Daytona Beach:The Story Part 1

Daytona Beach has a storybook tale. From its initial slow start as a development along the HalifaxRiver, this community found opportunity with its location and its unique natural setting. Over the next weeks I am going to tell the unique and fascinating history of Daytona Beach.

What began as an orange plantation on the banks of the HalifaxRiver in the late 1700's, turned into today's Downtown Daytona Beach. Mathias Day, an entrepreneur from Ohio, traveled to the growing wilderness of Florida in hopes of turning a profit on land development.Around 1870 Mathias Day purchased a 2000 acre plot of land known as the Williams Plantation.He had the land platted and then went back to Ohio in search of investors and others looking to move to this new uncharted land of opportunity.Loomis Avenue, the first street in Daytona Beach, was originally a logging road used to bring timber from the thick forests into the orange plantation. Loomis Avenue was named after Mathias Day's son, Loomis Day.

Interestingly enough, Mathias Day was not successful in selling his new development.After failing to spark the required interest, Mathias Day was forced to give the property to the bank.This early settlement was not dead though; there were some original pioneers in 1876 that met on the 2^nd floor of the Thompson General store.After some deliberation they decided on the name 'Daytona'.

Some interesting points of interest are:

• Loomis Avenue has maintained its original name and is today lined with massive live oak trees.
• Marina Breeze Condominiums on the corner of Loomis and Beach St. sits on the former site of the Palmetto Hotel, Daytona's earliest tourist residence
• The Thompson General Store still stands today.Converted years later into a residential home, it was the future residence of the author Harrison Garfield Rhodes. Today, you can own a piece of Daytona History because this property is currently for sale.

If you are interested in being part of the Daytona Beach story, please contact Kelly White at 386-566-6788.