252 S. Beach Street, Daytona Beach, FL 32114
(386) 255-6976
Open: Tuesday-Saturday 10am - 4pm
$10 per person
Children 12 & under FREE
| | Welcome to History Matters | | |
From the Director's Desk
Friends,
As Daytona Beach celebrates its 150th anniversary, the Halifax Historical Museum is proud to help tell the story of the people, places, and moments that shaped our city. This milestone is a perfect opportunity to reflect, celebrate, and share our rich history with new audiences.
All year long, I’ll be sharing a little Daytona Beach history in this space—and for February, you get two for the price of one in honor of Black History Month and the Daytona 500.
Did you know Port Orange began as a freedmen’s settlement? The settlement was created immediately after the Civil War, when, in 1866, Dr. John Milton Hawks, an abolitionist and former Union Army surgeon, brought 500 freed slaves, many who had fought for the Union, with their families to the area to establish a sawmill business in nearby Ponce Inlet. Soon after, they were joined by another 1,000. For a brief time, this was the most populous area in Volusia County. Today, Mt. Moriah Baptist Church remains the last link to Freemanville, commemorated with a Florida Heritage Marker in 2002.
And a little racing magic: In 1927, Sir Henry Segrave drove the Sunbeam 1000 HP to 203.79 miles per hour on Daytona Beach—becoming the first person in the world to break the 200-mph barrier. Not a bad way to start our racing legacy.
You may notice a familiar face on your next visit—Kim Dolce! Kim is volunteering with us to organize our library and assist with research. Be sure to read more about her in this month’s Volunteer Spotlight.
Looking for a unique and meaningful Valentine’s gift? Consider a Halifax Historical Museum membership—it’s a gift that keeps giving all year long—or a special find from our gift shop. And if you’re shopping online, don’t forget to support the museum through iGive. You can earn donations for the museum at no extra cost to you when you shop at hundreds of participating stores. ( Please click here to get started: https://www.iGive.com/HalifaxHistoricalMuseum )
Your support—whether through visits, memberships, donations, or kind words—means more than you know. Because of you, Daytona’s stories aren’t just preserved—they’re shared.
See you at the museum!
Kristine
| | (Photo courtesy of the Halifax Historical Museum) | | |
Beach Street & Beyond
128 Orange Avenue is a historic commercial structure located in downtown Daytona Beach, just west of Beach Street. Like many buildings along Orange Avenue, it dates from the early–mid 20th century and was constructed on low‑lying land close to the Halifax River.
Buildings on this block were typically masonry construction. There was minimal elevation above the street, and the buildings were often exposed to stormwater run-off from higher ground to the west. These characteristics made the building especially vulnerable to flooding, which became the central issue when the Halifax Historical Society considered relocating there.
The building’s flood history would make it unsuitable for storing artifacts, especially paper, textiles, and photographs.
However, on March 22, 1979, the Halifax Historical Society moved into the building, even though the renovations were not completed. By late summer the roof had been repaired. Plumbing on the first floor was operational with new restrooms, a front display room and the elevator certified, and most electrical work done throughout the building.
A major setback occurred on July 14th when thousands of dollars of damage was done when tons of water came pouring down through the building. Police and fire officials determined that the damage was deliberate, caused by some vandal who probably entered during the day and departed down the fire escape after his “dirty deed”.
Not only were multiple collections damaged, most of the paneled walls on the first floor were ruined and a huge cleanup job was left. Among items damaged beyond repair was a large 1885 Rogers map of Volusia County.
Fund raising efforts could not keep pace with the enormous amount of work that needed to be done on the building. December of 1981 marked three years since the former New-Journal Building was deeded to the Halifax Historical Society. Some exhibit rooms were in good repair, and a limited number of visitors had been allowed in. But the new Museum had not yet opened to the public.
At that time, the Society considered the possibility of leasing 440 S. Beach Street from the city for $1.00 a year.
| | (Photo courtesy of the Halifax Historical Museum) | |
Halifax Hospital
In 1926, a 10-acre plot on what was one of the highest elevations on the East Coast was purchased from the estate of H.Y. Stillman. From it would rise the city’s first free hospital – Halifax Hospital -- this year marking 100 years of operation.
F.J. Niver first proposed a system of hospitals designed to be modern facilities owned and controlled by the public that would offer care for the indigent. Under terms of a Florida law passed by the Florida Legislature, the special taxation district was formed covering an area of about 15 miles long and seven miles, facing a road now known as Clyde Morris Boulevard.
The hospital was dedicated Jan. 3, 1928. Over the years, the medical facility expanded in size and services. Throughout the Depression, grateful patients provided gifts and the Halifax Hospital Auxiliary provided the first oxygen tent.
The United States Army designated the city as a Women’s Auxiliary Army Corps training center, taking over the hospital on Dec 1, 1942, until the lease was cancelled in 1947.
Over the years, specialized services were added, including a mental health unit, and an affiliation with then-Daytona Beach Junior College for a class in radiologic technology. Later, an intensive care unit was added that became the prototype for progressive care units throughout the country.
Soon, a professional medial library was added, along with a family practice residency program and state-of-the-art delivery suite. Added later were facilities for care in outlying cities and a Regional Oncology Center.
HALIFAX HEALTH, 2026: Halifax Health is considered the leading healthcare provider for Volusia and Flagler Counties, offering a variety of services through a network that includes a tertiary hospital, two community hospitals, an urgent care network, psychiatric services and a specialized cancer treatment center with multiple sites. It is the area’s only provider of a Level II Trauma Center, Center of Transplant Services and a Pediatric Emergency Department staffed 24/7 by board-certified pediatricians. The network of care facilities also boasts the Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and Child and Adolescent Behavioral Services. In addition, Halifax Health has collaborated with University of Florida Health to bring more than fourteen specialties to the area. The Halifax Health network employs about 4,500 people.
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Brush Strokes & Ball Points -
A Celebration of Local Artists & Writers
January 1 – March 31, 2026
Discover the creative heartbeat of our community! Brush Strokes & Ball Points brings together the visual magic of local artists with the compelling stories of hometown writers. From vivid canvases to captivating chapters, this exhibit showcases the talent that makes our area truly special.
Click Here to Learn More
| | Teller Talk Tuesday
Tuesday, February 3rd, 2:00pm - An Afternoon with Kathy Kelly
Kathy Kelly walked into the Daytona Beach News-Journal as an intern reporter in 1963 and didn’t stop chasing stories for the next five decades. From breaking news to the police beat, her reporting eventually led her to write a true crime book on Gerald Stano, one of the area’s most notorious serial killers. By the time she retired in 2013, she had risen to Assistant Managing Editor — and gathered a treasure trove of unforgettable local tales along the way.
Join us as Kathy shares the stories behind the headlines and gives us a peek into Daytona’s past through a reporter’s eyes.
Click Here to Learn More. | | | February 19th – Florida Vistas Book Club (2:00pm–3:30pm) | | |
Welcome to Florida - By: Craig Pittman
This is a collection of quirky, humorous, and thought-provoking stories about Florida’s unique people, creatures, and environmental issues, serving as a celebration and a warning about the state’s rapid growth and changing identity.
Free with your Membership or Admission.
Please call (386) 255-6976 for more information.
Click Here For More Information
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Teller Talk Tuesday - March 3 – 2:00pm – An Afternoon with Mark Lane
Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon – Saturday, March 14, 11:00 am
Florida Vistas Book Club - Thursday – March 19 – 2:00pm – The Way of Florida – Russell Persson.
Book Signing! - Saturday, - March 21 - 11:00am – 100 Things to Do in Daytona Beach Before You Die – Robert Redd book signing!
Teller Talk Tuesday – Tuesday, April 7, 2:00pm – An Afternoon with Jim McCarty
Florida Vistas Book Club – Thursday, 2:00pm – Palmetto Leaves, Harriet Beecher Stowe
| | Volunteer Spotlight – Kim Dolce
Kim Dolce was born and raised in Burlington, New Jersey. After high school, she attended college in Maryville, TN, where she majored in sign language, and interpreting for the deaf.
Kim’s love of reading, genealogy and local history comes from her mother. She used to explore local cemeteries with her mother and was always a willing partner. Kim picked up the genealogy hobby in the early 1980s, although she wasn’t always able to pursue it much until Ancestry became available online.
She started with the Volusia County Public Library system in 1980, working in the children’s room mostly at Port Orange, until asked to come to City Island in 2011 to run the genealogy/local history room and work at the reference desk. During her time there, she assisted patrons not only with genealogy, but with many local history questions as well. She even helped the Museum with various research projects! She just retired on November 29th, after a total of 45 years with VCPL. Now that she has time, she’s excited to volunteer at the Museum, working to organize the library! | | |
The Big Fish
One afternoon in 1931, crowds gathered on Beach Street to see a 650-pound Goliath grouper — a catch so remarkable it made headlines across the country. This month, we revisit the story of that legendary fish and how it still resonates nearly a century later.
| (Photo courtesy of the Halifax Historical Museum) | | This publication is made possible in part with funding from the Cultural Council of Volusia County (volusia.org), Florida Humanities, State of Florida, City of Daytona Beach, and Halifax Historical Society membership. | | | | |
