City of DeLand, Florida seal
    Historic DeLand
    Composite of DeLand landmarks — Stetson Mansion, Athens Theatre, downtown storefronts, and the DeLand Wings mural

    Historic DeLand Landmarks

    Quick answer: Historic DeLand's signature landmarks are the 1886 Stetson Mansion, Stetson University (Florida's oldest private college, 1883), the Henry A. DeLand House Museum, the 1922 Athens Theatre, the triple-award Downtown Historic District, Artisan Alley with the DeLand Wings mural, and the Naval Air Station DeLand / Skydive DeLand airfield.

    All landmarks

    Stetson Mansion front elevation, DeLand Florida, 1886

    Stetson Mansion

    Florida's first Gilded Age luxury home, built 1886 for John B. Stetson. Thomas Edison personally supervised the electrical installation; Grover Cleveland and King Edward VII were guests.

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    Stetson University campus with DeLand Hall, DeLand Florida

    Stetson University

    Florida's oldest private college. Founded November 5, 1883 by Henry A. DeLand as DeLand Academy; renamed 1889. DeLand Hall (1884) is the state's oldest continuously-used higher-ed building.

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    Henry A. DeLand House Museum exterior, DeLand Florida

    Henry A. DeLand House Museum

    Founder's 1886 Victorian home at 137 W Michigan Ave, operated since 1990 by the West Volusia Historical Society. National Register of Historic Places.

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    Athens Theatre facade, DeLand Florida, 1922 Italian Renaissance

    Athens Theatre

    Restored 1922 Italian Renaissance theatre at 124 N Florida Ave. Closed 1975, reopened 2009 after a $10 million MainStreet DeLand restoration. "Florida's Handsomest Theatre" per the 1922 DeLand Daily News.

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    Downtown DeLand National Historic District

    Downtown Historic District

    National Register brick commercial core along Woodland Blvd + New York Ave. Only Main Street in the U.S. to hold both the 1997 Great American Main Street Award (Florida's first) and 2017 America's Main Street.

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    DeLand Wings mural by Erica Group in Artisan Alley

    Artisan Alley & the DeLand Wings

    Maker district off Georgia Ave, home of Erica Group's 2014 DeLand Wings mural — the most-photographed wall in West Volusia and origin of the regional Wings of the West trail.

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    NAS DeLand Naval Air Station Museum and Skydive DeLand drop zone

    Naval Air Station DeLand & Skydive DeLand

    WWII SBD Dauntless training base (1942–1946), now the Skydiving Capital of the World. Continuous skydiving since 1959; AFF and Tandem developed here.

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    African American Museum of the Arts, DeLand Florida

    African American Museum of the Arts (AAMA)

    Founded 1994 at 325 S Clara Ave. African sculpture, masks, and textiles; African American fine art, folk art, and photography; archives of Black DeLand's Spring Hill and Greenwood communities.

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    Also see

    Walking tours of every landmarkChronological timelineComplete places directoryFAQ

    Frequently asked questions

    What are the most important landmarks in DeLand, Florida?
    The Stetson Mansion (1886, Florida's first Gilded Age luxury home), Stetson University (Florida's oldest private college, 1883), the Henry A. DeLand House Museum, the 1922 Athens Theatre, the Downtown Historic District, Artisan Alley with the DeLand Wings mural, and the Naval Air Station DeLand / Skydive DeLand airfield.
    How many National Register historic districts does DeLand have?
    Three: the Downtown Historic District, the Stetson University Historic Campus District, and the Old Northwest Historic District.
    What is the oldest building in DeLand?
    The Stetson Mansion (1886) is the oldest surviving house. DeLand Hall (1884) on the Stetson campus is the oldest building in Florida continuously used for higher education. [S05, S19]
    Can you visit the Stetson Mansion?
    Yes — the Stetson Mansion operates as historic tours and an event venue. See its landmark page for details and reservations. [S13]

    Sources

    1. [S05] About Us — City of DeLand
    2. [S13] The Stetson Mansion
    3. [S19] Stetson University — Wikipedia
    4. [S23] DeLand House Museum — Wikipedia
    5. [S27] History — Athens Theatre
    6. [S29] Downtown DeLand Historic District — NRHP
    7. [S31] MainStreet DeLand
    8. [S42] Naval Air Station DeLand — Wikipedia
    9. [S63] African American Museum of the Arts — Wikipedia