ormond beach florida - a history & description of ormond beach florida

8/7/2019 Ormond Beach Florida - A History & Description Of Ormond Beach Florida

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Ormond BeachHistory

Over a thousand years ago, what was to become Ormond Beach was

once within the domain of the Timucuan Indians. Their local fortified village

was called Nocoroco, believed to have been located at the site of Tomoka

State Park. But war and disease would decimate the tribe. The city is named

for James Ormond I, an Anglo-Irish-Scotch sea captain commissioned by

King Ferdinand VII of Spain to bring Franciscan settlers to this part of

Florida. Ormond had served Britain and Spain in the Napoleonic Wars as a

ship captain, and was rewarded for his services to Spain by King Ferdinand

VII. Ormond later worked for the Scottish Indian trade company of Panton,

Leslie & Company, and his armed brig was called the Somerset. In 1821,

Florida was acquired from Spain by the United States, but hostilities during

the Second Seminole War delayed settlement until after 1842. In 1875, the

city was founded as New Britain by inhabitants from New Britain,

Connecticut, but would be incorporated in 1880 as Ormond for its early


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plantation owner.

Florida experienced a boom in tourism after the Civil War. With its

hard, white beach, Ormond became popular for the wealthy seeking relief

from northern winters. The St. Johns & Halifax Railroad arrived in 1886,

and the first bridge across the Halifax River was created in 1887. John

Anderson and James Downing Price opened the Ormond Hotel on January 1

1888. Henry Flagler bought the hotel in 1890 and expanded it to

accommodate 600 guests. It would be one in a series of Gilded Age hotels

catering to passengers aboard his Florida East Coast Railway, which had

purchased the St. Johns & Halifax Railroad. The hotel was razed in 1992.

One of Flagler's guests at the Ormond Hotel was his former business

partner at the Standard Oil Company. John D. Rockefeller arrived in 1914,

and after four seasons at the hotel bought an estate called The Casements. It

would be Rockefeller's winter home during the latter part of his life. Sold by

his heirs in 1939, it was purchased by the city in 1973, and now serves as its

cultural center. It is the community's best-known historical structure.

Beginning in 1902, some of the first automobile races were held on the


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compacted sand from Ormond south to Daytona Beach. Pioneers in the

industry, including Ransom Olds and Alexander Winton, tested their

inventions. The American Automobile Association brought timing

equipment in 1903, and the area acquired the nickname "The Birthplace of

Speed." Lee Bible in the record-breaking, but fatal, White Triplex was less

fortunate. Later races at the beach would be sponsored by a young

entrepreneur and organizer named Bill France Sr. This venture evolved into

what is now known as NASCAR (The National Association of Stock Car

Auto Racing), culminating in the construction of the Daytona International

Speedway in 1959. NASCAR has for the past several years been the fastest

growing sport in the country. Driving on the beach is still permitted on some

stretches. The city would be renamed Ormond Beach in 1949.

Ormond Beach boasts the highest standard of living in the state of

Florida. Since it was founded in the 1800s, many rich and famous people

have made Ormond Beach their home. After Volusia County was created in

1854, there were only 20 families living in the entire county.

Some families originally from Georgia and the Carolinas created the


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Tomoka Settlement. These settlers lost their livelihood by a big freeze that

killed their orange groves between 1895-1896.

Another group of settlers from New Britain, CT lived on the west bank

of the Halifax River. They called this area New Britain until 1880 when the

town was incorporated and called Ormond.

Ormond Beach had several famous residents including the Astors, the

Vanderbilts and the Flaglers. One of the most famous was John D.

Rockefeller. His home was called The Casements and he lived in this

winter home until he died in 1937. The Casements is on the National

Register of Historic Places and is now a cultural center for Ormond Beach.

Ormond Beach today has many of the amenities that attracted famous

people many years ago. Miles of pristine beaches, rivers and forests make

this area special. In 2002 the Leisure Services Department was one of the

top four programs in the nation.

One park you dont want to miss is the Bulow Creek State Park, which

has the largest area of Southern Live Oak along the east coast of Florida.

The park has a hardwood swamp, tidal creeks, a salt marsh and 3230 acres o


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upland forest.

Another popular park is Tomoka State Park. This park allows visitors

to camp where Native Americans once lived beneath the scenic oaks and

beautiful lagoons.

With its appealing climate, Ormond Beach allows residents and visitors

to enjoy a wide range of outdoor activities. Water sports can be enjoyed on

the many rivers and in the Atlantic Ocean. If your more comfortable on land

there is a world-class soccer complex and several golf courses.

The current population of Ormond Beach is around 37,000. This town

which was originally established as a tourist haven for the rich and famous,

has become an ideal place to visit, but a better place to live.

Go to http://www.LocalMarketPlace.com to learn everythingabout Ormond Beach, Florida, and get great deals from locaOrmond Beach businesses, merchants, restaurants & stores.

ormond beach florida - a history & description of ormond beach florida

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