ENTERPRISE
|
ENTERPRISE |
|
|
|
|
NAME: Enterprise COUNTY: Volusia ROADS: 2WD GRID: 2 CLIMATE: Fine BEST TIME TO VISIT: Anytime |
COMMENTS:
On the northern
shore of Lake Monroe. Deland is very close by, home to Stetson University.
REMAINS: Remains of concrete foundations and decorative concrete posts and cisterns, Brock Pier pilings, Old Enterprise School, !885 Episcopal Church, Cemetery, several homes dating back to the era. |
| Enterprise has diminished in size to a small corner of Deltona. Once a thriving terminus of the steamboat line from Jacksonville, Enterprise was founded by Cornelius Taylor and other pioneers in 1841. Just across the lake from Fort Mellon, Enterprise boasted a grist mill, saawmill, church, school, and several stores. The town however really began to grow with the construction of the 2 1/2 story Brock Hotel and steamship landing. The hotel, central Florida's first hotel, could accommodate people in its 50 guest rooms. The sick and invalids would come to the Florida climate for their health and guests such as Grover Cleveland, Ulysses S. Grant, and William Jennings Bryant would come to vacation. Harriet Beecher Stowe was known to have written about Enterprise in her travel articles increasing the popularity of the destination. Brock built a courthouse when the town became the county seat of the then Mosquito County. By 1887 a board of trade was formed by the local businessmen who were disturbed by the deterioration of the town and by 1889 the larger growth of Deland took the county seat away. The freezes of the late 1890's damaged the large citrus groves and the railroad service extending all the way to Sanford made the steamship lines obsolete. As late as the 1980's Enterprise had a Post Office but now is gone as well as the Brock Hotel (site location is now the Methodist Children's Home) and it's former famous dock. The Enterprise Cemetery has been the subject of renovation with the graves of possible 100's of slaves being discovered in the thick brush surrounding the graveyard. An effort is underway to clean up the black section and mark the neglected locations. Submitted by: Mike Woodfin |
|
|
|
