Join me for an interactive discussion about lesser known women in Volusia County History. Discover those who have had an impact, good and bad, in Volusia County, FL. My list includes names you’ll easily recognize, and quite a few that might leave you scratching your head as to why they aren’t more well known. Time allowing, we’ll wrap up with your own ideas. You never know, your contributions may end up in a revised presentation.
To whet your appetite, read my blog post about the Betsy Ross Airfield for Women state historic marker located in Orange City. Talk about a lesser known part of County History.
Are you a Volusia County History enthusiast? If so, my Volusia County History bibliography is a must read. Here you will find a listing of books, articles, and more related to County and city history, including links if you wish to purchase copies. I bet there are books included that you didn’t know about. Maybe you know of materials that I don’t have listed. If so, drop me a line so that I can update the list.
The talk will be held Friday, September 19 at 10:00a.m. at the Daytona Beach Regional Library; or as many locals know it, City Island Library. Visit their website and find tons of other fascinating programs by clicking HERE. I hope you can attend as we discuss some of the lesser known women in Volusia County History.
The Sands Fish & Oyster Company two-sided Florida Historic Marker can be found in Port Orange, FL and is accessed through Riverwalk Park, located on the east side of US1 (Ridgewood Avenue).
Florida Marker Program
The Florida Historical Marker Program is one of the Division of Historical Resources’ most popular and visible public history programs. It is designed to raise public awareness of Florida’s rich cultural history and to enhance the enjoyment of our historic sites by citizens and tourists. These markers allow us to tell the stories of the places and people who created the Florida that we all enjoy today, by identifying the churches, schools, archaeological sites, battlefields and homes that represent our past.
If you wish to learn more about this state program, including qualifications, how to apply, the application, costs, and more, please use THIS LINK.
Image courtesy Volusia County History Facebook group
Side One
The Sands Fish & Oyster Company supplied oysters to markets and restaurants up and down the Atlantic Seaboard from 1916 until 1955. Founded by William Sands, Sr., the company earned Port Orange, Florida, the title of “Oyster Capital of the World” by harvesting fresh, delicious oysters known far and wide. In addition to oysters, the company supplied clams, fish, and shrimp. Sands managed oyster leases along the Halifax River as far south as New Smyrna Beach and as far north as St. Augustine. Before starting his company he had worked as a bookkeeper for Daniel DuPont’s Port Orange Oyster Company. Originally located just north of Herbert Street along Halifax Drive, the Sands oyster house moved one block north to the corner of Ocean Avenue and Halifax Drive in the 1930s. In exchange for use of City of Port Orange property, the company provided the city with oyster shells for local roads. As the business grew, the oyster house expanded eastward over the river on pilings. Harvesting an average of 500 gallons of oysters per week, the company reached a high mark of 905 gallons during one week in 1943. Packed in gallon siz metal cans, the oysters were shipped out by truck.
This definitive oyster bible and cookbook from expert food writer Nils Bernstein delivers an array of tips, trivia, and history, plus approachable recipes that celebrate the delicious bivalve.
Side Two
A mainstay of the Port Orange business community, the Sands Fish & Oyster Company provided numerous jobs. Workers traveled from New York and Georgia to work the eight-month oyster season. During the off season, workers replenished the oyster beds and fished the river. For each gallon of oysters shucked, workers received a token known as a “Sands Dollar” that could be turned in for pay or used in local stores. In 1947, William Sands, Sr., passed away and his wife Mabel Sands and her son William Sands, Jr., took over the company. Success of the oyster business continued, but the water quality of the river declined after the construction of the second Dunlawton Bridge in early 1951. The bridge’s earthen causeway design, known locally as the “Port Orange Dam,” restricted the water’s tidal flow. Contaminants from septic tanks coupled with restricted flow raised bacterial levels in the river enough to end oyster harvesting. Sands Fish & Oyster remained in business selling fish, smoked mullet, clams, shrimp, and oysters that were supplied from other parts of the state. Mabel Sands sold the company to Fred and Martha Downing in 1956. The Downings continued the fish and shrimp market until 1961.
A Florida Heritage Site
Erected by the Port Orange, The City of Port Orange, and the Florida Department of State
As is often the case unfortunately, these markers do contain errors and the information should be confirmed independently. The text is often not written by historians, or many times even folks with any level of historical knowledge. At the state level, the details are not reviewed, rather, they are trusting that the writers and sponsors have done their research properly. There are some requirements during the submission phase. The review committee will only catch glaring errors of fact or omission. They are more used for stylistic edits and program consistency. They are not experts in every facet of local history.
Please note the unusual language in the “erected” notation at the bottom of the marker. There is definitely something missing. Whether this was submitted in this manner and missed during editing or was a manufacturing error I am unsure.
Sands Fish & Oyster Company founder, William Edward Sands, Sr. passed away on February 4, 1958 at the young age of 59. The historic marker incorrectly lists his death year as 1957. An online memorial for Sands, Sr. can be found HERE. In addition to confirming his death date on the memorial site, I have confirmed the 1958 date through newspaper obituaries and government death records.
William Edward Sands, Jr., who took over and ran the market for several years passed away in 2014 at age 93. An online memorial for Sands, Jr. can be found HERE.
I was able to verify that the Downings received a transfer of the property lease from Ms. Sands in July 1956. I have been unable to verify when the Downing family closed the business.
If you have additional information on the Sands Fish & Oyster Company, or if you have images to share, please reach out. I will be glad to post an update and provide the appropriate credit.
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For racing fans, a visit to Daytona Beach, Florida is a bucket list item. In addition to visiting Daytona International Speedway, there are a multitude of racing related spots for fans to seek out. One of those is the Smokey Yunick historic marker located at Riverside Park in Holly Hill.
Smokey Yunick is a name that transcends motorsports. Smokey was not only a driver, but rather, he was more a behind the scenes personality, being best known as an expert mechanic and engine builder, who was not afraid to take risks in an attempt to gain horsepower and speed. His career is most associated with NASCAR where cars he helped prepare won the Daytona 500 in 1961 and 1962, national driving championships in 1951 and 1953, and numerous other accolades. His abilities stretched further however, and he served as chief mechanic for Jim Rathmann when he won the 1960 Indianapolis 500.
Yunick worked with some of the all-time great racers including Bobby Allison, Mario Andretti, Bobby Unser, A. J. Foyt, and many others.
Around the Daytona Beach area, Yunick was known for his “Best Damn Garage in Town,” which he opened in 1947, after having served in the Air Force during World War II. Yunick would close the garage in 1987 and his descendants sold the property in 2003. The last remaining building burned to the ground in 2011.
Smokey Yunick passed away May 9, 2001 from leukemia. An online memorial can be found HERE.
Tiqets is your key to get ticket and admission prices. Click THIS LINKor the image above to find your tickets to Daytona International Speedway and Motorsports Hall of Fame of America. Race tickets are not included.
Historic Marker
On August 24, 2023, a marker to Yunick was dedicated. It sits close to the former location of his “best damn garage in town.” Located on Smokey Yunick Way in Riverside Park, it is near the intersection of Riverside Drive and 2nd Street.
Text on the marker reads:
Legendary NASCAR mechanic, crew chief & owner, Henry “Smokey” Yunick’s (May 25, 1923 – May 9, 2001) famous garage stood just south of this spot from 1947 – 2001. He was a self taught mechanical genius who excelled in all forms of auto racing winning the Daytona 500 in 1961 and 1962. Indianapolis 500 winner in 1960. The innovations and designs Smokey invented here improved performance of race cars and passenger vehicles over several decades. The last remnant of the garage burned on April 25, 2011. Memorialized in conjunction with the City of Holly Hill, Florida and concept by the members of the Motor Racing Heritage Association.
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Located at the intersection of S. Sparkman and W. Rhode Island Avenues in a growing section of Orange City, FL is the Betsy Ross Airfield for Women Florida Historic Marker. This Marker commemorates important moments in both women’s history and the history of flight in Florida.
This is a two-sided marker. The marker is set back a bit from the intersection. Use caution when visiting. There is no close parking so you will be parked on the side of the road. There are sidewalks close by to make the short walk easier.
Florida Marker Program
The Florida Historical Marker Program is one of the Division of Historical Resources’ most popular and visible public history programs. It is designed to raise public awareness of Florida’s rich cultural history and to enhance the enjoyment of our historic sites by citizens and tourists. These markers allow us to tell the stories of the places and people who created the Florida that we all enjoy today, by identifying the churches, schools, archaeological sites, battlefields and homes that represent our past.
If you wish to learn more about this state program, including qualifications, how to apply, the application, costs, and more, please use THIS LINK.
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Side One:
On May 9, 1931, the land beyond this sign was donated to the Betsy Ross Air Corps, a pre-World War II organization of female pilots. Designated the Betsy Ross Airport, the airfield was the only airport in the nation entirely owned and operated by women. Its purpose was a place for female pilots to learn to fly and improve their skills. In the northeast corner of the 160-acre site was Arawana Lodge, used as the Corps regional headquarters and a place for the pilots to vacation. The vision, gift, and construction were all realized by Orange City’s Dr. Frances Dickinson. She was an educator, woman’s rights advocate, ophthalmologist and club woman. A flyer herself, Dickinson noted female pilots were not provided equal opportunity in the growing field of aviation. By 1932, Dickinson completed construction of one 1,000-foot runway and a 600-foot central axis designed to serve seven more runways. On January 13, 1932, the Betsy Ross Air Corp’s National Commander, Opal Kunz, and Lt. Commander, Lillian Perkins, assumed operations and continued development of the airfield.
Side Two:
The Betsy Ross Air Corps’ period of existence was short-lived (1931-1933), and never formally recognized by the U.S. Military. Dickinson secured funding to complete the airport construction from Florida’s Federal Emergency Relief Administration in December 1934. By 1935, Volusia County signed a five-year lease to use the airfield as an emergency landing field. After World War II, the airfield was renamed to the DeLand-Orange City Airport. In January 1945, J. Wade Coleman of the Orange State Flying Services leased the airfield to operate an educational facility. Coleman contracted with Stetson University to provide flight training supplementing the university’s existing aviation ground school courses. Before Dickinson’s death on May 19, 1945, four women earned their solo pilot’s licenses from her airfield. The field remained an active private airfield until a television tower was constructed over the western edge in the mid-1960s. Portions of the former airfield are now home to Manatee Cove Elementary and River Springs Middle School. The Compass Landing Subdivision pays tribute to the legacy of the Betsy Ross Airport and Dr. Frances Dickinson’s vision to advance women fliers.
A Florida Heritage Site
Sponsored by the City of Orange City, and the Florida Department of State
F-1197 2022
You may learn more about the Betsy Ross Air Corps using THIS LINK.
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Have you ever seen a phone booth in a cemetery? It seems unusual doesn’t it but there appear to be legitimate reasons for this. Edgewater-New Smyrna Cemetery is providing a new option for those grieving a departed loved one, called the Wind Phone.
Origins of the Wind Phone
The Wind Phone was originally the brainchild of Itaru Sasaki, of Japan, in 2010. Mr. Sasaki was grieving the loss of a cousin who passed from cancer. Sasaki purchased an old phone booth, and installed a rotary phone. He placed the booth in his garden. Here, he was able to connect with his departed loved one in a private manner, alone with his thoughts.
As a result of a devastating 2011 earthquake and resulting tsunami, thousands of coastal residents in Japan were killed, many washed into the Pacific Ocean and their bodies never recovered. Recovering his phone booth, Sasaki relocated it to a hill at the foot of Kujira-Yama, a 609 meter high peak near the town of Otsuchi, an area devasted by the tsunami. Here, he welcomed the public to come and “call” their relatives, allowing them to mourn, cope, and hopefully heal, from their tragic loss.
You may learn more about Itaru Saski and the original Wind Phone at THIS SITE.
Edgewater-New Smyrna Cemetery
Grief is a universal language and we all deal with it in our own manner. Today, Edgewater-New Smyrna Cemeteryoffers mourners the unique opportunity to sit in peace and call their departed loved one by using a Wind Phone. Mourners can enter the plywood phone booth which contains an old rotary phone. Here, they can sit and pour out their souls, anger, and sorrow to the departed. No need to pick up the phone receiver as it isn’t connected to any earthly service. Instead, the wind will carry their words to the great beyond, delivering them to their loved one.
For some, this idea may seem far-fetched and possibly even ridiculous. For those handling grief however, it is important to let them mourn and if the Wind Phone helps them, so much the better. In fact, ENS General Manager Patricia Corsillo, has stated that the first time she used a Wind Phone she “called” her old home phone number to talk with her parents. She says it brought her a sense of comfort and she hopes to provide the same to others.
Where to Find a Wind Phone Near You
The concept is catching on around the United States. At the time of writing, My Wind Phone states that there are almost 250 installed in the United States, with more coming soon. Find updated statistics and Wind Phone locations using THIS LINK. Currently, there are 16 Wind Phones in the state of Florida. Use the link to find one near you, no matter your location.
Edgewater-New Smyrna Cemetery is located at 700 S. Ridgewood Avenue in Edgewater, on the west side of the highway. Access the cemetery using the north entrance (there are three entrances off of Ridgewood Ave.) Follow the drive and you will see the Wind Phone located between one of the newest and one of the oldest sections in the cemetery.
Call to Action
Have you ever seen or used a Wind Phone? Please share your experience with a comment.
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Thank you for your interest in learning about the Oak Hill Village Improvement Association building and historic marker. The building is on the National Register of Historic Places and a state of Florida historic marker is located outside. The building is now owned by the city of Oak Hilland houses a small community museum. Hopefully one day I will find the museum open.
The selected photographs in this book, many appearing courtesy of local families, document the lives and times of Floridians who chose to call Oak Hill home. Click the image for more information and to order your copy.
Oak Hill
Oak Hill, Florida is a small, tight knight community located near the extreme southeast corner of Volusia County. The 2020 United States Census Bureau report showed a population of just under 2,000 residents. While still small, the town has grown significantly since the turn of the century. Residential property development will increase the population dramatically in the next few years. These new residents will potentially place a strain on limited governmental resources as new services will be required.
Early settlers in what is now the Oak Hill area included Jacob Davy Mitchell. Mitchell founded a citrus business and in the following years many similar business sprang to life. By 1887 the area contained 220 acres of citrus trees. Fishing and seafood were another popular and profitable business. With the Intracoastal Waterway on the doorstep and easy access to the Atlantic Ocean, fishermen worked hard, but were able to earn a living. The arrival of Henry Flagler’s Florida East Coast Railway allowed for fish and fruit to be shipped but also brought need goods and materials to the small group of settlers.
The first city charter was created in 1927 but was soon abandoned in 1930. The city operated on an informal basis for more than three decades. It was in 1962 that local residents re-incorporated.
In this book, Florida historian Seth H. Bramson reveals how the Key West Extension of the Flagler-owned FEC became the greatest railroad engineering and construction feat in the United States Click the link or image for details and to order your copy.
Association Hall
Prior to the first incorporation in 1927, in 1906, local residents F. W. Hatch, H. J. Magruder, and Leonard Mosby formed the Oak Hill Village Improvement Association with goals of organizing community events and resolving any local problems. The Association purchased a lot located at what is now 146 U.S. Highway 1. Here, they constructed a Town Hall building as a meeting space. The building was constructed in a single story octagonal design. The reason this design was created and the name of the architect are lost to time according to the NRHP nomination form.
As stated, the building was originally constructed on what is now US 1. By 1915, the makeup of the town had changed and residents began to consider whether a new location for the Hall would be more suitable. Joan Howes donated a lot on Halifax Avenue. Using a team of horses and logs, the building was moved approximately two tenths of a mile to a prominent location, near the town business district. Today, the building is across Halifax Avenue from the post office and library buildings.
It was in the Association building that critical issues, such as the 1927 incorporation of the town, and the 1930 discontinuation of the town charter were discussed and approved. When the city charter was reactivated in 1962, the VIA Hall served as the home of city government until the new City Hall was constructed in 1965.
Other uses of the unusually shaped building included being used as a voting precinct, social events such as community dances, and boy and girl scout troop meetings. The building served for seven months as home to Baldwin’s Store, after the community grocery store burned to the ground in September 1935. The VIA Hall was home to the Howard Putnam Library during the years of 1943 through 1970, when the growing library moved to the new City Hall building before moving across the street from the Hall in 1974.
After many years of active community involvement, The Oak Hill Village Improvement Association experienced a membership decline in the 1990s and discontinued their operations in 2002. The building, which was in need of considerable repairs and upgrades, was deeded to the city. City leaders began to explore funding opportunities in order to bring the VIA Hall back to life. They received two crucial lifelines allowing work to proceed.
Restoration
The first came in the form of a $35,000 donation from Korean businessman and benefactor, Dr. K. T. Chung. These crucial funds would be used as partial match for a County of Volusia ECHO (environmental, cultural, historic, outdoor) grant. With nearly $150,000 from the county and the required dollar for dollar match, Oak Hill was on its way.
A park, adjacent to the Hall was dedicated in Dr. Chung’s honor on May 21, 1995. Approximately 100 persons turned out for the ceremony which featured a chorus from Burns-Oak Hill Elementary School and a solo from singer Pat Plummer. A reception in Dr. Chung’s honor was held in the Hall after the park dedication.
When the project had been completed in 2009 work accomplished included building stabilization, restoration of the interior, and adding ADA compliant restrooms and entrance ramps.
In January 2023, the Florida Department of State announced that the Oak Hill Village Improvement Association Hall had been added to the National Register of Historic Places.
Historic Marker
As a part of the National Register nomination, the city applied for a State of Florida historic marker. This marker was awarded in 2023 and reads
Village Improvement Association Hall
In 1906, residents of Oak Hill complete this octagonal wooden structure. It was built on land donated by Fred W. Hatch, who saw the need for a community center. Citizens formed the Village Improvement Association (VIA) to maintain and schedule use of the building. In 1917, community leaders voted to move the building closer to the center of the growing town. A team of horses pulled the building on skids to its new location on land donated by Joan Howes. In 1927, citizens established the city’s first charter in the VIA Hall. That government did not survive the Great Depression. In 1960, citizens again met at the VIA Hall to organize a second charter. Since its construction, the building has served as a town hall, school, dancehall, and clubhouse. local fishermen used it as a place to repair their nets. In 2006, storms damaged the building. Community leaders worked with the city to obtain grant funding for the building’s restoration. With the goal of sharing the everyday history of this community, the refurbished building opened as the Oak Hill Historical Museum.
A Florida Heritage Site Sponsored by the City of Oak Hill and the Florida Department of State
F-1246
Sources
Dewees, Mary. History and Memories of Oak Hill, Florida. Oak Hill: Self Published. 1984.
Florida Department of State. Press Release: Secretary Byrd Announces the Designation of Village Improvement Association Hall in the National Register of Historic Places. January 24, 2023.
Goodrich, Marie S. “Korea, Oak Hill Find Park Common Ground.” Daytona Beach News Journal. May 23, 1995.
National Park Service. National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form. August 16, 2022.
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Lewis (often spelled Louis) Tanner, was a respected member of the Daytona Beach police department, and a 32nd degree Mason. Officer Tanner was killed as the result of an automobile accident on the evening of October 26, 1930. He was riding as a passenger, attempting to help some lost cruisers find their destination.
If you are a descendant of Officer Lewis Tanner, know his family, or have additional information to share about him or his service, please send me an email. I will be glad to update this post. Research leads are greatly appreciated and I would be especially interested to have a photo of Officer Tanner and to know where he is buried.
Officer Tanner was born on November 4, 1886 in Lake Helen, Florida. Tanner served in the United States Army during World War I. He was inducted into service on June 21, 1918. serving in the 153th Depot Brigade, what appears to have been a segregated brigade based at Fort Dix. Tanner was promoted to Corporal on October 28. Corporal Tanner received an honorable discharge on June 25, 1919. On April 21, 1920, Tanner married Catherine Slater in Volusia County.
Before serving in the Daytona Beach Police Department, Tanner worked in partnership with Willard Cox. They owned a laundromat or dry cleaning business under the name Tanner & Cox. The business was located at 441 N. Beach Street.
The Accident
On the evening of October 26, 1930, Louis/Lewis Tanner had just left police headquarters at the end of his shift when he was flagged down by a car of four persons looking for a home they were to meet friends at. Tanner knew the locals and agreed to help the visitors. The officer got in their car in order to help give them directions.
Joe Harvey, referred to in newspaper articles as “a negro,” was a 25 year old from Orlando. Witnesses at the time stated Harvey rounded a corner south of Magnolia Street at a high rate of speed, swerving wildly on Second Street before crashing into the car in which Officer Tanner was riding. The car with five innocent victims was struck so hard it turned on its side, pinning both Tanner and William L. Hunt, the car driver, inside.
The startled witnesses raced to the scene and were able to finally extricate the two trapped men. Hunt suffered only minor injuries. Lamb Thomas suffered a broken hip. (There is a Thomas J. Lamb buried in Hillside Cemetery in Holly Hill so this name may have been misreported.) A.C. Conway and his wife Viola had only minor injuries. The driver of the other vehicle, Joe Harvey, suffered several severe lacerations to his face and scalp. Officer Tanner was the most severely injured and died from his injuries while being transported to McLeod Hospital.
Sergeant Livingston, who was the first officer on the scene, discovered a broken bottle in the car which still contained whiskey. A charge of manslaughter as a result of driving while intoxicated was filed against Harvey, who after treatment was held in the local jail pending trial.
In the immediate aftermath of Tanner’s death, Police Chief Charles J. Luke appointed “R.C. Clark, negro,” to fill the position.
I have been unable to determine where Officer Lewis Tanner was buried. There appears to be no record on Findagrave and my other searches have come back empty as well. If Officer Tanner was buried in Daytona Beach, the most likely place for his remains would be Mount Arrarat Cemetery, the cemetery for African Americans at that time.
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The Trial
Courtesy: Spottswood, Jack(John Gordon), 1890-1950. David Sholtz. 1936. State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory. <https://www.floridamemory.com/items/show/52109>, accessed 12 August 2024.
Daytona Beach attorney David Sholtz, the future governor of the state of Florida. represented defendant Joe Harvey. Arraignment was held in front of Justice Charles J. Beers.
Sholtz, in questioning officers and other witnesses, was able to show that Harvey was “cold sober” within thirty minutes of the accident. Sholtz then questioned Dr. Guy A. Klock who provided testimony on various levels or degrees of intoxication.
Dr. Klock testified that if a man were in a condition where he had lost muscular coordination he could not have fully regained that within the thirty minutes others testified. Klock stated if a man were able to make his muscles obey his will, he was not intoxicated, even if it were known the person was drinking alcohol.
Attorney Sholtz quoted state law to the same effect in his request for a dismissal of charges.
No doubt to the dismay of family and friends of Tanner, members of the Daytona Beach Police Department, and prosecuting attorneys, Judge Beers was left with little option but to dismiss charges. Joe Harvey was again a free man.
To the best of my knowledge, there were no further actions taken against Harvey and the Tanner family did not receive justice in this case.
In Memory
Commemorating law enforcement lost in the line of duty is considered a high priority in many communities. Volusia County, Florida is no exception and there are several places where Officer Lewis Tanner is remembered.
Located at the Historic Volusia County Courthouse is the Law Enforcement Memorial for Volusia and Flagler Counties. This monument is located at the Indiana Avenue entrance to the courthouse and contains the names, service, and date of death for officers killed in the line of duty in either county. This 3,500 pound monument was dedicated in 1995 and contains information on thirty officers who have perished in the line of duty.
Detail of the Volusia and Flagler Counties Law Enforcement Memorial located in DeLand, Florida
Outside the Daytona Beach Police Department, there is a beautiful “Fallen Heroes” memorial, honoring all Daytona Beach Police Department officers who have died in the line of duty. Please see my post about this memorial using THIS LINK or click the photo below. As time allows, I will be researching and penning posts about these officers and will be linking from the master page. If you have information or photos on any of these officers listed, please reach out to me. I would be honored to share your information. I will provide credit for information or photos provided.
United States Census Bureau. 1930 United States Federal Census.
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Multiple markers honoring local soldiers who lost their lives during war years are set beautifully, outside the museum building. The area is open to the public. This particular marker honors those who gave their lives during wars in the Middle East in the years 1990-2014 and is dated 2015. The marker features a large eagle at the top.
This marker is part of the larger display featuring other plaques honoring lost service members from other conflicts. Be sure to view all the other plaques and reflect on the service these soldiers provided.
I will be creating posts for the soldiers lost and commemorated on these plaques. If you have information on these individuals, or photos you are willing to share, I will gladly add them to the individual postings. You will receive acknowledgement of your contribution to this project.
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The marker reads
THE MIDDLE EAST 1990-2014
TO HONOR THE PATRIOTS OF
WEST VOLUSIA COUNTY
WHO SERVED IN IRAQ, AFGHANISTAN, AND THE MIDDLE EAST
& TO REMEMBER THOSE WHO MADE THE SUPREME SACRIFICE
If the soldiers name shows a hyperlink, I have created an individual page for them. Please give those pages a read. If you have information to add about the soldier, their life, their service, or images, please contact me. I would be honored to share your information. You will receive acknowledgement for your participation in this project.
I invite you to read my post about the Volusia Flagler Law Enforcement Memorial, located only a short distance from this memorial in downtown DeLand. The law enforcement memorial honors officers from Volusia and Flagler counties who lost their lives while on duty.
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New Smyrna Beach is where you will find the Turnbull Grand Canal Florida Historic Marker. The City of New Smyrna Beach and the Florida Department of Stateare the marker sponsors. In 2018 sponsors placed the monument for public viewing.
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The National Register of Historic Places includes the Turnbull Canal System. You may see the National Park Service NRHP file using THIS LINK.
The Turnbull Grand Canal, also known as the Grand Canal, was built by indentured servants brought to the area by Scottish physician Dr. Andrew Turnbull in 1768. As part of the largest single attempt at British colonization in North America, Smyrnea Settlement, Turnbull attracted more than 1,400 Minorcans, Corsicans, Greeks, and Italians, who sought the promise of new opportunities in Florida. Turnbull was impressed by the Egyptian canal system and wanted to replicate it in Smyrnea. Three canals ran east-west and were linked with a fourth longer canal known as the Grand Canal that ran north-south and connected to Turnbull Bay. These hand-dug canals provided irrigation and drainage for rice, hemp, cotton, and indigo crops, and served as a mode of transportation within the colony. After nine years of harsh treatment under Turnbull, drought, and crop failures, the colony’s population fell to about 600 people. In 1777 a group of Smyrnea colonists walked 70 miles to St. Augustine to petition British East Florida Governor Patrick Tonyn for release from their indentures. After hearing the case, Governor Tonyn gave them their freedom and granted them land north of St. Augustine.
F-1025
A Florida Heritage Site
Sponsored by the City of New Smyrna Beach, the Historic New Smyrna Beach Preservation Commission, Mayor James Hathaway, Vice Mayor Jason McGuirk, Commissioner Judy Reiker, Commissioner Jake Sachs, Commissioner Randy Hartman, and the Florida Department of State.
2018
The Turnbull Grand Canal marker is located at the corner of SR 44 and Walker Drive in New Smyrna Beach. It is on the south side of SR 44 across Walker from Auto Zone.
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Edgewater-New Smyrna Cemetery
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Prior to the first incorporation in 1927, in 1906, local residents F. W. Hatch, H. J. Magruder, and Leonard Mosby formed the Oak Hill Village Improvement Association with goals of organizing community events and resolving any local problems. The Association purchased a lot located at what is now 146 U.S. Highway 1. Here, they constructed a Town Hall building as a meeting space. The building was constructed in a single story octagonal design. The reason this design was created and the name of the architect are lost to time according to the NRHP nomination form.
A park, adjacent to the Hall was dedicated in Dr. Chung’s honor on May 21, 1995. Approximately 100 persons turned out for the ceremony which featured a chorus from Burns-Oak Hill Elementary School and a solo from singer Pat Plummer. A reception in Dr. Chung’s honor was held in the Hall after the park dedication.
Village Improvement Association Hall
Located at the Historic Volusia County Courthouse is the 
