Welcome back I hope you all had a wonderfful Christmas as even if you don’t celbrate the day most of you get the time off so that’s a good thing RIGHT?!!!!!!

Today we continue with our exploration of the lands beyond Lake Monroe—reached by 17-92 north across the lake and north of Sanford, Florida .

You can start where we left off last week at Painters Pond—-just take E. Wisconsin west across  17-92.

On your left is

Bill Dreggors Park

230 North Stone Street,

Located in the park is :

This historic site, which is on the National Register of Historic Places, was dedicated and named for William J. “Bill” Dreggors, Jr.  Mr. Dreggors was known throughout Florida for his work in historic preservation and his knowledge of the area’s history. The DeLand Garden Club invites visitors to enjoy a self-guided tour of the Sensory Butterfly Garden. Created for the visually and physically challenged, selected plants offer easily sensed characteristics such as scent, color, texture, taste and touch.  You can also enjoy a 7/16 mile loop paved walking/jogging path and Freedom Playground.

Bill Dreggors Park DeLand Florida – YouTube

Saturday, January 8, 2022

Walking Tour  – Walking Tour of DeLand’s Three National Historic Districts. Walk through history in the charming neighborhoods of the old Northwest and Stetson Historic Districts filled with a variety of architectural styles, and the heart of the Historic Downtown District  Departs Conrad Education & Research Center at 10:30 am. See this page for details.

When you leave the park go back the way you came—going east on W. Wisconsin

Turn left on N. Florida Ave

Then right on W. Michigan Ave.

Immediately on the left on Michigan is:

Henry A. DeLand House Museum

137 W. Michigan Ave,

The DeLand House was built in 1886. In 1990, it was opened as a Victorian era house museum featuring items related to the history of western Volusia County. The museum is operated by the West Volusia Historical Society.

DeLand House Museum is temporarily closed for restoration, refurbishing and re-interpretation.

 built in 1886 for DeLand’s first attorney, Arthur George Hamlin,

Wednesday, January 12, 2022

Walking Tour – Old Northwest Residential Historic District & Stetson University Historic District. Departs Conrad Education & Research Center at 10:30 am. See this page for details.

Continue on Michigan going east to 17-92

cross oveer 17-92

on the right (with parking in the lot on the left side of the street is

Gellespie Museum

234 Michigan Ave.

The Gillespie Museum will be closed December 6 – January 10

You welcome to wander through the grounds, including the Native Florida Landscape and the Volusia Sandhill Ecosystem. (Guides to both outdoor spaces are available in the Pollination Station box near the sidewalk between the museum building and the Rinker Environmental Learning Center-RELC.)

museum hours, contact information, membership, school programs and more.

Stetson University’s “earth science museum in a natural setting,” with a mission to educate about geology, mineralogy, and environmental science. The museum houses a collection of 15,000 minerals; its grounds and the adjacent Rinker Environmental Learning Center allow Stetson faculty and undergraduates to contribute to museum programming.

Smithsonian Magazine

Adventures of Adam: Gillespie Museum @ Stetson University

turn back on Michigan

then right on 17-92

On the left after University Avenue is

MUSEUM OF ART – DELAND

600 N. Woodland Blvd.

A community visual arts museum dedicated to the collecting, preservation, study, display and educational use of the fine arts. In addition to the permanent collection, the museum is host to exhibitions, gallery talks and receptions, educational programming, master artist workshops and special events throughout the year.

Museum of Art DeLand

Return to 17-92 going north again

Turn right on East Pennsylvania Ave.

Turn left on N. Frankfort Ave.

on the left is

Jackson Lane Memorial Park

720 N Frankfort Ave,

This kid-friendly neighborhood park offers lots of shade under canopies of oaks trees. It has a playground with a main interactive structure, and swings. There is also a basketball court, nature trail and Boy Scout Hut with picnic tables that can be reserved. There is no restrooms at this site.

Historic DeLand “just seems to embody everything that’s good about Florida,” says VISIT FLORIDA Insider Gary McKechnie. “It’s a quiet town — there’s just a sense of Americana here that you can’t find in a lot of places.” There are no chain stores here. Browse LPs at Groovy Records, or stroll through the Florida Museum for Women Artists. It’s a perfect slice of pure Florida, and a wonderful place to spend an afternoon.

Visit Florida

By Gary McKechnie

Return to 17-92 and go south.

Past New York Ave you’ll see a free parking lot on your left park here and we will do some walking next week.