Imagine a few moments ago you were in bed, sound asleep but contemplating all the responsibilities that Monday morning would bring. Or maybe you couldn't sleep and you had already spent hours tossing and turning. However, think of your distress when you hear the word, ''FIRE!'' emitted in a voice stricken with panic.

This was the scene in the small town of DeLand on September 27, l 886 when a fire started in the Wilcox Saloon. By the time the townspeople could respond, the fire was out of control. The buildings were constructed of pine and the flames snaked out to strike and then devour the rosin-laden timber. There was an ebb and flow in the town's emotions. One moment the town felt hopeless, at other times during the fire they were filled with hope and inspired to continue and save their town.

After fighting for hours, some of the city's buildings were saved; others were not as fortunate. As dawn broke and smoke hung in the air, you would have smelled the smell of burnt wood. Shoulders drooping, necks strained and bone-tired you would have looked to your left; then to your right and seen that a good deal of the downtown area of the city was gone.

Hopeful in the face of tragedy, the people gathered in the middle of the street and vowed they would rebuild, ''but next time with brick.'' The morning after the fire, two ordinances were passed. The first declared that no more frame buildings were to be built in the area. The second prohibited the construction and operation of saloons downtown. This decree lasted until after Prohibition ended in the 1930s. The people wasted no time in rebuilding the city and revived its business sector with buildings that would never succumb to fire.

DeLandites realized what we hope you will notice on the tour today. The buildings tell their own story with their construction and with their previous uses. For example, the buildings on your tour are mostly constructed in the masonry vernacular style. This style of architecture boasts brick ornamentation from one to three stories in height.

The storefront also is popular during this time. Exterior ornamentation was minimal, and frequently limited to decorative brick or stonework incorporated into the actual construction of the building. The storefront motif also featured a recessed entryway that was flanked by two windows on each side.

Please enjoy your tour and appreciate our downtown historic area and its buildings. The brief histories tell something about the former occupants of the various buildings and a tidbit about the architecture.