Originally appeared in the Orlando Sentinel and Volusia Forum
Most of
DeBary Hall, located off S.R. 17-92 in its namesake township, sets its sights considerably higher.
Take its “ride-movie,”
for example. This unique attraction, housed in a theater set behind the site’s new
visitor’s center, uses moving seats, a three-panel display screen and projected
still photos to take guests on a virtual boat ride down the St. John’s
And that’s just one of the unique experiences found here.
In addition to its main draws, which include an 8,000-square-foot mansion and other historic buildings, indoor and outdoor exhibits and interactive demonstrations, the site also houses a paved bike trail to nearby Gemini Springs, seasonal farmer’s markets, and countless special events, like art exhibits, book signings, barbecues and holiday celebrations, among others.
In October 2005, DeBary Hall underwent a $1.5 million expansion, which added the aforementioned visitor’s center, “ride-movie,” bike trail and bike trailhead facilities building. In 2006, the property completed restoration of a post-Civil-War-era caretaker’s house and barn -- the latter of which will serve as a reception hall for hire.
“We’re more than a museum. We have other events. We get out
to the community. We host rentals. We have a lot of weddings here, host groups
who need a meeting space,” said Amber Osmun, Site Director for DeBary Hall.
“Not
everyone is interested in history, but I can give them other reasons to come
here, and when they do come here, many are pleasantly surprised, that it’s
interesting, it’s fun.”
According to Osmun, many of these new features have been added
to spark interest locally. Besides providing a spot for visitors to explore the
history of the region, she also wants DeBary Hall to serve as a place for area
residents to congregate.
“We’d like
to be a hub for the community,” said Osmun. “Debary is a very young city, it’s
doesn’t have that historic downtown.”
Community
outreach plays a large part in spreading the word, says Osmun. The staff
regularly attends area festivals, where they set up informational displays, such as at the popular the Daytona Beach Garden Show, held every year in April. In addition, representatives
frequently hold educational seminars and deliver multimedia
presentations on
“A lot of
people don’t know about DeBary Hall, don’t know it’s here, and this is one way
to get people to come here,” said Osmun. “Debary has a significant amount of
history. It has a story to tell.”
In
addition to building local ties, Osmun has also been trying to lure more tourists
to the site -- a tricky proposition considering most visitors to Central
Florida opt for glitzier destinations like
Still, Osmun
says the message has been getting across. Along with increased traffic from
locals, several tourists from
“It’s
getting easier,” she said. “I’m finding that the more that we do, the more
people are getting involved, which is great for us, because we haven’t had that
involvement before.”
DeBary Hall opened to the public as a historical site in
2002. Before that, it passed through a number of identities.
Originally, in
the post-Civil War era, the land was the winter retreat for
In 1871, deBary
expanded the property to 6,000 acres, built a mansion, stables and servants’
quarters there, and established orange-growing and steamship transport
businesses in the vicinity. (He sent the citrus he grew northward, via the
The property
remained a vacation home until 1941, when deBary’s last American heir, Leonnie
deBary, died. Soon after that, the property was donated to the State of the
By that point, around 1992, the area’s population was blossoming and much of DeBary Hall’s original 6,000 acres had been lost to development and other land deals. (Today, the property encompasses only 10 acres.) The site was also in a state of serious disrepair by then, the result of years of wear and tear and neglect.
To help with renovation, a group of concerned citizens and volunteers united (officially calling themselves DeBary Hall Incorporated) and joined forces with Volusia County Leisure Services, and, for the next ten years, restored the property to its current state. This included both cleaning the buildings and grounds and tracking down original furniture and artwork that had become lost over the years.
“I was so sad when I saw it, that it was in such disrepair,” said Peg McAllister, a volunteer at DeBary Hall and a member of the DeBary Hall Incorporated Board of Directors.
“I wanted to help out when the county got involved. There was no one onsite to do all those things {clean up], so we did it.”
The group continues to help DeBary Hall today with many of its day-to-day operations. Many of its participants serve as tour guides and fact finders, and some even aid in fundraising and grant writing efforts.
“They helped save DeBary Hall from certain ruin,” said Osmun. “It’s unbelievable how much work the house needed.”
Since its 2002 opening, DeBary Hall has seen a steady rise in popularity and funding. According to Osmun, attendance has increased by twenty-to-thirty percent since opening, and the 2004-2005 fiscal year saw 32,830 people visit. “That was a good year,” said Osmun.
Both Osmum and McAllister hope to use that foundation, as well as the site’s new attractions, as a base for future successes. But they also realize that sparking interest and maintaining it, both locally and with tourists, are two different goals.
“You can’t imagine how many people I’ve met people from the area who have never heard of this place, and that drives me up the wall,” said McAllister. “We need publicity.”
DeBary Hall is open six days a week. Hours are Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m.
For more information, please call (386) 668-3840 or visit http://www.debaryhall.com.