Roasa Meddaugh
Running Time: 53 minutes, 10 seconds
Copyright 2005
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EARLY
RECREATION IN DELAND, FLORIDA PART II
A
professional baseball team from DeLand? Car races at
the old fair grounds? Stetson University hosting Florida
State University in football game? Babe Ruth's wife
dedicating a youth league? A water park? Power boat
racing in a weekly basis? Bicycle clubs and dog and
pony shows? That's right. All these events were important
attractions for our leisure pursuits from the early
1900's through the 1950's. Folk historian Bill Dreggors
helps us revisit these old events as only he can.
Mr. Dreggors supplies many of the names of those who
smile at us from their respective eras of DeLand pastimes
...names such as "Raw Meat" Rogers, "Uncle
Bill" Page, "Frenchy" Norega, Bill Conrad,
the DeLand Red Hats, and several amateur players who
became town leaders later in their life. Mr. Dreggors
also explains how community events drew sizable turnouts
in the days before television and the shopping malls.
Certain organizations also attracted large numbers of
local enthusiasts: the American Legion, VFW, Boy Scouts,
Sea Scouts, and the Royal Order of the Moose to name
a few. Some of these pursuits and organizations have
faded or disappeared altogether. Some are still growing.
Whichever the case, their origins and highlights are
competently chronicled herein.
Narrator: Bill Dreggors, local folk historian
Produced by: Rosa Meddaugh|
Running Time: 50 minutes
Copyright 2005
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BURT'S HOLDING
F.N.
Burt's story has several elements similar to that of
Henry DeLand. Burt was already a wealthy man when he
came to the DeLeon Springs area of Buffalo, NY in 1912.
He was also interested in real estate development. Burt's
story diverges from DeLand's after that. For one thing,
he diversified; getting into agricultural and leisure
enterprises on his own. For another, Burt actually became
richer, rather than busted, as a result of his investments.
After unloading his auto from the train, Burt proceeded
in invest an entire suitcase full of cash. When he was
finished, he had developed a huge agricultural complex
which featured sugar cane, cotton, water melons, corn,
cattle, and even cactus. His largest cluster of live
stock stables and feed barns became Spring Garden Ranch,
where nowadays we can see future harness champions work
out during their off season.
Burt's real estate venture, Burwyn Park, had his personal
whimsical touches of Japanese and frontier American
entrance arches. He also tried his hand at amusement
parks. Burt's Park was a serious competitor with DeLeon
Spring Park. It became a favorite hangout for Navy personnel
during World War II.
Bill Dreggors spins this yarn by drawing on his own
encyclopedic knowledge of the area. He illustrates this
video with a collection of vintage photos and even relies
on his personnel family history for certain details.
It seems that Dreggor's own father was a close friend
of the Burt family. Furthermore, one of Burt's key personnel
was a certain Ralph Driggers, another member of the
same Dreggors clan. How did a vast forest of pine become
the areas known as Burwyn Park,Spring Garden Ranch,
and South Hill Farm? It's all on the inside.
Narrator: Bill Dreggors, local folk historian
Produced by: Rosa Meddaugh|
Running Time: 40 minutes
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GLENWOOD,
FLORIDA
Bill Dreggors takes us on yet another time trip to Old
Volusia. This tour goes to Glenwood and Highland Park.
We may have thought we knew these neighborhoods, but
Dreggors helps us to understand how drastically they
have changed since the 1880's.
With Dreggors as out guide, and vintage photos as our
illustration, we go back to Lue Gim Gong's old haunts.
We stay overnight at the Highland Park House, then,
for good measure, check into the Glenwood House, two
"full service" hotels of a bye-gone era. We
also sit in a one room school house which happened to
be financed by an atheist. you can easily imagine what
happens when out benefactor catches us reciting the
Lords Prayer! We travel down the original Grand Avenue,
a divided boulevard even then, yet unpaved, then covered
with shells and graced with an overhead with an overhead
canopy of pine trees draped in moss.
As for the pastimes enjoyed by the original settlers,
we go to Robert's Fish Camp, a bicycle ride to neighboring
towns, and on an outing with the Glenwood Tennis Camp.
We also visit a celery farm, back in the days when produce
customers insisted on pure white celery, and the growers
found a way to comply.
Let's
meet the Hazens, Wooleys, Woods, Jones, Conrads, and
Van Cleefs. These were just some of the folk who settled
these festinating and ever evolving neighborhood of
Glenwood and Highland Park.
Narrator: Bill Dreggors, local folk historian
Produced by: Rosa Meddaugh|
Running Time: 35 minutes
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ORANGE
CITY, FLORIDA
Orange City's name was inspired by its previous economic
dependence on the intense plating, harvesting, and marketing
of oranges. In this respect, "Orange City"
story in typical of many Central Florida municipalities.
However, folk historian, Bill Dreggors gives us an insight
to the twists of history that have given Orange City
its own unique character.
Dreggors takes us through the distinct, yet overlapping
phases of Orange City's history. At first it was mostly
a high pine forest, impressing Henry DeLand with its
beauty when he came through it in 1876. It was already
the type of well-structured town that Mr. DeLand would
later found. The co-founder of Orange City were Seth
French and Norman Levitt. They sold raw acreage, promoted
development, and in general, capitalized on the "Orange
Fever".
From W.W. West General Store to a wooden railroad to
the little bank that refused to fail Orange City's legacy
unfolds before our eyes.
Narrator: Bill Dreggors, local folk historian
Produced by: Rosa Meddaugh|
Running Time: 45 minutes
Copyright 2004
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Orange
City, Florida Hotels, Churches, Schools, Trains, People
What
makes up a small town? In this video you will see the
heart and soul of one small town - Orange City, Florida.
Bill Dreggors gives us insight to the people and places
that gave Orange City its own unique character.
Narrator: Bill Dreggors, Local Folk Historian
Producer: Rosa Meddaugh
Running time: 53 minutes
Copyright 2004
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Hontoon
Island
The
first significant "modern" development on
Hontoon Island was the steamboat landing at Cabbage
Bluff. Cargo was off-loaded and stored in a small cluster
of buildings and onto Mr. Bond's DeLand/Hontoon railroad.
A shuttle boat, the Cherokee, handled other passenger
and cargo needs.
Orange
groves prevailed for awhile, then were decimated by
the frosts. Mr. Love's farm thrived thanks to the rich
soil and hos cabbage, corn, and celery crops. The Deanbury
Dairy farm also prospered for years. The need for road
building materials led to digging up the large shell
mounds on Hontoon. It also led to perhaps the largest
Indian artifact find (including extremely rare totem
poles) in the United States.
Historian
Bill Dreggor narrates this picture tour of Hontoon.
He tells of the impact that people named Dreka, Strong,
Botts, Moore, Perkins, and Connell had on its history.
He guides us around the Snake River, Shell Cheek, Mud
Lake, and Lake Beresford. With Mr. Dreggors' help, we
see how Hontoon eventually hosted a state park, a yacht
club, and residential development.
Narrator: Bill Dreggors, Local Folk Historian
Producer: Rosa Meddaugh
Running time: 30minutes
Copyright 2006
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Methodist
Children's Home Enterprise, Florida
In
this video, Bill Dreggors takes us back to the old Methodist
Orphanage in Enterprise. He explains how it was started
by a concerned elderly lady known as Mother Brooks who,
at the turn of the twentieth century, decided to convert
her oversized house into a refuge for homeless children.
The Methodist Church soon became her generous partner,
and pitched in to help the facility grow and even prosper.
Thanks
to a collection of old photographs, we can see how the
Orphanage children raised chickens, pigs, dairy cattle,
vegetables, and citrus products. They also learned trades
such as carpentry, printing, and barbering, attended
the local grade school, and later, DeLand High School.
They also got to enjoy one of the area's better playgrounds
and swimming pool. Dreggors shares with us his personal
experiences with the Orphanage and the lifelong friendships
he forged with some of its youngsters. To quote one
of his old pals, "I got a good start in life there.
It wasn't bad; not bad at all."
Narrator: Bill Dreggors, Local Folk Historian
Producer: Rosa Meddaugh
Running time: 18 minutes
Copyright 2006
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Stone
Island, Osteen, Saulsville, and Lake Ashby
In
this illustrated narrative, Bill Dreggors shows us some
nearly forgotten aspects of Central Florida settlements.
We visit old Stone Island, back when both vegetable
farms and jewelry production thrived therein. We also
get to meet the founder of Osteen, its early schools,
churches, post office, and railroad depot. We learn
the contributions made by Sam Brooks, Herbert Bond,
and Ted Hunter. In the Lemon Bluff segment, we learn
how an enterprising settler helped a confederate leader
escape into exile. We also learn why and how the Calkins
Electric family first moved into this region. It's all
on the inside.
Narrator: Bill Dreggors, Local Folk Historian
Producer: Rosa Meddaugh
Running time: 30 minutes
Copyright 2006
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Enterprise
Florida
Bill
Dreggors entertains and enlightens us with this pictorial
review of one of Volusia County's oldest settlements.
It's a story with enough twists and turns to make up
a historical trivia quiz. Some of the questions in such
a quiz would be:
- Which
Central Florida town served as a destination resort
over 100 years before Disney World was developed?
- Which
town had, at various times, been the seat for three
different countries? (Mosquito, Orange, and Volusia)
- President
Grant spent the night at a hotel called Brock House
in which Central Florida town?
- Which
town changed its name twice and its location once?
- Name
the town which served as the first terminus for for
steam boat transportation to and from Jacksonville?
The
correct answer is always "Enterprise", and
Mr. Dreggors can be counted upon to back up the answer
with a rich treasure-trove of facts, fables, and photographs.
Once we have viewed this production, we should all be
able to "Ace" such a quiz.
Narrator: Bill Dreggors, Local Folk Historian
Producer: Rosa Meddaugh
Running time: 50 minutes
Copyright 2006
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Lake
Beresford
Bill
Dreggors narrates a pictorial journey back to visit
the first settlers of Beresford, starting with Andrew
Henderson Alexander. The Alexander/Beresford docks,
combined with early citrus farming, attracted a cluster
of homes, Mr. Felt's store, a post office, and eventually
a grand social pavilion. Mr. Dreggors relates how both
the Beresford docks and the Deerfoot Landing became
routine stopovers for the steam ships which once served
as Volusia County's main link to the outside world.
We are treated to views of the Port of Jacksonville,
the Frederick DeBary, and the Osceola at their zenith,
before they were replaced by railroads and overland
trucks. We see how horses, mules, and oxen also figured
prominently in the area's early commerce.
Recreational
activities in old Beresford and Stark are also treated:
swimming, fishing, boat tours, boat racing, and even
Indian artifact collecting are discussed and shown.
Dreggors explains how he would catch a "shiner"
early in the morning; then use it to land an 8 to 10
pound bass later the same day.
We
get not only the vintage images of docks, packing houses,
mansions, rail depots, ships, and hyacinth-covered creeks,
but also the family names of settlers who decided to
stay awhile. One of the more haunting images is that
of an abandoned mansion built by a Georgia gentleman
named Captain Stark.
Narrator: Bill Dreggors, Local Folk Historian
Producer: Rosa Meddaugh
Running time: 30 minutes
Copyright 2006
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DeLeon
Springs
Bill
Dreggors narrates an evocative collection of yellowing
photographs. They depict DeLeon Springs as it evolved
from a vast forest of pine trees into a bustling agricultural,
then a tourist junction where some of our earliest rails,
roads, and rivers crossed each other.
Dreggors
describes the customary listing of early farms, ranches,
churches, schools, restaurants, general stores, tourist
cabins, and hotels most notable, the DeSoto House) in
the folksy style we have come to expect. He also comments
on groupings of people; small numbers at first, then
growing as the decades roll by. These faces smiling
at us from yesteryear have familiar family names such
as bert, Clifton, Jones, Hunter, McInnis, Norris, rich,
Sorenson, St. Augustine, Tatum, and Taylor.
Where
were huge quantities of sea shell beds mined and how
were they used? How closely did the Clifton Ranch's
hired hands resemble cowboys from the old West? Who
played baseball on the old DeLeon Springs team? What
happened to its cargo of fruit when a train jumped its
tracks? Who was the grizzled Civil War veteran who volunteered
to fight again when the U.S. got into World War I? Answers
to these and other tantalizing questions are contained
within. Enjoy.
Narrator: Bill Dreggors, Local Folk Historian
Producer: Rosa Meddaugh
Running time: 50 minutes
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Sawmills in Old Florida
How did Lumbering Operation change central Florida? Bill Dreggors gives us a through explanation and he illustrates it with rare photographs taken in the 19th and early 20th centuries. One of the changes was the landscape itself: The vista which so impressed Henry DeLand, that f unlimited primeval pine forests, had been reduced to millions of stumps, run down camps, and an occasional sawdust mound by the 1940's.
Dreggors shows how lumber mills ranged in size from the little "coffee pot" mill up to a virutral facory/town, replete with railroad spurs and miltiple kilns. He also explains the co-dependency of the ;umber business with transportation. We see tree carts, mule teams, owen teams, "skidders", river floats and both the coal fired and "pufferbelly" railroad engines. From a detailed description of the two-men crosscut saw up to a serveyof the dozen of mills dotting the landscape around all of central and northern florida, we are taken back ti the time when the Florida economy consisted of three major sectors: citrus, turnpentine, and lumber.
Narrator: Bill Dreggors, Local Folk Historian
Producer: Rosa Meddaugh
Running time: 30 minutes
Copyright 2007
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Turpentining in Old Florida
Unlike the citrus industry, which still has a dwinling presence in our nearby groves, central Florida's turpentine operations have so throughtly disappeared that one is hard pressed to find even the smallest trace of its once great influence. Folk historian Bill Dreggors tells us how at its height, turpentine production sprawled over many thousand of acres around DeLand, Orange City, DeLeon Springs, the Old Daytona Road, Lake Helen, and Barberville. He also gives us a few clues on how to spot the subtle traces of this once booming activity: scars on old pin trees, the tell-tale "cats face" markings on trees, what the "Hurley cup" looks like and how it was used, exatly how the highly-skilled workers would "hack" the trees at specific times during the year.
DCare to know why turpentine warehouses where called "Naval stores"? Why the demand for turpentine took a drastic down turn in the 40's and 50's? Where you sould go in order to inspect the sole remiaining turpentine still in central Florida?Want to know how local and county police were, in effect, turpentine operators' best local supplies? The interdependent relationship between saw mill owners and turpentine operators? The answer to these questions and more are on the inside.
Narrator: Bill Dreggors, Local Folk Historian
Producer: Rosa Meddaugh
Running time: 40 minutes
Copyright 2007
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Cummer & Sons Cypress Logging (1946-1958)
This is raw footage done on 8mm film and the last part is from a video film. The quality is poor but we wanted to save this historic period in the history of cypress logging.
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