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. Image courtesy State Archives of Florida
The Burgoyne Home located on Beach Street. Image courtesy State Archives of Florida
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.
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.
Main Street entrance to Pinewood Cemetery. Walk straight back. The Burgoyne plot will be on your left. You can’t miss it.
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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.
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.
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
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
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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.
People occasionally me my interests and what drives them. As you know, I use the moniker, Robert Redd Historian. It’s on my website, my Facebook page, my Twitter, my Instagram, my Pinterest, and my YouTube. OK, enough self-promotion there. Seriously, please click the links and feel free to give me a follow. I am generous in following back if the sites let me know you are there. The inevitable follow up is why public history. They want an example. Well, here you go, Why Public History: An example.
So, some of you may know I have a B.A. in American Studies and an M.A. in Public History. Just what is public history? That’s a fair question.
From the National Council on Public History, we get this definition; “public history describes the many and diverse ways in which history is put to work in the world. In this sense, it is history that is applied to real-world issues.”
Just who “does” public history? Again, a fair question and we’ll again turn to NCPH, “They call themselves historical consultants, museum professionals, government historians, archivists, oral historians, cultural resource managers, curators, film and media producers, historical interpreters, historic preservationists, policy advisers, local historians, and community activists, among many many other job descriptions. All share an interest and commitment to making history relevant and useful in the public sphere.”
Finally, how is public history used? Back to our friends at NCPH, “Although public historians can sometimes be teachers, public history is usually defined as history beyond the walls of the traditional classroom. It can include the myriad ways that history is consumed by the general public.”
So, we have a decent enough, but maybe not perfect, definition of public history. If I had to go back and choose from these quotes, I would make note of the last sentence, “…the myriad ways that history is consumed by the general public.”
Ultimately, as a public historian there are several key ingredients you must possess. The first is the field and study of history. The commitment to honesty, telling a full, complete, and unbiased story. While you may go into a story thinking you already know the outcome, that is often not the case. The public historian has to be willing to change their preconceived notions on a subject if the evidence leads them in that direction. This can make people, including sponsors, uncomfortable. As the American Historical Association states “Historians should practice their craft with integrity. They should honor the historical record. They should document their sources. They should acknowledge their debts to the work of other scholars. ”
A second important trait is the ability to understand your target audience. You must be able to relate to people. You must be able to talk AND listen. You must be able to work collaboratively. Even if your project is solo (or so you think), others are going to have input. If you are creating interpretive panels others are going to need to see them and provide input before the file is sent to production. If you are writing reports, editors will have input. If you are doing consulting work, those who hired you will want to review your work before it is released. You get the idea.
Finally, you need to be able to write in a manner that will make the public want to read what you are trying to get across. I love my academic friends, but often in reading a university press title, it is obvious it was written for an academic market with little consideration of public consumption. It’s too bad because the years of research that go into these books should be shared. OK, another fault with university press titles is that they can also be priced through the roof but that’s not the author’s fault.
If you have been to a national park and seen the panels there, or a battlefield with text panels near artillery you have seen what is most likely excellent public history. State and local parks often have excellent panels. Some parks will have booklets available for purchase at a nominal cost. These are often the work of staff historians, working with the public in mind.
Museums are another prime location for public history. Many museums are too text heavy for me, as the trend is often to move away from showing the real artifacts and instead “teach” visitors about subjects. Too often, these are exhibits that are full of long panels that do not take into consideration interest levels, attention spans, and time constraints of visitors.
Museums often are accused of being “revisionist,” whatever that might mean. I suppose if correcting false or incomplete narratives of the past makes one a “revisionist,” most public historians, when doing their job correctly, can proudly wear that label.
Online exhibits are becoming an excellent option and the public historian must know how to engage viewers quickly to keep them from clicking away. This takes skills in writing, technology, visual layout, and of course teamwork because there will be multiple experts working on such projects.
The former Connor Library Building located in Old Fort Park in New Smyrna Beach, FL
When asked “why public history” Here’s an example. This close up of the sign outside the Economic Development offices (the Old Connor Library Building) located in Old Fort Park in New Smyrna Beach, FL gives us plenty to discuss.
SO, the real reason for this post, WHY PUBLIC HISTORY: An Example, can be found in this building photo and the accompanying detailed photo. This seems like a pretty innocent image of an old building, with a small sign in front telling those passing by what the building is. It is now home to the Economic Development department of the City of New Smyrna Beach.
This sign could not have been written by a public historian. There are multiple problems with it that we shall examine.
The first issue for me is the mixed message I get as a viewer. We have the current use (got to get those logos in don’t we). The colors don’t match, the font doesn’t match, and there doesn’t seem to have a reason for having these differences.
The fact that this is two separate signs makes the hanging sign, with the rust stain running down it, look like an afterthought at best. Then there’s whatever garbage is on the ground in front of the sign, but I can forgive that. A good city employee will pick that up as soon as they see it.
So, the first thing we need are two separate signs in my opinion. Personally, I would not even have two signs. The original sign, stating the current use of the building is fine. For any information about the prior use of the building, I would create an interpretive panel (some of you might call it a sign and that’s OK). These panels can get a bit pricey and can not be printed by local sign manufacturers, if you do it correctly. These panels will need the work of a historian, a graphic designer, an editor, and cooperation with a producer such as iZone Imaging.
My second issue with this hanging sign is the overall wording that has been used. “Former location of the N.S.B. free library 1901-1941.”
Where to begin here. I guess first is that there is no reason to underline the word former. You have already told people what offices are now in the building. Nobody believes it is the current New Smyrna Beach library.
My second issue with the wording is the abbreviating of the city name to N.S.B. Just spell it out. Yes, we all know what it means, but would it have really cost that much more to spell out your own city name? And how about a comma after the word library?
Finally, the use of the term “free library” has caused problems. How do I know? I have had visitors to the city personally tell me that an employee in the building told them the library was created specifically for freed slaves living in the area. Oh, my. If I had only been told the story once, I wouldn’t think much of it. More than once, by different people on different occasions is problematic. Where that story originated is beyond me but I have to attribute it, at least partly, to the language on the sign. Fortunately, that employee is no longer in the building but how many people, locals and visitors, did she tell that story to.
My final problem is that the sign is just badly written and leaves out, well, the entire story. Yes, this building is the home of the former library. The operating dates are accurate based upon what is known. The problem is, this building was moved to its current location in 1991. The wording of the sign strongly implies that the building has always been located in Old Fort Park.
While I do not know when this hanging sign was installed, if was after 2015, a very cursory review of my book, Historic Sites and Locations of New SmyrnaBeach,would have helped tremendously and pointed the creator to source material. I would have gladly helped whoever was creating the sign. Even if the sign was installed prior, very limited research would have helped create a more accurate, and interesting, story.
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What is the sign leaving out you might ask.
The founders of the library, Washington and Jeanette Connor are never referenced. Who were they and what was their connection to New Smyrna (it wasn’t New Smyrna Beach at the time.) How did the prior toll bridge tie into the story? How did the city gain ownership of the building? Where was the library located prior to its move? Why was it moved at all? What remodeling and renovation work has been done to the building? Who else has had use of the building since it was moved?
So as we can see, the use of a public historian to create a better interpretive panel, or panels, for this century plus year old building could have answered many questions that visitors and locals might have. This area is a busy one, especially during Saturday farmers markets and during the large number of downtown events and festivals the city holds. A proper panel, or series of panels, would supply to readers an accurate and more complete version of events.
For a town that attempts to pride itself on its history, this is an issue that should be addressed. City of New Smyrna Beach, I am easy to find!
Thank you for taking the time to read my ramblings on the importance of proper public history. I think you can now better understand the question of Why Public History based upon this example. What examples of incomplete or bad public history have you encountered? Share your Why Public History: An Example experiences with other readers.
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.
CLICK HERE or the photo above for more information and to book your incredible paddle board or kayak tour. New Smyrna’s waterways with a stand-up paddle board or kayak tour. See Florida’s wildlife, learn how to paddle board or kayak, and stop at islands as you paddle. Begin your tour with a quick paddle board demonstration onshore and in the water. If you’re not sure about paddle boarding, just hop into a kayak. Once you’re ready, head out into nature. Paddle through the calm waterways and keep an eye out for live conch, pelicans, and crabs. See dolphins, manatees, and sea turtles as you paddle past picturesque islands and through mangroves.
Volusia County is located on the east coast of Florida and is home to more than 550,000 residents and growing daily. The county is currently a prime retirement area for transplants. Read further to discover my Volusia County History bibliography with links. It will help guide you to relevant source material, much of it easily obtainable.
County management is handled by an elected County Council consisting of two at-large members and five district elected members. The Chair position is one of the at-large members.
In 2021, nearly ten million visitors came to Volusia County. Many came to enjoy the “World’s Most Famous Beach,” while others arrived for NASCAR and other racing events, while Bike Week and Biketoberfest continue to draw strong crowds. Events such as the November Turkey Run, spring break, and the multi-day Welcome To Rockville concerts bring short-term visitors to the county. The Ocean Center draws sporting events, conventions, and the occasional concert which help put “heads in beds.”
While tourism is a main draw, the county has a wide and varied history consisting of colorful characters and events. This bibliography is my attempt to bring together a listing of material for readers related to Volusia County history. The term “history” is open to interpretation. I will try to be lenient in my use of the term.
I am providing links when I can so that you can purchase, or if possible, download or read online, for yourself. Materials may be available through the Volusia County Library system. Please check there. Even if it is not in your local branch, books can be sent to your preferred branch. Some books may be non-circulating such as those in genealogy collections and you will need to visit a particular location.
A couple of things about this bibliography. It is not meant to be all inclusive. This is an ongoing project and I invite your input with works I have not included. Also, new material is being published consistently. I try to keep up but this is a one person operation. Updates will be made to the list as required.
I will not be linking items such as newspaper articles. Mainstream magazine articles are fair game if they appear to have value. Peer reviewed academic journal articles will be included though availability of these may be quite limited. There have been, and continue to be, many local, “freebie,” magazine and entertainment guides. Keeping up with them is nearly impossible and finding older issues is the same. Unless something truly strikes me, I am avoiding these.
I am not including links to social media pages. Most of these pages/groups are not very good and the egalitarian nature of social media means anybody with a keyboard can make a statement and way too many take them as fact. Rather than be accused of playing favorites, I am avoiding these pages altogether.
Websites and blogs that show good solid research and writing will be included. Many good historians/writers are sharing their work in these formats. YouTube channels? Maybe.
Works of fiction are not generally included in this bibliography.
I have chosen to set this listing up by city and a general county history section. My thought is that if you are looking for materials on Oak Hill you can find that heading rather than reviewing the entire list.
At the end of the list, you will find a listings of Volusia County based historical societies and museums. Be sure to reach out to these organizations if you have specific questions. There is also a section titled “people.” This is for those individuals who have made an impact on Volusia County for the better or the worse.
I make no guarantees as to the historical accuracy of the materials listed. I have not read and do not own copies of all of the sources lists. While I can certainly vouch for research standards many of the listed authors use, I recommend you draw your own conclusions. Works with foot/end notes and bibliographies are probably more reliable than those without. Notes and bibliographies allow readers to follow up on sources and verify statements.
I want this listing to be a joint project with you, the reader. If you know of sources I have not listed, please drop me a line or add a comment. Please provide as much information as possible and links if the material is digital. I will update the list with your suggestions.
I invite you to provide your thoughts on the resources listed below. If you feel a book or article is a must read, please let readers know and why you feel this way. If you think something is poor, that is acceptable. Please make sure your remarks are respectful and explain your reasoning. Is the research bad? Why do you think a work is not good? Personal attacks on authors or subject matter will not be approved for posting.
Friend, Lani. “Volusia and Vibilia: Companion Plantations on the St. Johns River in Spanish and Territorial East Florida,” Florida Historical Quarterly. Volume 97, No. 4 (2019): 379-406.
Gaby, Donald C. “Volusia; The Origin of a Name.” Florida Historical Quarterly. Vol. 76, No. 1.
Minshew, Paul and Jack Towle. “The 1998 Wildfires in Central Florida: Volusia County’s Own Armageddon.” Journal of Environmental Health. Vol. 61, No. 7 (1999): p. 22-26.
Polk, Brian L. Lost in History–The Mayaca: Native People of West Volusia County, Florida. History Travels Press: DeLeon Springs, 2024.
Guthrie, John J. Jr., “Seeking the Sweet Spirit of Harmony: Establishing a Spiritualist Community at Cassadaga, Florida, 1893-1933.” Florida Historical Quarterly. Vol. 77, No. 1.
Along the Beach Looking Toward Seabreeze Courtesy Florida Memory
Halifax Herald. This journal is published by the Halifax Historical Society and is a trove of information relating to the east side of Volusia County. Individual articles are not generally referenced in this listing. To the best of my knowledge there is no easy to use index for this journal.
Lempel, Leonard R. “The Mayor’s ‘Henchmen and Henchwomen, Both White and Colored,’ Edward H. Armstrong and the Politics of Race in Daytona Beach, 1900-1940.” Florida Historical Quarterly. Vol. 79, No. 3.
Strickland, Alice. “Florida’s Golden Age of Racing.” Florida Historical Quarterly. Vol. 45 No. 3 (1967): 253-269.
If you like to drink something a little stronger than beer, we’ve put something together that’s a little more edgy; The Daytona Beach Dive Bar Tour. We have a collection of bars that cater mostly to locals, bikers, and customers looking for something a little off the tourist path. If you think you’re ready for a locals-only bar, a biker bar, or just a seedy experience, then this is the tour for you. Click the link to purchase tickets and schedule your tour of some of Daytona Beach’s legendary bars. Bars you might go to include Uncle Waldo’s, Metz I and II, Drifters Route 1, and more.
Griffin, John W. and Robert H. Steinbach. Old Fort Park and Turnbull Canal System Archaeological Survey Project New Smyrna Beach, Florida. St. Augustine: Historic Property Associates, 1990.
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The sculpture Flower is in wood and measures 26 x 14 x 10 Candace Knapp exhibit in New Smyrna Beach, Florida
Make your plans to visit Arts on Douglas in downtown New Smyrna Beach between April 1 and May 27, 2023 for a new exhibit, Rites of Spring: Painting & Sculptures by Candace Knapp.
On April 1, there will be an opening reception from 4p-7p featuring live jazz music from TRio.
On Friday, May 12 at 11 a.m. there will be an artist talk you won’t want to miss.
Arts on Douglas
1213 Douglas Street
New Smyrna Beach, FL 32168
386-428-1133
Gallery Hours:
Tuesday through Friday 10a-5p
Saturday 10-4p
Sunday and Monday CLOSED
To learn more about Candace Knapp, I recommend visiting her website (where I have taken this biography and resume from.)
BIOGRAPHY
Candace Knapp, courtesy the Dabbert Gallery
My father was a toy designer, and I was encouraged to indulge my imagination. I earned a BFA in sculpture from the Cleveland Institute of Art and an MFA from the University of Illinois. I have had many teachers. I have learned about clarity from the Buddhists, fierce joy from the Sufis, magical holiness from Christian Mystics and life energy from Taoist TaiChi. The main influence in my life and work, however, is my ongoing relationship with nature, with birds, animals, insects, clouds, stars, microbes and especially trees. I have spent most of my life carving wood and feel a strong kinship with trees.
I have enjoyed traveling in Europe, Africa and Asia and lived in Sweden for a year with my husband, Bjorn. In Florida we had a company called Andren & Knapp in which we designed and produced furniture and statues for churches. We also worked together on Public Art commissions. All the pictures on this site were taken by Bjorn Andren. He is a gifted photographer.
I have done installations at the Brevard Art Museum (later named Foosner Art Museum), Florida
Museum for Women Artists, Florida Craftsmen Gallery in St Petersburg, the Morean Art Center,
and Mt Dora Center for the Arts and sometimes included composed background sounds as part
of the work. My work is in the permanent collection of the Miaoli Wood Sculpture Museum in
Sanyi, Taiwan (where I was invited to have a show in 2007) and in the Memphis Brooks
Museum of Art in Memphis TN. Lately I have been painting.
RESUME: COLLECTIONS
Miaoli Wood Sculpture Museum, Sanyi, Taiwan ( 5 sculptures in the permanent collection)
TungHai University, TaiChung, Taiwan (“Flight of Mother Theresa”)
Tampa General Hospital (“Collected Memory”)
Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, Memphis, TN, (“Tango Solo”)
The Ameriway Bank, Houston, TX, (“The Enfoldment”)
The Mobile Oil Corporation, Stockholm, Sweden, (“Three Sisters”)
The Northwood Institute.Collection, West Palm Beach, FL (“Wind in the Trees”)
HageGården Music Center, Edane, Sweden, (“Nyutsprungen”)
City of Tampa, FL (“Underwater Ballet” and “Sunlight on the Lake”)
Tampa Water Dept., Tampa, FL “The Waterbearers” (bronze fountain )
All Children’s Hospital, St Petersburg FL ( “Daydreamers” 12 mobiles for the emergency room)
PUBLIC ART COMMISSIONS
City of St. Petersburg, FL, “The Enchanted Mangrove Forest”, (Central Avenue) 1995 Hillsborough County, FL (Pavilion Floor and History Walk , Courthouse Square, downtown Tampa)
Hillsborough County, FL (“Litigation” sculpture, County Courthouse)
City of St Petersburg, FL (“The Happy Town Players” nine large sculptures at the Main Library)
EDUCATION
Master of Fine Arts Degree in Sculpture, University of Illinois, Champaign, IL, 1974,
Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Sculpture ,The Cleveland Institute of Art, Cleveland, OH, 1971 ,
Awarded “Helen Green Perry Traveling Scholarship” , traveled through Europe and West Africa
(across the Sahara) looking at art and people.
Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture, Skowhegan, Maine. Summer, 1969, Full Scholarship.
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Frank Fanovich lived a life many boys have dreamed of. Frank Fanovich became a major league baseball player and then served as an officer with the New York City police department.
On January 11, 1923, in the Bronx, NY, Frank and Mary Fanovich welcomed the birth of their son, Frank Joseph. The eleventh was a beautiful, winter New York day with the high temperature reaching 34 degrees Fahrenheit. Overnight temperatures fell to 25 degrees Fahrenheit. No snow fell on the city that day. It was without doubt a blessed day in the Bronx.
RMS Pannonia
Frank, Sr. was born in Pesino, Italy on November 27, 1892. He was five feet, eight inches tall, and weighed 161 pounds. His hair was brown, he had gray eyes, and a fair complexion. He worked as a chauffeur. On August 24, 1912 he arrived at the Port of New York aboard the RMS Pannonia, set to start a new life in a new country, one full of opportunity. On March 8, 1927, married and with a young son, his Naturalization papers were submitted.
As a boy, Frank, Jr. played sandlot baseball and grew to love, and become good at, the game. Later in life he was to play professional baseball, reaching the pinnacle, the Major League, if only for a short period of time.
While it appears, Frank did not complete high school, his World War II Draft Card and his enlistment records show him working for Phelps Dodge as a skilled lineman and serviceman. Frank was a tall and lanky young man, standing six feet tall and weighing 160 pounds. He had brown hair and eyes with a ruddy complexion and a scar on his right cheek.
As a member of the “Greatest Generation,” Frank proudly served his country during World War II. He enlisted in the United States Army on November 25, 1942, in New York City as a private in the Signal Corps. His enlistment was “for the duration of the War or other emergency, plus six months, subject to the discretion of the President or otherwise according to law.” Frank provided his service stationed in England. Private Fanovich returned to the United States aboard the Queen Mary, docking in New York City on July 11, 1945.
Shortly after arriving home, Frank, Jr. married his childhood sweetheart, Yolanda Franco, who often went by the name Gloria, on February 2, 1946, in Kingsbridge, Bronx. The happy couple were married for 65 years before Frank’s passing on August 27, 2011. Yolanda and Frank do not appear to have had any children, as none were mentioned in Franks obituary.
Shortly after exchanging their nuptials, “Lefty,” as Frank was nicknamed, was signed by the New York Giants as an amateur free agent. The young copule hitched their immediate futures to the whims of the baseball gods; i.e. managers, general managers, owners, and the talent in Frank’s left arm. He played for three different teams during the 1946 season, bouncing between the B and C minor league levels.
In 1947, Fanovich was sent/traded to the unaffiliated Watertown Athletics of the Border League; a team on the C level. Pitching in twenty-three games Fanovich compiled a 16-3 record and recorded a 2.85 earned run average. Playing in multiple positions as required, he played in a cumulative 59 games that season, In 99 at bats he legged out 32 hits for an impressive .323 batting average. Fanovich showed no power as a hitter with only three extra base hits, all doubles.
Frank Fanovich major league baseball player with the Cincinnati Reds organization. Photo courtesy Baseball Reference
The Cincinnati Reds saw something they liked in the young pitcher and purchased his contract from Watertown, assigning him in 1948 to their AAA affiliate in Syracuse. For the Chiefs, he produced mixed results, compiling a 9-13 win/loss record for a team with an overall record of 77-73. While Fanovich struck out 120 batters, he struggled with control, walking 110. In a different era of baseball, the young pitcher threw thirteen complete games. With the stronger level of pitching, Franks batting numbers plunged. He hit only .219 in 64 at bats.
Things were looking up for the twenty-six-year-old pitcher as the 1949 season began. He made the roster for the Cincinnati Reds pitching out of the bullpen. He had been a starter during his minor league career but a chance in the majors was too good to overlook.
The season was not what the Reds and Fanovich might have hoped. Fanovich appeared in 29 games, compiling an 0-2 record with no saves, and a 5.40 earned run average. In only 43 innings pitched he logged 27 strikeouts and 28 base on balls. In his defense, the 1949 Reds were a poor team, finishing the season with a dismal 62-92-2 record. Fan support is what might be imagined for a team with a record like this. They finished with the lowest home attendance in the National League at just under 708,000 at Crosley Field.
With a not so grand start to his Major League career, Fanovich found himself back in the minors for the 1950 season, playing for the New York Giants AAA team, the Minneapolis Millers. Despite Fanovich providing an underwhelming 7-12 record, the Millers finished a league best 90-64. An amazing 24 players from the team spent some time in the Majors including Baseball Hall of Famemember Hoyt Wilhelm who led the team with fifteen wins.
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Frank Fanovich major league baseball player courtesy Findagrave
Fanovich led a journeyman’s lifestyle for the next couple of years, bouncing around the minors, playing for four different teams before landing back in the Majors in 1953 with the Philadelphia Athletics. For Fanovich the results were much the same as in 1949. In his first game pitching for the A’s, he faced three batters, walking all of them. Pitching in only 26 games he compiled an 0-3 record and an earned run average of 5.55. His control had still not come around, issuing 37 bases on balls to go with only 37 strikeouts. The Athletics were to remain in Philadelphia for only one more season before moving to Kansas City.
The final two years of Frank Fanovich’s baseball career were spent in Richmond and San Antonio in the minor leagues. His stint in San Antonio at the AA level may have been the best of his career. He put up a 14-11 record, a 3.47 earned run average, while striking out 118 and walking only 97. His 210 innings pitched were a career high. He pitched eleven complete games including four shutouts. At age 32 it was a great way to leave the game that he had given so much to.
Fanovich posted a career MLB record of zero wins and five losses in 55 career games. His earned run average was 5.49. Fanovich was to fare better in the minors, compiling a 73-74 career win/loss record including 52 complete games. As might be expected, some minor league statistics from the period are incomplete or unavailable so it is not possible to make a full assessment of his success.
After retiring from baseball, Fanovich went on to a successful career with the New York City Police Department, eventually joining the Manhattan North Narcotics Division. He would work for NYPD for 27 years before he and Yolanda would retire to New Smyrna Beach in 1987.
In his retirement years, Frank enjoyed a good game of golf, often on the Hidden Lakes course near where he and Yolanda lived. He also retained his love of baseball, keeping up with his beloved New York Yankees.
After having led a full life, Fanovich passed away on August 27, 2011 at the age of 88. His remains are interred at Sea Pines Memorial Gardens in Edgewater, FL, in the All-Faiths Mausoleum.
Frank & Yolanda Fanovich are interred in the All Faiths Mausoleum at Sea Pines Memorial Gardens in Edgewater, FL
An online memorial to Frank Fanovich may be found HERE. A memorial for Yolanda Fanovich may be found HERE.
Frank Fanovich was as major league baseball player and New York City police officer, living the dream of millions of boys and young men.
To read the stories of other Major League Baseball players associated with Volusia County, click HERE.
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Every issue features coverage of the majors, minors, college and high school baseball as well as prospects, prospects and more prospects. Whether you’re looking to win your fantasy league or stay on top of the game at all levels, Baseball America puts it all in your hands. Click the image or link for information and to subscribe at a great discounted price.
Individuals were recognized by the Great Floridians 2000 program 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. The appointed Great
Floridians 2000 Committee, a group of seven distinguished historians
from throughout Florida, periodically reviewed applications.
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. The plaques do not contain biographical information.
William Amory Underhill
William Amory Underhill Photo courtesy United States Department of Justice
William Amory Underhill was born in 1910, received his law degree
from Stetson University and served from 1940 to 1942 as a Volusia
County prosecuting attorney. During World War II, he was a special
attorney for the U.S. Justice Department in Washington. He was an
Assistant U.S. Attorney General during the administration of President Harry Truman and a special Washington counsel to the Florida
Comptroller. He was a Stetson University Trustee from 1977 to 1986
and a member of the College of Law Board of Overseers from more than
20 years. He was a member of the Bert Fish Foundation and treasurer of Florida House, the first state house in the nation’s capital. He was the
founding president and a life member of the DeLand Jaycees and a life
member of the DeLand Area Chamber of Commerce.
William Amory Underhill died in 1999.
William Amory Underhill Great Floridians 2000 plaque, located at the Volusia County Historic Courthouse.
A brief biographical summary of Underhill’s career can be found HERE.
An online memorial for William Amory Underhill may be found HERE.
As mentioned, Underhill served as a member of the Bert Fish
Foundation. You may find the Bert Fish Great Floridians 2000 post HERE.
The remains of William Amory Underhill are interred in the Mausoleum at Oakdale Cemetery.
To read all my Great Floridians 2000 posts click 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. Affiliate programs or sponsors providing products do not impact or affect the views and opinions shared in my posts.
Get this incredibly haunting image of the Volusia County Historic Courthouse, shrouded with fog, in puzzle form. Order your 252 or 520 piece jigsaw puzzle HERE.
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252 pcs puzzle size: 10.62″ × 13.62″ (27 × 34.6 cm)
520 pcs puzzle size: 15.74″ × 19.74″ (40 × 50.1 cm)
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Fog shrouds the Volusia County Historic Courthouse in downtown DeLand, FL
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. John Anderson, of Ormond Beach, is included in this group of important contributors to Florida history.
Anyone could nominate an individual to be designated a Great Floridians 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.
John Anderson
John Anderson
Born in Portland, Maine on August 6, 1853, to parents Samuel J. and Jane W. Anderson, John Anderson is considered Ormond Beach’s greatest promoter. He came to the city, then called New Britain, in 1876 from New York City. From 1876 to 1878 and 1881 to 1882 he was the Volusia County Tax Assessor. He built the Santa Lucia Plantation and, in 1888, the Hotel Ormond. Anderson also built Volusia County’s first golf course. His friendship with James Ormond III led to the proposal to name the community after the Ormond family, rather than to use the name New Britain. In 1902, along with Joseph Price, he organized the first auto-racing tournament on the beach. He later promoted a professional baseball team in Ormond Beach. John Anderson died February 17, 1911. An online memorial for Anderson may be found HERE.
The John Anderson Great Floridians 2000 marker as displayed at the Hotel Ormond Cupola
His Great Floridian plaque is located at theHotel Ormond Cupola, Fortunato Park, 2 John Anderson Drive, Ormond Beach.
TheJohn Anderson Papers, which focus on the development of the Hotel Ormond, are available at the George A. Smathers Libraries at the University of Florida.
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.
The only biography of John Anderson that I am aware of has been written by Ormond Beach transplant Ronald Howell. You may order a copy of John Anderson: His Life and Times in Ormond, Floridathrough Amazon by clicking the link or the photo.
In Memory Officer Thomas M. Coulter Courtesy Findagrave
In Memory Officer Thomas Coulter of the Daytona Beach Police Department. Having only graduated from the police academy at Daytona State College in 2017, Thomas M. Coulter was beginning to live out his dream of being a police officer when hired by the Daytona Beach Police Department in 2018.
Thomas M. Coulter was born January 29, 1993 in New Jersey to parents Ann and Michael Coulter. He later earned his high school diploma and A.A. degree in 2011, finishing early with the assistance of dual enrollment credits. Later, he attend would attend the University of Central Florida.
Coulter began his recruit training on May 14, 2018 after passing a preemployment physical with the Daytona Beach Police Department. On the morning of Friday, May 18, Coulter, along with twenty-three other recruits and three trainers, were participating in what police chief Craig Capri said was a team building exercise. This was was jogging and walking exercise that included stops for pushups and stretching. The group was moving at the speed of the slowest participant.
Around 8:00 a.m. Coulter collapsed during training. Doctors at Halifax Health Medical Center initially believed the young officer would recover. His condition began to decline on Saturday the 19th and he passed away at 4:30 a.m. on Monday, May 21. Autopsy reports would in fact later show the Coulter died of a heart attack.
Fellow recruits were allowed that Monday off training before being required to return on Tuesday morning. DBPD provided counseling for those in need.
According to Chief Capri, Coulter had made neither a complaint of discomfort nor did he complain of feeling ill before collapsing and as noted prior, had passed the required physical. Capri stated that Coulter was in “average shape” for a 25 year old.
The local newspaper quoted Chief Capri, “This young man, all he wanted to do was be a police officer. Talking with the family he wanted to be a police officer. That was his life’s dream, since he was a little kid. That was his goal and he did meet his goal.”
The News-Journal Center in downtown Daytona Beach was the site of Coulter’s memorial service. Law enforcement officers from numerous agencies along with then Florida governor Rick Scott attended the memorial service. Capri stated, “I’m just very proud of the community, the support of the community. And we had police officers from all over.”
Thomas Coulter left behind a wife of only six months, Jazmin, his parents, a brother, Mikey, and sisters Sandy and Bridgette, along with extended family members.
Thomas M. Coulter headstone Courtesy Findagrave
Officer Coulter is buried at Daytona Memorial Pak in the Hero’s Garden of Glory section. His marker includes the words, Have a Great Day Officer Coulter.
An online memorial for Officer Coulter may be found HERE.
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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. Affiliate programs or sponsors providing products do not influence the views and opinions shared on this blog.
After retiring from baseball, Fanovich went on to a successful career with the New York City Police Department, eventually joining the Manhattan North Narcotics Division. He would work for 
