|
 |
The St. Johns River is off the beaten path of Florida’s more
popular attractions. Amidst brightly painted backdrops the
natural rhythms of this river greet those who venture along it.
Take a voyage through the St. Johns River.
The St. Johns
River’s cultural assets are invaluable sources of
education and entertainment. The river is your route
to the culture and art of Florida communities. For
example, the river borders the city of Deland. When
Henry A. DeLand laid the foundation for the city
that would bear his name; he envisioned a center of
culture, education and beauty, like the Athens of
ancient Greece.
Home to Stetson University and the DeLand
Cultural Arts Center, the city provides a full slate of cultural
offerings. |
DeLand’s national award-winning Main Street features
an eclectic mix of boutiques, antique shops, restaurants and
gift shops.
One of the southeast’s most unique cultural attractions is
Deland’s African American Museum of the Arts. This venue is
dedicated to the unique art of African and Caribbean culture.
The DeLand Museum of Art displays changing exhibitions of
various art forms in two gallery spaces. A personal tour guide
is available by appointment to help you make the most of these
precious displays.
Florida’s oldest private university will be your guide to the
Duncan Gallery of Art – a modest sized, energetic gallery
located in the former Carnegie Library on Stetson’s campus.
On the campus of Daytona Beach Community College the Southeast
Museum of Photography is one of only 12 photography museums in
the country and features historical and contemporary photography
exhibits. Several miles away from the hustle and bustle of
Daytona Beach, travelers will find the white-framed, two-story
Mary McLeod Bethune House on the campus of historic Bethune-Cookman
College. At the site, visitors can learn about the renowned
civil rights leader and her famous college through photographs
and artifacts.
Central East Florida visitors will also find pleasant historic
districts in the midst of the Space Coast’s high technology
attractions. Originally settled in the 1860s, Historic Cocoa
Village features a quaint collection of 50 shops and eateries
along oak-shaded sidewalks and cobblestone streets. Numerous
historical structures have been restored and are in use once
again, including the Village Playhouse, a former vaudeville
theater now used for community productions, and the Porcher
House, the home of wealthy citrus grove owners, now open for
public tours. Leisurely walking tours of the village are offered
at Brevard Museum of History and Natural Science.
|
The Wells' Built is the last remaining pre-World War II African
American hotel in Orlando and was one of the few hotels in
Orlando serving African Americans during segregation. In the
mid-1920's, Orlando's Parramore neighborhood was the center of
the city's African American community. The streets bustled with
commerce by day and erupted with music by night, at Dr. William
Wells' South Street Casino - a popular dance hall. When big-name
entertainers and athletes like Joe Louis, Ella Fitzgerald, Ray
Charles, and Pegleg Bates came to town, they stayed at Dr.
Wells' Wells' Built Hotel, next door to the Casino on South
Street. The South Street Casino was demolished in 1987, but the
historic Wells' Built Hotel still stands.
Further south along the banks of the St. Johns River, Putnam
County offers pleasant glimpses into olden times with sites like
the Bronson Mullholland House, the Putnam Historic Museum and
the David Browning Memorial Railroad Museum. The exhibits in
these quaint museums tell the story of Putnam County, including
the impact of the Civil War, the advent of steamboat travel
along the St. Johns River and the gilded age of the Flagler
Railroad.
Azaleas bloom in odd places at Ravine State Gardens. The
182-acre botanical garden in Palatka is set in a deep ravine
along the banks of the St. Johns River and features camellias,
azaleas and other flowers. |
 |
Walking trails lead around the
ravine and along a spring-fed creek at the ravine’s bottom.
Azaleas bloom in odd places at Ravine State Gardens. The
182-acre botanical garden in Palatka is set in a deep ravine
along the banks of the St. Johns River and features camellias,
azaleas and other flowers. Walking trails lead around the ravine
and along a spring-fed creek at the ravine’s bottom.
As the deterioration of two historical buildings in downtown
Melbourne became increasingly apparent, a small group formed the
Brevard Regional Arts Group (BRAG) to revive the treasured
landmarks. The Henegar Center was born from the vision of this
dedicated group of community leaders. The buildings, formerly
public schools, were donated for transformation into cultural
arts facilities. The heart of the Henegar Center is a theatre
whose stage curtain was taken from the original Broadway
production of The King and I, with state-of-the-art lighting and
sound systems for the highest quality productions.
 |
If you are a music enthusiast, the St. Johns River has rhythm in
the spring. The Jacksonville Jazz Festival attracts the most
accomplished entertainers and performers from across the
country. Just a stone’s throw away, the Jacksonville Maritime
Museum displays a model of the aircraft carrier Saratoga, ship
construction, famous riverboats and tall ships. Keeping along
the waters edge, venture to The Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens.
This fine arts facility opened its doors November 10, 1961.
Built on the site of Arthur and Ninah Cummer’s former home, the
museum was launched with their sixty-piece collection. The
Cummer’s permanent collection has grown to over five thousand
works of art encompassing eight thousand years of art history.
Particularly noteworthy additions are the Wark Collection of
early Meissen porcelain, the Dennis C. Hayes Collection of
Japanese woodblock prints, and the Eugène Louis Charvot
Collection of nineteenth-century prints |
and paintings. Two acres of
formal historic gardens, created by Mrs. Cummer, enhance the
museum campus.
|