DeLand, Florida

DeLand, Florida
City
City of DeLand
Downtown DeLand
Seal
Nickname:  "The Athens of Florida"
Location in Volusia County and the state of Florida
Coordinates: 29°01′21″N 81°17′11″W / 29.02250°N 81.28639°W / 29.02250; -81.28639[1]
Country	United States
State	Florida
County	Volusia
Settled (Persimmon Hollow)	1846-1876[2]
Settled (DeLand)	December 6, 1876[2]
Incorporated (City of DeLand)	1882[2]
Named for	Henry Addison DeLand
Government
• Type	Commission–Manager
• Mayor	Chris Cloudman
• Vice Mayor	Charles Paiva
• Commissioners	Jessica Davis, Kevin Reid, and Daniel Reed
• City Manager	Michael Pleus
• City Clerk	Julie Hennessy
Area [3]
• Total	19.50 sq mi (50.52 km2)
• Land	19.28 sq mi (49.93 km2)
• Water	0.23 sq mi (0.59 km2)
Elevation [4]	36 ft (11 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	37,351
• Density	1,937.49/sq mi (748.06/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST) 9)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code(s)	32720–32724
Area code	386
FIPS code	12-16875[5]
GNIS feature ID	0281473[4]
Website	www.deland.org

DeLand is a city in and the county seat of Volusia County, Florida, United States. The city sits approximately 34 miles (55 km) north of the central business district of Orlando, and approximately 23 miles (37 km) west of the central business district of Daytona Beach. It is a part of the Deltona–Daytona Beach–Ormond Beach metropolitan area. As of the 2020 U.S. census, the population was 37,351.

The city was founded in 1876, and was named for its founder, Henry Addison DeLand.^[6] DeLand is home to Stetson University, Florida's oldest private college, as well as the Museum of Art - DeLand. The DeLand Municipal Airport serves as an uncontrolled general aviation reliever airport to commercial operations at Daytona Beach International Airport (DAB), Orlando Sanford International Airport (SFB) and Orlando International Airport (MCO).

DeLand was previously known as "Persimmon Hollow" for the wild persimmon trees that grow around the natural springs, and the area was originally accessible only by steamboat up the St. Johns River.^[2]

The first settler in the area was probably Ruben Marsh. He first came to Florida during the Seminole Indian War in 1841, during a scouting party that stopped at a lake area within the modern city limits, and in 1846, when the war ended, Ruben Marsh got married and moved to what is now known as DeLand. He bought a settlers claim, where he built a cabin for his family and started raising livestock.^[2]

Henry Addison DeLand, a baking soda magnate from Fairport, New York, visited there in 1876, and envisioned building a citrus, agricultural and tourism center. He sold his northern business and hired people to clear land, lay out streets, erect buildings and recruit settlers, most of whom came from upstate New York (though DeLand never lived in the city year-round). On December 6, 1876, at 2:00 PM, the settlers decided to rename the community from "Persimmon Hollow" to "DeLand", in honor of him founding and helping develop its infrastructure.^[2]

In 1877, DeLand built a public school for the town.^[6] To enhance the community's stature and culture, and to enhance the value of his local real estate holdings, in 1883 DeLand established DeLand Academy, Florida's first private college.^[6] However, 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 groves, though there is no hard evidence that this took place. As for 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.^[6] In 1900, it founded the first law school in Florida (which relocated to Gulfport in 1954). Its various sports teams are called the Hatters.

The community was officially incorporated as the "City of DeLand" in 1882, and became the county seat of Volusia County in 1887. It was the first city in Florida to have electricity.^[7] According to city officials, minutes of the first City Commission meeting in 1882 show the city decided to create a seal with the emblems of "Faith, Hope and Charity," namely a cross, an anchor and a heart.

The city seal was briefly the object of a controversy in 2013, when the national group Americans United for Separation of Church and State sent the city a letter in which they argued that the seal unconstitutionally promotes Christianity, thus allegedly breaching the First Amendment Establishment Clause.^[8][9] The controversy faded after the city refused to change the seal.^[10]

During the 1920s Florida Land Boom, fine examples of stucco Mediterranean Revival architecture by native architect Medwin Peek and others were constructed in DeLand. Many of these buildings have been handsomely restored, including the restored Athens Theatre.

Since 1992, the city has hosted the DeLand Fall Festival of the Arts, a two-day event held annually in the historic downtown area on the weekend before Thanksgiving. As of 2009, the event has an annual attendance of more than 50,000 during the weekend.

The approximate coordinates for the City of DeLand are 29°1′44″N 81°18′2″W / 29.02889°N 81.30056°W / 29.02889; -81.30056,^[1] in western Volusia County.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 17.8 square miles (46.1 km²), of which 17.6 square miles (45.6 km²) is land and 0.19 square miles (0.5 km²), or 1.06%, is water.^[11] DeLand is drained by the St. Johns River.

The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild winters. According to the Köppen climate classification, the City of DeLand has a humid subtropical climate zone (Cfa).

On February 2, 2007, DeLand and the surrounding area was the site of a major tornado outbreak.^[14] One tornado passed through Deland. It reached a peak intensity of EF-3 (160–165 mph), had a track length of 26 miles, and was responsible for the deaths of 13 people.^[15] On August 18, 2020, an EF-2 tornado made landfall in DeLand Around 4 PM EST, and caused an estimated $7.4 million in damages over its 4.6 mile path.^[16]

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 37,351 people, 12,675 households, and 7,753 families residing in the city.^[20]

As of the 2010 United States census, there were 27,031 people, 10,007 households, and 5,498 families residing in the city.^[21]

As of 2000, 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 2000, 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.

In 2000, 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 World War II, and by the 1980s, had become blighted.^[22]

In 2001, Michael E. Arth [de; es; fr; ja; zh], a California artist, urban designer and filmmaker, bought 27 dilapidated structures, renamed the area the Garden District, and lobbied to create a new historic district. During the following eight years, he restored or rebuilt 32 homes and businesses, which have become the core of a neighborhood revival. The feature-length documentary film New Urban Cowboy: Toward a New Pedestrianism tells the story of DeLand and the Garden District.^[23] 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.

• Brandywine Shopping Center
• DeLand Flea Market
• DeLand Plaza Shopping Center
• Northgate Shopping Center
• Victoria Park Village Shopping Center
• West Volusia Regional Shopping Center
• Woodland Plaza

• Mystic Powerboats

Public primary and secondary education is handled by Volusia County Schools.

• Blue Lake Elementary
• Citrus Grove Elementary
• Edith I. Starke Elementary
• Freedom Elementary
• George W. Marks Elementary
• Woodward Avenue Elementary

• DeLand Middle School
• Southwestern Middle School

• DeLand High School

• DeLand Preparatory Academy
• Magnolia Christian School
• Saint Barnabas Episcopal School
• Saint Peters Catholic School

• Casa Montessori School
• Children's House Montessori School

• Daytona State College
• Florida Technical College
• Stetson University

DeLand is a sister city of Belén, Costa Rica^[24]

DeLand hosts all home games for Stetson University 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, the 2018 NCAA Baseball Regionals, 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 hosts DeLand High School Bulldog football and soccer games, and serves as home of the Stetson University Hatters football team. Stetson had discontinued its football program in the early 1960s, but reinstated the sport in 2013, when it joined the Pioneer Football League. As part of Stetson's re-entry into college football, Spec Martin Stadium underwent significant renovations, including a new press box, handicapped and premium seating areas, and new locker room facilities.

DeLand has been called the "skydiving capital of the world", with the majority of skydiving industries calling it home.^[25] 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 town's largest supporters and invaluable to the local economy.^[26][25]

The Central Florida Warriors of the USA Rugby League are based in DeLand.

DeLand has been the filming location for a number of television and movie projects, including the 1999 Adam Sandler 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.

Ghost Story, starring Fred Astaire, Douglas Fairbanks, Jr and Craig Wasson, was filmed in part at Stetson University and the Holiday House.

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 partially filmed in DeLand.

New Urban Cowboy: Toward a New Pedestrianism (2008) was filmed almost entirely in DeLand in 2006 and 2007.^[27][28]

Walt Before Mickey filmed several scenes at the Stetson University campus in 2014 and Athens Theatre.

• The West Volusia Beacon, a weekly news publication covering DeLand and West Volusia County
• The Daytona Beach News-Journal, a daily newspaper covering the Greater Daytona Beach Area and Volusia County
• The Orlando Sentinel, a newspaper based in Orlando with a bureau covering Volusia County

• WYND, 1310, religious
• WTJV, 1490, Spanish language

• W247AK, 97.3, translator for WJLU
• WOCL, 105.9, classic hits

Everett/Edwards^{[29][30][31][32]}

• Horace Allen, professional MLB baseball player
• Byllye Avery, health care activist
• Charles P. Bailey, former U.S. Army Air Force officer and was a Tuskegee Airman
• R. H. Barlow, author, poet, anthropologist, and historian
• Bill Booth, skydiving engineer, inventor, and entrepreneur
• David Cohen, CEO and founder of TechStars
• Joyce Cusack, former member of the Florida House of Representatives and retired registered nurse
• Terence Trent D'Arby, singer-songwriter
• Jacob deGrom, current MLB baseball player
• Paul Dicken, former MLB baseball player
• Daniel Dye, professional stock car racing driver
• Bert Fish, lawyer, judge, philanthropist, and ambassador.
• R. Buckminster Fuller, mathematician, futurist, inventor of the geodesic dome, and coined the phrase "Spaceship Earth"
• Mike Gillislee, former NFL football player
• Lue Gim Gong, horticulturalist
• Bridgette Gordon, head women's basketball coach at Florida A&M University, and a former WNBA basketball player
• Stephen Guarino, actor and comedian
• Ed Hickox, retired MLB umpire
• Burling Hull, magician
• Carolyn J. B. Howard, politician who previously served the Maryland House of Delegates
• Craig T. James, lawyer and former congressman
• Arthur Jones, inventor and founder of Nautilus, Inc. and MedX Corporation
• Chipper Jones, MLB Hall of Fame baseball player
• Danny Kelley, stock car racing driver
• Kitty, musician and rapper
• J. C. Van Landingham, former NASCAR driver
• Dee Libbey, composer
• Gary Russell Libby, art historian, curator, and director emeritus of Museum of Arts and Sciences
• Vincent Martella, actor
• Jack Ness, former MLB baseball player
• Lena Paul [it], pornographic actress
• Medwin Peek, Mediterranean Revival architect
• Luke Scott, former baseball player
• Frances Shimer, founder of Shimer College in Illinois
• Maurice Starr, musician, songwriter, and a record producer, notably for New Edition and New Kids on the Block
• John Batterson Stetson, hat manufacturer who invented the Stetson cowboy hat
• Tra Thomas, IMG Academy coach and former NFL football player
• William Amory Underhill, lobbyist and philanthropist
• Noble "Thin Man" Watts, saxophonist
• Luke Weaver, MLB baseball player
• Verner Moore White, landscape and portrait painter
• Earl Ziebarth, state representative

• African American Museum of Art^[33]
• Alexander Haynes House
• Athens Theatre^[34]
• Chief Master at Arms House
• DeLand Hall
• DeLand Municipal Airport
• Downtown DeLand Historic District
• John B. Stetson House
• Kilkoff House
• Museum of Art - DeLand
• Old DeLand Memorial Hospital
• Stetson University Campus Historic District
• Stockton-Lindquist House
• Volusia County Fair and Expo Center
• Volusia Speedway Park
• West Volusia Historical Society & Museum

Amtrak, 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. Since August 12th, 2024, the station has been the northern terminus of Orlando's SunRail commuter rail system, with service approximately every hour on weekdays only. The line is primarily CSX's Sanford Subdivision. It also contains a spur leading from the station which was built by the Orange Ridge, DeLand and Atlantic Railroad and has received passenger service in the past.

Local transit service is provided by VOTRAN on the #20 and #60 routes.^[35]

During World War II, the Babcock Airplane Corporation manufactured 60 Waco CG-4 assault gliders at DeLand,^[36] but the firm was out of business by 1945.^[37]

The DeLand Municipal Airport (a.k.a.; Sidney H. Taylor Field) still operates as a general aviation airport as well as a reliever airport for Orlando and Daytona Beach. It also contains the DeLand Naval Air Station Museum.

• US 17 / US 92 The major US highways through DeLand are US 17 (hidden SR 15) and 92 (hidden SR 600), which overlap each other from Lake Alfred in Polk County to the northern part of the city. From here, US 92 turns east onto International Speedway Boulevard toward Daytona Beach, while US 17 continues north towards Barberville, Jacksonville, and along the coast of Georgia, the Carolinas and southern Virginia.
• SR 44 The main west-to-east state highway in DeLand is Florida State Road 44 which runs along New York Avenue. SR 44 intersects US 17/92 in Downtown DeLand but making turns at the intersection is prohibited. Access between the two road requires taking side roads within the vicinity.
• SR 15A is an alternate route of SR 15, one of the two hidden state roads along US 17 and 92. It runs along the west side of the city, and also serves as an undesignated truck bypass for US 17/92, as well as SR 44. North of International Speedway Boulevard (Volusia CR 92) and the city line, it is strictly a truck detour for US 17.

• Yemassee Settlement

Wikimedia Commons has media related to DeLand, Florida.

Wikivoyage has a travel guide for DeLand.

• Geographic data related to DeLand, Florida at OpenStreetMap
• City of DeLand official website
• The Florida Agriculturist, historical newspaper for DeLand, Florida fully and openly available in the Florida Digital Newspaper Library