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West Volusia County, Florida

by Art

Old Florida. Real Florida. Vibrant Florida.

Nestled between Orlando and Daytona Beach, West Volusia County encompasses 14 communities along the St. Johns River, each with their own stories and an eclectic collection of accommodations and attractions. The authenticity that travelers seek is here, from the top-rated Main Street, Downtown DeLand, to the timeless St. Johns River—this is real Florida. 

Today, the region is known for everything from skydivers leaping from above to manatees cooling off below, and from pancake griddles to paranormal occurrences—what a variety! Rediscover the allure of the Sunshine State in West Volusia County, where Old Florida once reigned and new stories are always being made.

Old Florida

West Volusia is a dream for those who wish to explore the waters, natural habitats and culture of Old Florida. But what exactly is “Old Florida”?

At the heart of the region flows one of only 14 American Heritage Rivers in the country, the St. Johns River, encompassing the St. Johns River Blueway and the River of Lakes Heritage Corridor. Blue Spring, DeLeon Spring, Gemini Springs, and Green Springs each play a crucial role by feeding the river’s ecological diversity, providing visitors with a chance to observe the area’s scenic beauty. Whether by canoe or kayak, riverboat or houseboat, exploring the river offers visitors stunning views of turtles, gators, manatees, and more than 200 species of birds in a lush, purely Floridian landscape. West Volusia is at the intersection of three major bicycle trails – the St. Johns River-to-Sea Loop, the Coast-to-Coast Trail, and the Heart of Florida Loop.

Pioneers such as hat maker John B. Stetson, philanthropist Henry DeLand and wine importer Frederick deBary each found solace in the area and have left indelible marks that endure to this day. Henry DeLand was motivated by the vision of creating a citrus, agricultural and tourism-based community, leading him to purchase land in what is now known as the City of DeLand. Frederick deBary built DeBary Hall, which later lent its name to the City of DeBary. John B. Stetson erected the esteemed Stetson Mansion, Florida’s first luxury estate and he funded DeLand Academy, later renamed Stetson University in his honor. Other historical highlights in the area include the Barberville Pioneer Settlement, Cassadaga Spiritualist Camp and the Enterprise Museum.

And of course, there’s fishing! The region is widely known as an excellent area to catch bass and crappie. Popular fishing spots include the family-operated Highland Park Fish Camp, established in 1962, and the secluded South Moon Fish Camp.

New Vibe

When Henry DeLand moved to the area known at the time as Persimmon Hollow, he envisioned it becoming the “Athens of Florida.” Today, DeLand is an award-winning Main Street community, home to shops, boutiques, galleries, and nine – yes, nine – museums, complete with a series of murals and two of the incredibly popular #WingsOfTheWest photo ops. In the center of downtown lies the Athens Theater, home to adult and youth theater companies.

On Friday nights, a weekly farmers market comes to life in Artisan Alley. It’s a gathering spot for the community, featuring food trucks, local artisans, live music and sometimes special themed nights. Nearby breweries Persimmon Hollow and Hyderhead Brewery, along with the outdoor courtyard at Cafe DaVinci, combine to make Georgia Ave the place to be for nightlife.

Venturing out of DeLand, Deltona’s Lyonia Environmental Center highlights the conservation efforts being done locally to preserve the native scrub habitats of the Florida Scrub Jay, an endangered species. To the north, Volusia Speedway Park is known as the “The Fastest Half Mile in the World” and hosts World of Outlaws and Super DIRTcar Series races all year long.   

New to the scene is the CoolCraft Beverage Trail, a collection of microbreweries, coffee roasters, wine bars and confectioners, all of which dot the map and complement an array of fabulous restaurants. All year long, “CoolCrafters” are serving up their popular concoctions, while every summer, CoolCrafters clash in the “CoolCraft Summer Beverage Competition” for the chance to be crowned the best. In the winter, “CoolCraft Christmas” brings holiday cheer to the area with seasonally themed drinks and a scavenger hunt to receive a prized Christmas ornament.

The combination of this “new vibe” and the character of authentic, small-town Florida it offers brings a fun experience to anyone who wishes to visit our ripe community. West Volusia is a destination with countless stories to tell, history to share, and fun to have.

Get started on your journey at www.visitwestvolusia.com.

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Fast Facts & Trivia

  • Despite a serious effort by both professional and amateur historians, no one has been able to pinpoint the exact origin of the “Volusia” name. Instead, there are several theories which include:
    • The name derives from a word meaning “Land of the Euchee.” After the Timucua Native American culture died out in the early 1700s, the land was uninhabited until other northern tribes began to migrate south into the area (much like the Seminole people). The Euchee Indians, originally from an area in South Carolina, were one of those tribes.
    • It’s believed to have been taken from a British plantation located on the St. Johns River in the late 1700s. However, no one has explained where the plantation owner came up with the name.
    • The name is derived from the surname of one of the employees at a local trading post, described as of either Belgian or French descent and well-liked by many visitors and local residents. His name was something like “Veluche,” pronounced “Va-loo-shay.” The post became known as “Veluche’s Place,” hence the eventual evolution and creation of “Volusia.”
  • Henry DeLand was a baking soda manufacturer from Fairport, NY, who founded the City of DeLand, Florida, and the DeLand Academy (which later became Stetson University). He suffered a severe financial loss one winter due to guaranteeing orange crops for farmers who rented his land.
  • Before its founder arrived, DeLand had been formerly known as Persimmon Hollow, named after the abundant Persimmon trees in the area. Today, the city’s award-winning microbrewery is named Persimmon Hollow Brewing Company.
  • The scenic village of Lake Helen was the brainchild of Henry DeLand, who named it after his daughter, Helen.
  • The Stetson Mansion in DeLand is part of Florida’s First Luxury Estate and quite possibly the grandest home ever built in Florida before the 20th century. The estate was hidden and lost for 100 years and has recently been rescued, restored, and updated in a timeless fashion. Built in 1886 for famed hat maker and philanthropist John B. Stetson, this winter retreat was the only richly detailed “Gilded Age” mansion built in Florida. It has recently been named one of the “Top 10 Rated Attractions in the USA” by Tripadvisor.com and is regularly listed as one of the “Top 10 Holiday Home Tours in the USA” by USA Today.
  • German-born Frederick deBary was hired by the Mumm family to sell its champagnes and wines in the United States. Young deBary was a success, selling Mumm brands to the rising class of wealthy Americans. He became a millionaire, and in 1870, came to Florida on vacation and fell in love with the St. Johns River. He purchased land on Lake Monroe and built a mansion, known today as DeBary Hall, which included one of the first elevators installed in a home. He was known to entertain the famous, including Presidents Ulysses S. Grant and Grover Cleveland. He later developed a steamship company that helped open up Florida’s interior to commerce.
  • Deltona, an area that began as a small retirement community, has grown to have a much larger population (85,000) than the popular nearby beach town Daytona Beach (60,000)!
  • Cassadaga Spiritualist Camp, a 123-year-old community of spiritually-minded people, is known as the Psychic Capital of the World.
  • St. Johns River is the only Florida American Heritage River designated by the United States Environmental Protection Agency to receive special attention (coordinating efforts of multiple governmental entities) to further three objectives: natural resource and environmental protection, economic revitalization, and historic and cultural preservation.
  • DeLand was the first community to receive the MainStreet designation in Florida. Moreover, the community was the recipient of the “Great American MainStreet Award” and has been voted the best MainStreet in Florida a total of five times.
  • Pierson bills itself as the Fern Capital of the World, and for a good reason! The town is heavily reliant on agriculture, mainly consisting of growing its namesake ferns, all of which are exported worldwide for use in floral arrangements and other decorations.
  • Skydive DeLand is one of the busiest drop zones in the world, having more skydiving activity than 98 percent of the other drop zones in the country.
  • Blue Spring State Park covers more than 2,600 acres, and includes the largest spring on the St. Johns River, Blue Spring. The park and it’s spring is a designated manatee refuge and the winter home to a growing population of West Indian Manatees. During manatee season, which approximately runs from mid-November through March, several hundred manatee can be viewed atop the springs in overlooks on cold days.
  • Inside DeLeon Springs State Park is the popular Old Sugar Mill Pancake House. Located inside of a 100 year-old replica of the original 1830s sugar mill, this restaurant lets you cook-your-own pancakes at the table!
  • Spring Garden Ranch Training Center in DeLeon Springs is the largest Standardbred horse training facility in North America and the winter home of many champion harness racing teams.

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