Floridiana Magazine

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Manatee Viewing at Blue Spring State Park

When you think of Florida, cold weather isn’t the first thing to come to mind.  But when the mercury starts to drop, some of the best places to visit are the state’s springs.  That’s where you will be able to see manatees in their natural habitats – a sight that never gets old.  So, when we got our first blast of cold air, guess where we headed?

Blue Spring State Park

Blue Spring State Park in Orange City offers some of the best views of manatees (at least in our opinion).  Considered one of the largest gathering sites for these gentle giants during the winter months, Blue Spring is home to nearly 500 manatees, up from about 40 when research began in the 1970s.

The park offers numerous viewing platforms to see the manatees. Watch from the overlooks, a metal dock or follow the boardwalk to the headspring.  About 1/3 of a mile from the St. Johns River, this first magnitude spring (a spring that discharges water at the rate of 100 cubic feet per second) provides a safe haven for these gentle giants.

Manatees in the spring run

Take the boardwalk to the headspring

What You Will See

If it’s cold outside, there’s no doubt you will observe manatees during your visit to Blue Spring State Park.  Watch as the manatees hang out in the spring run or the spring itself.  Get a glimpse of the manatee mothers swimming alongside their calves, or a group of manatees playing games in the water. See them glide slowly through the water, sit on the bottom of the spring run or perform barrel rolls.  There is something very peaceful about observing these mammals in their habitat.

Manatees of all sizes can be observed in Blue Spring State Park. They can grow up to 10-12 feet in length and can weigh as much as 2,000 pounds. Manatees can live 50 – 60 years in the wild, and according to the Save the Manatee website, some of the same manatees have been spotted in Blue Spring since the early 70s.

Mama and her calf

Injuries to Manatees

Sadly, many manatees receive serious injuries from boats, some from propellers cutting into their skin, or from blunt-force from speeding boaters.  Many of the manatees seen in Blue Spring have scars as evidence of their injuries.  Not all injuries come from boats, however. Some come from nets or fishing line or other items tossed into the water ways.

Water Activities

Canoeing, kayaking, swimming and diving are all suspended in the spring run and the headspring at Blue Spring State Park during the winter months.

Tips for Viewing

Besides Blue Spring State Park, manatees can be seen in many springs, rivers and other waterways around the state during the winter months of November through March.  No matter where you see them, here are a few tips for viewing:

  1. On cold mornings at Blue Spring State Park, arrive early. The park closes its gates once the parking lots are full. Check your destination for site specific information.
  2. Look but don’t touch.
  3. Be patient. Manatees typically come up for air every three to five minutes. However, they can stay underwater for up to 15 – 20 minutes.
  4. When the manatees surface, listen closely for their breathing sounds.
  5. Do not feed them or poke them with anything.
  6. Take along a camera or use your smart phone. They don’t move fast and you can get some great photos!
  7. Sunny days are more picturesque than cloudy days, but you can still see them, even with overcast skies.

Hanging out over the spring

Blue Spring State Park is a 50-minute drive from Orlando and is located on French Avenue in Orange City, west of US Highway 17-92.  Park hours are 8:00 a.m. until sundown 365 days a year.  There is a $6.00 per car charge to get into the park.

Note: Updates to Wheelie and his rescue can be found on our Facebook page.

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The Athens of Florida: DeLand

Brief History of DeLand

DeLand’s rich history goes back to when the area was known as Persimmon Hollow and was only accessible by steamboat along the St. John’s River.  Captain John Rich built a log cabin there in 1874, then two years later, in 1876, Henry A. DeLand visited his brother-in-law who lived in Persimmon Hollow.  DeLand liked it so much he purchased a $1,000 plot of land with the idea of developing the area.  He offered settlers purchasing the property a chance to sell it back to him within a two-year period.  DeLand lived up to his word after a freeze destroyed all of their crops and they could no longer stay there.  He bought back all the land.

“Henry’s Vision”

DeLand is also responsible for the city’s nickname “The Athens of Florida.”  Although he was never a full-time resident of the state, he wanted the city to become a place of culture, education and beauty like Athens, Greece.

Stetson University

Stetson University, Florida’s oldest private college, also plays a major role in the city’s history.  Stetson sits on about 160 acres of land in the heart of DeLand.  Founded in 1883 as DeLand University, its name was changed to Stetson University in 1889 in honor of John B. Stetson, a hat manufacturer who, along with Henry DeLand (founder of the city), was one of the founding trustees of the university.

DeLand Hall

Beautiful brick buildings are part of the university’s landscape.  One of those buildings, Elizabeth Hall, was built in 1885 and sits on North Woodland Boulevard.  Elizabeth Hall and other buildings like it are the reasons the university is on the National Register of Historic Places for the state’s “oldest collection of education-related buildings.”

Elizabeth Hall, built 1885

This picturesque campus has been ranked as the 5th best regional university in the South in the 2017 U.S. News and World Report’s guide to America’s Best Colleges.

Stetson Mansion

When planning for this day trip to DeLand, I knew I also wanted to see the Stetson Mansion, but driving up to the entrance, the gate was closed and a sign indicated the start time of the next tour.   Reservations for the tours are required, which means I should have done a little more research! Nevertheless, looking through the gate at this massive mansion, it’s easy to understand why it is Florida’s first luxury estate.

The mansion is referred to as “The House that Hats Built” and served as the winter home for John B. Stetson for 20 years.  Built in 1886, the mansion is filled with intricate carvings, parquet floors and 10,000 panes of antique window glass. It is also one of the first homes in the world with electricity, thanks to the friendship between Stetson and Thomas Edison.  Although it is now a private residence, year-round tours are still offered with special tours taking place during the Christmas holidays.

Athens Theatre

It’s only fitting that the city known as The Athens of Florida is home to its own Athens Theatre.  The theatre is in Historic Downtown DeLand at the end of Indiana Avenue along North Florida Avenue.  The theatre opened its doors in 1922 and was dubbed “Florida’s Handsomest Theatre.”  The theatre has evolved over the years from vaudeville acts to a movie theatre to a dinner theatre.  It closed its doors in the early 1990s but became the focus of the MainStreet DeLand Association which recognized the role it plays in the history of the city.  It is now owned by a non-profit theatre company and produces six Broadway caliber shows per year.  The Athens Theatre Youth Company also uses the facility to educate the youth about the performing arts.

The DeLand Mural Walk

Another must-see in DeLand is the city’s Mural Walk.  With 12 official murals painted on the sides of buildings around town, it is part of the Florida Mural Trail.  Each mural offers its own story about the history of Deland and range from smaller paintings, like “Gibbs Clothing Store”

…to the city’s longest mural at Painter’s Pond Park.  At 100 feet long, it shows what train passengers would see as they were riding through DeLand in the early 1900s.

In addition to the “official” murals, there are several others painted around town that are worth seeing.  The “Wings” painting along Pill Alley is one of those that visitors seek out, perhaps in an effort to earn their own wings.

Shopping and Dining in DeLand

The streets of DeLand are filled with stores, restaurants, and drinking establishments. Music stores offer up vinyl records of some of the old favorites, while antique stores provide treasure hunters plenty of opportunities to plunder.

Three-story antique store. A dream come true!

Hometown breweries like Persimmon Hollow Brewing Company and outdoor spaces like DaVinci Gardens give patrons unique experiences to relax and unwind.

On the outside looking in

Fun during the day, but buzzing at night

Other Things to See in DeLand

If these things aren’t enough to keep a person busy, there are a couple of other opportunities to take in the city of DeLand.  Stop by the old courthouse and gaze up at the amazing architecture, or visit the Chess Park adjacent to the courthouse.  Chess pieces are not provided.

With so much to see and do in DeLand, it’s best to do a little research beforehand.  But it’s definitely a place to go to continue “celebrating all things Florida.”

Ponce Inlet Light Station and Museum

There are some locations that seem to beckon you to visit.  The Ponce Inlet Lighthouse is one of them.  Reaching 175 feet majestically into the sky, this red structure is the tallest lighthouse in the state, and second tallest masonry lighthouse in the United States, behind the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse in the Outer Banks of North Carolina.

Ponce Inlet Lighthouse

The Lighthouse

The day we visited, the lighthouse wasn’t even on my radar.  (I’m certainly not one who would go climbing something that tall just for the fun of it!) Standing at the base and looking up, the lighthouse didn’t look that formidable.   But try climbing the 203 steps and you will definitely have a different opinion.  I know I did.  Thankfully, on the lower levels there were places to stop and catch our breath.  But as we got closer to the top, it felt like the walls were closing in.  No wonder.  Its 32-foot diameter base slowly shrinks to just 12 feet at the top.  Once there, though, the view – even on a cloudy day – is breathtaking – water everywhere you look.  After all, it is located ten miles south of Daytona Beach, where the Halifax River and Indian River flow into the Atlantic Ocean.

Looking out at the Atlantic Ocean

Ponce Inlet Light Station Museum

Construction on the lighthouse began in 1884 and was completed in 1887. Still an active lighthouse, it also serves as the focal point of the Ponce Inlet Light Station and Museum, which includes all of the original dwellings of the keepers as well as other support buildings.  Ponce Inlet is one of the only Light Stations in the United States that has these buildings intact.

Keeper’s Dwellings

There are three Keeper’s Dwellings that serve as the museum: Principal Keeper’s, First Assistant Keeper’s, and Second Assistant Keeper’s.  Each building provides visitors with a different piece of history.  The Principal Keeper’s Dwelling once was home to the principal keeper and his family. Now it houses exhibits about  lighthouses of the world, lighthouses for airplanes, and Native Americans in Florida, to name a few.

Principal Keeper’s Dwelling

The First Assistant’s Dwelling is not open for actual tours, but can be seen through viewing panels on the front and back porches.  It was named in honor of Gladys Meyer Davis whose father served as the last Lighthouse Service Principal Keeper at the lighthouse.  The building is furnished as it would have been in the late 1800s or early 1900s. In the Second Assistant Keeper’s Dwelling, visitors can learn more about the local community, from beach racing to the lives of the keepers and their families.  This building actually served as the first town hall for Ponce Inlet in the early 1960s.

First Assistant’s Dwelling

Lens Exhibit

A visit to the lighthouse wouldn’t be complete with going inside of the Lens Exhibit Building.  Before this trip, I did not know about the different types of lenses that are used in lighthouses.  I still don’t know a lot, but what I do know, is this is an impressive collection.  The rotating first order Fresnel lens from the Cape Canaveral Lighthouse is on display as well as the original fixed first order Fresnel lens that was used from 1887 – 1933 in the Ponce Inlet Lighthouse.

Some of the lenses on display

Sign explaining the history of the Cape Canaveral lens

Learn more about the history of Ponce Inlet Lighthouse through other exhibits onsite.  The Ponce De Leon Inlet Light Station and Museum is open daily from 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.  From Memorial Day to Labor Day the hours are extended until 9:00 p.m. with the last tour beginning at 8:00 p.m.  There is an entrance fee which you pay inside the gift shop.

 

Floridiana Magazine (FM) Footnotes:

The Light Station and Museum is operated by the Ponce De Leon Inlet Lighthouse Preservation Association, Inc.  It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1998 and is now visited by more than 170,000 people a year.

According to the Florida Lighthouse Association, there are 30 lighthouses in Florida and preserving all of them would take nearly $20 million dollars.

For those who visit lighthouses on a regular basis, visit United States Lighthouse Society Passport Program and join the free Passport Club.  There is a charge to actually purchase your passport. Information on that is also available on the website.

 

The Gamble Place

One of the great things about Florida is there is always a new place to explore, one you never knew existed. A recent trip to Port Orange led to the discovery of yet another hidden treasure. Not only does it offer a step back in time, but also a little bit of whimsy and a window into a backwoods retreat.

Egwanulti

Egwanulti is the name given to the Gamble Place by James N. Gamble, the son of the co-founder of the Procter and Gamble Company. Egwanulti is a Native American word meaning “by the water” which is fitting because of its location along Spruce Creek. Gamble bought the land in 1898, but it wasn’t until 1907 that he built the cracker-style house that still stands on the property today. The house features a separate kitchen and dining room, connected by a breezeway or dog-trot, and an open front porch.  The back porch, with its chairs and benches, opens to the back yard with the creek just steps away.  Sitting on the porch, you can just imagine the stories shared by those who once called this place home during the winter months.

Gamble Place

An inviting back porch

Besides the house, Gamble also rebuilt a packing house on the property to process the citrus from his own grove.

Citrus Packing House

The Gamble Place sits on 175 acres and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1993.

Snow White Cottage

“Heigh-ho, Heigh-ho
It’s home from work we go…”

If those song lyrics conjure up a memory, then this Florida stop is a must-see.  Nestled along the banks of Spruce Creek on the eastern portion of the Gamble property, sits a replica of the Snow White Cottage. You know the one she stayed in with the dwarfs?  The cottage started out as plans for a playhouse, but by the time it was finished, it had expanded into a full-size replica and served as a retreat for guests of all ages. Judge Alfred K. Nippert, Gamble’s son-in-law, got the idea for the cottage after the Disney movie’s release in 1937, just three months after the death of his wife.

Snow White Cottage

Along with the cottage, there are two other structures.  The Diamond Mine is built in the same style as the cottage and is two stories.  The ground floor once had a tank used to store water.  On the second floor, a child’s dream – a playhouse.

“The Diamond Mine”

What would the cottage be without the Wicked Witch lurking nearby?  An old hollow cypress tree was moved to the property, placed on a stone foundation and roofed.  If you look closely, you’ll see a familiar face peering out of the window.

Wicked Witch’s Hut

Cracker Creek

Before you can get onto the Gamble property, you have to stop at the Cracker Creek office to pay a minimal admission fee. While you’re there though, ask about canoe and kayak rentals, or the hydro-bike rentals.  For a more leisurely trip down Spruce Creek, they also offer pontoon boat tours Friday through Sunday.

Cracker Creek Office

Rent a canoe or bring your own

Take a leisurely cruise

No matter if you’re at the Gamble Place or walking around the grounds at Cracker Creek, magnificent peacocks can be seen roaming the property.  These close encounters bring to full light the iridescent blues and greens in their feathers.

Beautiful peacocks roam the property

Cracker Creek and the Gamble Place are located in Port Orange off Taylor Road.  You cannot get inside the actual buildings through the self-tour.  The building tour is available for groups of ten or more but reservations must be made in advance.

Dunlawton Sugar Mill Gardens

Just a short drive off Nova Road (Highway 5A) in Port Orange is another one of those hidden gems in Florida. Dunlawton Sugar Mill Gardens is a 12-acre mix of gardens and Florida history.  I have to admit, one of the things that drew me here in the first place, was the knowledge an old Florida tourist attraction used to be on this site.  More on that later, but first a little about the sugar mill.

Entrance to Dunlawton Sugar Mill Gardens. Don’t forget to drop a donation in the box just inside.

Dunlawton Sugar Mill Plantation

The history of the plantation goes back to before Florida even became a state when it was part of a 995 acre land grant in 1804.  After passing through several hands, it was eventually purchased by Sarah Petty Anderson (Dunn) in 1832 under the name Dunlawton Plantation – a combination of Anderson’s maiden name and the previous owners of the land, Charles and Joseph Lawton. For three years, sugar and molasses were produced here, until the Second Seminole War.  Like many other mills in Florida, Dunlawton was burned to the ground. With no money to rebuild it, the Anderson family abandoned the property.  The mill changed hands a couple more times until it was burned down again during the Third Seminole War.  During the Civil War, Dunlawton was a camp for the St. John’s Rangers, in the 2nd Florida Cavalry who used the kettles for the “production of salt for food preservation and ammunition.”

Side view of the sugar mill, showing the purgery which contained vats to catch molasses drippings.

Kettle trains in the boiling room

Cane crusher

Visitors can get a good glimpse of what the sugar making process entailed.  Many of the old pieces of machinery are still in place, including a cane crusher, the boilers and kettles.  The brick structures are now protected by a metal roof, although at one time in its history a wooden roof created an “enclosed” sugar factory.

There are plenty of informational placards that provide a better understanding of the history of the mill and the process of sugar making. Make sure you stop and read them all.

One of many informational signs throughout the gardens

Bongoland

Who would have thought the site of protected archaeological ruins would also one day turn into a tourist attraction?  During the 1940s and ‘50s, the property was transformed into Bongoland – an attraction that featured animals, an Indian village, a train to take visitors around the park and a series of dinosaurs created out of chicken wire and concrete. Oh, and Bongo – the baboon that lived on the grounds.  Unfortunately, the whole idea of theme parks hadn’t caught on and Bongoland closed due to a lack of interest.

Bongoland brochure

Five of the original dinosaurs remain on the property and can be viewed during your walk around the park.  Most of them are located near the Children’s Garden and still remain an attraction in their own right. One park goer says she used to climb under and around the dinosaurs, but they have since been cordoned off with fencing.  Still, kids love to stand in front of these prehistoric animals and marvel at their size.  Plus they are perfect for picture taking!

Watch out for the dinosaurs!

Tyrannosaurus Rex – don’t let his “smile” deceive you!

Dimetrodon

Triceratops

Ground Sloth

Kids love the dinosaurs!

After Bongoland closed, the property sat neglected until it was bequeathed to Volusia County in 1963. An organization known as Botanical Gardens of Volusia, Inc. made a deal with the county and began leasing the property in 1985. Their work at the gardens relies 100% on donations and volunteers.

The gardens are filled with water features, flowers and plants.

Vine growing wild

Ginger

Fern

Confederate Oak – according to legend, Confederate soldiers frequently camped under it.

Whether you visit to meander along the many trails and look at the plants and flowers, view the dinosaurs or take a look back into the history of Florida sugar making, this is worth the visit.

Flower Circle

Floridiana Magazine (FM) Notes: The gardens are open every day from 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. (except for Christmas and New Years).   There is no admission fee, but donations are accepted. Botanical Gardens of Volusia, Inc. is always looking for volunteers to serve on committees or work in the gardens.  Visit their website for more information.

De Leon Springs State Park

With more than 160 state parks in Florida, it would take a little over three years to visit them all, if you only visited one each weekend.  Those parks are some of the best places to experience the “old” Florida and chances are, no matter where you live in the state, you are within a short driving distance of one of them.

If you live in or near Volusia County, you have a gem in your own backyard – De Leon Springs State Park. The park covers 625 acres and includes a spring that pumps 19 million gallons of water a day and offers something for everyone: water activities, hiking, learning history, picnicking and even pancakes!

Water Activities 

With a spring boasting year round temperatures of 72 degrees, it is a popular location for swimming and snorkeling.  Besides swimming, you can rent canoes, kayaks or paddleboats and explore the paddling trail that provides access to the Lake Woodruff National Wildlife Refuge.  There’s also a free boat ramp if you choose to launch your own boat.  And of course, what would water activities be if fishing weren’t included?  Fish in the St. John’s River or the spring run.  Just be sure you have a freshwater fishing license if you plan on casting a line.

Great place for a swim! De Leon Springs State Park | Photo by Doris Keeler, Floridiana Magazine

Rent a canoe to explore the waterways.

Hiking and Birding

De Leon Springs offers up three trails, perfect for both the casual walker and the more serious hiker. One of the trails – The Nature Trail – is a half-mile paved trail and boardwalk that winds through a cypress swamp and leads you to Old Methuselah – a cypress tree that’s more than 500 years old. There are also two other trails – Monkey Island Trail and the Wild Persimmon Hiking Trail.  Wild Persimmon is four miles long and is not for the casual walker.  The park is part of the Great Florida Birding Trail, so take along your binoculars and keep an eye to the sky (or the trees).

The Nature Trail to Old Methuselah

 

History

If you are a history buff, there is plenty of history to learn about at De Leon Springs. Nearly 30 years ago a dugout canoe – said to be 6,000 years old – was found in the spring.  Other historical notes include the arrival of the first Spanish friars in the 1590s, the only water-powered sugar mill in Florida, a tourist resort, hotel and casino, a roadside attraction with a jungle cruise, and its current use as the De Leon Springs State Park.  There are plenty of artifacts left over from the time as a sugar mill and most of them are located near the Sugar Mill Restaurant.

One of many historic structures in the park.

Pancakes

Yes! Pancakes!  The Sugar Mill Restaurant at the park is a favorite among guests. Located inside the replica of the old sugar mill, what makes this restaurant unique is that each table has its own griddle.  Visitors are provided  homemade batter and actually pour and flip their own pancakes.  Additional items, like chocolate chips, bananas and blueberries can be ordered to customize your pancakes.  Plan on a wait time, as this is one of the hot spots at the park.

Picnicking

No matter what your reason for visiting the park, make sure you pack a picnic lunch and enjoy eating at one of the picnic tables.  Two pavilions are available for free on a first come, first serve basis, or you can rent one of four other pavilions.  Kids will love the playground!

If you’re looking for a little day trip, pack up the car.  The park is located off Highway 17 in De Leon Springs, about an hour north of Orlando.