Deland Florida Information

In 1876, New York baking soda mogul, Henry Deland vacationed with his daughter Helen at a home site selected for him by a relative. It was fifteen miles north of the steamboat landing at Enterprise and the poor impression of the land he had to trek through almost discouraged him. His destination proved to be impressive and he changed the area forever. He offered settlers bonus dollars for rapid creation of schools and churches and they named the town after him. Two steam powered sawmills provided a ready source of building materials and a steamboat landing on the St. Johns River kept a stream of settlers headed his way. In 1880, the Orange Ridge, Deland and Atlantic Railroad Company linked to the Jacksonville, Tampa, and Key West Line.

Incorporated in 1882, Deland became the county seat in 1888. Under sponsorship of the Florida Baptists, Deland College opened in 1885 featuring "classical, scientific and English instruction." In 1886, Henry Deland talked John B. Stetson (of hat fame) out of a million dollars for the new school and Stetson University was born.