This first odd thing about the courthouse is the rolling hills which surround the front of it quite rare actually to see any type of hills around here let alone a courthouse that sits on one. But what is more interesting is many years ago an earthquake occurred causing a hole to open up in the ground just up the street in the ground. What intrigues me more is the series of trees which line some of the walking paths near the courthouse. This seems to be a very mystical area. All the trees are odd in some way. Some of them have short little wide stumps, some look like hands growing with long fingers, while one of the trees has to be a couple hundred years old and it has to giant knots that extend out from it or growths. But as one of our investigators told me there is a lot of energy in this location but its hard to pinpoint it whether its from the trees, past, or even a ghostly presence. 

But more so interesting is what use to surround the courthouse many years ago in the past. It is obvious that over the years to build a courthouse of this size that at time houses and other buildings use to sit here. Once those buildings no longer stand what happens to the ghost that haunted it? Very simple they haunt the land or where the courthouse stands today. 

But just to give you an idea what use to be near the courthouse at one time across the street was the site of the Brinly House. This was the first frame house built in Deland back in the 1880s. The fire did not reach it that occurred downtown Deland and eventually it became the Minnesota Hotel in 1929. It no longer stands today of course as a hotel and many modernized buildings surround this place including the courthouse across the streets.

Then across the street where there is now a large parking lot was the site of DeLand's first Hospital which was built in 1916. It was the first one in town run by a local doctor and register red Nurse who were married called the Mann's. The locals called the Hospital the Willow's. Then right near that was the old Dreca movie theatre which was started in 1920 owned by Walter Geissinger. Later it was leased to the Sparks organization which became a statewide theater chain here in Florida.

Then another Hotel built in the early 1900s sat very close to the grounds of the New Courthouse which was called the Melrose Hotel this was a three story wooden structure today it no stands obviously but back then it stood even when the trees stood at the grounds of the new courthouse. 

Finally perhaps is the most interesting place which today still stands behind the courthouse but none the less has been standing here for roughly a century is the College Arms Hotel and Golf course. That hotel was started by Parce which was the brother-in-law of Henry DeLand which at the time was called the Parceland Hotel. In 1896 John B. Stetson another name that rings a bell when you associate him with Stetson University. But he was the one that called the name the College Arms Hotel perhaps it served as a dormitory or hotel for all the students for his university. The hotel however was rebuilt and today it is one of the tallest towers in downtown DeLand. It also had a 18 hole championship golf course which at the time was one of the finest in the country where top professionals played at. I do believe its possible that the very large open area where the courthouse once stood perhaps was part of the golf course. I could be wrong since near by is a large parking lot where some newer plazas were built but none the less it just shows you the the entire area has had quite a transition. Today the College Arms services as a place for Senior Citizens to live.

Lastly in 1918 near the new courthouse the first airplane in DeLand had landed. The golf course which no longer exist today often was used by pilots from the Sebring Florida flying school. Often them pilots would take trips to Daytona and land on the beach however when there tide was to high they would fly away from the beach and land on the College Arms Golf Course and wait for the tide to go out. There was really no airports at the time so it was easier for pilots to land in large open areas or on beaches. 

So this is why I was so intrigued to investigate the land surrounding the courthouse and yes it does have a strange feeling whether it would be knowing the historical significance or perhaps some mysterious tragedy did take place. Only the trees and the dearly departed our the pieces to the puzzle.   

© By

Rick-AngelOfThyNight