The Land Around Us: DeLand By Louise Caccamise
Continuingwithre-visiting Land our Anothermural, Riverboat Landing,ison Around Usseries,wewilltravelthis theoppositecornerofthestreetfro monthtoDeLandinVolusiaCounty,the the Henry’s Visionmural.Becausethere countyseat,andournearestneighbor to were noroadsorrailwaysincentral thenorth.Datingto1876,DeLandhas Floridainthe1870s,homesteadershad maintainedaproudremembranceofits tofinishtheirtripsouthonSt.JohnsR historyand,becauseofthis,thereare steamboats.Thismuralshowsoneof interestingplacestovisit. thelandingsalongthewaynearLake Beresford.Travelerswouldleavethe One very enjoyable way to experience steamboatatapieceofclearedlando DeLand’shistoryistotaketheDeLand thewestsideofthelakeandhiketot HistoricMuralWalk.Thefirstmural lake’swesternshore.Theretheywait datesto196,when Pioneers at the fortransporttoAlexander’sLandingo Parcelandwascreated.Itwasbased theeastshorewheretherewasagene onaphotographfromthe1890softhe storeandaboardinghousewherethey ParcelandHotelandagroupofwinter couldstaywhiletheylookedforproper visitors.Locatedinanareaknownas topurchase. PioneerParkinthecenteroftown,itis onthewallofabuildingatthesoutheast cornerofNorthWoodlandBoulevardand Rich Avenue. Amural, Henry’s Vision,onthenortheast cornerofWisconsinAvenueandNorth WoodlandBoulevard,depictsthelog cabinofJohnandClaraRich,oneofthe earliestfamiliesinDeLand,whowere attractedherebythe“OrangeFever” craze.Alsoshownisanimageofcity founderHenryDeLand,whospenthis firstnightintheareainthelogcabin. Thenextdayhepurchased160acresof landboundedbywhatarenowNewYork, Clara,MinnesotaandAmeliaAvenues. 22
Village Life Magazine - March/April 2022
