DeBary, Florida facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
DeBary, Florida
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| City of DeBary | ||
City hall
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| Nickname(s):
The River City
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Location in Volusia County and the state of Florida
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| Country | United States | |
| State | Florida | |
| County | Volusia | |
| Incorporated | December 31, 1993 | |
| Government | ||
| • Type | Council–manager | |
| Area | ||
| • City | 21.79 sq mi (56.43 km2) | |
| • Land | 18.95 sq mi (49.08 km2) | |
| • Water | 2.84 sq mi (7.34 km2) | |
| Elevation | 56 ft (17 m) | |
| Population
(2020)
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| • City | 22,260 | |
| • Density | 1,174.61/sq mi (453.51/km2) | |
| • Urban | 147,713 | |
| • Metro | 494,593 | |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (EST) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) | |
| ZIP code(s) |
32713, 32753
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| Area code(s) | 386 | |
| FIPS code | 12-16675 | |
| GNIS feature ID | 0281364 | |
DeBary is a city in Florida, located in Volusia County. It sits on the eastern side of the St. Johns River, close to Lake Monroe. In 2020, about 22,260 people lived there. DeBary is part of a larger metropolitan area that includes cities like Deltona and Daytona Beach.
Contents
History of DeBary
Early Inhabitants
Long ago, the Timucuan Indians lived near Lake Monroe. Their land stretched north of Lake George. They hunted, fished, and gathered food from the forests. By the 1760s, the Timucuan people were gone. The Seminole tribe from Alabama and Georgia then moved into the area.
Florida Becomes a State
Florida became part of the United States in 1821. However, the Seminole Wars made it hard for new settlers to move in. In 1866, Elijah Watson sold land to Oliver and Amanda Arnett. They built a house on the northern shore of the St. Johns River.
Frederick deBary and DeBary Hall
In 1871, a rich wine merchant named (Samuel) Frederick deBary bought about 400 acres (1.6 km2) from the Arnetts. He was from New York City. That same year, he built a large hunting lodge. This lodge became known as "DeBary Hall".
DeBary Hall was a huge, 20-room Italianate mansion. It had two levels of porches, stables, and an ice house. It also had Florida's first swimming pool, which was fed by a natural spring. Famous visitors like Presidents Ulysses S. Grant and Grover Cleveland stayed there.
Over time, Frederick deBary bought more land, about 9,000 acres (36 km2). He planted orange groves and pecan trees. There's some discussion about whether his pool was truly the first in Florida. It might have been the first pool fed by a spring.
Steamboats and Trade
In 1875, deBary bought a small steamboat called the George M. Bird. He used it to move his horses and dogs for hunting. He also used it to take fruit to market. In 1876, he started his own steamship company, the DeBary Merchants' Line. This company carried mail between Jacksonville and Enterprise. They even had a large sidewheeler steamboat named Frederick DeBary.
In 1883, deBary's company joined with another company, the Baya Line. They formed the DeBary-Baya Merchants' Line. This new company had 13 steamboats and 3,000 crew members. They traveled all the way to Sanford. The company was later sold in 1889 and continued until 1928.
DeBary's Legacy
Frederick deBary passed away in 1898. His mansion, DeBary Hall, is now a restored museum. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972. The estate is now 10 acres (40,000 m2) and includes the Arnett House, the community's oldest building. The City of DeBary was officially formed in 1993. It was named after its important early settler, Frederick deBary.
Geography of DeBary
DeBary is located in central Florida. The city covers a total area of about 21.4 square miles (55.4 km2). Most of this area, about 18.2 square miles (47.1 km2), is land. The rest, about 3.2 square miles (8.3 km2), is covered by water. Konomac Lake, a reservoir for Florida Power & Light, is also found in the city.
Population and People
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1960 | 2,362 | — | |
| 1970 | 3,154 | 33.5% | |
| 1980 | 4,980 | 57.9% | |
| 1990 | 7,176 | 44.1% | |
| 2000 | 15,559 | 116.8% | |
| 2010 | 19,320 | 24.2% | |
| 2020 | 22,260 | 15.2% | |
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In 2020, DeBary had 22,260 residents. There were 8,235 households in the city. About 5,555 of these were families.
In 2010, the city had 19,320 people. There were 7,955 households and 5,634 families. About 20% of the population was under 18 years old. Around 23% of the people were 65 years or older. The average age in DeBary was 45 years old.
Getting Around DeBary
Bus Service
DeBary has bus services provided by VOTRAN. These include routes #23, #31, #32, and #33.
Train Service
DeBary is also served by SunRail. This is a commuter train system for Central Florida.
Parks and Outdoor Fun
DeBary has many parks and open spaces. These areas are great for different outdoor activities.
City Parks
- Alexandra Park
- Bill Keller Park
- Community Park
- Eagle's Nest Park
- Gateway Park
- Memorial Park
- Power Park
- River City Nature Park
- Rob Sullivan Park
Volusia County Parks
- DeBary Hall
- Gemini Springs Park
- Lake Monroe Park
Famous People from DeBary
- Luke Delaney (born 1979), an astronaut
- Keith Greene (born 1992), a professional golfer
Education in DeBary
Volusia County Schools manages public elementary and secondary education. DeBary Elementary is the only elementary school in the city. Students usually go to middle and high schools in nearby cities. These cities include Deltona and Orange City.
See also
In Spanish: DeBary para niños
