When was DeLand, Florida founded?

December 6, 1876 — when settlers at John Rich's cabin in Persimmon Hollow voted to rename the community in honor of New York businessman Henry Addison DeLand.

What was DeLand called before 1876?

Persimmon Hollow — named for the wild persimmon trees growing around the area's natural springs.

What was the Great Freeze of 1894–95?

Two back-to-back hard freezes (December 1894 and February 1895) that destroyed Florida citrus. Henry DeLand honored a personal guarantee to settlers and lost nearly $250,000 — dying penniless in 1908.

Did Walt Disney live in DeLand?

No. Walt Disney's Florida family heritage is in Paisley (15 miles north), where his aunt Jessie Call Perkins homesteaded. The 2015 film Walt Before Mickey filmed at Stetson's Cummings Gym is a separate thread.

Composite of DeLand history — Henry A. DeLand portrait, Stetson Mansion, Woodland Boulevard

History of DeLand, Florida

Quick answer: DeLand's sourced history spans the pre-contact Mayaca settlements on the St. Johns River, the December 6, 1876 founding by Henry A. DeLand at Persimmon Hollow, John B. Stetson's 1886 arrival and university endowment, the 1894–95 Great Freeze that ruined DeLand, and the Walt Disney / Paisley family story that runs next door — not through DeLand.

Pre-1876

Persimmon Hollow — Before DeLand Had a Name

The settlement's pre-1876 name, origin of its wild-persimmon nickname, and the earliest settlers (Ruben Marsh 1846, Captain John Rich 1874).

Portrait of Henry Addison DeLand, founder of DeLand Florida

1834–1908

Henry A. DeLand — The Founding Father

New York baking-soda magnate who founded the city December 6, 1876. Donated Woodland Boulevard, funded the first school, founded DeLand Academy (now Stetson University).

1876

The Founding of DeLand — December 6, 1876

The 2pm meeting at John Rich's cabin. DeLand's three founding gifts: $400 + an acre for the schoolhouse, a matching church donation, and a one-mile strip of land that became Woodland Boulevard.

Portrait of John B. Stetson, Philadelphia hat manufacturer and philanthropist

1830–1906

John B. Stetson — The Hat Maker Who Built a University

Philadelphia hat magnate; arrived 1886 at Henry DeLand's invitation; built Florida's first Gilded Age mansion. His philanthropy renamed the university in his honor in 1889.

Florida citrus grove damaged by the 1894-95 Great Freeze

1894–1895

The Great Freeze of 1894–95

Back-to-back December 1894 + February 1895 freezes collapsed Florida citrus. Henry DeLand honored his personal freeze-loss guarantee to settlers — losing ~$250,000 and dying penniless in 1908.

Paisley Florida historical marker commemorating Walt Disney's family connection

1884 onward

Walt Disney's Real Florida Family — Paisley, Not DeLand

Myth-buster: Walt Disney never lived in DeLand. His aunt Jessie Call Perkins homesteaded in Paisley (15 mi north). The 2015 Walt Before Mickey biopic was filmed at Stetson's Cummings Gym — a separate thread.

Timeline12,000 BCE → today, era by era.Go there LandmarksMansion, university, theatre, museums.Go there Famous PeopledeGrom, Chipper, Bondi, Geiger, Starr.Go there FAQMost-asked DeLand questions, sourced.Go there

Frequently asked questions

When was DeLand, Florida founded?: December 6, 1876 — when settlers at John Rich's cabin in Persimmon Hollow voted to rename the community in honor of New York businessman Henry Addison DeLand. [S01, S02]
Who founded DeLand, Florida?: Henry Addison DeLand (1834–1908), a New York baking-soda magnate. He donated Woodland Boulevard, funded the first school, founded DeLand Academy (now Stetson University), and coined the "Athens of Florida" nickname. [S01, S03]
What was DeLand called before 1876?: Persimmon Hollow — named for the wild persimmon trees growing around the area's natural springs. [S10]
What was the Great Freeze of 1894–95?: Two back-to-back hard freezes (December 1894 and February 1895) that destroyed Florida citrus. Henry DeLand honored a personal guarantee to settlers and lost nearly $250,000 — dying penniless in 1908. [S01]
Did Walt Disney live in DeLand?: No. Walt Disney's Florida family heritage is in Paisley (15 miles north), where his aunt Jessie Call Perkins homesteaded. The 2015 film Walt Before Mickey filmed at Stetson's Cummings Gym is a separate thread. [S112]