Flagler county, florida a centennial history County, Florida - History Presentation.… · FLAGLER...

FLAGLER COUNTY, FLORIDA

A CENTENNIAL HISTORY

A Presentation Focusing on this Recently Released Local History Book

by Randy Jaye

Seal of Flagler CountyLogo of Flagler County

INTERESTING FLORIDA & NE FLORIDA FACTS

• Florida has the longest European-Influenced history in the United States.

• In 1513, the Spanish politician and explorer Juan Ponce de León led the first known European

expedition that officially landed in Florida (La Florida), somewhere in the northeastern area, but

there is no “Plymouth Rock” to mark the exact historic location.

• It is estimated that there was approximately 350,000 indigenous people living in the Florida

peninsula at the time of European contact (1513); 150,000 in northeastern Florida.

• Florida was under Spanish Rule for 288 years; British Rule for 20 years; Independent Rule for 11 years;

and has been under American Rule for 195 years (23 years as a Territory and 4 years under the

Confederate States of America). Florida became a state in 1845.

• St. Augustine was founded in 1565 (and was the first permanent European Settlement - today it is the

‘Oldest City’ in the Continental United States).

• Jamestown, Virginia (the first permanent English settlement in the Americas) was founded in 1607 -

(42 years after St. Augustine).

• Boston was founded in 1630 - (65 years after St. Augustine).

• Philadelphia was founded in 1682 - (117 years after St. Augustine).

• Washington, DC was founded in 1790 - (225 years after St. Augustine).

FLAGLER COUNTY, FLORIDA: A CENTENNIAL HISTORY - BY RANDY JAYE 2

BEFORE FLAGLER COUNTY (INDIGENOUS PEOPLE)


Indian Shell Midden at Shell Bluff County Park.

A midden (a.k.a. kitchen midden or shell heap) is an old dump site for domestic waste. Typical artifacts found within middens are animal bones, human excrement, botanical material, various shells, charcoal, pollen, man-made artifacts such as pottery, jewelry and tools that are associated with past human occupation.

Drawing of a Timucuan round house dwelling with several native Americans navigating a dug out canoe on an adjacent waterway.

Recent archaeological discoveries at the Page-Ladson history site near Tallahassee has verified that humans have been in the northern Florida area for over 14,000 years. A tribe of native American people that the Europeans called Timucuans were settled in the northeastern section of Florida at the time of European contact. Approximately 250 years later they were extinct.

St. Johns Period pottery, shells and bone fragments discovered in Flagler County.

The St. Johns culture (an archaeologically defined culture) existed in northeastern Florida from 500 BC until shortly after European contact in the 17th century. The St. Johns culture is defined in terms of pottery styles and existed based on the exploitation of marine and fresh water resources. Human villages and camps were obviously located near water sources.

BEFORE FLAGLER COUNTY (EUROPEAN INFLUENCE)


Bulow Plantation – ruins of a huge 19th century sugar mill complex.

Present-day Flagler County was a land of plantations from the 1700s to the end of the Second Seminole War (1842). To date, there has been over 20 plantations identified through historic documentation, but many more existed and have not yet been properly researched. They planted and harvested various crops and employed a workforce (mostly made up of human slaves of African origin).

Drawing of Fort Fulton (Seminole War Fort ).

The Second Seminole War (1835-1842) devastated the present-day Flagler County area as the Seminoles and their allies burnt down most of the plantations and many other structures including bridges. The huge and prosperous plantation economy never recovered and the area’s population declined.

Logs being transported to the Neoga saw mill via steam powered narrow gauge local railroads (their engines were sometimes called ‘dummies’) -circa late 1800s.

Prior to Henry Flagler’s standard railways local narrow gauge railcars were the best automated transportation for lumbering and agricultural operations as roads were poor and automobiles and trucks were not yet in common use.

FLAGLER COUNTY BECOMES OFFICIAL


The bill to create Flagler County passed in the 1917 session of the Florida Legislature and was signed by Governor Sidney Catts on April 28, 1917.

A referendum on whether or not to create the county passed on June 11, 1917 despite some political and public objections from Volusia County.

County government officials were appointed by Gov. Catts and they officially took office on July 1, 1917.

Flagler County’s First Day Celebration was held on July 2, 1917 in its new

county seat of Bunnell. Several thousand people were in attendance and guest

speakers included Gov. Catts and J.E. Ingraham (the Vice President of the

Florida East Coast Railroad and mayor of St. Augustine).

The new county did not have much money so a two-story

building in Bunnell was leased to house county offices. The

courts were held in a vacated large upstairs room in the

Masonic Lodge building in Bunnell. In 1924, a new county

court house was built.

FLAGLER COUNTY WAS CREATED FROM PARTS OF

ST. JOHNS AND VOLUSIA COUNTIES


Left: A circa 1910 map featuring St.

Johns and Volusia counties showing

towns such as Neoga, Espanola and

Bunnell that are now in Flagler County.

Right: In 1917, Flagler County was

created from the southern section of

St. Johns County and the northern

section of Volusia County and

comprises a total area of 571 square

miles.

Circa 1910 Circa 1917

WHY WAS FLAGLER COUNTY CREATED


The biggest reason is an ages-old one: money.

In the early 1900s, people living in what is today Flagler County had to travel many miles to transact business at the county seats of St. Augustine (St. Johns County) and Deland (Volusia County). This was a time consuming, costly and an annoying inconvenience while the area’s population and business activities were growing.

These challenges fueled the desire of local residents to petition the Florida Legislature for the creation of a new county. An independent county also meant that local community leaders would have more control over political, administrative and economic decisions.

A local delegation attended the 1917 session of the Florida Legislature with intensions to convince the state Senate and House of Representatives that a new county needed to be established. This delegation was led by Isaac I. Moody Jr. who was the chairman of the Board of County Commissioners of St. Johns County and represented a considerable portion of the area. The Senate and House of Representatives passed the legislation and Flagler County was founded on April 28, 1917.

What’s in a name?

Some of the members of the legislative delegation proposed the name of Moody County, but Isaac I. Moody declined having the county named after him and suggested the name of Flagler County in honor of Henry Morrison Flagler. Some of the delegation thought the name of Flagler County would entice Henry Flagler’s widow, Mary Lily Kenan Flagler Bingham (1867-1917), to donate money to build a new county courthouse. But, she never donated any money and died soon after the county was founded on July 27, 1917.

FATHER OF FLAGLER COUNTY: ISAAC I. MOODY


Isaac I. Moody Jr. (1874-1918) moved to St. Johns County in the early 1890s and first worked in the turpentine business as a woods rider in Bunnell. In 1901, he married Dora Lee in Appling County, GA.

In 1909, Moody was named the president of the Bunnell Development Company. This company advertised ten and twenty acre tracts for sale in northern newspapers to allure people to relocate to the area with the possibility of year-long harvests. In the center of a large tract of land they planned the town of Bunnell which was chartered in 1913. He became one of Bunnell’s first city commissioners.

In 1916, Moody and his business partner “Major” Lambert purchased seven thousand acres of fine farming lands in present-day Flagler County, which was considered to be some of the best land in northeastern Florida.

He was a 32nd degree Mason (both Scottish and York rites), and a member of the Morocco Temple of Shriners at Jacksonville.

In 1917, he was appointed as the new county’s first state representative.

He continued with various business ventures, community activities and county government responsibilities until his untimely death.

He was born October 27, 1874 in Appling County, GA and died at the age of 44 on December 17, 1918 in Bunnell, FL due to an influenza epidemic.

Portrait of Isaac I. Moody – circa 1895.

SOME LOCAL FOLKLORE


• Henry Flagler attended Flagler County’s First Day Celebration.

• Amelia Earhart landed an airplane at the Flagler Beach Airport.

• Flagler County was once the “Hanging Capital” of Florida.

• Rear Admiral Richard Byrd’s airplane landed at the Flagler Beach Airport.

• Northeastern Florida is sheltered from Major Hurricanes.

EARLY TOWNS, VILLAGES AND TURPENTINE CAMPS


There were several established towns and villages when Flagler County was founded.

Early towns included Bunnell, Dupont, Espanola, Haw Creek, Korona, Ocean City (now Flagler Beach) and St. Johns Park.

In 1914, Korona was settled by approximately 35 Polish families that relocated to the area from Chicago, Detroit and other Great Lakes area cities. The Bunnell Development Company advertised in the Polish language and a committee of several Polish families raised $1000 to build a church once they arrived in Florida.

Early villages included Andalusa, Bimini, Black Point, Codyville (now Cody’s Corner), Dinner Island, Favoretta, Henderson, Neoga, Orange Hammock, Relay, Roy, Shell Bluff, Tomasello and Tipperary.

There were also many turpentine camps in operation including Bulow Still, Deen Still and St. Joseph Still.

In 1917, when Flagler County was founded Bunnell was selected as the county seat due to its central location, primary shipping point, many established businesses, roadways and railway access.

In 1925, Bunnell had grown to include a weekly newspaper (Flagler Tribune), bank, public schools, various church denominations, ice, light and water plants, telephone connections, a post office and a reported population of 700.

Bunnell – street scene includes the Flagler

Tribune and Bank buildings - circa early

1920s.

Ocean City Beach (now Flagler Beach) –

Casino building in the background - circa

early 1920s.

RAILROADS


Railroading in present-day Flagler County goes all the way back to mule and horse drawn rail cars that operated on narrow gauge tracks. Steam powered narrow gauge railways were then built and used in several locations around the area during the late 1800s and early 1900s.

In 1885, Henry Flagler began a quest to develop Florida and immediately realized that an efficient and fast railway system throughout the state was required. A major problem of the time was that many railway systems running through Florida were of different gauge systems which meant they could not connect or run on the same tracks.

In 1893, Flagler merged most of the local railroads into the Florida East Coast Railway and standardized the tracks. This railway connected the entire east coast of Florida from Jacksonville to Key West. The company played a key role in the modernization of Florida and still exists today. By 1900, Florida had more than 3,000 miles of railroad.

This new fast and efficient means of transportation created new industries, enticed tourists and increased the development of residential and commercial areas.

This was good news for present-day Flagler County as the large, fast and efficient Florida East Coast Railway system ran right through the heart of the county. There were several train stops in the area and development and marketing opportunities increased. Local products were now being shipped to larger markets around the state and to the northern part of the country.

Florida East Coast Railway – map of the

northeastern Florida route – circa 1917.

HENRY MORRISON FLAGLER (1830-1913)


Henry Morrison Flagler’s life was a true American “Work Hard and Succeed” story. Some see him as a ruthless and powerful 19th century American capitalist who became a multi-millionaire by negotiating secret deals while deceiving competitors, corrupting politicians and engaging in other unethical business practices, and classify him as a ‘robber baron.’ Others see him as the visionary who risked a fortune, and prevailed against huge obstacles, to lead the development of Florida into the modern business, agricultural, residential and tourist center it has become today. No matter what is thought of Flagler he retains a legendary status in American history as a pioneering industrialist and business wizard.

Partnering with John D. Rockefeller they created Standard Oil and Flagler is credited with masterminding the business plan and strategy that turned it into the most successful monopoly of the 19th century.

On January 10, 1888, Flagler’s Hotel Ponce de Leon opened in St. Augustine and was successful from the onset. In 1890, Flagler had visions to expand luxurious hotels into south Florida. He first built a railroad bridge over the St. Johns River, and then purchased the Hotel Ormond in Ormond Beach. His Florida East Coast Railway is credited with modernizing Florida as it led to the development of Miami and other urban centers.

In 1913, Flagler fell down a flight of stairs in his Whitehall mansion in West Palm Beach. This accident proved to be fatal as he soon died at the age of 83.

Portrait of Henry Flaglerdated December 2, 1870.

KINGS ROAD (OLD KINGS ROAD)


When the British gained control of Florida in 1763

most of the Spanish settlers moved away to other

Spanish colonies leaving St. Augustine and other

settlements virtually abandoned. The first governor

of British East Florida, James Grant (1720–1806),

realized that good roads in Florida were a necessity

to encourage new settlement in the colony. He

began a master plan to build a good road network to

connect East Florida to Georgia. The northern route

of Kings Road (Georgia to St. Augustine) was

completed in 1775.

The route through present-day Flagler County

proved difficult so an Indian known as “Grey Eyes”

was hired. He and his gang of 20 navigated a route

through present-day Flagler County. They managed

to use old Indian trails and ridges that passed

through deep swamps, wetlands, large Oak and

Cypress tree forests, and thick vegetation to drive a

herd of cattle from St. Augustine to New Smyrna.

The southern route of Kings Road (St. Augustine to

New Smyrna) was completed in the mid-1770s. Both

the north and south routes of Kings Road were in

use during the Revolutionary War.

An abandoned and lonely stretch of Old Kings Road built in the 1930s – located

about 300 yards north of State Road 100.

Kings Road remained the major transportation route for the

present-day Flagler County area until railroads started to

arrive in 1885. Many new roads were built over the original

Kings Road and the route has changed many times over its

long history. Today, it is called Old Kings Road and it remains

a popular route through parts of Flagler County and is still

going through changes.

AGRICULTURE AND RANCHING


From the plantations of the early European colonists, to

modern day residents, agriculture has been a vital

ingredient to the economy of the present-day Flagler

County area.

What makes agriculture so suited to Flagler County is

that the area has a year round growing season. Within

one year it is possible to grow multiple crops on the

same ground. Each season crops can be selected which

grow best during that particular time of the year.

Potato farming has a heritage in Flagler County that

dates back to the late 19th century, and it is still the

number one cash crop grown in the area.

Ranching (the cattle industry) in Florida is one of the

oldest and largest in the United States. The beef cattle

industry throughout this region of the country goes back

over 500 years and predates the iconic mid-western

frontier cattle town (cow town) settlements.

Today, Flagler County’s focus on ranching is a sector of

the beef production known as the cow-calf ranch.

Front and back cover of the Florida’s Call to the Farmer – published by the

Dupont Land Co. – (circa 1912-13).

The Florida’s Call to the Farmer was a professional marketing pamphlet with

color illustrations that showed “bona fide views of the property” and

highlighted a year-round climate ideal for high yield crops. The Tippecanoe

Inn in Dupont offered prospective land buyers a place to stay while they

traveled to present-day Flagler County via the Florida East Coast Railway to

look at available land. Many people were lured to the area from northern cities

through this marketing strategy.

TURPENTINE AND LUMBER INDUSTRIES


A Turpentine Still in Bunnell – Flagler County Founding Father Isaac I. Moody is on the right wearing a white hat - circa 1910.

A large turpentine industry existed in Florida from the later part of the eighteenth century to the mid-twentieth century for the production of a group of products called “Naval stores.” The term “Naval stores” defined all products derived from pine sap that were used to manufacture soap, paint, varnish, shoe polish and various lubricants. Initially, the sticky sap from pine trees was used in the building and repair of wooden ships.

The lumber industry (logging) was a large part of the

Flagler County economy from its start. The county’s vast

forests of pine and cypress trees were initially harvested

using labor intensive methods. The trees were hand sawed

or chopped down and then hauled by mule driven carts to

tram tracks. Narrow gauge railway trams with engines

called “dummies” would then transport the logs to several

saw mills in the county.

Today, the timber and lumber business in Flagler County

uses silviculture (the practice of controlling the

establishment, growth, composition, health, and quality of

forests and timberlands to meet diverse needs and

economic goals).

Silviculture in Flagler County is directed towards three

types of markets: 1) Pulp for paper production (both

hardwoods and pines), 2) Saw timber for building

materials, 3) posts and poles.

WORLD WAR 1


Flagler County, although it had less than 2,400 residents during

World War 1 (1914 to 1918), produced food through its

agricultural farms and provided lumber and turpentine to

support the war effort. Also, approximately 50 men from Flagler

County left their farms and jobs to serve in the military.

WW1 veteran and Flagler County native Fred

Miller pictured in a Doughboy uniform - circa

1918.WW1 Draft Registration Card of Flagler County native Dancy Munroe Miller. It is dated

6-5-1917 and lists his occupation as a farmer.

DIXIE HIGHWAY AND RAPID AUTOMOBILE TRANSIT


The potential for the development of Miami in the early 1910s prompted the need for a reliable highway to allow for rapid automobile transit from the northern United States through Florida.

The initial name of the highway was called the “Cotton Belt Route.” The New York Times suggested the highway would be more symbolic if it were called the “Dixie Peaceway.” The name of the roadway was eventually changed to “Dixie Highway.”

The building of Dixie Highway allowed travelers to enter and rapidly drive through Florida. Average Americans could now afford to venture into Florida as they carried extra gasoline, spare tires, canned food and plenty of water.

Today, a 10.6 mile stretch of the original road runs through Flagler and St. Johns County (most of it is in Flagler County) called the Dixie Highway-Hastings, Espanola and Bunnell Road (known also as County Road 13) and is one of the most historic roads in the country. Locally, it is commonly referred to as the “Old Brick Road.”

On April 20, 2005, “Old Brick Road” was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.

The original “Old Brick Road” is still in

use in Flagler County.

Circa 1919

PROHIBITION, BOOTLEGGING & THE GREAT DEPRESSION


Prohibition was mandated nationwide under the Eighteenth Amendment

to the United States Constitution on January 16, 1920. It outlawed the

production, importation, transportation and the sale of alcoholic

beverages. Flagler County not only had moonshine stills in operation,

but had one of the main roads (Dixie Highway) used by smugglers

running right through it. Prohibition proved to be disastrous to the

country, and especially to Flagler County as Sheriff Perry Hall was

killed in 1927 during an arrest attempt of a suspected bootlegger.

The beginning of the Great Depression, after the Stock Market Crash in

1929, was not as big of a shock in Florida as it was to most of the

nation. An economic crash in 1926 led to the decimation of the Florida

Land Boom and the state was already dealing with an economic crisis.

The Federal government’s Works Progress Administration (WPA) gave a

much needed boost to Florida’s economy during the Great Depression

and was responsible for the construction of several buildings and

infrastructure improvement projects in Flagler County.

The Great Depression ended when the United States entered World War

2 in 1941 as more than 12 million Americans were sent into military

service, and more than 17 million new civilian jobs were created.

The Bunnell Town Civic Center was built in

1936-37 with grant funding by the WPA. Today it

is the Bunnell City Hall Building.

This Flagler County Jail was built in 1938 by the

WPA - it originally housed only white prisoners

due to segregation. The building is now vacant.

CHARLES LINDBERGH IN FLAGLER COUNTY


On November 28, 1931, Charles Lindbergh, one of the most famous people in the world, then and now, landed his plane at what was then the Flagler Beach Municipal Airport. Lindbergh was on a journey from Miami to New York when dense foggy conditions got so bad 15 miles north of Flagler Beach that he turned around and was forced to make an unscheduled landing on the airport’s grass field. He was returning to New York after piloting the maiden flight of Pan American World Airway’s first Sikorsky S-40 flying boat, called the ‘American Clipper’, from Miami to Barranquilla, Columbia.

He booked a room in the Flagler Beach Hotel and tried to avoid local flocks of people and reporters and others who came to town from Jacksonville, Daytona Beach and St. Augustine to meet him.

John D. Rockefeller, the American oil industry business magnate and the richest person modern history (net worth of 336 billion in 2010 USD), offered to send his private automobile from his nearby Ormond Beach home, the Casements, for a personal visit. Lindbergh respectfully declined the offer and stayed at the Flagler Beach Hotel.

On Monday, November 30, 1931, the fog cleared and the weather was suitable enough for Lindbergh to continue his flight to New York. He left Flagler Beach with a cheering crowd.

Charles Lindbergh attracting a crowd at the Flagler Beach

Municipal Airport on November 29, 1931 – Clarence D.

Toler of the U.S. Coast Guard is on the right.

Completed in 1924 the

Flagler Beach Hotel had

44 rooms in the first

three stories and the

fourth story was a grand

ballroom. It was torn

down in 1972.

WORLD WAR 2


The United States entered World War 2 after the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service executed a surprise attack on its naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii Territory on December 7, 1941. Eight U.S. Battleships were damaged resulting in four of them being sunk, 188 aircraft destroyed, 1,178 Americans wounded and 2,403 killed. Among the Americans killed was Flagler County resident Chief Petty Officer James Brazier Booe.

Due to German U-Boat attacks Florida Governor Spessard Lindsey Holland (1892-1971) ordered a blackout of coastal area lights so that they could not be seen at sea and possibly silhouette passing ships.

In 1942, the U.S. Coast Guard Patrol Station, No. 5, Flagler Beach (39023) was set up with barracks, latrines, mess hall, orderly and supply rooms. officer’s quarters, and radio shack and sentry tower.

In Flagler County, the beaches were closed at night, all lights near the coast line were turned off, or all windows had to be shielded with black covers. Automobiles traveling at night had to have their headlights shielded with black paint, and authorized passes were required to cross the bridge into the Flagler Beach community at night.

CPO James Brazier Booe standing on the deck of

the U.S.S. Oklahoma - circa 1941.

FLAGLER COUNTY ADAPTS DURING WORLD WAR 2


The U.S. Navy built the Naval Outlying Field

Bunnell military facility (today it is the Flagler

Executive Airport) to serve as an auxiliary

airfield for flight training operations in the low-

air traffic Flagler County area.

The Flagler Beach Municipal Airport was

initially used by the Army Air Forces

Antisubmarine Command to fly observation

planes over the Atlantic coast searching for

German U-boats. In 1943, the U.S. Navy

assumed anti-submarine missions, and along

with the Civil Air Patrol the airport was utilized

for the war effort.

Marineland was closed to the public to serve

military purposes as the U.S. Coast Guard used

the facility to train combat dogs. They were

first utilized in Flagler Beach while conducting

foot patrols and then later sent to multiple

locations. The facility was also used to

research and develop shark repellent that was

issued in sea survival kits for Army and Navy

pilots.

Active duty servicemen gather around a Grumman

F6F Hellcat fighter aircraft at the Naval Outlying

Field Bunnell (NOLF Bunnell) during World War II -

circa 1944.

Japan unconditionally surrendered

aboard the U.S.S. Missouri on Sept. 2,

1945 ending World War 2.

Flagler County had over 400 people

serve in the military during WW2 with

a population of only 3,000.

POST WORLD WAR 2 ERA


After World War 2 Florida’s population grew to 2.7 million in 1950 (from 1.9

million in 1940). Florida’s economy became more diverse prompting the

expansion of industries such as tourism, cattle, citrus and phosphate.

The Interstate 95 project started in 1959 and is partially responsible for

Flagler County’s significant population growth beginning in the 1970s.

In December 1952, the Lehigh Portland Cement Company became Flagler

County’s first large industrial plant. It employed over 160 people and

loaded more than 150 railroad cars per day with bagged cement. It closed

in 1965 due to labor disputes and economic issues.

The inaugural National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) Winter Nationals event

was held February 7-13, 1960 at the Bunnell-Flagler Beach Airport (present

day Flagler Executive Airport). This first Winter Nationals event was a co-

production of the NHRA and the National Association for Stock Car Auto

Racing (NASCAR). Motor racing industry rivals Wally Parks (1913-2007),

founder, president and chairman of the NHRA and instrumental in

promoting drag racing into a legitimate sport, and Bill France (1909-1992),

co-founder of NASCAR and founder of the International Motorsports Hall of

Fame, teamed up this one year to sponsor the event, but were untrusting of

one another. Program Cover for the Inaugural NHRA Winter

Nationals which was held at the Flagler-Bunnell

Airport - Feb. 7-13, 1960.

DEVELOPMENT OF PALM COAST


In February 1970, the president of ITT Levitt Development

Corporation, Norman Young, presented a progress report to the

Flagler County Chamber of Commerce highlighting the initial

development plans for their planned residential community. ITT’s

original estimate for the total number of homes was 48,000. The

project was named Palm Coast by the company’s marketing group

in New York. Residents started moving into Palm Coast in January

1972.

By 1990, the population of Palm Coast was 14,287 (a 403.6%

increase from 1980).

As the town of Palm Coast grew to the size of a city Flagler County

authorized a feasibility study to determine its readiness for

incorporation. On December 31, 1999, the former unincorporated

section of Flagler County was officially incorporated as the City of

Palm Coast.

In 2005, the United States Census Bureau officially designated

Palm Coast as the fastest growing metropolitan area in the country.

The city was also named “Tree City USA” by the National Arbor Day

Foundation in the same year.

Today, Palm Coast is the largest planned community in the history

of Florida.

Palm Coast’s main channel area being prepared for

community development - circa 1973.

Palm Coast’s original Welcome Center (circa 1970). It

was not used for several years during the late 1980s

and early 1990s as ITT’s marketing strategy changed

and it fell into disrepair - (ITT left Palm Coast in 1994)

– this building was torn down in the mid-1990s.

A PICTURE IS WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS


ENTIRE COUNTY EVACUATED – WILDFIRES OF 1998


It is hard to believe that an entire county within any state could be ordered to evacuate, but that is what happened in Flagler County in 1998. This was the first, and only, time in the history of Florida that all residents of a county were placed under mandatory evacuation. These extraordinary circumstances were caused by large and scattered wild fires that were being fed by an extreme drought and unpredictable winds.

On July 4, 1998, Governor Lawton Chiles (April 3, 1930 - December 12, 1998) discussed this critical situation with Flagler County Emergency Operations Manager Jerry Davis and Flagler County Sheriff Robert McCarthy and decided that people had to get out of harm’s way as soon as possible. As a result, all 45,000 residents of Flagler County were placed under an immediate mandatory evacuation.

Rain began to fall on July 5th and continued for several days which helped extinguish the flames. Flagler County residents were able to return to their homes starting on July 8th.

Flagler County suffered a loss of 71 homes while 192 others were damaged, and over 82,000 acres sustained fire damage. The county spent $1,278,714 on protective measures alone.

The silhouette of a fire truck battling a blazing

inferno during the 1998 wildfires in Flagler County.

Flagler County Map showing the extent of

the Wildfires of 1998.

NEAR DISASTER – HURRICANE MATTHEW


The eye of Hurricane Matthew (a major Category 4

storm) skirts the northeastern coast of Florida on

October 7, 2016. A 30 mile last-hour wobble to the east

prevented a direct landfall in Flagler County.

Hurricane Matthew set many records including the

longest-lived Category 4-5 in the eastern Caribbean and

the longest-lived Category 5 hurricane formed after

September 25.

State Road A1A in Flagler Beach became the local, state and national media’s “poster child” for damage caused by Hurricane Matthew in Florida.

Hurricane Matthew caused more than $75 million in damages in Flagler County, and it dispelled the myth that this area is immune to a direct hit from a major hurricane.

NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES


Flagler County has 8 listings on the National Register of Historical Places: Bulow Plantation Ruins, Cherokee

Grove (Princess Place), Dixie Highway--Hastings, Espanola and Bunnell Road (Old Brick Road), Mala Compra

Plantation Archeological Site, Marine Studios (Marineland), Old Bunnell State Bank Building, Vocational

Agriculture Building (Little Red Schoolhouse) and Washington Oaks Historic District .

Bulow Plantation (Bulowville) – Sugar Mill ruins –

This huge plantation had 300 to 400 slaves

working in the fields, a plantation house,

blacksmith shop, poultry house, saw mill, steam

engine-powered sugar mill, and other plantation-

related buildings. The plantation house was a 2-1/2

story building with two kitchens and a large

library. The slave quarters consisted of 46 well-

built structures positioned in a semi-circle around

the house.

Marineland – a 1967 Flagler Tribune advertisement -

Marine Studios opened in 1938 as the world’s first

oceanarium (marine mammal park and large-scale

aquarium). Hollywood used the facility to shoot

underwater footage for television shows and

movies including Revenge of the Creature. The

television special Benji Takes a Dive at Marineland

featured the world’s first diving dog named Scuba.

The facility became known as Marineland of Florida

and the site’s location eventually became known as

the Flagler County town of Marineland.

In 1791, land was granted to Francisco Pellicer

from King Charles IV (1748-1808) of Spain in an

area then known as Cherokee Grove in present-

day Flagler County. Some of the first orange

groves in Florida were planted in this area

during the early 1800s.

In July 1923, owner Angela Mills Cutting

married Boris Sherbatoff (1872-1949), who was

an exiled Russian Prince. Cherokee Grove

became known as Princess Place as Angela

assumed the title of ‘Princess’ and entertained

socially prominent guests from Europe and the

United States.

STATE AND COUNTY PARKS


• Flagler County has five state parks: Bulow Creek State Park (within Volusia and Flagler Counties), Bulow Plantation Ruins State Historic Park, Gamble Rogers Memorial State Recreation Area, Haw Creek Preserve State Park (within Volusia, Putnam and Flagler Counties) and Washington Oaks Gardens State Park.

• Flagler County has 21 diverse county parks that feature natural wonders from old Florida swamps and old growth woodlands to ocean beaches.

Bull Creek Campground County Park - Its

features include birding, boat ramp, boating,

camping (a full RV facility with 25 campsites),

canoeing, kayaking and fishing. It boasts

some of the best fresh water fishing in the

state. An abundance of wildlife including

osprey, great blue heron, anhinga and

alligators can be spotted on a regular basis.

This area is an unspoiled Florida natural

habitat with splendid scenery that can be

enjoyed by all ages.

Washington Oaks State Park – “The Rocks” - sits

on property nestled between the Atlantic Ocean and

the Matanzas River and was once owned by a

distant relative of President George Washington. In

1936, Louise and Owen Young purchased the

property, named it Washington Oaks, and built a

winter retirement home and established the historic

formal gardens. Louise Young donated the property

to the State of Florida in 1964 following the death of

her husband.

Gamble Rogers Memorial State Recreation

Area - boat ramp - The 144-acre

Recreation Area sits on land

previously occupied by the Flagler Beach

House of Refuge, the U.S. Coast

Guard and the U.S. Army Corps. After

World War II the site was abandoned

and on October 4, 1954 the United States

government transferred the title to the

property to the State of Florida.

HISTORY OF FLAGLER COUNTY SHERIFFS


Since the founding of Flagler County in 1917 there have been 16 men hold the office of sheriff. Luck and good

fortune has not been a friend to most of them. Their stories have many twists and turns as some are tragic and

captivating while others are seemingly uneventful. One sheriff was killed in the line of duty by a suspected

bootlegger during the Prohibition era. Another died while in office sitting in a car right in front of the County

Courthouse. Up until the 1970s when Palm Coast started attracting many new residents from the northern states

a “good ol’ boys” political network was dominated by the Democratic Party and held a stronghold within the

office of sheriff. Currently, Republican Frederick J. “Rick” Staly is serving and was sworn in on January 3, 2017.

Left: Perry Edward Hall served from 1925 to 1927. He is the

only Flagler County sheriff to be killed in the line of duty. He

was born on October 11, 1885 in Putnam County, FL and died

on August 21, 1927 in St. Augustine, FL.

Right: Homer William Brooks served from 1957 to 1965. He

served in the United States Navy during World War II in the

construction battalion known as the SeaBees. He started his

law enforcement career by serving more than four years as a

Flagler County deputy sheriff. He also served as Chief of

Police for the city of Bunnell prior to getting elected as sheriff

of Flagler County. He died suddenly, while in office, after

suffering a fatal heart attack in his car right in front of the

county’s courthouse. He was born on November 19, 1903 in

DuPont, FL and died on March 25, 1965 in Bunnell, FL.

Perry Edward Hall (1885-1927)Homer William Brooks (1903-1965)

LOTS OF INTERESTING PLACES


There are many interesting places to visit throughout Flagler County – many are a living history of the area.

11 (past) places are discussed within the book that obviously do not exist any longer including Marco Polo Park,

Hewitt’s Sawmill and the Ocean City Casino, but their histories are interesting and worthy reading.

43 (present) places are discussed within the book that can be physically visited and enjoyed. If you ever need

something to do you can chose from this long list and go exploring, hiking, boating, biking, picnicking etc.

In 1916, George Moody built a recreation center

called the Ocean City Casino. It was one of his efforts

to develop the Ocean City area into a tourist

destination. The building was one-story high

measuring 75 x 100 feet and faced the ocean adjacent

to the beach. It had a side entrance on Moody

Boulevard. The Casino was not used as a gambling

hall as it was designed for dancing, skating and other

forms of entertainment. It was torn down in the 1930s

to make way for commercial buildings.

Long Creek Nature Preserve - Inlet Area - The 9-

acre nature preserve opened in 2014 and provides

a fishing pier, boat ramp for kayak/canoe access to

both Long Creek and College Waterway and

walkways to enjoy the outdoors. The area has an

important archaeological site that was once a

seaport for transporting goods from large area

plantations. It was the first point of commerce for

the area during the 19th century and is called the

Hernandez Landing Site.

Not many original Cracker Style homes

are still standing, or occupied on a

full-time basis, but there is an excellent

example of an occupied Cracker House

in Bunnell that was built around 1900.

The Bunnell Cracker House is a single

pen cracker style house. This style was

also called “saddlebag” and “dog-trot”

homes.

LOOKING PAST THE FIRST 100 YEARS


The first 100 years of Flagler County has seen some dramatic changes to the area. The area sustained a fairly

steady population from 1920 to 1970 and then suddenly experienced unprecedented growth. The county’s

population of 102,408 in 2015 was a mix of 90% urban and 10% rural.

A big question now is will the county continue to grow at a pace faster than it has experienced since the

development of Palm Coast starting in the 1970s.

Economic indicators for the area seem to be pointing at positive economic activity and are leaning towards

positive future performance and growth. But, indicators are a form of forecasts and all forecasts have a certain

amount of error and speculation built into them.

From the rural part of the county it is likely that the agricultural dependence on the Irish potato will change to

more highly profitable green leafy and possibly Asian vegetables. Timbering businesses will likely expand the

practice of combining land used for growing trees with energy crops that can produce biofuels.

A few things to note about Flagler County are that today it is mostly a “bedroom community” for the 90% of its

urban population. It is inhabited by a significant number of retirees and people who need to commute to larger

metropolitan areas to make a higher wage than what is locally available. The area does not, nor has it ever had,

much of an industrial, manufacturing or high-tech business base to provide higher income employment.

Another issue that could affect future growth is a lack of a modern rapid transit system.

Therefore, it seems there is a reasonable limit on how many new residents will be attracted in its near future.

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