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Restaurant Review Luigi’s Pizzeria and Ristorante in Port Orange, Florida

Half Cheese and half pepperoni pizza

Restaurant Review—Luigi’s Pizzeria and Ristorante

3284 Clyde Morris Boulevard                                                                                                                                Port Orange, FL 32129                                                                                                                                      386-761-6633                                                                                                        https://www.luigisclydemorris.com/

I am always on the lookout for good pizza whether it be dine in, take out, or delivery. We found ourselves in Port Orange, FL a bit later than anticipated a few days ago and decided to look for somewhere to have dinner. If you have been around Port Orange you know that Dunlawton Avenue is filled with chain places, as is the Pavilion.

Restaurant Review Luigi's Pizzeria and Ristorante located in Port Orange, Florida
Restaurant Review Luigi’s Pizzeria in Port Orange, FL. Image courtesy TripAdvisor

Having shopped a few times at Perrine’s, we remembered there is a pizza restaurant in the shopping plaza and we decided to give them a try. The restaurant is Luigi’s Pizzeria and Ristorante. I’m glad we stopped in and you should as well.

The restaurant is not large but it is as clean as they come. Everything was spotless when we entered. They were not overly busy for dine in customers and the waitress invited us to sit wherever we liked.

The waitress promptly came to our table with menus and took our drink order. They offer Coke products but we went for unsweet tea. The tea is brewed and not out of the fountain. They look to have a limited beer and wine selection.

The menu is pretty standard fare including New York style pizza by the slice or whole pie, calzones, stromboli, Italian dinners, salads, and a selection of 12” sandwiches. The menu highlights the most popular items with a small chef’s hat.

These popular items include the meatball parmigiana sub, antipasto salad, bruschetta, meat lasagna, veal marsala, the chicken francese, and a tiramisu dessert. The recommended pizza is the Italian Deluxe which includes pepperoni, meatballs, mushrooms, onions, and green peppers.

Luigi's menu Restaurant Review Luigi's Pizzeria and Ristorante

We opted to keep it simple and ordered the six garlic knot basket and a 14” pizza, half cheese and half with pepperoni. The knots came out quickly. They are a bit small but were loaded with melted butter, fresh garlic, and a side of tomato sauce. They were quite tasty. The sauce had a strong flavor and was the perfect accompaniment. I would definitely order them again.

Half Cheese and half pepperoni pizza Restaurant Review Luigi's Pizzeria and Ristorante Port Orange, FloridaShortly after, the pizza arrived, piping hot out of the oven. The 14” pizza is six slices and was perfect for two people. The cheese was excellent. It had that stringy, stretchy, gooey quality that you find in good pizza. Upon reading the menu further, it can be discovered that Luigi’s uses cheese from the Grande Cheese Company. Learn more about their dedication to quality and to independent restaurants by clicking the link to their website.

Overall, the food was excellent. The service was above expectations. Our waitress was attentive but not overbearing. She checked in but was not obtrusive about it.

Cheese pizzas run $14 for the 14” and $17 for the 18”. A Sicilian style is available for $20. A 10” cauliflower crust is available for $10. Toppings are $1 on the cauliflower crust, $1.50 for the 14”, and $2.50 each for the other two styles.  Premium toppings are available for an additional charge.

Pastas range from about $12 to $20 depending upon the meat included. Sandwiches are $10-$13.

Our total was a bit under $30 for two people. Not cheap but by no means out of line for a good dine in meal. We will certainly be returning.

The interior of Luigi's Pizzeria in Port Orange, FL Restaurant Review Luigi's Pizzeria and RistoranteAs mentioned above, for dine in, they were not exceedingly busy. It was us and two other tables. They were doing a high volume of pick up orders however. To me, that’s a very good indicator of what locals think. Delivery is available within four miles of the restaurant.

The website lists hours of Tuesday through Saturday 11am-9pm and Sunday noon-9pm. The paper take out menu states they are now open on Monday 11am-9pm.

Luigi’s is conveniently located on Clyde Morris Boulevard in the Perrine’s Plaza, across Clyde Morris from the Wal Mart Neighborhood Market. They are within minutes of most of Port Orange.

After dinner, if you don’t partake of dessert there, may I recommend Ritter’s Frozen Custard, also on Clyde Morris Boulevard.

Thank you for taking the time to read my restaurant review of Luigi’s Pizzeria and Ristorante. Please feel free to comment and share your experiences.

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Lorenzo Dow Huston of Daytona Beach Great Floridians 2000

Lorenzo Dow Huston Great Floridians 2000 marker at the City Island Library in Daytona Beach

Great Floridians 2000

The Great Floridians 2000 program was designed to recognize individuals who distinguished themselves through their philanthropy, public service or personal or professional service, and who have enhanced the lives of Florida’s citizens.

Anyone could nominate an individual to be designated a Great Floridian 2000 by submitting a Great Floridians 2000 application. These applications were periodically reviewed by the appointed Great Floridians 2000 Committee, a group of seven distinguished historians from throughout Florida.

The program, begun in 1998, was completed in 2000.

The distinctive blue plaques honoring the men and women in the program are attached to buildings or structures in the cities where the designee left their mark. No biographical information is included on the plaques.

The short biography below is the official biography published as part of the Great Floridians 2000 program.

Lorenzo Dow Huston

Lorenzo Dow Huston Great Floridians 2000 marker at the City Island Library in Daytona Beach
Lorenzo Dow Huston Great Floridians 2000 marker on display inside City Island Library in Daytona Beach**

Lorenzo Dow Huston was born in 1820 in Cincinnati, Ohio. He was admitted to the Kentucky Conference as a Methodist minister and was a journalist and editor of the Christian Advocate in Nashville, Tennessee before the Civil War. In 1874 he retired from the ministry and with his family settled in Daytona at the Palmetto House. Mary Huston Hoag, Huston’s sister, had bought the Palmetto House in 1874.

Dr. Huston was appointed Daytona’s first mayor in 1876, served as a justice of the peace, and was Volusia County Superintendent of the Public Schools. He served as a county commissioner and in 1887 was appointed by Governor Perry to the State Railroad Commission.* That same year he and his wife Maria died of yellow fever within a few days of each other.

Huston’s Great Floridian plaque is located at the Volusia County Library Center, 105 East Magnolia Avenue, Daytona Beach.

*Editorial Comment–The governor of Florida in 1887 was Edward Alysworth Perry, not to be confused with Madison Starke Perry who served as governor from 1857-1861.

**Thank you to librarian Kim Dolce for letting me know this marker is located inside City Island Library.

Palmetto House in Daytona Beach, FL Courtesy Florida Memory
Palmetto House in Daytona Beach, FL Image courtesy Florida Memory

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Below, is a small bit of additional research into the life of Huston. It might call into question his inclusion as a “Great Floridian.” I have not delved deeply into the life of Huston, or his political activities in Volusia County,  but he does seem to have a problematic history that the author of the above biographical short either was unaware of or purposefully ignored.

Before arriving in Daytona Beach, Reverend Dow ran afoul with the law, and prior to that, United States military forces.

The Adams Sentinel reported on October 10, 1865, that Huston had been arrested by the order of General James Sanks Brisbin after complaints from a local congregation. Huston was described as having “attempted to force himself upon a local congregation against their will.” The arrest order called Huston a “notorious Rebel preacher.”

The “notorious rebel” line could make sense. The 1860 United States Slave Census shows a Lorenzo Huston, living in Tennessee, owning a single female slave, age 26. When cross referenced with the 1860 United States Census, this same Lorenzo is listed as married to Maria and is shown as being employed in “Methodist Clergy” with real estate valued at $4,000 and a personal estate of $6,000.

A New York Times article dated June 17, 1872, reprinted from the Baltimore Sun dated June 15, 1872, ran under the headline “Indictment of Rev. Dr. Huston for Adultery—Curious Provisions of the Maryland Law.”

Reverend Huston was accused of committing adultery with a “Sunday School girl” by the name of Mary Driscoll in January 1872.

For a full history of this event, it is recommended that readers read the following article.

Curtis, Peter H. “A Scandal in Baltimore: The Trials of the Reverend Lorenzo Dow Huston, 1872-1873.” Maryland Historical Review. Vol. 105: No. 3 (Fall 2010) 227-242.

This scholarly article may be referenced using THIS LINK.

Reverend Huston was to later write his own account, which may be purchased using THIS LINK. The Volusia County library system does not hold this title. They do, however, hold non-circulating copies of All We Have to Fear is the Lonesome: The Letters of L.D. Huston from Pre-Civil War Days Through his Relocation to the Florida Frontier in 1874, edited by Maria M. Clifton. CLICK HERE for library holdings.

Lorenzo Dow Huston headstone Image courtesy Findagrave
Lorenzo Dow Huston headstone Image courtesy Findagrave

An online memorial to Huston may be found using THIS LINK.

Additional posts from the Great Floridians 2000 series may be found by using THIS LINK.

 

 

This post may contain affiliate links. If you click these links and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission. This commission does not affect any price that you pay. All views and opinions provided are my own and are never influenced by affiliate programs or sponsors providing products.

 

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Book Review–Battle of Gettysburg Timothy J. Orr

Battle of Gettysburg 1863 (1) The First Day written by Timothy J. Orr and published by Osprey Publishing

Batle of Gettysburg 1863 First Day Timothy OrrOrr, Timothy J. and Illustrated by Steve Noon. The Battle of Gettysburg 1863 (1) The
First Day. New York: Osprey Publishing, 2022. ISBN 9781472848499, $24.00. 96
pages, color and b/w images, maps, index, bibliographyy

 

 

 

 

 

Battle of Gettysburg 1863 Volume 2 Timothy OrrOrr, Timothy J. and Illustrated by Steve Noon. The Battle of Gettysburg 1863 (2) The
Second Day. New York: Osprey Publishing, 2023. ISBN 9781472854643, $25.00.
96 pages, color and b/w images, maps, index, bibliography.

The Third Day volume will be following, most likely in early 2024.

 

 

 

 

The Osprey Campaign series should be familiar to readers of military history.
These books follow a template format that has proven successful. The books come
in at 96 pages and include a significant number of illustrations. While maps are
included it’s hard to say that a military history book can ever have enough maps.
For these titles, however, space is at a premium in order to include as much content
as possible.

The First Day covers events and actions on July 1, 1863, as would be expected.
Author Timothy J. Orr also includes helpful background material including a
chapter titled “The Invasion of Pennsylvania.” This chapter, coupled with brief
chapters on the opposing commanders, opposing armies, and opposing plans, help
orient readers into the complex actions set to occur throughout the first days of
July.

The meat of The First Day is of course the action on the field. In one long chapter,
broken up with chapter sub-headings, Orr concisely discusses actions at Oak Ridge,
McPherson’s Ridge, Seminary Ridge, the Union retreat, Cemetery Hill, and the
actions after nightfall.

In volume two, The Second Day, Orr follows a similar blueprint with a single, long
chapter covering actions at Hunterstown and Benner’s Hill, Little Round Top,
Devil’s Den, the Rose Wheat Field, the “Valley of Death,”, the Peach Orchard,
Cemetery Ridge, Culp’s Hill, and Cemetery Hill. A brief separate chapter covers
nightfall actions.

I have a few observations on this series. The first, as previously mentioned, is the
need for as many maps as possible. For a new student of the battle, being able to
accurately place troops, along with understanding the topography, is crucial. I
would recommend picking up a copy of The Maps of Gettysburg, from the
excellent historian Bradley Gottfried or a copy of Gettysburg Campaign Atlas, a
very convenient, spiral bound book by Phillip Laino. These sources will prove
invaluable in understanding the battle and supplement the maps included in the
books.

The 3D depiction maps created by Steve Noon are quite nice. The problem being,
due to their size, they spread over two pages and the binding breaks them up.
These maps include a nice breakdown of events being shown, including legends
allowing readers to locate where a specific regiment is located. The 3D effect helps
show woods and tree locations and helps viewers understand the terrain facing
soldiers.

Other maps included in these volumes are perhaps more familiar to those interested
in the Civil War. They have the appearance of the maps produced by the American
Battlefield Trust.

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Both volumes contain an Order of Battle. These listings showing command
structure from Corps, to Division, to Brigade, and then listings of regiments in a
brigade, are extremely useful. These Orders can be a lifesaver in trying to
understand who was sent into battle along with where and who they are fighting
with and against. Bravo to Orr and Osprey for including this information.

A final observation is that these volumes are a perfect gateway for readers new to
the battle. There isn’t new ground being covered here and I didn’t finish feeling
there were new interpretations or material being presented. There is no problem
with that and that’s not what these books are for. With fighting as complex as the
three-day battle (not including the advance and retreat) was, for a new reader it can
be easy to be overwhelmed when picking up Coddington, Sears, or Trudeau. There
are publishers out there making a living off Gettysburg “micro-histories,” aimed at
covering every inch of battlefield, every brigade, if not regiment, and every officer where enough material can be
located.

Because the format of the Campaigns series is fixed, these books allow for enough
detail to be valuable to new readers while the bibliographies provide an excellent
listing of materials for those seeking additional detail and information.

Thank you to Osprey Publishing for providing complimentary review copies of
both books.

If you would like to read more of my book reviews, please use THIS LINK to find them.

This post may contain affiliate links. If you click these links and
make a purchase, I may receive a small commission. This
commission does not affect any price that you pay. All views and
opinions provided are my own and are never influenced by affiliate
programs or sponsors providing products.

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Adelfa Botello Callejo Texas Activist Sculpture in Dallas

Close up detail of the Callejo sculpture.

 Adelfa Botello Callejo

Born on June 10, 1923 in Millett, Texas, to parents Felix and Guadalupe Botello, Adelfa Botello Callejo was the oldest of five children (her siblings in age descending order being, Felix, Consuelo, Lillee, and Gilberto) in the home; a home that while maybe not rich in money, valued education and the opportunities it could bring.

Adelfa’s mother, Guadalupe, was born on August 13, 1904 and passed away on February 4, 1983 at age 78. Guadalupe was fifteen years the junior to her husband, and often worked outside the home to help make ends meet. In 1940, Guadalupe worked as a sack sorter for a burlap bag company. In 1950 Guadalupe worked the quite respectable job as a “floor lady” at a department store according to the United States Census.

Felix was born in Mexico, on November 27, 1889 and died May 15, 1970 in Dallas, Texas. Felix, with only a fourth-grade education and not speaking English, was often working in manual, backbreaking jobs. such as in 1930, he worked as a laborer in Sulphur vats, to support his family. In 1940, Felix was working as a farm laborer. By 1950, he had moved on to working for a landscaping company, which at the age of sixty still must have been difficult for him.

Millett, La Salle County, Texas, where Adela was born was a small community at the time. In 1930, barely 8,000 people called La Salle home. Today, the county is even smaller, registering just over 6,500 residents, who are mostly of Hispanic heritage. As for Millett itself, it is unincorporated; fire and drought having ravaged an already small population.

Adelfa graduated high school in 1939 and soon after moved to California. It was in California where she met William Fernando Callejo, the man she was to wed in 1946.

The couple moved often, residing in Mexico City and later New York City, before moving to Dallas in 1951 where Adelfa would be close to family.

By 1961, Adelfa had earned her bachelor’s degree and later her law degree. She was the first female Mexican American graduate of the SMU Dedman School of Law.

Adelfa Botello Callejo
Adelfa Botello Callejo

Despite her academic achievements, employment proved elusive at any of the established law firms and Adelfa began her own practice. Her husband would join the firm after earning his J.D. in 1966. The Callejo and Callejo law firm was born with specialties in immigration, family, and personal injury cases.

The firm was successful and Adelfa herself was becoming influential in the Dallas area. The firm often took on cases involving the rights Mexican immigrants. She was a cofounder of the Mexican American Bar Association of Texas, renamed the Dallas Hispanic Bar Association. She served a term as regional president of the Hispanic National Bar Association. In 1966, the United States Supreme Court admitted her to practice law before them.

Throughout her life Callejo put forth the value of education. She understood that it was education which allowed her to live the life she had. She wanted that for all and was a tireless crusader towards this goal, particularly for Hispanic children.

 

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In 2004, Adelfa and her husband donated one million dollars to endow the Adelfa Botello Callejo Leadership and Latino Studies Institute at the SMU Dedman School of Law.

In addition to this endowment, the Callejo’s put their money to use, significantly toward education. Hispanic youth wanting to further their education specifically received their attention. They provided scholarship money allocated through the Greater Dallas Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the Hispanic Bar Association, and numerous other organizations.

Adelfa Botello Callejo Elementary School. Image courtesy Dallas Independent School District.
Adelfa Botello Callejo Elementary School. Image courtesy Dallas Independent School District.

 

While fighting brain cancer, Adelfa gave what was to be her last speech on April 12, 2013, at an elementary school named in her honor, the Adelfa Botello Callejo Elementary School, in Dallas. It was during this speech that she stated,

It is through education that we are truly set free, and it is only through education that we shall make this world a better place than we found it for education is the Great Equalizer. I have spent my entire life on this earth promoting the inherent value of knowledge, the unobstructed use of our imaginations and the development of proficient leadership as we run the course of the 21st century. And, I want you to know that I shall never rest nor waver from that commitment.

Cancer claimed the life of Adelfa Botello Callejo on January 25, 2014. Her impact continues to be felt to this day.

Restland Memorial Park, in Dallas is where Callejo’s remains were laid to rest. You may visit an online memorial for Callejo  HERE.

Before Adelfa’s passing, the Callejo Foundation was planning for a larger-than-life sculpture to be created in her memory. Callejo, however, expressed her traditional modesty, and was not interested in such.

The Foundation persisted and commissioned Mexican sculptor German Michel  to create a lasting memorial.  Michel created the impressive 10 foot tall, 1,500-pound bronze statue. This statue can now seen on Main Street in Dallas, near the UNT-Dallas law school.

After many years of indecision, the city of Dallas accepted the art donation. A public dedication ceremony held in her honor on September 29, 2022, cemented that her “memory lives on forever as “La Madrina” or “godmother” of Dallas.

Adelfa Botello Callejo statue located near the Dedman School of Law in Dallas, Texas.
The Adelfa Botello Callejo statue located in Dallas, Texas.
Close up detail of the Callejo sculpture.
Close up of the Callejo statue.

 

 

I relied upon information from the Dallas News, Texas State Historical Association, SMU Dedman School of Law, and the Callejo Botello Foundation in writing this article.

 

 

 

 

 

If you are visiting Dallas, I recommend a visit to the Oswald Rooming House Museum. Read my post on this small but interesting museum HERE. 

 

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Ray Caldwell: Lightning on the Baseball Field-Literally

Ray Caldwell--Courtesy Library of Congress

Ray Caldwell—Lightning on and off the Baseball Field

The story of pitcher Ray Caldwell is certainly a cautionary tale to the dangers of
overindulgence. While Caldwell, at an athletic 6’ 2” and just under 200 pounds,
may have never been able to use his talents to his best advantage, his name is one
that will live in the legacy of baseball forever. Ray Caldwell, despite his physical prowess, is best know for being struck by lightning during a game.

Ray Caldwell was born in the town of Corydon, Pennsylvania on April 16, 1888.
Ray’s father was absent from the start. His stepfather, Lewis Archer, worked in the
telegraph industry, a field that Ray would find himself working in during off-seasons                                                    and in his years after baseball.

Corydon, PA would be erased from the map in 1965 by intentional flooding from
the Kinzua Dam and Allegheny Reserve.

According to baseball historian Steve Steinberg, Caldwell did not take up the game
of baseball until 1908, signing with a semi-pro team the following year. After a
strong performance on the mound against an all-star team from the Pennsylvania
League, young Caldwell signed his first professional contract, turning pro in 1910.

Ray Caldwell--Courtesy Library of Congress
Ray Caldwell–Courtesy Library of Congress

That year he won 18 games for Mckeesport and caught the eye of New York
Americans scout Arthur Irwin. Irwin signed the 21-year-old pitcher, and Caldwell
made his first start for the New York Highlanders on September 21, 1910. The
young right hander had arrived and looked forward to taking the mound and the
batter’s box in 1911.

Caldwell’s first full season should be seen as a success. Using a fastball that had
zip and a knee buckling curve ball, the young pitcher struck out a career high 145
batters on his way to a 14-win season. At the plate, major league pitching didn’t
intimidate him, and he hit .272 in his limited at bats.

The 1912 and 1913 seasons saw Caldwell dealing with arm injuries though by the
end of the 1913 season, he was showing his old form again.

1914 was a good year for Caldwell, if not for the Yankees overall. Again, pitching
well, Ray ran an impressive record of 17-9 with a 1.94 earned run average, good
for fourth in the league. His five shutouts that season were a career high. While his
pitching was strong, his hitting was suspect, ending with a career low, .195
average, including more strikeouts than hits.

 

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With his career looking up, the inner demons were taking hold during 1914. Ray
loved the big city life of New York City. Ray had a penchant for women and the
bottle. During July, he went missing during a road trip, and racked up team fines
totaling $900 during the season; fines that owner Frank Farrell would rescind in an
effort to keep that talented hurler on his team.

Ray Caldwell was lightning on the baseball field; figuratively and literally after being struck while pitching. Ray Caldwell Courtesy Library of Congress
Ray Caldwell–Courtesy Library of Congress

Despite having signed a contract with the Buffalo Blues of the rival Federal
League, Caldwell was back with the Yankees in 1915 at the then high pay of
$8,000 per season. Despite having little offensive support from the light hitting
Yankees, Caldwell posted an impressive record of 19-16 with a 2.89 ERA for the
1915 season.

During the summer of 1916, Caldwell left his team behind, drawing the ire of the
team and earning a $100 fine and fifteen-day suspension. When this didn’t bring
the pitcher back to the team he was suspended for the remainder of the season.

Caldwell showed up late for the 1917 spring training, sporting a tan and looking in
good shape. The press called him “the Pearl of Panama,” believing he had been
pitching in a league there. Despite pitching well early in the season, Caldwell was
fined and suspended ten days for missing curfew and a game the following day.

When he returned from suspension, Caldwell showed flashes of his brilliance,
pitching 9 2/3 innings of relief to defeat the St. Louis Browns, only to be arrested
later that night, having stolen a ring from a local woman. In August, he was hit
with divorce papers and a request for $100 per month from wife Nellie, who
charged him with abandonment.

Despite a growing mountain of evidence against him, the Yankees resigned
Caldwell for the 1918 season, perhaps in hopes he could regain his early career
magic. In August, he left the team and went to work at Tietjen and Lang Dry Dock
Company, perhaps with the knowledge that being employed in what was
considered an essential industry in the war efforts, he could avoid being drafted.

Abandoning his team yet again was the final straw for the Yankees and in
December he was part of a multi-player deal with the Boston Red Sox. His stint in
Boston was a short one. He was released in July, sporting a 7-4 record. At age 31 it
certainly appeared that Caldwell was done in Major League Baseball.

 

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The Cleveland Indians, led by Tris Speaker came calling and signed the pitcher to
a contract on August 19. His unique contract agreed that on days he pitched, he
should get drunk afterward and not bother reporting the following day. The second
day after a game, he was to report to Speaker and run laps as directed, the third day
he would pitch batting practice, and the following day he would pitch for the
Indians. He won five of six starts for the Indians with a low ERA of 1.71.

With the Indians, Ray had offensive support that he did not have in New York.
During the 1920 season, the first in what many consider the “lively ball era,” the
Indians were led by three 20 game winners, including Caldwell, and earned a spot
in the World Series.

The Indians would emerge victorious in the World Series, but Ray had a dismal
performance in his single game, giving up two runs in only 1/3 of an inning before
being pulled.

Ray’s pitching had become a bit more erratic, and Speaker and the Indians moved
him to the bullpen in 1921. He would be suspended during the season, only to
return and win two straight games. He followed up these wins by being shelled by
the New York Yankees, a game the Yankees won 21-7.

Ray Caldwell’s Major League career was over. Age, inconsistency, injury, and a
reputation for liking the bottle had caught up to him. He would continue to pitch in
the minor leagues, occasionally showing dashes of brilliance, but never brilliant
enough to attract a major league contract.

His final major league record was 134 wins and 120 losses with an ERA of 3.22.
Never a hard thrower he only totaled 1,006 strikeouts. His thirteen-year minor
league career record was 159 wins and 147 losses. In his 23-year combined
professional career, Caldwell won an impressive 293 games. Had he done that in
the majors, he might have a spot in Cooperstown.

MagazineValues.com

Ray Caldwell Lightning on the Baseball Field; Literally

Caldwell is one of hundreds of players with heaps of talent who for whatever
reason never reach their potential. Most of these players are forgotten to time.
Caldwell, however, is remembered for a freak occurrence of nature during one of
his 1919 appearances.

In August 1919, pitching against the Philadelphia Athletics, Caldwell was on the
mound, having pitched a strong eight innings. With two outs in the ninth, and
teams looking to get out of the bad weather, lightning struck. Literally.

Players hit the ground, Caldwell lay flat on his back, unconscious. Indians’
manager Tris Speaker tried to send Caldwell to the hospital after he came to,                                                              but the pitcher insisted on finishing the game. Which he did, inducing a ground                                                          out to third from A’s shortstop Joe Dugan on the next pitch.

So just what is the truth of this story. There is no doubt that lightning struck
SOMEWHERE near the pitcher’s mound. Where exactly is debatable. Some
claimed it struck a metal railing close to the press box while others claimed it hit
the ground near the mound and sent the hurler flying. Caldwell himself liked to
claim the bolt struck the metal button on his cap, a highly unlikely prospect.

Others on the field back the claim that the bolt hit close by. Catcher Steve O’Neil
had his mask and cap knocked off. Umpire Billy Evans stated he felt a tingle in his
legs.

Perhaps that bolt of lighting is what Caldwell needed. Shortly after this, he pitched
a no-hitter against his former team, the New York Yankees.

Ray Caldwell, who was lightning on the baseball field, passed away on August 19, 1967,                                                at the age of 79 from cancer. His remains are buried in Randolph Cemetery, in Randolph,                                              New York, under a small, unassuming marker with a Masonic symbol. His fourth wife,                                                     Estelle, who passed away in 1992, is buried next to him.

Ray Caldwell was lighting on the baseball field; literally and figuratively.Ray Caldwell's headstone--Courtesy Findagrave
Ray Caldwell’s headstone–Courtesy Findagrave

An online memorial to Ray Caldwell may be found HERE.

 

This post may contain affiliate links. If you click these links and make a
purchase, I may receive a small commission. This commission does not affect
any price that you pay. All views and opinions provided are my own and are
never influenced by affiliate programs or sponsors providing products.

 

Head to the 86th floor with Skip the Line tickets option for the Empire State Building. Take in the amazing New York City skyline. Ticket combinations to the 102nd floor are also available.
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Great Floridians 2000 Charles Grover Burgoyne Daytona Beach Florida

Charles Grover Burgoyne--Great Floridians 2000 marker

Great Floridians 2000

The Great Floridians 2000 program was designed to recognize individuals who distinguished themselves through their philanthropy, public service or personal or professional service, and who have enhanced the lives of Florida’s citizens.

Anyone could nominate an individual to be designated a Great Floridian 2000 by submitting a Great Floridians 2000 application. These applications were periodically reviewed by the appointed Great Floridians 2000 Committee, a group of seven distinguished historians from throughout Florida.

The program, begun in 1998, was completed in 2000.

The distinctive blue plaques honoring the men and women in the program are attached to buildings or structures in the cities where the designee left their mark. No biographical information is included on the plaques. The text below is taken from the Great Floridians 2000 biographies written to honor their inclusion.

Charles Grover Burgoyne

Charles Grover Burgoyne was born in 1847, came to Daytona in 1894 having made a fortune in the printing business in New York. In 1896 he bought the entire block south of Bay Street between Palmetto Avenue and Beach Street where he built a three-story mansion. He was elected commodore of the Halifax River Yacht Club in 1899 and in 1912 built a large gazebo at the corner or Orange Avenue and Beach Street and began to bring bands to perform public concerts of classical music. He and his wife held lawn parties for area children and paid for them to have milk at lunch every day. In 1914 he built a promenade and seawall along the river from Orange Avenue to Bay Street, lined with street lights, and called the “Esplanade Burgoyne.” In 1915 he built a casino and gave it to the city. Burgoyne died in 1916. His widow, Mary, continued to live in the mansion until 1941, after which it was demolished.

Casino Burgoyne located in Daytona Beach, FL. Courtesy State Archives of Florida
Casino Burgoyne located in Daytona Beach, FL. Image courtesy State Archives of Florida

 

Burgoyne Home courtesy State of Florida Archives
The Burgoyne Home located on Beach Street. Image courtesy State Archives of Florida

 

Charles Grover Burgoyne--Great Floridians 2000 marker
Charles Grover Burgoyne, Great Floridians 2000 plaque. Image courtesy of Heather Files

Charles Grover Burgoyne’s Great Floridian plaque is located on the front of the Halifax Historical Museum, 252 South Beach Street, Daytona Beach.

An online memorial to Burgoyne may be found HERE.

To read all my Great Floridians 2000 posts click HERE.

Charles and Mary Burgoyne are buried in Pinewood Cemetery, beachside in Daytona Beach. Their plot is very easy to find in the cemetery and the cemetery itself is worth the visit. The photos below were all taken by me during a recent visit to the cemetery.

My apologies for the unusual angle of Charles and Mary’s markers. The sun was causing havoc with shadows. 

Mary died on February 8, 1944.
The inscription on the Burgoyne cross is difficult to read.To live in hearts we leave behind is not to die.
Lord, remember me when thou comes into thy kingdom. Luke 23 Verse 46.
The inscription on the Burgoyne cross is difficult to read.
To live in hearts we leave behind is not to die.
Lord, remember me when thou comes into thy kingdom. Luke 23 Verse 46.

 

Main Street entrance to Pinewood Cemetery. Walk straight back. The Burgoyne plot will be on your left. You can’t miss it.

 

This post may contain affiliate links. If you click these links and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission. This commission does not affect any price that you pay. All views and opinions provided are my own and are never influenced by affiliate programs or sponsors providing products.

 

Daytona Beach paddleboad or guided kayaking
Enjoy a 2-hour paddleboard adventure on the Halifax River. Meet your guide and begin your tour with an introduction to riding a standup paddleboard. Start on land and then head into the water to practice. If you prefer, join the tour with a kayak. You may see dolphin, manatee, turtles, or other wildlife. Click THIS LINK or the photo for information and to book your tour.
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July 2023 The Best Events and Festivals in Florida

U.S. Navy Blue Angels

The Best in Florida Events and Festivals July 2023

Florida hosts some amazing events and festivals. Each month I hope to take a look at a dozen or so of these in hopes of bringing you fun, exciting, and unexpected ways to enjoy our state.

If you have an event or know of one coming up that you feel should be highlighted, please drop me a line with as much information, including a website, as you can. I’ll be glad to include your suggestions in future posts.

Posts are listed in date order.

June 30-July 4      Key Lime Festival          Key West

2023 is shaping up to be the best Key Lime Festival yet. We’re pleased to offer a full 5 days of culinary events for every taste, including favorites from past years like the Key Lime Cocktail Sip & Stroll and Key Lime Pie Hop and new favorites for Key Lime lovers! We’ve also added a few intimate culinary events for our VIP Key Lime lovers!

 July 1-July 5         Key West Mermaid Festival    Key West

Welcome To the home of the 2023 Key West Mermaid Festival!

Join Key West native, Mermaid Kristi Ann, her Pod, and her crew, for 4 days of splish-splashing mermaid fun! Come swim with us as mermaids from around the nation take over the enchanted island of Key West.

U.S. Navy Blue Angels
U.S. Navy Blue Angels. Image courtesy https://www.blueangels.navy.mil/media/

July 5-July 8         Pensacola Beach Air Show      Pensacola

Locals and visitors from all over look forward to the annual Pensacola Beach Air Show held in the summer. The show highlights our hometown heroes — the Blue Angels — the U. S. Navy’s flight demonstration squadron stationed at Forrest Sherman Field aboard Naval Air Station Pensacola.

The Blue Angels hold several practice sessions along the beach in the days leading up to the big event on show day.

You can follow the Blue Angels on their YouTube channel HERE or sample their videos through the embedded video below.

July 8-July 9         Mango Festival     Miami

Fairchild Garden is home to The Tropical Fruit program and the world’s largest mango collection. Our annual Mango Festival is a celebration of the more than 400 varieties of mangos in our prized collection, and it all culminates in a dazzling weekend filled with mango madness.

You can keep up with Fairchild Garden on their YouTube channel HERE.

 

July 14-July 16     Trailblazer Country Music Festival           Elkton

A celebration of all things country from crafts to music to food, the festival will present exhibitor booths featuring exhibits, crafts, fashions, truck art, and food. The Trailblazer Country Music Festival includes the Trailblazer Craft Beer Fest. Those who purchase a ticket for this festival within a festival may enjoy unlimited samples of beer, wine, and spirits.

 

Hemingway Days 2023 in Key West, FLJuly 18-July 24     Hemingway Days           Key West

The annual celebration salutes the Nobel Prize–winning author’s writing achievements, sporting pursuits and enjoyment of the island’s easygoing lifestyle.

The festival’s undisputed highlight is the Hemingway® Look-Alike Contest at Sloppy Joe’s Bar, 201 Duval St., a frequent hangout for the writer during his 1930s residence in Key West.

Looking for that perfect Hemingway book for yourself or as a gift? Look no further, click HERE to find everything Hemingway.

 

Rolling Loud Miami July 2023

July 21-July23     Rolling Loud        Miami

Everything is bigger for this Miami festival. Featuring 100+ of your favorite hip-hop artists from all over the world. This is a festival lineup built uniquely for our fans.

 

July 22-July 23     Cool Art Show     St. Petersburg

The Professional Association of Visual Artists was formed in 1988, when a group of artists on a social outing, discussed the idea of hanving an indoor art festival to pass the time in the hot Florida summer. On a couple of cocktail napkins, the Cool Art Show was born.

July 28-July29      Caladium Festival          Lake Placid

While caladiums are the heart of our popular Caladium Festival, the event also highlights our creative community as well as our local heritage and culture.

This post may contain affiliate links. If you click these links and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission. This commission does not affect any price that you pay. All views and opinions provided are my own and are never influenced by affiliate programs or sponsors providing products. 

Key Lime Bike Tours, a 3 hour guided bike tour highlighting the best Key West has to offer. Close out your tour with a slice of key lime pie! Click the image for more details and to book your tour.
Visiting Key West for one of these great festivals? Why not take a 3-hour guided bike tour and close the tour with a delicious slice of Key Lime Pie? Click HERE or the image above for more information and to book your tour.

 

 

 

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Gabordy Canal Historic Marker New Smyrna Beach Florida

Placement of the Gabordy Canal marker, adjacent to Riverside Drive

Gabordy Canal

The Gabordy Canal Historic Marker is located where the cities of New Smyrna Beach and                                            Edgewater come together. The name of this canal is often spelled in differing ways. I have                                         seen alternative spellings of Gabardy, Garbordy, and Garbardy.

The Gabordy Canal marks the dividing line between the city of New Smyrna
Beach, to the north, and Edgewater, to the south.

This marker is located on the eastern side of the road, near the corner of Riverside
Drive (north and south) and Hamilton Road (west). Private property surrounds the area                                                and the marker is located close to the busy south Riverside Drive.
There is really no parking right at the marker (don’t park in people’s yards). There
is a sidewalk located on the eastern side of Riverside Drive. See the image below to note
just how close this marker is to the road.

Placement of the Gabordy Canal marker, adjacent to Riverside Drive
The Gabordy Canal historic marker, sits adjacent to the busy Riverside Drive.

 

Problems

This marker, while important, has multiple problems in its text.

The marker itself does not talk much about the canal system. The marker also uses
the terms “colonization” and colonist” when the more accurate terms are
“settlement” and “settler” (as in the Turnbull, or Smyrnea, Settlement). The use of
terminology related to the word colony implies Florida could have been associated
with the original thirteen colonies we have learned about since grade school.

The marker references the number of over 1,400 persons being “attracted” to the area.
While there is some truth to this number, it being the number who originally left
Europe, less than 1,300 appear to have survived the journey. Archaeologists Dr.
Roger Grange and Dorothy Moore have put forth the number of 1,255 who
survived the voyage across the Atlantic. As to whether those owing indenture to                                              Andrew Turnbull and his partners were “attracted” to the area, I think history                                                     showed that is highly debatable.

Finally, though the marker text states that Governor (James) Grant granted release
to the settlers from their indenture, it was Governor Patrick Tonyn, (who served as
governor of East Florida from 1774-1783) a confirmed enemy of Turnbull, who
did such. (See Grange and Moore p. 25, linked below)

For more information on the Smyrnea Settlement, I recommend reading a booklet
written by Dr. Grange and Ms. Moore and published by the New Smyrna Museum
of History. In addition to clicking the link provided above, you may pick up a free copy at the museum.

I also recommend reviewing the University of North Florida, Florida History Online site for letters and papers related to the Smyrnea Settlement.

 

Marker Text

The Gabordy Canal

Gabordy Canal Historic Marker New Smyrna Beach, Florida
The State of Florida historic marker, located at the divide between New Smyrna Beach and Edgewater, FL

The Gabordy Canal, also known as the South Canal, was built by colonists brought to the New Smyrna area in 1768 by the Scottish physician, Dr. Andrew Turnbull. As part of the largest single attempt at British colonization, New Smyrna attracted more than 1,400 Minorcans, Corsicans, Greeks, and Italians who sought new opportunities as indentured servants. Turnbull, impressed by the Egyptian canal system, wanted to replicate it in New Smyrna. Three canals, including this one, ran east-west and were linked with a fourth, longer canal that ran north-south. These hand dug canals provided irrigation and drainage  or rice, hemp, cotton, and indigo crops grown by the colonists and served as a mode of transportation withing the colony. Local historians believe that the Gabordy Canal was named after the Gabardis, an original colonist family who lived in the vicinity of the canal. After nine years of harsh treatment, drought, and crop failures, the population was reduced to about 600 people. A group of colonists petitioned English Governor James Grant of St. Augustine in 1777 for release from their indenture. The governor granted land north of St. Augustine to these colonists.

A Florida Heritage Site

Sponsored by the City of New Smyrna Beach, the Historic New Smyrna Beach
Preservation Commission, Mayor James Hathaway, Vice Mayor Judy Reiker,
Commissioner Jake Sachs, Commissioner Jason McGuirk, Commissioner Kirk
Jones, and the Florida Department of State.

F-924
2016

This post may contain affiliate links. If you click these links and make a
purchase, I may receive a small commission. This commission does not affect
any price that you pay. All views and opinions provided are my own and are
never influenced by affiliate programs or sponsors providing products.

 

Menorca: Book your guided tour of Mahon including boat trip
Click the photo above or THIS LINK to book your Menorcan guided tour of Mahon. Discover the southern tip of Menorca on a guided day trip. After pickup at your hotel, enjoy a 1-hour glass-bottom boat trip around Mahon Harbor, one of the deepest natural harbors in the world. Next, head into Mahon city center. Explore the capital’s historic center with official guida and enjoy some free time for shopping. Continue to Punta Prima Beach and enjoy some free time for sunbathing or lunch (at your own expense.) Finally, visit the fishermens’ village of Binibeca. Wander its streets to admire the white-painted houses and picturesque streets. You will be dropped off at your hotel at the end of the day.

 

 

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Library Additions June 2023 (1) Mercer University Press and more

A Wilderness of Destruction

Library Additions June 2023 (1)

We will start June 2023 off with a couple of new additions to the library. Both of these books were purchased by me and are not provided by a publisher or distributor.

Ross, Peter. A Tomb with a View: The Stories and Glories of Graveyards. London: Headline Publishing. 2020. ISBN 9781472267788, 352 pages, index, selected bibliography, b/w photos. $17.99.

Enter a grave new world of fascination and delight as award-winning writer Peter Ross uncovers the stories and glories of graveyards. Who are London’s outcast dead and why is David Bowie their guardian angel? What is the remarkable truth about Phoebe Hessel, who disguised herself as a man to fight alongside her sweetheart, and went on to live in the reigns of five monarchs? Why is a Bristol cemetery the perfect wedding venue for goths?

All of these sorrowful mysteries – and many more – are answered in A Tomb with A View, a book for anyone who has ever wandered through a field of crooked headstones and wondered about the lives and deaths of those who lie beneath.

So push open the rusting gate, push back the ivy, and take a look inside.

 

 

A Wilderness of Destruction
A Wilderness of Destruction

Waters, Zack C. A Wilderness of Destruction: Confederate Guerrillas in East and South Florida, 1986-1865. Macon: Mercer University Press.  2023. ISBN 9780881468816. 259 pages, index, bibliography, foot notes, b/w photos. $39.00.

Modern historians have consistently treated Florida as a military backwater. Despite that assessment, Rebel guerrillas blocked repeated Union attempts to establish a stronghold in the Florida’s interior. After the “abandonment” of Florida by the Confederate government, in early 1862, Gov. John Milton organized guerrilla units to protect the state’s citizens. These irregular companies kept Union forces largely confined to a few coastal outposts (St. Augustine, Fernandina, and Ft. Myers), though the state’s citizens suffered greatly from the depredations of Unionist units.

After the Federals capture of Vicksburg, the South’s only significant source of beef were the vast herds in Florida. It fell to the state’s Rebel partisans to protect the state’s interior, thereby keeping open routes for the delivery of longhorns to the South’s major armies. Skirmishes and battles raged throughout Florida, but the flow of beef cattle halted only after Appomattox.

I do receive a very generous “thank you” in the acknowledgements but those of you who know me understand I have purchased this book for my Florida Civil War library without hesitation. Zack is an excellent historian and this is a book covering an important part of the Florida Civil War history.

This post may contain affiliate links. If you click these links and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission. This commission does not affect any price that you pay. All views and opinions provided are my own and are never influenced by affiliate programs or sponsors providing products. 

 

Atlanta: Civil War to Civil Rights private tour. Tours last 3 hours. Click the photo for more information.
Click HERE, or the image above, to learn more and book tickets for an Atlanta: From Civil War to Civil Rights Private Tour.  Follow the history of Atlanta from a major American Civil War battlefield to the center of the US Civil Rights movement. Visit the site of the Battle of Atlanta, the oldest cemetery in the city, and the Martin Luther King Historic District. This incredible 3 hour tour will provide you a whole new appreciation and perspective for the city of Atlanta.