My other Central Florida !!!
Now far away in my new neck of the woods, the Morbihan Breton, reminds me again of my Florida, The old Central and South Florida of my family and birthplace of my 3 sons, and I am nostalgic enough to tell you about other towns fond of us over the years. After doing the trajects America ,Europe, America , and back to Europe, I like to remind myself of some of the towns I spent a lot of my time and life while in Florida ,a special place ; the title is simple but the meaning is huge for us, this is my story in my other Central Florida !!! Hope you enjoy it as I.
Flagler Beach is a city in Flagler County with parts in Volusia County It is named for oil tycoon and Florida railroad developer Henry Flagler, who was a key figure in the development of East Florida as resort and vacation destinations. The State Road A1A (Oceanshore Blvd) travels through Flagler Beach along an approximate north–south axis. It is about 32 km (20 miles) north of Daytona Beach, beachside facing the Atlantic Ocean.
The Flagler Beach Historical Museum’s permanent collection is entirely dedicated to Florida history, featuring Flagler Beach and Flagler County. The collection ranges from prehistoric bones and other remains of the Stone Age to a “Space Age” side. The latter has an exhibit with items provided by NASA astronauts, including space food and the Flagler Beach city flag, which was sent to orbit the Earth aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour. From the Mala Compra Plantation, burned down during the Second Seminole War, the Museum has items from the early 19C home of Joseph Hernandez, who was elected as the first Hispanic congressman in the U.S. He represented Florida as territorial delegate in the House of Representatives in 1822-1823, Other display items from the early 1900s include memorabilia from early city government, the county’s Old Brick Road, the Flagler Beach Hotel, World War II items, the A1A highway, and Marineland,
Officially opened in 1928, the pier is one of the area’s most popular fishing spots. Great for fishing and bird watching, and stretches out into the Atlantic Ocean about 244 meters (806 feet). There is a bait shop at the entrance of the pier for all your fishing needs. Flagler Beach along Oceanshore Blvd. is well known as a great surfing spot , The events such as the Hang 8 Dog Surfing Competition and several other popular annual surfing events such as the MayDay Memorial Surf Classic, and Surfers for Autism with local surf shops like Flagler Board Shack and Z Wave Surf Shop offer lessons, a variety of rentals, and surf camps are held each summer to teach the basics. Flagler Surf School is a licensed and insured surf school in Flagler beach Four- time world champion in 84, 85, 86, and ’88, Frieda Zamba rose to the top of the surfing world against all odds. Born and raised surfing on Flagler Beach on the East Coast of Florida, Zamba trained at an early age to become one of the most accomplished surfers ever. Last read she is living in Costa Rica, I hang around the beach a lot on those days and saw her several times,
The city of Flagler Beach: https://www.cityofflaglerbeach.com/115/Come-Visit
The official Flagler Beach Historical Museum: https://fbmflagler.wixsite.com/flagler
Small Holly Hill is a city just north of Daytona Beach mainland side The city was incorporated on July 1, 1901, From fishing and kayaking at Riverfront Park to leisurely strolls along Riverside Drive with intracoastal river side and is a nice residential area of medium prize homes, the main road US 1 cut across it north south, It was a nice ride each time going home or coming across to the YMCA in Daytona Beach to play indoor soccer !! It has a nice Rio Vista country club golf field,
The City of Holly Hill : https://www.hollyhillfl.org/
Daytona Beach Shores was first organized in 1960 by local business leaders and the city was incorporated on April 22, 1960. The city is located on a barrier island along the Atlantic ocean. The west side of the island is bordered by the Halifax River lagoon, part of the Intracoastal Waterway. The city is bordered on the north by Daytona Beach and on the south by Wilbur by the Sea, and Port Orange. The major highway that serves the city is State Road A1A (Atlantic Avenue).
You can enjoy several spots here which I have over the years living nearby ; these are Dahlia Park (on A1A). Fornari Park (next to the Holiday Inn Express Hotel on A1A). McEroy Park (behind the City Senior Center). The city’s largest park covers more than three acres and includes a baseball field, basketball and tennis courts, a playground, picnic tables, restrooms and other facilities.Frank Rendon Park, 2705 South Atlantic Ave. Offers sheltered picnic areas, grills, children’s playground with padded floor, disability-accessible restrooms, water fountain, outdoor showers, 141 off-street parking spaces, handicapped parking, wheelchair accessible wooden beach walkway, wooden observation deck, beach wheels. Sunset Park; South Peninsula Dr (approximately one mile north of Dunlawton Avenue). Overlooks the Intercoastal Waterway. And Sunglow Pier, 3701 S. Atlantic Ave. A pier which extends 1000 feet (300 m) into the Atlantic Ocean. You can sightsee or go fishing from the pier, The Congo River Adventure Golf, 2100 South Atlantic Ave,(done!) Features an 18-hole miniature golf course with an airplane, waterfalls and a “volcano” as scenery. Aloha Falls Golf, 2504 South Atlantic Ave, Features two miniature golf courses with waterfalls and a “volcano” as background scenery. And Pirate Island Adventure Golf, 3420 South Atlantic Ave, Also, Oceans Racquet and Recreation Club, 3000 South Atlantic Ave, City-owned and operated public tennis facility with one hard court and eight clay courts, with lights and Oceans Golf Club, 2 Oceans West Blvd Private, non-profit golf course, open to the public. 13 holes, par 3 Here you must eat at the Sunglow pier ,Crabby Joe’s Deck and Grill, 3701 South Atlantic Ave. Casual seafood cuisine. Full liquor bar and my student favorite still there !!! Stavro’s Beachside Pizza and Pasta House, 2132 South Atlantic Ave Italian cuisine (lunch and dinner)
The City of Daytona Beach Shores : https://www.dbshores.org/35/Visitors
South Daytona is on the Halifax River, just south of the city of Daytona Beach (mainland side) facing the intracoastal or Halifax river. It was once a town called Blake (named after wealthy Boston businessman Alpheus P. Blake), with some forty resident families and as many more non-resident property holders Blake opened its first post office on August 19, 1878. Then c. 1886, the first train came as far as Daytona, and ten years later the line was extended to Miami. Soon thereafter, a railroad station was built at Big Tree Crossing. The town continued to prosper and was incorporated as the City of South Daytona in 1951 You have here the nice Riverwalk Park where you can fish as well as enjoy canoeing, kayaking or standup paddle boarding. Riverfront Veterans Memorial Park has a public boat ramp and fishing pier along with a kayak, canoe and paddle board launch. It also includes picnic pavilions, a playground and tennis courts. Reed Canal Park, a 35-acre wooded sanctuary, also features a fishing pier. Other amenities include a lake surrounded by a walking path, pavilions, playground, multi-purpose field and an 18-hole disc golf course. Fishing devotees can try their hand at catching a variety of species in the scenic lake at Blaine O’Neal Park, which also offers a pavilion with picnic facilities and grills, as well as a baseball field with concession stand. And Magnolia Park has a fishing pier, facilities for the disabled and elderly to fish in a small pond as well as a playground and picnic tables.
The City of South Daytona : https://www.southdaytona.org/category/index.php?categoryid=10
Port Orange was settled by John Milton Hawks, who brought freed African Americans to work at his sawmill after the U S Civil War. Esther Hawks established an integrated school in the area. The colony struggled soon after its creation and most colonists left. The area that became known as Freemanville is a legacy of the settlers who stayed in the area The City is on the banks of the Halifax river or intracoastal on the mainland side,
You can enjoy climbing the observation tower over the marsh at Spruce Creek Park and canoe and kayak your way around. Birders won’t want to miss a stop at Buschman Park and history buffs will enjoy seeing the historical ruins and botanical gardens at the 10-acre Dunlawton Sugal Mill Gardens. At Riverwalk Park visitors can stroll along the waterfront and enjoy the view, and when the weather is warm, children can cool off at the splash pad , A must to eat at the institution in the area the Aunt Catfish’s on the River. Head out to Cypress Head Golf Course , take a boat tour on Cracker Creek, My thrill memories forever was drag racing my Monte Carlo against other cars and bikes on Dunlawton Ave which is now its impossible, overgrowth population lol!!!
The City of Port Orange : https://www.port-orange.org/
Wilbur-By-The-Sea is an unincorporated community on the beachside, along the coast that does not have a condominium or hotel instead, the area uses beachfront homes. Tom Wilbur Bay is a body of water that only has docks on the east side of the bay. The major roads of the area are State Road 441 and County Road 4075; both roads border a body of water, Peninsula Drive on the west and South Atlantic Avenue on the east . It is about 7 miles south of Daytona Beach, and 2,5 miles from Port Orange. A long bridge over the Halifax River at Port Orange connects Wilbur-By-The-Sea with the mainland, this is the Dunlawton bridge. At Wilbur-By-The-Sea is the narrowest point on the entire peninsula, it being only 800 feet from Atlantic Ocean to Halifax River.
A bit of history tell us that it was Jacob W. Wilbur, a Brookline, Massachusetts real estate dealer, traveled in search of a place where he and a few New England friends might spend the winter away from the icy blasts, which sweeps in across Boston Harbor. After searching both coasts Jacob Wilbur bought 64 acres of land between the Atlantic Ocean and the Halifax River on the South Peninsula Later purchases gave Wilbur more than 500 acres lying between what now is Marcelle Street and a point 500 feet south of Major Street. Wide shell roads with sidewalks and adjacent flowerbeds were constructed. A triangular piece of ground at the junction of Toronita Avenue and Riverside Drive was designated the “town center” and here a flag-pole was erected so that the Stars and Stripes could be flown on every fine day in the year. An imposing hotel of 50 bedrooms, each unit with a bath, was erected on the corner of Ocean Blvd. (now South Atlantic Avenue) and Toronita Avenue. The hotel was named Toronita and became the social center of the community. Many distinguished visitors came to the hotel as guest. They included the Gambles of Proctor and Gamble, and the Whites of White Sewing Machine. When the late Henry Segrave broke the World’s record for speed, the locals had a grandstand seat on their dunes as he flashed by. It was from the Toronita Hotel’s telephone that he cabled his record to England The Toronita Hotel burned around 1938, from a cause never officially ascertained. The Toronita club now still is house at the Boathouse in Wilbur by the Sea
The official Boathouse of Wilbur by the Sea : https://wilburboathouse.com/index.html
Ponce Inlet across the Halifax river or intracoastal is Port Orange, the City is on the beachside facing the Atlantic ocean It is located on the southern tip of a barrier island, south of Daytona Beach and Daytona Beach Shores , Several marinas are located in Ponce Inlet
The lighthouse completed in 1887, replacing the former lighthouse built in 1835, The Ponce de Leon Inlet Lighthouse Station was built when the area was known as Mosquito Inlet. After decades of restoration by the Ponce de Leon Inlet Lighthouse Preservation Association, it stands today as one of the best preserved light stations in the USA ! The lighthouse tower and museum since 1998 are located 19 km (12 miles) south of Daytona Beach and are open to the public year-round. The lighthouse is the tallest lighthouse in Florida and the second tallest lighthouse in the USA. Visitors who climb the 53 meters (175 feet) lighthouse tower are treated to a view of the Florida coastline and Halifax river from Daytona Beach to south New Smyrna Beach. The lighthouse keepers’ dwellings and other historic light station buildings are now home to the lighthouse museum, with exhibits on lighthouse life, lighthouse and Fresnel lens restoration, the keepers and their families, Daytona Beach and Florida history, and shipwrecks. The Ayres Davies Lens Exhibit Building houses one of the finest collections of restored Fresnel lenses in the world, including the rotating first order Fresnel lens from the Cape Canaveral lighthouse, and the restored original Ponce Inlet lighthouse first-order Fresnel lens. Also, here is the Volusia County Marine Science Center , a marine science and natural history museum The center exhibits includes a humpback whale skull, freshwater turtles, turtle rehabilitation area, a 4,876 gallon hexagonal artificial reef aquarium and stingray touch pool with cownose rays. Also works to rehabilitate injured seabirds[2] and sea turtles.
The City of Ponce Inlet : https://www.ponce-inlet.org/31/Our-Town
The official Ponce Inlet lighthouse and museum : https://www.ponceinlet.org/
The State of Florida tourist office on Central Florida : https://www.visitflorida.com/places-to-go/
There you go folks , now you more of my Florida,and heck even me lol !! We fondly remembered the Sunshine State, and love it. We made a decision to move to France and we do not regretted either as it has been a roller coaster of fun and memories. Now ,the French reason is gone, but we still very much attach to France thanks to her courage and determination. My Martine, never to be forgotten. Again, hope you enjoy this nostalgic post on my other Central Florida as I.
And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 