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.
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