DISCOVER THE SECRET PATH TO A PIONEER PAST:
Sunday, October 13, 2002
Many area locales rooted in history
By LINDA WALTON
NEWS-JOURNAL CORRESPONDEN
NEWS SMYRNA BEACH — What is in a name?
For many areas of Southeast Volusia, there's a lot of history wrapped up in names -- from early Spanish explorers and British colonizers to, in more recent years, early city leaders.
Foremost among the well known locations may be Ponce de Leon Inlet, named after the 16th century Spanish explorer. Most everyone equates Juan Ponce de Leon as the explorer who found and named Florida during his search for the mythical Fountain of Youth.
Did he land here when he was exploring Florida or was it farther north, near St. Augustine, as many believe? Or maybe it was farther south, as has been suggested, nearer Jupiter?
For many historians, the oldest maps point to a longitude and latitude that places the landing closer to New Smyrna Beach's inlet than anywhere else. From historic descriptions, the water west of the inlet, now known as the Halifax River and Rockhouse Creek, match up fairly well with Ponce de Leon's recorded account.
Nevertheless, Ponce de Leon and his exploring team ended up being chased back to their ships when the native people got restless and started attacking.
But just who was this man who some historians believe came ashore through the inlet while supposedly believing he had found the island now known as Bimini?
Ponce de Leon was considered wealthy enough to outfit three ships for the exploration and would have been considered middle-aged when he discovered and named Florida, a Spanish name based on Easter flowers. Born in 1460, he was 53 when he is believed to have landed off the inlet in 1513. But it took more than 400 years before the name of "Mosquito Inlet" was changed to honor the famous veteran Spanish explorer in 1927.
If he had written a resume, Ponce de Leon undoubtedly would have included that he was the grandson of a Spanish war hero and had been trained as a soldier and public servant. He was married, had four children and was well acquainted with Christopher Columbus, having sailed with Columbus on his second voyage to America 20 years before he discovered the Sunshine State.
Discovering Florida came in a roundabout way.
Ponce de Leon received permission from Spanish authorities to explore the Bahamas and Bimini after he lost a coveted title of military general to Columbus' son while colonizing Puerto Rico.
Taking to the seas again, he sailed up the East Coast discovering and naming, but not colonizing, Florida. It was eight years before he came back to the state, claiming all of the peninsula, which he originally thought was an island, for Spain. He unsuccessfully attempted to establish a colony on the west coast of the peninsula but again was pushed out by native Americans.
Ponce de Leon was seriously wounded by a spear during the attack and died at the age of 61, after the fleeing fleet landed in Cuba. He later was buried in Puerto Rico.
Some historical accounts indicate Ponce de Leon realized his wound was going to be fatal and wrote out his will on the way to Cuba, in order to provide for his family.
These explorations of Florida came well before what is considered the first Spanish occupation period, from 1565 to 1763.
So how did other land masses in Southeast Volusia get their names?
Turtle Mound, in the Canaveral National Seashore, is a historical landmark dating back to prehistoric Indians, who used it as a dump for oyster and clam shells. The mound, later used as a lookout point by many explorers, had all sorts of names through the years, including La Roque (1773) and Mount Belve dere (1776), with a few others in between. Finally, it was named Turtle Mound because from a distance the mound is shaped much like a huge turtle.
Also in the Canaveral National Seashore stands the Eldora State House, the last vestige of a once thriving Eldora riverboat community of about 200 residents. Founded in 1877, the community was named after pioneer sisters Ellen and Dora Pitzer. Eldora faded after hard freezes ruined crops and the advent of the railroad displaced riverboat shipping.
What about Turnbull Bay on the city's north end?
That body of water's namesake is Dr. Andrew Turnbull who, at 48, led the largest British colonization attempt (1768-1777) in the New World at New Smyrna Beach.
The bay area, including land around the current Atlantic Center for the Arts, was part of the original 300 acres Turnbull acquired under a British grant. Eventually, land was added into and surrounding New Smyrna.
The city received its name from Turnbull, who christened it after his wife's birthplace. Gracia Maria Rubine was born in Smyrna, Greece, now part of Turkey.
History refers to Gracia Maria as a beautiful woman, educated in Paris. She met Andrew Turnbull, a Scottish physician, in France. They married and had 12 children, five of whom died during childhood. She accompanied her husband during his colonization of New Smyrna Beach where, according to their birth dates, four of the couple's children were born. It is believed one di not survive childhood.
Then there are more recent historical namesakes, such as Coronado Elementary School, named after the original beachside community of Coronado Beach.
Separated by the Indian River from New Smyrna, the community probably got its name from an 1885 homestead of Foster G. Austin, which he called Coronado Beach.
The beachside town lost its singular identity when annexed by New Smyrna Beach on April Fool's Day (April 1) in 1946. The communities joined mainly because Coronado needed fresh water available from the mainland community.
What about Sams Avenue, which runs from Canal to Washington Street?
In about 1872, F.W. Sams hired a Massachusetts woman, Delia Stowe, as a governess for his children. She became the first teacher in Volusia County at a school close to the current site of the old post office building, 120 Sams Ave., now being renovated for a historic museum.
Originally, the property from Canal to Washington streets, and from the river to the Florida East Coast Railway tracks, was owned by the Sheldons. Sams was married to Zeila Sheldon.
Sams was a prominent citizen, serving as a state senator and also has chairman of the House of Refuges, located along the coastline from the Carolinas to Key West. He died in 1923.
There also are a lot of namesakes of Washington E. Connor in New Smyrna Beach. His name was affixed to the first bridge across the Indian River in 1894, built by Connor and the New Smyrna Bridge and Investment Co. It was considered a private toll bridge.
Connor also financed the Connor Library in 1895, originally located at the corner of Washington and Faulkner streets.
When the bridge started needing repairs, Connor traded the library to the city in return for the city taking over the bridge. The library was relocated into Old Fort Park, where it is used as a museum.
Washington Street is named after Connor, as well as Ronnoc Lane (Connor spelled backwards). Wayne Avenue is named after Connor's son, while Louise Street is named for his first wife.
There are dozens of other streets, named after early residents including Julia Street, named after Julia Loud, the mother of the late Julia Dilzer, longtime English teacher at Live Oak Street School.
So what is in a name?
For a lot of places throughout Southeast Volusia, the answers are embedded in history.
To learn more
For further details, the following sources were used for this article:
* Juan Ponce de Leon and the Spanish Discovery of Puerto Rico & Florida by Robert Henderson Fuson. (available at public libraries).
* History of New Smyrna by Gary Luther, Luther Publishing, New Smyrna Beach.
* Catholic Encyclopedia: Juan Ponce de Leon: Vol. XII.
* Florida of the Conquistador: Internet: www. floridahistory.org
* New Smyrna Breeze: section on Coronado: May 7, 1926 edition.
* New Smyrna Breeze: Photographic Review of New Smyrna Florida and Vicinity, 1927.
* New Smyrna Beach News: May 2, 1968: Pictorial History of New Smyrna Beach, includes map of Turnbull grant by C. Bockelman.
* Larry Sweett, local historian: Information on early residents/land ownership.
