Korona, Florida facts for kids

Korona, Florida is a small, quiet community in Flagler County, Florida, United States. It's not a city with its own government, but rather an "unincorporated community." This means it's part of the county, and the county government handles its services. Korona is located near Bunnell and is part of a larger metropolitan area that includes Daytona Beach.

Korona started thanks to Polish immigrants who moved there. Many of them came from big cities like Chicago and Detroit. They learned about Korona through advertisements in Polish, put out by the Bunnell Development Company. You can even see some of these old ads at the Flagler County Historical Society Museum in Bunnell!

When Korona was first settled, from 1914 to 1917, it was actually part of Volusia County. But on April 28, 1917, a new county called Flagler County was created. Korona, along with parts of Volusia and St. Johns counties, became part of this new Flagler County. It has been an unincorporated community in Flagler County ever since.

How Korona Began

Before they even moved to Florida, a group of Polish immigrants worked together. They raised $1,000 to build a church in Korona. This shows how important their faith was to them.

In early 1914, the first 35 Polish immigrant families arrived in Korona. Families like the Stupeckis, Waszewskis, and Trojanowskis were among them. Their first job was to build their own homes. They also built a duplex, which is like a two-family house, for their priest, Reverend Father Andrew Baczyk.

The First Post Office

Part of the priest's home later became Korona's first Post Office. It opened on April 27, 1918. A big event each day was when the local train from the Florida East Coast Railway arrived. It would deliver the mail pouch, bringing news and letters to the community.

Izydor Waszewski was chosen to build the town's church. Mary Frankowiak, known as "Miss Mary," was very important to the church. She played the organ, sang during Mass, and decorated the altar for many years. Miss Mary passed away in 1968 and is buried at St. Mary’s Church Cemetery in Korona.

Facing Challenges and Growing

The early settlers in Korona faced many difficulties. There was poor drainage, which meant lots of mosquitoes. They also lacked basic things like good roads and farm tools. These tough conditions caused some immigrants to return to their homes up north.

However, many others stayed and worked hard to build a new life. Slowly, the thick wild plants were cleared away. More homes were built, and farming became very important. Growing potatoes and other vegetables helped the local economy grow. Later, many residents also started raising chickens and other poultry.

The White Eagle Hotel

In 1926, an important building called The White Eagle Hotel was built in Korona. Barney Trojanowski, also known as "Barney Trojan," built it. His family lived on the upper floor, and tourists could stay there too.

The ground floor of the hotel had a grocery store, a feed store, and a real estate office. Later, this entire first floor was changed into a beer garden with a large dance floor. This became a popular spot for the Polish community. They held dances, church dinners, and club events there. In 1959, The White Eagle Hotel was torn down to make way for the widening of U.S. Highway 1. Today, the White Eagle Bar in Korona is located very close to where the original hotel stood.

Faith and Community Life

The Polish immigrants wanted to build a church even before they moved to Korona. The construction of St. Mary Catholic Church was supervised by Rev. Baczyk and built by Izydor Waszwski. It was finished in 1914, and the first Mass was held on May 3 of that year. The church could hold 65 people.

Over the years, the church was more than just a place to worship. It was also a center for social events and community gatherings. In the 1930s, two additions were built onto the back of the church. In 1994, a much larger and more modern St. Mary Catholic Church was built nearby. This new church can hold up to 500 people.

The original St. Mary Catholic Church is still used today. It's used for special events like baptisms, funerals, weddings, and weekly Mass. It's also open for quiet prayer. This original church is the oldest standing church in Flagler County.

St. Christopher’s Shrine

Next to the old church, you can find St. Christopher’s Shrine. It was built when Reverend Father C. Hoffman became the local pastor. The shrine was a gift to the people of Korona. It was also meant for travelers who wanted blessings from St. Christopher, who is known as the Patron Saint of travelers.

For many years, Redemptorist Priests from New Smyrna Beach served St. Mary’s Parish. But in 1954, the parish was given to the Diocesan Priests of St. Augustine. This was a big change in the church's leadership in Korona.