DeBary Hall facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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DeBary Hall
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 Location in Volusia County
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| Location | DeBary, Florida |
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| Built | 1871 |
| NRHP reference No. | 72000354 |
| Added to NRHP | July 24, 1972 |
DeBary Hall is a special historic place in DeBary, Florida, United States. It was built way back in 1871. On July 24, 1972, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places, which means it's an important building worth protecting.
Frederick DeBary, a wealthy wine importer, built DeBary Hall as his winter home and hunting lodge. It was a perfect spot for fun activities like swimming, fishing, and hunting.
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DeBary Hall: A Historic Florida Home
DeBary Hall was more than just a home; it was a grand estate. Frederick DeBary turned his fun retreat into a successful business. He planted huge orange groves and started a steamboat company. His steamboats carried goods and people up the St. John’s River to Jacksonville.
The DeBary family used the hall as their winter getaway until 1941. Many important guests visited DeBary Hall, but you needed a personal invitation to stay there. The house was even made bigger to welcome all the visitors. They added more dining rooms, extra bathrooms, and guest bedrooms.
Amazing Features of DeBary Hall
DeBary Hall was built during a time called Reconstruction, right after the American Civil War. Even then, it had some super cool and advanced features that were rare for homes in the South.
This large hunting lodge, about 8,000 square feet, included:
- An elevator for guests' luggage.
- Running water from a big 500-gallon tank in the ceiling.
- Electricity made right there on site using natural gas.
- A wired call system throughout the house, like an early intercom.
- A lightning protection system on the roof.
The estate also had its own water tower. It even had Florida's first spring-fed swimming pool! A pump filled and drained the pool every day. These unique features made the home very self-sufficient, especially since it was in a somewhat remote area. These special design elements are why DeBary Hall is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Famous Guests at DeBary Hall
The warm Florida climate, hunting, and beautiful springs attracted people from all over the country and even other parts of the world. Some famous people who might have visited DeBary Hall include:
- Presidents Grant and Cleveland.
- Members of European royal families.
- General William Tecumseh Sherman, a famous Civil War general.
Who Was Frederick DeBary?
Samuel Frederick deBary was born in Germany on January 12, 1815. When he was young, he became friends with G. H. Mumm, whose family made famous champagne in France. Mumm asked Frederick to go to New York City and introduce their champagne to America.
In 1840, at age 25, Frederick sailed to New York. He started his own company, Frederick deBary Company, just for Mumm's Champagne. At that time, America didn't produce many luxury items, so Frederick's business was very successful.
In 1844, Frederick returned to Europe and married Julie Scherpenhauser. They moved back to New York and had two children, Adolphe and Eugenie. Eugenie later moved to Germany, and her children are the only descendants of Frederick DeBary today.
The DeBarys in Florida
Frederick DeBary's wife, Julie, passed away in 1868. After her death, Frederick took a steamboat trip down the St. John's River in Florida. He loved the peaceful natural setting.
In January 1871, Frederick bought land near Lake Monroe. This is where he built his large winter home, DeBary Hall. It became a lively place for Frederick, his family, and friends. They often went on hunting trips, sometimes starting as early as four-thirty in the morning! Frederick usually arrived in Florida with many guests in late December or early January.
Frederick's Businesses in Florida
Frederick DeBary was always looking for new opportunities. He turned his winter retreat into a profitable business. He bought over 10,000 acres of land and planted huge orange groves. He even built a packing house by the lake to prepare the oranges for shipping. He was one of the first to sort oranges by size using a special ramp with holes.
DeBary also became a big part of the profitable steamboat business. He started the DeBary Merchants Line. His steamboats traveled from Jacksonville to Enterprise along the St. John's River. For many years, most of the steamboats on the river belonged to DeBary.
The Next Generations
Frederick DeBary passed away on December 23, 1898. By then, his citrus trees had been damaged by cold weather, and the faster railroad industry was taking over from steamboats.
His son, Adolphe, and daughter, Eugenie, inherited DeBary Hall and his other estates. Adolphe took over his father's businesses. He loved horses and hunting, just like his dad. Adolphe had many horses and different types of carriages, including pony carts for children.
Adolphe DeBary outlived all four of his own children. When he passed away in 1928, DeBary Hall went to his grandchildren, Leonie deBary Lyon and Adolphe deBary Lyon.
Leonie and Adolphe were still young when their grandfather died. Leonie later married Benjamin Brewster, a childhood friend. Leonie made many changes to DeBary Hall, including adding a tennis court and new flooring. The biggest change was building a runway and an airplane hangar on the property, as she and her husband loved to fly.
Sadly, Leonie and Benjamin passed away unexpectedly in a plane crash in 1941. Leonie was 31 and had no children.
What Happened to DeBary Hall?
After Leonie's unexpected death, it was unclear who would own DeBary Hall. Her will said her properties should be split between her cousins and her German relatives. However, neither family was very interested in DeBary Hall.
In 1942, a man named P. V. Proctor bought all the DeBary land. He moved out most of the original furniture. Later, much of the land was sold to other companies and then to George Stedronsky, who hoped to build a retirement community. He lived in the Hall for about a year.
In 1947, DeBary Hall became the clubhouse for a new community called "Plantation Estates." The land around it was divided into smaller lots for houses.
Restoring a Historic Treasure
By the time the house was 70 years old, it needed a lot of repairs. In 1959, the Florida Federation of Art took over DeBary Hall for just one dollar! They wanted to make it their art and cultural center.
The State of Florida bought DeBary Hall in 1967. For a while, the Florida Federation of Art leased it. But eventually, they moved their headquarters, and DeBary Hall was empty again.
In the 1990s, after many years of being empty, a huge project began to restore DeBary Hall. Many people worked hard to bring it back to life. Today, the State of Florida leases the historic site to Volusia County, and it is now a historic house museum.
DeBary Hall Historic Site Today
Today, the DeBary Hall Historic Site is about 10 acres, much smaller than the original 10,000 acres Frederick DeBary owned. The land he once owned now makes up the town named after him, DeBary, and part of Volusia County.
The 10-acre site is owned by the State of Florida and managed by Volusia County. You can still see several original buildings, including the Hall itself, an icehouse, two servant quarters, and the stables. The stables were restored in 2007.
New buildings have also been added, like a Visitor's Center with a gift shop, trail-head pavilions, and an Imagidome Theater. These new buildings were designed to look like the original outbuildings from old photographs.
You can visit the historic home Tuesday through Sunday for guided tours. The surrounding property is open every day from sunrise to sunset for walks. DeBary Hall is also part of Volusia County's "rails to trails" program, with bike trails that stretch over 10 miles to Gemini Springs and Lake Monroe Park.
Awards and Recognition
DeBary Hall Historic Site has received many awards for its preservation, education, and interpretation efforts.
- In 1971, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places.
- It has won awards from the Florida Trust for Historic Preservation for its outstanding achievements in preserving and reusing the site.
- In 2001, its interactive computer exhibit received several awards from groups like the American Association for State and Local History.
- In 2008, it received the National Association of Counties Achievement Award.
