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DeLand House |
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Henry A. DeLand House Museum The DeLand House was built in 1886 by DeLand's first attorney, Arthur George Hamlin, who cultivated the Hamlin orange. The house built upon land purchased by Henry DeLand, the founding father of the city. In 1893, John B. Stetson, the hat manufacturer and benefactor to Stetson University, purchased the home for faculty housing. Dr. Charles Farriss, professor of Greek and Latin, purchased the home and made significant changes to the building, which transformed a simple house into a residence that embodies classical styling and character. Dr. Farriss' hobby was working with leaded and stained glass and his work can be seen throughout the house. Another interesting feature of the house is the woodwork which is heart and curly pine. The home changed ownership several times over the years during which it became an apartment house for naval officers and their wives during the second World War. In 1988, the house was purchased by Robert and Hawtense Conrad and donated to the city of DeLand. After two years of restoration, the DeLand House Museum was opened and dedicated. The period furnishings in the museum have all been donated by dedicated, generous citizens of the area. A unique feature of the museum is that the history of West Volusia county is depicted on the walls through an extensive collection of period photographs. The authentic artifacts and memorabilia displayed in the cabinets and cupboards trace the history and development of DeLand and the surrounding area. * Click on a link above to check out our Gift Shop & some pictures of the rooms of the museum & to get directions. * |
