DeLand, Florida
Encyclopedia
DeLand is the county seat of Volusia County
, Florida
. In 2006, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated the city's population to be 24,375. It is part of the Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area, which had an estimated population of 436,575 in 2006. The city includes the census designated place of West DeLand
.
DeLand is home to Stetson University
and The Museum of Florida Art
. Noted for its historic architecture
, the downtown has been undergoing extensive renovations in recent years. On February 2, 2007, DeLand and the surrounding area was hit by a major tornado outbreak.
s, the area was originally accessible only by steamboat
up the St. Johns River
. It was settled in 1874 by Captain John Rich, who built a log cabin
. It was visited in 1876 by Henry Addison DeLand
, a baking soda magnate
from Fairport, New York
, who envisioned here a citrus
, agricultural
and tourism
center. That year he bought land and founded the town named for himself. He sold his northern business and hired people to clear land, and lay out streets, erect buildings and recruit settlers, most of whom came from upstate New York. Henry Deland was never a full-time resident of Florida. Incorporated in 1882, the city became county seat in 1887. It was the first city in Florida to have electricity
.
To enhance the community's stature and culture, and to enhance the value of his local real estate holdings, in 1883, Henry A. DeLand established DeLand Academy, Florida's first private college. But in 1885, a freeze destroyed the orange
crop. One story has it that DeLand had guaranteed settlers' investments as an inducement to relocate, and so was obligated to buy back their ruined grove
s, though there is no hard evidence that this actually happened. Like many other would-be real estate magnates in the area at the time, his Florida investments were nearly worthless after the freeze and he returned to his home in the north. DeLand entrusted the academy to his friend John B. Stetson, a wealthy hat manufacturer from Philadelphia
and one of the institution's founding trustees. In 1889, it was renamed John B. Stetson University in its patron's honor. Later shortened to Stetson University
, in 1900 it founded the first law school
in Florida. The various sports teams are called the Hatters.
During the 1920s Florida Land Boom, DeLand's streets filled with fine examples of stucco
Mediterranean Revival Style architecture
by native architect Medwin Peek
and others, many of which have been handsomely restored, one namely being the recently reopened Athens Theatre, which is under the ownership of the Sands Theater Center, Inc.
Since 1992, the city hosts the Deland Fall Festival of the Arts, a two-day event in the historic downtown area. As of 2009, the event has an annual attendance of more than 50,000 over the weekend immediately prior to Thanksgiving each year.
and Daytona Beach
.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 16.1 square miles (42 km²), of which 15.9 square miles (41 km²)) is land and 0.2 square mile (0.517997622 km²) of which is water (1.18%). DeLand is drained by the St. Johns River
.
As of the census
of 2000, there were 20,904 people, 8,375 households, and 4,631 families residing in the city. The population density
was 1317.1/mi² (506.8/km²). There were 9,272 housing units at an average density of 584.2 per square mile (225.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 74.96% White, 19.18% African American, 0.22% Native American, 0.81% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 3.00% from other races
, and 1.80% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8.73% of the population.
There were 8,375 households out of which 23.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.0% were married couples living together, 14.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 44.7% were non-families. 37.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 20.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.22 and the average family size was 2.92.
In the city the population was spread out with 20.7% under the age of 18, 14.9% from 18 to 24, 23.2% from 25 to 44, 17.6% from 45 to 64, and 23.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 83.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 77.8 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $28,712, and the median income for a family was $35,329. Males had a median income of $26,389 versus $20,114 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $15,936. About 14.2% of families and 19.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 31.3% of those under age 18 and 8.7% of those age 65 or over.
Downtown DeLand's main street, Woodland Boulevard, has a number of notable 19th century buildings. It is officially known as Downtown DeLand Historic District
.
The Garden District is a mixed-use neighborhood adjacent to downtown DeLand, which is officially known as Downtown DeLand's Historic Garden District. The neighborhood was originally developed between 1900 and 1920. It fell into a long period of decline after WWII
, and by the 1980s had become blighted.
In 2001, Michael E. Arth
, a California
artist and urban designer, bought twenty-seven dilapidated structures, renamed the area The Garden District, and lobbied to create a new historic district. During the following 8 years he restored or rebuilt 32 homes and businesses, which have become the core of a neighborhood revival. A feature length documentary film
, New Urban Cowboy: Toward a New Pedestrianism, tells the story of DeLand and The Garden District. The film premiered in DeLand in January 2009 at the newly restored Athens Theatre. Previously, the film had appeared in seven film festivals and received the Audience Choice Award at the Real to Reel International Film Festival
in 2008.
Hatters athletic teams. The men's and women's basketball
teams play at the J. Ollie Edmunds Center
, an on-campus arena which opened in 1974 and seats approximately 5,000 spectators.
The Hatters baseball
team plays at Melching Field at Conrad Park
, a 2,500 seat ballpark located off campus just south of downtown DeLand. Melching Field was built in 1999 and is recognized as one of the finer college baseball venues in the NCAA, having hosted numerous Atlantic Sun Conference
championships and other baseball related tournaments and events. Prior to the opening of Melching Field, the Hatters played at old Conrad Park on the same site, which also hosted spring training
games in the 1940s and 1950s and the DeLand Red Hats, a Florida State League
minor league franchise.
Adjacent to Melching Field is Spec Martin Stadium
, a 6,000 seat football
stadium. Spec Martin Stadium currently hosts DeLand High School Bulldog football and soccer games. The stadium had served as home of the Stetson University
Hatters football team before the school discontinued its football program in the early 1960s, and will once again host Hatters football when Stetson joins the Pioneer Football League
in 2013. As part of Stetson's re-entry into college football, Spec Martin Stadium is scheduled to undergo significant renovations, including a new pressbox, handicap and premium seating areas, and new locker room facilities.
DeLand is also home to Skydive DeLand. Skydive DeLand is one of the only full time skydiving facilities open 365 days a year. It is also the major training center for thousands of skydivers from all over the world. The Drop Zone has been the host and sponsors of countless National and World Champions and employs several on its staff.
Additionally DeLand is considered the "skydiving capital of the world" with the majority of skydiving industries calling it home. The skydiving industry employs over 500 workers from the DeLand area. This in combination with the tourist end of the industry makes it one of the towns largest supporters and invaluable to the local economy.
comedy The Waterboy
. Scenes showing the fictional South Central Louisiana State University Mud Dogs home football games were shot at Spec Martin Stadium. Classroom and exterior scenes were filmed at Stetson University
. Scenes involving Sandler's character's home were actually filmed in neighboring DeBary
. Also, Ghost Story
starring Fred Astaire
, Douglas Fairbanks, Jr and Craig Wasson
filmed in part on Stetson University and the Holiday House.
Additionally, the HBO miniseries From the Earth to the Moon filmed several scenes on the campus of Stetson University
. The 1999 independent film The First of May starring Mickey Rooney
and Joe DiMaggio
was shot on various locations throughout DeLand.
Days of Thunder
, starring Tom Cruise
, was also partially filmed in DeLand.
Several television commercials, including some for the cable network ESPN
, have been filmed in DeLand.
New Urban Cowboy: Toward a New Pedestrianism (2008) was filmed almost entirely in DeLand in 2006 and 2007.
, the national passenger rail system, serves DeLand, operating its Silver Meteor
and Silver Star
trains daily in both directions between Miami
and New York City
.
Volusia County, Florida
Volusia County is a county located in the state of Florida. The U.S. Census Bureau 2010 official county's population was 494,593 . Its county seat is DeLand, and its most populous city is currently Deltona....
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. In 2006, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated the city's population to be 24,375. It is part of the Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area, which had an estimated population of 436,575 in 2006. The city includes the census designated place of West DeLand
West DeLand, Florida
West DeLand is a census-designated place in Volusia County, Florida, United States. The population was 3,424 at the 2000 census.-Geography:West DeLand is located at ....
.
DeLand is home to Stetson University
Stetson University
Stetson University is a private university with four colleges and schools located across the I-4 corridor in Central Florida. The primary undergraduate campus is located in DeLand, Florida, USA. In the 2012 U.S...
and The Museum of Florida Art
Museum of Florida Art
The Museum of Florida Art is located at 600 North Woodland Boulevard, DeLand, Florida, across from Stetson University. It contains a variety of artwork by national and local artists, and holds classes and workshops. It has held exhibitions relating to Ansel Adams, Audubon, Yousuf Karsh and William...
. Noted for its historic architecture
Architecture
Architecture is both the process and product of planning, designing and construction. Architectural works, in the material form of buildings, are often perceived as cultural and political symbols and as works of art...
, the downtown has been undergoing extensive renovations in recent years. On February 2, 2007, DeLand and the surrounding area was hit by a major tornado outbreak.
History
Known as Persimmon Hollow for the wild persimmon trees that grow around the natural springSpring (hydrosphere)
A spring—also known as a rising or resurgence—is a component of the hydrosphere. Specifically, it is any natural situation where water flows to the surface of the earth from underground...
s, the area was originally accessible only by steamboat
Steamboat
A steamboat or steamship, sometimes called a steamer, is a ship in which the primary method of propulsion is steam power, typically driving propellers or paddlewheels...
up the St. Johns River
St. Johns River
The St. Johns River is the longest river in the U.S. state of Florida and its most significant for commercial and recreational use. At long, it winds through or borders twelve counties, three of which are the state's largest. The drop in elevation from the headwaters to the mouth is less than ;...
. It was settled in 1874 by Captain John Rich, who built a log cabin
Log cabin
A log cabin is a house built from logs. It is a fairly simple type of log house. A distinction should be drawn between the traditional meanings of "log cabin" and "log house." Historically most "Log cabins" were a simple one- or 1½-story structures, somewhat impermanent, and less finished or less...
. It was visited in 1876 by Henry Addison DeLand
Henry Addison DeLand
Henry Addison Deland was a baking soda manufacturer from Fairport, New York. The Henry DeLand House he built there is listed on the National Register of Historic Places...
, a baking soda magnate
Magnate
Magnate, from the Late Latin magnas, a great man, itself from Latin magnus 'great', designates a noble or other man in a high social position, by birth, wealth or other qualities...
from Fairport, New York
Fairport, New York
Fairport is a village located in the town of Perinton which is part of Monroe County, New York. Fairport is a suburb east of Rochester. It is also known as the "Crown Jewel of the Erie Canal"...
, who envisioned here a citrus
Citrus
Citrus is a common term and genus of flowering plants in the rue family, Rutaceae. Citrus is believed to have originated in the part of Southeast Asia bordered by Northeastern India, Myanmar and the Yunnan province of China...
, agricultural
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
and tourism
Tourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
center. That year he bought land and founded the town named for himself. He sold his northern business and hired people to clear land, and lay out streets, erect buildings and recruit settlers, most of whom came from upstate New York. Henry Deland was never a full-time resident of Florida. Incorporated in 1882, the city became county seat in 1887. It was the first city in Florida to have electricity
Electricity
Electricity is a general term encompassing a variety of phenomena resulting from the presence and flow of electric charge. These include many easily recognizable phenomena, such as lightning, static electricity, and the flow of electrical current in an electrical wire...
.
To enhance the community's stature and culture, and to enhance the value of his local real estate holdings, in 1883, Henry A. DeLand established DeLand Academy, Florida's first private college. But in 1885, a freeze destroyed the orange
Orange (fruit)
An orange—specifically, the sweet orange—is the citrus Citrus × sinensis and its fruit. It is the most commonly grown tree fruit in the world....
crop. One story has it that DeLand had guaranteed settlers' investments as an inducement to relocate, and so was obligated to buy back their ruined grove
Grove (nature)
A grove is a small group of trees with minimal or no undergrowth, such as a sequoia grove, or a small orchard planted for the cultivation of fruits or nuts...
s, though there is no hard evidence that this actually happened. Like many other would-be real estate magnates in the area at the time, his Florida investments were nearly worthless after the freeze and he returned to his home in the north. DeLand entrusted the academy to his friend John B. Stetson, a wealthy hat manufacturer from Philadelphia
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
and one of the institution's founding trustees. In 1889, it was renamed John B. Stetson University in its patron's honor. Later shortened to Stetson University
Stetson University
Stetson University is a private university with four colleges and schools located across the I-4 corridor in Central Florida. The primary undergraduate campus is located in DeLand, Florida, USA. In the 2012 U.S...
, in 1900 it founded the first law school
Law school
A law school is an institution specializing in legal education.- Law degrees :- Canada :...
in Florida. The various sports teams are called the Hatters.
During the 1920s Florida Land Boom, DeLand's streets filled with fine examples of stucco
Stucco
Stucco or render is a material made of an aggregate, a binder, and water. Stucco is applied wet and hardens to a very dense solid. It is used as decorative coating for walls and ceilings and as a sculptural and artistic material in architecture...
Mediterranean Revival Style architecture
Mediterranean Revival Style architecture
The Mediterranean Revival was an eclectic design style that was first introduced in the United States about the end of the nineteenth century, and became popular during the 1920s and 1930s...
by native architect Medwin Peek
Medwin Peek
Gouverneur Medwin Peek was an American architect who practiced in Central Florida in the middle years of the twentieth century.-Early Years and Education:...
and others, many of which have been handsomely restored, one namely being the recently reopened Athens Theatre, which is under the ownership of the Sands Theater Center, Inc.
Since 1992, the city hosts the Deland Fall Festival of the Arts, a two-day event in the historic downtown area. As of 2009, the event has an annual attendance of more than 50,000 over the weekend immediately prior to Thanksgiving each year.
Topography
DeLand is located at 29°1′44"N 81°18′2"W, approximately halfway between OrlandoOrlando, Florida
Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
and Daytona Beach
Daytona Beach, Florida
Daytona Beach is a city in Volusia County, Florida, USA. According to 2008 U.S. Census Bureau estimates, the city has a population of 64,211. Daytona Beach is a principal city of the Deltona – Daytona Beach – Ormond Beach, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area, which the census bureau estimated had...
.
According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 16.1 square miles (42 km²), of which 15.9 square miles (41 km²)) is land and 0.2 square mile (0.517997622 km²) of which is water (1.18%). DeLand is drained by the St. Johns River
St. Johns River
The St. Johns River is the longest river in the U.S. state of Florida and its most significant for commercial and recreational use. At long, it winds through or borders twelve counties, three of which are the state's largest. The drop in elevation from the headwaters to the mouth is less than ;...
.
Demographics
Census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 20,904 people, 8,375 households, and 4,631 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 1317.1/mi² (506.8/km²). There were 9,272 housing units at an average density of 584.2 per square mile (225.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 74.96% White, 19.18% African American, 0.22% Native American, 0.81% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 3.00% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.80% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8.73% of the population.
There were 8,375 households out of which 23.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.0% were married couples living together, 14.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 44.7% were non-families. 37.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 20.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.22 and the average family size was 2.92.
In the city the population was spread out with 20.7% under the age of 18, 14.9% from 18 to 24, 23.2% from 25 to 44, 17.6% from 45 to 64, and 23.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 83.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 77.8 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $28,712, and the median income for a family was $35,329. Males had a median income of $26,389 versus $20,114 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $15,936. About 14.2% of families and 19.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 31.3% of those under age 18 and 8.7% of those age 65 or over.
Historic districts
Downtown DeLand Historic District
The Downtown DeLand Historic District is a U.S. historic district located in DeLand, Florida. The district is bounded by Florida & Rich Avenues, Woodland Boulevard, & Howry Avenue. It contains 68 historic buildings.-External links:* at...
.
The Garden District is a mixed-use neighborhood adjacent to downtown DeLand, which is officially known as Downtown DeLand's Historic Garden District. The neighborhood was originally developed between 1900 and 1920. It fell into a long period of decline after WWII
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, and by the 1980s had become blighted.
In 2001, Michael E. Arth
Michael E. Arth
Michael E. Arth is an American artist, home/landscape/urban designer, public policy analyst, advocate for the homeless, futurist, and author. He was a candidate for the governor of Florida in 2009 and 2010.-Art:Michael E...
, a California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
artist and urban designer, bought twenty-seven dilapidated structures, renamed the area The Garden District, and lobbied to create a new historic district. During the following 8 years he restored or rebuilt 32 homes and businesses, which have become the core of a neighborhood revival. A feature length documentary film
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
, New Urban Cowboy: Toward a New Pedestrianism, tells the story of DeLand and The Garden District. The film premiered in DeLand in January 2009 at the newly restored Athens Theatre. Previously, the film had appeared in seven film festivals and received the Audience Choice Award at the Real to Reel International Film Festival
Real to Reel International Film Festival
The Real to Reel International Film Festival is held annually in Kings Mountain, North Carolina at the Joy Performance Center. It was founded in 2000...
in 2008.
Shopping
- Brandywine Shopping Center
- DeLand Flea Market
- DeLand Plaza Shopping Center
- Northgate Shopping Center
- Woodland Plaza
- West Volusia Regional Shopping Center
Area lodging
- University Inn
- Boulevard Motel
- Comfort Inn
- Chimney Corner Motel
- Deland Artisan Inn
- Deland Country Inn Bed & Breakfast
- Deland Motel
- Holiday Inn
- Riviera Resort & Marina
- Putnam Hotel
- Howard Johnson
- Tropical Resort & Marina
Elementary schools
- Boston Ave Charter School
- Blue Lake Elementary
- Freedom Elementary
- George W. Marks Elementary
- Edith I. Starke Elementary
- Woodward Avenue Elementary
Colleges and universities
- Daytona State College
- Florida Technical CollegeFlorida Technical CollegeFlorida Technical College is a private, for profit two-year college with campuses in Deland, Orlando, Kissimmee, and Lakeland, Florida. Its parent firm EduK is owned by the private equity firm Leeds Equity Partners...
- Stetson UniversityStetson UniversityStetson University is a private university with four colleges and schools located across the I-4 corridor in Central Florida. The primary undergraduate campus is located in DeLand, Florida, USA. In the 2012 U.S...
- Angley College
Sports and recreation
DeLand hosts all home games for Stetson UniversityStetson University
Stetson University is a private university with four colleges and schools located across the I-4 corridor in Central Florida. The primary undergraduate campus is located in DeLand, Florida, USA. In the 2012 U.S...
Hatters athletic teams. The men's and women's basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
teams play at the J. Ollie Edmunds Center
Edmunds Center
Edmunds Center is a 5,000-seat multi-purpose arena at Stetson University in DeLand, Florida that opened on Dec. 5, 1974. It is home to the Stetson Hatters basketball team. The arena is named after Dr. J. Ollie Edmunds, fourth president of Stetson University .It hosted the 1991 and 1996 Atlantic Sun...
, an on-campus arena which opened in 1974 and seats approximately 5,000 spectators.
The Hatters baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
team plays at Melching Field at Conrad Park
Melching Field at Conrad Park
Melching Field at Conrad Park is a baseball stadium located in DeLand, Florida. The primary tenant of Melching Field is the Stetson University Hatters college baseball team, a Division I program playing in the Atlantic Sun Conference....
, a 2,500 seat ballpark located off campus just south of downtown DeLand. Melching Field was built in 1999 and is recognized as one of the finer college baseball venues in the NCAA, having hosted numerous Atlantic Sun Conference
Atlantic Sun Conference
The Atlantic Sun Conference is a college athletic conference operating in the Southeastern United States. The conference participates in the NCAA's Division I; it does not sponsor football. The conference was established in 1978 as the Trans America Athletic Conference...
championships and other baseball related tournaments and events. Prior to the opening of Melching Field, the Hatters played at old Conrad Park on the same site, which also hosted spring training
Spring training
In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play...
games in the 1940s and 1950s and the DeLand Red Hats, a Florida State League
Florida State League
The Florida State League is a Class A-Advanced minor league baseball league operating in the state of Florida. They are one of three leagues currently operating in Class A-Advanced, the third highest of six classifications of minor leagues...
minor league franchise.
Adjacent to Melching Field is Spec Martin Stadium
Spec Martin Stadium
Spec Martin Stadium is a 6,000 seat football stadium located in Deland, Florida. Spec Martin Stadium currently hosts DeLand High School Bulldog football and soccer games....
, a 6,000 seat football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
stadium. Spec Martin Stadium currently hosts DeLand High School Bulldog football and soccer games. The stadium had served as home of the Stetson University
Stetson University
Stetson University is a private university with four colleges and schools located across the I-4 corridor in Central Florida. The primary undergraduate campus is located in DeLand, Florida, USA. In the 2012 U.S...
Hatters football team before the school discontinued its football program in the early 1960s, and will once again host Hatters football when Stetson joins the Pioneer Football League
Pioneer Football League
The Pioneer Football League is a college athletic conference which operates in the East, Midwest, and California of the United States. It has member schools that range from New York, North Carolina, and Florida in the east to California in the west. The conference participates in the NCAA's...
in 2013. As part of Stetson's re-entry into college football, Spec Martin Stadium is scheduled to undergo significant renovations, including a new pressbox, handicap and premium seating areas, and new locker room facilities.
DeLand is also home to Skydive DeLand. Skydive DeLand is one of the only full time skydiving facilities open 365 days a year. It is also the major training center for thousands of skydivers from all over the world. The Drop Zone has been the host and sponsors of countless National and World Champions and employs several on its staff.
Additionally DeLand is considered the "skydiving capital of the world" with the majority of skydiving industries calling it home. The skydiving industry employs over 500 workers from the DeLand area. This in combination with the tourist end of the industry makes it one of the towns largest supporters and invaluable to the local economy.
In the movies
DeLand has been the filming location for several television and movie projects, with the most notable being the 1999 Adam SandlerAdam Sandler
Adam Richard Sandler is an American actor, comedian, screenwriter, musician, and film producer.After becoming a Saturday Night Live cast member, Sandler went on to star in several Hollywood feature films that grossed over $100 million at the box office...
comedy The Waterboy
The Waterboy
The Waterboy is a 1998 American comedy film directed by Frank Coraci. It stars Adam Sandler alongside Henry Winkler, Kathy Bates, Jerry Reed, and Fairuza Balk. Lynn Swann, Lawrence Taylor, Jimmy Johnson, Bill Cowher, Paul Wight, and Rob Schneider have cameos...
. Scenes showing the fictional South Central Louisiana State University Mud Dogs home football games were shot at Spec Martin Stadium. Classroom and exterior scenes were filmed at Stetson University
Stetson University
Stetson University is a private university with four colleges and schools located across the I-4 corridor in Central Florida. The primary undergraduate campus is located in DeLand, Florida, USA. In the 2012 U.S...
. Scenes involving Sandler's character's home were actually filmed in neighboring DeBary
DeBary, Florida
As of the census of 2000, there were 15,559 people, 6,538 households, and 4,720 families residing in the city. The population density was 853.8 inhabitants per square mile . There were 7,001 housing units at an average density of 384.2 per square mile...
. Also, Ghost Story
Ghost Story (film)
Ghost Story is a 1981 American horror film directed by John Irvin and based on the book of the same name by Peter Straub. It stars Fred Astaire, Melvyn Douglas, Douglas Fairbanks Jr., John Houseman and Craig Wasson . It was the last film to feature Astaire, Fairbanks, and Douglas, and the first...
starring Fred Astaire
Fred Astaire
Fred Astaire was an American film and Broadway stage dancer, choreographer, singer and actor. His stage and subsequent film career spanned a total of 76 years, during which he made 31 musical films. He was named the fifth Greatest Male Star of All Time by the American Film Institute...
, Douglas Fairbanks, Jr and Craig Wasson
Craig Wasson
-Career:Wasson's first feature film was the 1977 suspense thriller Rollercoaster. In 1978, he appeared in two films about the Vietnam war: first as a private in The Boys in Company C and then as a corporal in Go Tell the Spartans. In 1982, he was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for New Star of...
filmed in part on Stetson University and the Holiday House.
Additionally, the HBO miniseries From the Earth to the Moon filmed several scenes on the campus of Stetson University
Stetson University
Stetson University is a private university with four colleges and schools located across the I-4 corridor in Central Florida. The primary undergraduate campus is located in DeLand, Florida, USA. In the 2012 U.S...
. The 1999 independent film The First of May starring Mickey Rooney
Mickey Rooney
Mickey Rooney is an American film actor and entertainer whose film, television, and stage appearances span nearly his entire lifetime. He has won multiple awards, including an Honorary Academy Award, a Golden Globe and an Emmy Award...
and Joe DiMaggio
Joe DiMaggio
Joseph Paul "Joe" DiMaggio , nicknamed "Joltin' Joe" and "The Yankee Clipper," was an American Major League Baseball center fielder who played his entire 13-year career for the New York Yankees. He is perhaps best known for his 56-game hitting streak , a record that still stands...
was shot on various locations throughout DeLand.
Days of Thunder
Days of Thunder
Days of Thunder is a 1990 American auto racing film released by Paramount Pictures, produced by Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer and directed by Tony Scott. The cast includes Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman, Robert Duvall, Randy Quaid, Cary Elwes and Michael Rooker. The film also features appearances...
, starring Tom Cruise
Tom Cruise
Thomas Cruise Mapother IV , better known as Tom Cruise, is an American film actor and producer. He has been nominated for three Academy Awards and he has won three Golden Globe Awards....
, was also partially filmed in DeLand.
Several television commercials, including some for the cable network ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
, have been filmed in DeLand.
New Urban Cowboy: Toward a New Pedestrianism (2008) was filmed almost entirely in DeLand in 2006 and 2007.
Newspapers
- The Daytona Beach News-Journal - Online edition of daily newspaper covering the Greater Daytona Beach Area.
- The DeLand-Deltona Beacon - Weekly news publication covering DeLand and West Volusia.
- Orlando SentinelOrlando SentinelThe Orlando Sentinel is the primary newspaper of the Orlando, Florida region. It was founded in 1876. The Sentinel is owned by Tribune Company and is overseen by the Chicago Tribune. As of 2005, the Sentinel’s president and publisher was Kathleen Waltz; she announced her resignation in February 2008...
- Newspaper and news site based in Orlando with a bureau covering Volusia County.
Notable residents
- Byllye AveryByllye AveryByllye Yvonne Avery is an American health care activist, who has worked to improve the welfare of African-American women by creating the National Black Women's Health Project in 1981. She has received the MacArthur Foundation's Fellowship for Social Contribution and the Gustav O...
, health care activist - Bill BoothBill BoothBill Booth is an engineer, inventor, serious beard aficionado and entrepreneur in the skydiving equipment manufacturing industry. His invention of the 3-ring release safety device greatly enhanced skydiving safety. This device allows the rapid release of the skydiver's main parachute in the event...
, skydiving engineer, inventor, and entrepreneur - Terence Trent D'Arby, singer-songwriter
- R. Buckminster Fuller, world renowned 20th century inventor, mathematician and futurist, inventor geodesic dome, coined the phrase "Spaceship Earth"
- Lue Gim GongLue Gim GongLue Gim Gong was a Chinese—American horticulturalist...
, horticulturalist - Bridgette GordonBridgette GordonBridgette C. Gordon is a retired female professional basketball player from the United States. She was a member of the United States women's national basketball team, that claimed the gold medal at the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul, South Korea.In 2007, Gordon was elected to the Women's Basketball...
, basketball player - Ed HickoxEd Hickox (umpire)Edwin William Hickox is an umpire in Major League Baseball who worked in the American League from 1990 to 1999 and throughout both major leagues beginning in 2005. He wears uniform number 15. Hickox officiated in the 2007 National League Division Series and the 2011 Major League Baseball All-Star...
, umpire - Carolyn J. B. HowardCarolyn J. B. HowardCarolyn J. B. Howard is an American politician in the Maryland House of Delegates representing District 24 in Prince George's County. She is the Deputy Speaker Pro Tem of the Maryland House and a former chairman of the Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland....
, politician - Craig JamesCraig JamesJesse Craig James is an American sports commentator for games on the ABC and ESPN television networks. Prior to becoming a sportscaster, James was a professional football player for the New England Patriots of the National Football League and for the Washington Federals of the United States...
, Congressman - Arthur JonesArthur Jones (inventor)Arthur Allen Jones was the founder of Nautilus, Inc. and MedX, Inc. and the inventor of the Nautilus exercise machines, including the Nautilus pullover, which was first sold in 1970...
, inventor - Chipper JonesChipper JonesLarry Wayne "Chipper" Jones, Jr. is a Major League baseball player for the National League's Atlanta Braves. Although initially a shortstop, he has spent most of his career as the starting third baseman for the Braves...
, baseball player - Vincent MartellaVincent MartellaVincent Michael Martella is an American teen actor and singer. He is best known for his role as Greg Wuliger on the UPN/CW sitcom Everybody Hates Chris, and for the voice of Phineas Flynn in Disney Channel's original animated show Phineas and Ferb...
, actor - Jack NessJack NessJohn Charles Ness was a first baseman in Major League Baseball for the Detroit Tigers and Chicago White Sox. He is probably most famous for his 49-game hitting streak in 1915, while playing in the Pacific Coast League....
, baseball player - Medwin PeekMedwin PeekGouverneur Medwin Peek was an American architect who practiced in Central Florida in the middle years of the twentieth century.-Early Years and Education:...
, Mediterranean Revival architect - Luke Scott, baseball player
- John Batterson StetsonJohn Batterson StetsonJohn Batterson Stetson was a U.S. hatter, hat manufacturer, and, in the 1860s, the inventor of the cowboy hat. He founded the John B. Stetson Company as a manufacturer of headwear; the company's hats are now commonly referred to simply as Stetsons.John Stetson was born in New Jersey, the 7th of...
, hat manufacturer - Tra Thomas, football player
- Noble "Thin Man" Watts, musician
- Verner Moore WhiteVerner Moore WhiteVerner Moore White , born Thomas Verner Moore White but informally known as Verner White, was an American landscape and portrait painter...
, artist - Earl ZiebarthEarl ZiebarthEarl Ziebarth in DeLand, Florida.Ziebarth previously served as a Representative in the House of Representatives of the U.S. state of Florida. He currently lives in DeLand, Florida with his family.-Education:...
, State Representative
Sites of interest
- Chief Master at Arms HouseChief Master at Arms HouseThe Chief Master at Arms House is a historic site in DeLand, Florida, United States. It is located at 910 Biscayne Boulevard. The building is the home of the DeLand Naval Air Station Museum. On February 15, 2002, it was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.-References:* at * at...
- DeLand HallDeLand HallThe DeLand Hall is a historic site in DeLand, Florida, United States. It is located within the Stetson University Campus Historic District. On January 27, 1983, it was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.-References and external links:...
- Old DeLand Memorial HospitalOld DeLand Memorial HospitalThe Old DeLand Memorial Hospital is a historic hospital in DeLand, Florida, United States. It is located at 240 North Stone Street. On November 27, 1989; it was added to the U.S...
- Downtown DeLand Historic DistrictDowntown DeLand Historic DistrictThe Downtown DeLand Historic District is a U.S. historic district located in DeLand, Florida. The district is bounded by Florida & Rich Avenues, Woodland Boulevard, & Howry Avenue. It contains 68 historic buildings.-External links:* at...
- Alexander Haynes HouseAlexander Haynes HouseThe Alexander Haynes House is a historic home in DeLand, Florida. It is located at 128 West Howry Avenue. On September 7, 1995, it was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.-References and external links:* at...
- Kilkoff HouseKilkoff HouseThe Kilkoff House is a historic home in DeLand, Florida, United States. It is located at 1145 West New York Avenue. On October 8, 1997, it was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.-References and external links:* at...
- Museum of Florida ArtMuseum of Florida ArtThe Museum of Florida Art is located at 600 North Woodland Boulevard, DeLand, Florida, across from Stetson University. It contains a variety of artwork by national and local artists, and holds classes and workshops. It has held exhibitions relating to Ansel Adams, Audubon, Yousuf Karsh and William...
- John B. Stetson HouseJohn B. Stetson HouseThe John B. Stetson House is a historic home in DeLand, Florida, United States. It is located at 1031 Camphor Lane. The house was designed by popular Philadelphia architect George T. Pearson in 1886. Pearson also designed several buildings for Mr...
- Stetson University Campus Historic DistrictStetson University Campus Historic DistrictThe Stetson University Campus Historic District in DeLand, Florida was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on March 14, 1991. The district is bounded by Michigan Avenue, North Florida Avenue, West University Avenue and a line South from North Hayden Avenue. It contains 10 historic...
- Stockton-Lindquist HouseStockton-Lindquist HouseThe Stockton-Lindquist House is a historic home in DeLand, Florida. It is located at 244 East Beresford Avenue. On June 22, 2004, it was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places....
- Volusia County Fair and Expo CenterVolusia County Fair and Expo CenterThe Volusia County Fair and Expo Center is a combination fairgrounds and convention center located in DeLand, Florida. It consists of two indoor arenas and two exhibit halls:-The arenas:...
- Volusia Speedway ParkVolusia Speedway ParkVolusia Speedway Park is an auto racing facility located near Barberville in Volusia County, Florida. It operates a 1/2-mile dirt oval, a 3/8-mile asphalt oval and a 1/8-mile dirt oval for karts...
- West Volusia Historical Society & MuseumDeLand House MuseumThe DeLand House Museum is located at 137 West Michigan Avenue, DeLand, Florida. Built in 1886, it changed hands numerous times until it was donated to the city of DeLand in 1988, opening as a Victorian era historic house museum in 1990...
- DeLand Municipal AirportDeLand Municipal AirportDeLand Municipal Airport , also known as Sidney H. Taylor Field, is a city-owned public-use airport located three miles northeast of the central business district of DeLand, a city in Volusia County, Florida, United States.Although most U.S...
Transportation
AmtrakAmtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
, the national passenger rail system, serves DeLand, operating its Silver Meteor
Silver Meteor
The Silver Meteor is a 1389-mile passenger train route operated by Amtrak in the Silver Service brand, running from New York City, New York, south to Miami, Florida, via the Northeast Corridor to Washington, D.C., thence via Richmond, Virginia; Fayetteville, North Carolina; North Charleston, South...
and Silver Star
Silver Star
The Silver Star is the third-highest combat military decoration that can be awarded to a member of any branch of the United States armed forces for valor in the face of the enemy....
trains daily in both directions between Miami
Miami, Florida
Miami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
and New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
External links
- City of DeLand, Florida
- DeLand Public Library
- DeLand Guide
- DeLand Fall Festival of the Arts
- History of DeLand, Florida
- The Florida Agriculturist, historical newspaper for DeLand, Florida fully and openly available in the Florida Digital Newspaper Library