Deland, FL

This Saturday and Sunday December 6th and 7th from 1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. the West Volusia Historical Society will hold it's Biannual Tour of Historic DeLand Homes.  The tour will feature 8 restored Historic homes in the Old Northwest DeLand National Historic District.  The press release below shows only 7 homes being open however, Aparo-Griffin Properties has the wonderful opportunity to open 124 North Clara Avenue. 

Press Release

Event Date(s): 12/6/2008 - 12/7/2008
Time and Location: varies, St. Barnabas Episcopal Church, DeLand.
Contact Phone: 386-740-6813
Event Details: Seven historic homes never before included in the West Volusia Historical Society's Tour of Historic Homes are in this year's tour scheduled for December 6 and 7. Hours are 1 to 6 p.m. Homes featured on the 2008 Tour include: 130, 321, and 426 N. Clara Ave.; 223, 335, and 409 W. Minnesota Ave., and 341 W. Wisconsin Ave. Two special events also are included in this year's program, according to Lorna Jean Hagstrom, Tour Chairman. Prior to the Saturday tour. will be a walking tour of three DeLand historic districts, with an emphasis on historic urban design. Leading the tour will be DeLand architect Hernando Gomez. Tickets are $10, and the tour begins at 9 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 6, at the DeLand House, 137 W. Michigan Ave. A second feature is an 11 a.m. Saturday talk and power point presentation on Louis Tiffany's glass collection given by Jennifer Thalheimer of the Morse Gallery in Winter Park, Fl, home of the Tiffany collection. The program will take place in the sanctuary of St. Barnabas Episcopal Church which features Tiffany stained glass windows. The church is at 319 W. Wisconsin Ave. Ticket cost is $5. Cost for the tour of homes is $12 in advance, $15 day of the event. A ticket is good for either day. Hagstrom said that while all the homes are within walking distance, buses will be available. Tickets can be purchased for all of the events at a discounted price of $20. The parking lot of St. Barnabas Episcopal Church is the starting point for the home tours. Tickets can be purchased at the Muse Book Shop, the Family Book Store, and the West Volusia Historical Society, 137 W. Michigan Ave. Call 386 740-6813.

DeLand's Victorian "1888" House

This beautiful Victorian is said to have been built in 1888 and is a master show stopper.  The homes former use was as a bed and breakfast and has now been restored and remodeled.  The first floor has been the area to keep most of it's original integrity, the dark heavy woods are orignal.  The front doors open to a large foyer to the left is a sitting area.  Beautiful heavy hung sliding doors have original hardware, this room features a art deco style fireplace.  To the right as you enter is a bright sunroom with two walls of windows, letting the early morning sunrise in.  There is too much to describe about this grand old lady!

Bonus room and arts and  crafts studio plus over a half acre lot with beautiful gardens and parking!  Fenced backyard and home features firealarm and firesprinklers to accomodate bed and breakfast  code requirements.  There is a large walk out basement and property has two storage sheds on property.  Water softner is owned.  A rare find a ONE OF A KIND.

www.westvolusiahousehunter.com

Last week bikers from around the world desended on Volusia County for Bike Week 2008.

While Daytona Beach still gets most of the publicity as the Bike Week epicenter, activities now spread throughout Volusia County and all of Central Florida.  The historic downtown of Deland, my home town, roared with the sound of bikes on Saturday, March 1 for the DeLand Bike Rally.  The normally quiet downtown was host to as many as 50,000 bikers who enjoyed all that downtown DeLand has to offer.  Live bands played, while bikers and spectators alike enjoyed picture perfect weather conditions.    The turn out was made all the more amazing considering that this was just the 4th annual event to be held in DeLand. 

When my husband, Frank and I first began coming to Bike Week 12 years ago, the only bikers in West Volusia were those that could not find hotel rooms in Daytona.  Luckily my husband and I happened upon the picturesque town of DeLand just as we had decided it was time to get out of South Florida.  One of our priorities in searching areas was access to our other favorite pastime - boating.   DeLand's proximity to the coast, as well as our pleasant discovery of the St. John's River just to the West, made it the perfect spot for us.  While motorcycles are no longer a part of our life, we are happy that they helped lead us to DeLand, which we expect to continue to be the perfect spot for us for years to come.