I Have a Most Extraordinary Story To Tell

PREFACE:
I have been dying to tell this story for some time, but I have delayed for several reasons.  First reason was, the story was continuing to develop, and I needed to have some questions answered. I currently feel that I have enough information, and permission to share my story with you.  I intend to compose this post conversationally from the top of my head.  While you may feel that my details are possibly verbose and possibly not important, I include them because they all add into the fabric of my overall story.  The situation I am about to describe is one of the most fascinating, and life changing things that has ever occurred to me. The odds involved are pretty staggering. The gravity of the story is important enough to me to take some time and include all the details in respect to the story itself.

1: Lets Get Together

I help to manage a Facebook networking group for professional people involved in what I do for a living.  This brings people together from all over the world. One of the members from Texas comes to my area now and again. Recently, his mother bought a house in Florida near mine, so I volunteered to be a liaison for him should his Mom ever need anything. The owner of the Facebook group lives in New Jersey. They both happened to be coming to my area around the same time (March 2019). We agreed to meet at my karaoke show at Grind Gastropub on a Monday night.

The fellow from New Jersey brought his girlfriend along. We were introduced and of course I asked where in NJ she lived. She mentioned to same small beach town that I moved from in 1968. I asked her if she knew THIS person..."yes"...THIS person? "One of my best friends". This family? "Oh yeah, all of them...", and on and on.  So of course, I added her to my Facebook friends and we agreed to stay in touch. After she returned to NJ, we had a couple of Messenger chats comparing notes about who we may or may not know, and people that moved here from there to see how many mutual friends we could come up with. 

2: Ancestry

I have been a member at Ancestry.com since 2010. I used the site to develop a family tree based on records available (what I call "chasing the paper"), and had a pretty good jump on tracing my maternal and paternal lines.  My sister Maggie was working on one at about the same time.  Maggie and I do not network really closely, so research was being done largely independent of one another, and occasionally we would reach out to one another to fill in the blanks. No one else in my immediate family has any interest in family trees or DNA testing. My brothers are vocally against it.  

Five or six years ago or so, I decided to use Ancestry DNA, and I got Lori a DNA kit as a gift, mostly so that we could determine where most people who share our DNA came from...that is, "Ethnicity Estimate". Ethnicity estimates can change over time and become more accurate as more and more people test. I decided to make my DNA information public in the interest in finding other family members, cousins, and letting the story of who I am actually unfold.  Working Ancestry DNA is fascinating on many levels where you can see other members around the world who share your DNA and in what percentage.  What really grabs your attention is your close family members...first and second cousins, and trying to identify them and where on your tree they land; what your relationship with them actually is. Sometimes, you see names, message the person and they do not respond for whatever reason (abandoned account, not tech savvy to know how to message, or just not interested).  

3: Is This You?

Around Dec 2019, my new female friend from NJ messaged me at Facebook and asked if I had used Ancestry...to which I said YES! She said that I connected with her sister as a cousin.  I looked on my account, found her sister, looked at the numbers and tried to come up with an association, but did not immediately.  I told her that I assumed that she was somehow distantly related thru one of my many uncles or aunts.  I threw around a bunch of the family surnames to see if any jumped out, but none did. Admittedly, she said she did not know all of the extended family that well, but that there were others in her family who did that she could ask. Her sister's Ancestry account did not have a lot of public info. I asked my friend if she and her sister had the exact same parents, which they did, so I said, "well, I guess that makes us cousins either way, and we will figure it out one day". We operated on that premise and occasionally compared notes, but with no urgency.  

4: Out Of The Blue...

September 2021...my sister Maggie contacted me. She was telling a story of how she was contacted by a woman who said she was our sister. This was a fascinating development. I was starving for details. The details were coming to me very sketchy, and inconsistent. There was an initial report that this person had a twin, so there were two...and other tidbits that I was craving to understand. The timeline was odd. My parents married in 1953. It was a second marriage for both of them. My oldest brother was born in 1958, 5 years after the wedding. This new sister would have supposedly been born JUST before my oldest brother. So, it would appear that my dad had at least one child outside of his marriage.

My heart genuinely broke for my sister. She has a first and middle name that really has no history that I know of in our family. I remember hearing at one point my dad had a boat that had a name similar to my sisters, and we were always thoughtful that the boat was named for her. Maggie told me at one point she asked my mom who she was named after, and my mom jokingly dismissed the question by saying she was named for "your fathers girlfriend". Maggie had been talking to the "new" sister to get details on her, and found that the new sister's birth mother had the SAME first and middle name as Maggie. My heart really did break for her, as she was so upset by all of this new info. 

Keep in mind, everyone involved at this point has passed away other than us "kids". I needed more info. I was not getting a clear picture. I studied my Ancestry results closer. I realized that Maggie had tested at 23andMe, not Ancestry. They are 2 different companies, and they do not share or overlap results. Whichever company you choose to test with, your results are limited to the people who choose the same company, leaving a lot of relatives off the table.

October 2021...So, it made sense for me to run right out and buy a 23andMe DNA kit, and test myself, to create my own relationship with the new sibling. 

5: Uh Oh...

When you test at Ancestry, they can tell you the numerical amount of DNA you share with other testers, and then based on that, approximate what the relationship is based on what information they have. They will say something like "you are likely cousins, but based on the number you could also be these other relationships", depending on where on the tree you find yourselves.

Ancestry is an exceptional tool for chasing paper. I decided to let my 23andMe tree be all DNA based, and my Ancestry tree paper/document based.  

So I got my results back from 23andMe and was very excited to compare lines, overlap info and meet my new sister. She was not there. My existing sister appeared as a half sibling. That basically meant that we only shared one parent. One of us was going to have a surprise. 

A sure way to confirm it...get a known blood relative of my dad to test.  He has a daughter from his first marriage in MN, so we contacted her and tested her.  She connected with my sister, and did not appear on my matches.  This clearly meant that the person I knew as my father was NOT my biological father. 

6: So We Restart The Journey...

So now the questions arise; who is my father, how did this happen, would this be a surprise to my dad or to my biological father?  Did my mother have any clue?  Did my father have any clue?  But these questions would go unanswered, unless my biological father were somehow still alive. 

So, armed with the info I have at Ancestry, with distant cousins that I have names for, and my new DNA tree at 23, I create a cross reference of contacts that I try to make sense with.  I try to separate my maternal and paternal lines to get a better grasp of who is on my paternal line and what common relatives we may share, and if that will lead me to my father. 

Once I have a better picture of things, I reach out to my cousins. I send a screen shot of my info to my new friend/cousin in New Jersey and ask if anyone looks familiar.  She says "yes...that person is my daughter" (who had DNA tested at 23andMe). 

Major breakthrough. Now I start quizzing her about her family...how many brothers and sisters does her dad have? Do you recognize any of these names of my cousins by DNA?  Yes, one stuck out, her Aunts son.  Another close cousin of mine.  This was clearly showing me where to look for my father, and it was not going to be one of her aunts, my father HAD to be a male, which limited it to 3 people, her dad or one of his brothers. This was aligning with the projections I was seeing at 23andMe. 

7: Whodunit

Wasn't thinking it was her dad since our suggested relationship was cousin.  Her other uncle would have been in the military out of the area around that time, and the most unlikely candidate. Another uncle was looking good because he was in the area, well known, and in a position to make it likely. So, in my mind, I would need a child of the other uncle to test to see how closely we matched.  In addition to my old friend in NJ who I was talking regularly with about this (and who was SUPER cool about it), I had phone conversations with her aunt's son, and became friends with their family. I became Facebook friends with the daughter of the brother that was in the military, who also was very helpful with information and not unhappy to hear from me.  This adventure was made easier by a large amount of cooperation, and acceptance from the family members I had contact with.

What was proving MORE elusive was getting that final confirmation, which would involve getting the son or daughter of the local uncle to take a test to see if we were matched as siblings. I reached out and could not get that done. My cousin working with me on that felt that it would be heartbreaking for them, and based on what he knew about the family, it was MORE likely that the other brother, my cousins dad, was the culprit. 

I needed my friend in NJ to take a 23andMe test.  Her sister had already done Ancestry, so I needed someone on the blood line to jump to the other company with me to compare apples to apples. She agreed, but, accidentally ordered the Ancestry test instead...which was still helpful.  This provided more info into the system, and since she had more of a public setting than her sister, it showed the DNA thru lines, which basically confirmed that she and I were siblings not cousins. 

8: Revelation

Based on this info, with a very high degree of confidence, we determine that the girl that I met randomly at work in 2019 is my sister, and we have the same father. I have since done an extensive amount of research on their family to get an idea of the family history and where my DNA story goes to. 

This has created an ongoing internal dialog with myself. There are so many things that this helps me to understand about myself, as there were always things different about me than my siblings. There were always times when me being me was going against the grain, and some of that makes sense now. 

I do wonder if my Dad (I will say DAD for the man that raised me and FATHER for biological) had any idea about any of this when I was born, or if he thought I was his.  I study how I was treated over the years and wonder if he knew; and that was why he was the way he was, or if he did not know and just had his moments.  My parents were NOT young when I was born.  My dad was 47 when I came along, so he was getting too cranky to be happy about raising a kid anyway.  I am not gonna dwell on that too much, or wonder about "what ifs" from the past, but it does explain a few things for me. I was not emotionally close to my father, we butted heads a lot and I found him to be quite unreasonable often. He was a good man in general, but he had a lot of issues and opinions. 

There are things about me that are different from everyone I grew up with. My 2 brothers and sister march to different drummers than me. My brother Bill often said of me, "how come YOU are the only normal one?". I think things out differently, eat differently, a lot of things itemize that make me different. 

9: The Fallout 

I am at peace with everything, and actually find some sense of relief in understanding things more clearly. I regret not getting a chance to be closer to the deceased members of the new family, and look forward to knowing the others who seem quite cool and are well grounded in the area where I was born, which adds to my sense of connection there. This was a lot to take on, but I am processing it well, in a healthy productive way.
 
My sister Maggie is cool with it...she says she "still considers me family". She has a lot of weight to carry on her own journey, and I respect that.   

I have not gotten any feedback from my brother Bill. From what I gather from Maggie, he knows the basic situation and does not doubt it. Bill and I no longer speak, as he has once again cut himself off from the family in the interest of being correct and not having to deal with people like me. There was some misunderstanding in regard to a national social situation, he felt strongly against, and he thought I was for it...but I had never said a word about it, but he roundly disowned me because he "has no time to deal with brainwashed people."  If that is what the value of the relationship came down to, I guess I have to be at peace with that. 

My other brother is in denial a bit.  He initially said that "there is no way, our house was like Leave It To Beaver, and that raising 3 kids at home there was not time for such things, and our mom was not a slut". He and I have not had a deep dive conversation after the fact, in consideration of all the irrefutable evidence I have supporting my story. We need to go to lunch and I can fill him in with facts. He is largely not interested or impressed by DNA results or Ancestry, so I feel the news has probably troubled him more than anyone.  

I have a large extended family on my Moms side, from her daughter Ruth. Ruth and her husband Richard have passed away, and left a great family of nieces and nephews who loved Ruth very much, and my mom.  SO, this story may come as a shock and surprise to them and I hope I do not unintentionally ruffle any feathers by taking my story public; as it does kind of tarnish the reputation of both my Dad and Mom. 

To be fair, my mother is not alive to inform us, or defend herself, and we do not know what the nature of the union between she and my biological father was, so it is not up to any of us to be judge and jury for her.  It is what it is. But, it is not just MY story, it is our story, and I did not feel like keeping it secret to my grave.   

My biological father passed away young in 1973. My sisters in NJ were very young as well and have limited memories and anecdotes to share.  Fortunately, thanks to the internet and Facebook, I have access to people who knew him and can hear anecdotal stories to piece a few things together. He had an entrepreneurial spirit, which I share.  Those who know me really well will appreciate that he also ran gas stations and bars, which also parallels my life experience.  

10:  EPILOGUE

That is my story.  It is continuing to be written each day. I am happy that my sister in New Jersey found me randomly, and that she was so crucial in helping me put the pieces together. I thank the new cousins that helped me so much find my way. I am thankful to all the new friends and family I have found online who have been accepting and understanding. These events have triggered my enthusiasm for genealogy and ancestry research, and I am getting kind of good at it.  I am looking forward to writing another blog tracing my maternal and paternal roots back further than the country was here, and over the ocean. Both lines were here in colonial times, in the 1600s. I am solidly American historically. 

Thank you all for reading, and following my adventure...and for your understanding, and friendship. 

(EDIT: 8/27/2022 - NEW INFO has come to me in the most bizarre way, again, randomly meeting someone who had incredible information. He is a credible person, who I have vetted and spoken with and followed up with, and his story WILL be able to be proven, or to proven to be not true. That is my current goal, and once I have a closure on that process, I will either have an interesting story to tell, or a major story to tell for others... Stand by...)

(EDIT 9/2022 = More new info, while trying to figure out a connection to a strong DNA relative that I could not identify...and after hours of research have found a plausible explanation that has opened yet another amazing can of worms that defies the odds, and that I have backed up in some physical evidence...another amazing chapter being written)

     

              

               

   

       

       

My Complicated Relationship with Father's Day

My relationship with Father's Day is complicated. My admiration goes out to all who have great relationships with their Fathers, and to the Fathers who are important to their kids. I have a lot to say someday; I will say, father figures are less about the blood and DNA shared, and more about the role the person plays in a child's life. I never got to meet my actual birth father, I had a contentious relationship with my father that raised me, but his situation is not lost on me to a point of not understanding him. Everyone involved has passed away now, so I am not angsty or grudgy about anything. That relationship made me consciously decide to have no children of my own, and I have been helpful in raising children of others, which was equally contentious and satisfying on different levels. I am envious of those I know who have great Father/child relationships, and if you do not, I hope you at least have a figure in your life who guides you in some way.

These are the random things that cross my mind on Father's Day. It should not be a complicated day, but it is, and I largely ignore it. (Edit: this was posted at Facebook and there are many comments following from others, and their feelings. That post can be found HERE: FACEBOOK POST FATHERS DAY

The Most Beloved Figure In The Music World

If you asked me who I thought the most beloved figure in the music world is, after some thought, I would have to say Elton John.  My reasoning is...MOST people just know him as the flamboyant Rocket Man, portrayed by his 70s persona and the biopic of recent years. Outside of that, on a personal level, he does amazing things that no one will ever know about, that he does not promote and mark my words, come a day when he is gone, the stories of the lives he has touched will be endless. 

He is a voracious consumer of music and is aware of every new act and genre that is out there.  He often reaches out to up and comers and offers friendship, mentorship and guidance. 

He started his career as a session musician for hire, and even in the later years of his career, his love of performance for performance sake keeps him on the scene as a session collaborator for countless musicians he counts as his friends.  Even his Uber Eats commercials showcase his friendships and his amazing sense of humor.  The stories of his family, relationships and friendships and collaborations are not well known publicly for now, but mark my words...his legacy beyond his body of work will be the relationships he has forged as a friend and benefactor to many.  His notable charity work... His daily regimen of calling and checking in on people, with no agenda other than to check in...the roster is amazing, and diverse, as is his life. 

Good on Sir Elton.  May our time to wait to hear these stories be long.

Reflecting On The Relevance/Importance/Impact Of What I Do

"Choke me in the shallow water...before I get too deep..."

I often give thought to the things that I do to occupy my time and to make a living.  Often, those things are mutually exclusive.  I am a small businessman who makes money as a DJ and Karaoke Host.  I spend a lot of my free time working as a volunteer at managing and moderating different Facebook groups.  Some groups are just local community groups based in historic content and relevant events and changes.  Others are more based in historic memories and connecting people. 

Sometimes it feels that being a karaoke host is trivial and meaningless.  A lot depends on how the host/karaoke owner, handles their show and business.  I am sure there are some hosts who see karaoke purely as a job, or profit center or a way for them to sing and be heard without thinking as deeply about it as I do...probably too much, HAHA!  Some interpret what I do as useless, and as a negative because of the stigma of being in the bars, and the less than professional nature of many karaoke performances.  Those who are not indoctrinated in the karaoke lifestyle would have a difficult time understanding it, but those who follow the lifestyle need no explanation. 

When I am not feeling relevant, I often wonder what impact it would have if I just retired and stopped...or if I had never created the persona of Harryoke back in 1999. (I will be marking my 6000th show sometime in Feb/Mar 2022!)  What if I stayed in management, or sales, or started a different business?  I sometimes harken George Bailey in "It's A Wonderful Life" to see if Clarence can show me what things would be like if Harryoke had never come along. 

Many people often thank me for doing what I do and tell me what an impact I have made during my time as a karaoke host.  Sometimes I forget, or have a hard time seeing it.  I give that thought, and I am thankful to have found such a niche in the entertainment industry, and society, to make some sort of impact, no matter how small or trivial. 

This weekend I was given an opportunity to think even harder on it.  I had an extraordinary weekend where I traveled a far distance north to perform a wedding, and the next day travelled a far distance south to attend a funeral. 

I took stock of how many weddings I have been involved with; as an officiant, or just as a DJ, or even just an attendee, of people who I met through my Harryoke shows, or better yet who met at my shows, or through my social conduit.  I look at the wedding guests and realize my connection to many of them.  I look at how Harryoke was integral to guiding them to their path, and the path of their families, and now children. I look at how many friends, relationships and stories are born of one person finding my flock, and how that exponentially grows outward to so many.  

On the other end of the spectrum, attending the funeral of my friend who passed last week.  More Harryoke connection.  He was an attendee of my shows very early on in my career, and he and his girlfriend, then fiancee, then wife were regulars.  I was the DJ at their wedding.  While looking at the guests at the celebration of life party, I was taking note that I was also the DJ at the weddings of 3 other people in attendance, and had some very close old friends based from Harryoke shows over the last 20 some odd years.  Karaoke was a huge part of all of their social lives back then, and a social conduit for more than singing.  Dating, coping, escaping...  I reflected on other funerals I have both attended, and performed at, of people who I connected with as Harryoke, and the guests from the karaoke community who come and support the grieving family and friends.  

Over the years, I have discovered that karaoke is very much like church.  People join a church not only to praise, but for community fellowship and support.  Church attendance often becomes a social ritual for connecting with people, making business alliances, romance, social activity, grief support, networking to fulfill needs, and friendship.  The pastor is the manager of the social community.  Karaoke works in the same way.  

Most singers have their own reason for being at karaoke.  Many attendees who I consider "regulars" are not even singers.  They love the social aspect.  I take the role of the managing pastor, and bring my weekly meetings to different venues, attended by a community who seek my outlet.  Maybe they sing to find redemption in applause.  Maybe they are ego driven to be seen.  Maybe being on stage for 3 minutes lets them escape their problems and feel appreciated by those who applaud, or commend them for having the courage to get on stage.  Maybe they just like being in the fun, musically driven and mostly non judgmental arena of karaoke. Their offering is their support of the venues who allow me to do my thing...their purchase of drinks and food that allow the venue to subsidize my appearance.  

When I doubt the importance of what I do, I reflect on all of this.  I try to think back on all the stories over the years.  I realize then just how many lives have been touched. 

Not only weddings and romance...the stories of fund raising, charity, grieving for those who die, rallying around those who are suffering.  I know of stories where differences have been made in lives...lives spared from suicide, addiction, financial devastation, and just needing a push in the right direction, with the correct word, or meeting the right person to make things happen. The friends who stay connected socially using my shows as an outlet for family reunions and safe meeting places.  Music is such a strong force in people, and as trivial as karaoke may seem to an outsider, it definitely has a way of nourishing a soul.  Many people who lost the music over the years have found their voice at my show, and use that as an outlet to express themselves; an outlet that cannot be easily explained to outsiders.     

Over and over. These stories come to mind with similar familiarity, from people of ALL walks of life.  Poor, rich, young, old... 

I too have been a recipient of the benefits of the karaoke community.  Notably, back years ago when I had the horrific car crash and broke my neck.  I was out of work for nearly 3 months.  I came back way too soon, but the community looked out for me, did a fundraiser which helped bridge the income gap, and supported my return to work enthusiastically.  Again during the COVID shut down, when my work evaporated, and the lifestyle was not permitted socially for some time.  Several friends reached out to assist and to encourage and see what might need doing.  A support system, in place. If ever I am in need, need guidance, advice, assistance, doors opened, tequila brought from Jerusalem, HAHA...all I have to do is say the word, and people reach out.  I have amazing stories from over the years of how knowing karaoke people has rewarded me outside of karaoke, in the real world.       

On the surface it seems trivial, but the stories that come to mind from over the years yield a level of importance that I could not have comprehended back in 1999 when I first started out.  I used to be ashamed somewhat to admit I was a karaoke host to people outside of the lifestyle, as it seemed to be looked down upon.  Now, I "get it" and am proud of what I do and see the importance of it.  I look at the people I see, in person, online, and reflect on how I met them and what my relevance is to their lives.  Many have moved away to different pastures and I still remain in touch with them, and consider them close friends.  I even manage to impact lives from a great distance now and again, thanks to the internet. 

The internet, and notably Facebook, has been great for me to do my history work, maintain my local history pages and network socially in the community by sharing memories, doing research and sharing that information, and my annual history walks around Daytona.  Sometimes I think I am becoming more notorious for my Facebook work than my karaoke!!  Lori and I were shopping in Port Orange recently and I was getting recognized more by FB group members than local karaoke attendees! The historic work is something that I get thanked for very often, as many people love the content they read at my groups and are thankful to have old cloudy memories clarified, and to have a place to share theirs, and importantly, to find and connect with old friends and lost loved ones.  I see the importance of that.  My biggest regret is that it is based at Facebook, and it that platform ever vanishes, so will years of searchable information. 

IN CONCLUSION...

So my rambling and thinking out loud will cease now.  In retrospect, the persona of Harryoke has opened more doors for me since 1999 than any job I think I could have possibly taken in its place.  I am thankful for EVERYONE who participates and allows me to continue to make a living doing this "nonsense", and for all of you who have found your way into my social circle and allowed me into yours.  My professional legacy in the future will likely be the memories of the stories made at my shows, the people and families whose paths I have touched and the memories I facilitate thru my voluntary Facebook group efforts.  I think that is a pretty fair legacy compared to being the top salesperson somewhere or selling the most whatever, wherever. I am proud of what I do now, and of the importance that people place upon it.  While I will never take myself too seriously, I will respect and value and understand the sanctity of the church of karaoke and continue to professionally cater to that flock. Here is to the next story...            

 
      










         

2021 IGUIDB Walkabout: Welch Area / Highlands / Tuscawilla

 

(This blog has many pictures, you can click on them and they will open larger for you). 

 

Each year, on the Saturday following Thanksgiving, the members of the I Grew Up In Daytona Beach #2 (IGUIDB) Facebook Group meet to do a walkabout.  The idea is not necessarily a docent led tour, but, to pick an area of town that it is not likely anyone has seen on foot recently.  You see so much more on foot compared to driving or bicycling.  We take the walk and observe what is there, what is new, what is old.  We make note of any historic context, and take note of any questions we may have.  Afterwards, I compose this blog outlining our walk and adding historic context.  

Our 2021 IGUIDB Walkabout route took us to the Welch area and vicinity.  I have been thinking about this route for years, and leaned away from it because I was not sure how to make it interesting, and also felt that it was a long route.  Once I mapped it out, I was amazed that the entire course was only around 3.5 miles!  We covered a lot of ground, and it was actually far more interesting than I thought it would be.  We made a lot of observations, chatted and made some new friends, and walked off Thanksgiving.  Here is an outline of our activity this year. This will be a great read not only for those who went on the walk, but also for those who missed it and have an interest in the local history of Daytona. While my historic contexts SHOULD be correct, this is an informal report and I do not guarantee accuracy on exact dates/facts/figures, but share my info to the best of my knowledge.

We did take note that two events were very key in the shaping of this area, the depression in the 20s, and the war in the 40s.   

Chapter 1: Daytona Mall

Chapter 2: West Second Avenue/White Street

Chapter 3: Stadium/Welch Area

Chapter 4: Hospital / College Campus

Chapter 5: Volusia Avenue

Chapter 6:  Daytona Highlands

Chapter 7: Tuscawilla and Rosella Park   

CHAPTER 1: DAYTONA MALL

Our meetup spot was at Daytona Mall, in the south parking lot by Steak and Shake.  This would prove to be the only sketchy part of the walk, as the mall is largely abandoned and vacant on the south side, and there are a handful of businesses operating on the east side.  There seems to be a lot of activity in the area, but the mall is a shadow of its former self. 

 

Entering the mall entrance, the corridor is largely vacant with the exception of maybe 3 businesses catering to hair and nails. (We got to the dead end at the nail place and I asked the lady if she could handle us for 30 mani-pedi's, HAHA!  The look on her face.)  All other access has been cut off.  The area in the rear where the movie entrance used to be is fenced off and there is a state probation office located there.  An automotive shop is operating in the old Zayres automotive space.  The parking lot out back still has as many potholes as it did back in the day. 

Rear entry to the mall

Probation office at back of the mall

Hallway that used to be back mall/theater entry, now locked off and used by probation office

Someone had an oopsie

Nothing says sketch like a hoe drop.  HAHA

Overall, the mall is in neglected condition, and was the only spot on the walk where we encountered any street people / homeless people.  It was easily the most sketchy part of the walk. 

Historically, the land that the mall sits on was part of the original holdings of Mason and Coleman.  The property that the mall is on stretched from just east of White Street all the way to the river, bordered to the south by the Spanish canal that stretched from the river near the old Mainland campus, west to the airport property.  As it was subdivided, the lot had farmland and vacant acreage until the 1950s when Westgate Plaza was constructed. 

1882 plats of Mason and Colemans property by Daytona Mall, to River  

There was still operating farm land behind Westgate Plaza after it opened, operated by the Cone family.  The area where the former Medical Arts building and the clinic are today was the site of the Volusia Drive In.  The drive in property was developed when the Westgate Plaza was expanded.  Montgomery Wards arrived, and the outparcel where the clinic is was the site of their Automotive Center.  After Wards closed, many other tire shops, including Stevens, found a home there for awhile.  Ultimately the plaza was converted into the Daytona Mall.  For a short time the mall was relevant to the area, with anchor stores such as Wards, Zayres, Winn Dixie and the theater...great arcades, record and clothing stores, and food options including the Pappys and the Orange Owl.  The Orange Owl was originally a franchise called the Orange Bowl, and when they gave up the franchise, they took off the B. 

Over the years, tenancy has dropped, the layout reconfigured and anchors to the south came and went, including Circuit City and Burlington Coat Factory. 

While we were in the parking lot, waxing nostalgic, we looked across the street at the Krispy Kreme, a fixture on the corner since 1962.  We remembered the dairy behind it and the building shaped like a milk bottle.  That was demolished to make way for Mims Lincoln Mercury in 1969.  The Winn Dixie left the mall and moved across Nova to a free standing building.  A&P took the spot where WD had been at the plaza.  We remembered the Chick Nik at the outparcel close to where Steak and Shake is today. The Westgate Plaza has a strong area legacy among those of us of a certain age. 

HISTORIC CONTEXT:



 

1965 Image of Wards showing the old Magnolia location in the insert

The Canal Road intersection of Volusia.  Bridge over the canal to the right, Westgate Plaza to the left.  

The Cone Farm behind the Plaza, 1963

Aerial view of the drive in and plaza, 1958

CHAPTER TWO:  WEST SECOND AVENUE / WHITE ST

We continued our walk from the mall property, and headed west on Second Av...that is, Mary McLeod Bethune Blvd.  One had to note how lovely that area is these days.  The residences all seemed tidy and well kept and loved.  Walkers were noting which houses they had lived in, or that were constructed by family members. 

Making our way to White Street, we came to the college campus, Greenwood Cemetery and Mt. Sinai Cemetery.  I do not have exact history on the Greenwood, but it is the older of the two.  Some references have it founded before the turn of the century (one reference said 1869!).  Mentions in the 1920s have it described as being on West Second Avenue.  Mount Sinai was founded in 1937 by Harry Pepper and Mack Roth with help from Harry Haigh of Haigh-Black, to fulfill the need for a Jewish cemetery.



White Street is an amazing wide roadway.  The residences along the route for the most part are very tidy and well kept.  Only one abandoned home. 

We continued north to Willis Street, at the Blind Services Center.  All of the property in this area was extremely well maintained. 

          

HISTORIC CONTEXT: 

CHAPTER THREE:  Stadium / Welch Area 

Heading west on Willis to Heineman took us past the Welch area.  Historically, this was an area that flourished during WW2 when the military took it over and established their presence there.  The military commandeered the hospital and used the Welch pools for therapy for injured soldiers. There were training facilities and a strong WAC presence here.  This was a vital area during WW2, and after the war, everything was sold off as military surplus.  Some of the quanset huts went on to service in other parts of the city, notably near State Av and 10th St in Holly Hill where several are still standing.  This was the genesis of the Mary Karl school which eventually evolved into Daytona State College.  The campus has spread and taken over most of the Welch area.  It is a beautiful and well thought out campus. 

WAC Cantonment

In 1954, discussion to build a high school where the college is now. 
  

Locals will remember many icons of the past from this area, including Skateland, Welch Pool, Highlands Presbyterian (before they moved to Derbyshire), Highlands Elementary, racquetball courts, and much more!   

It is difficult to encapsulate the area currently with photographs, but you could drive around it virtually using Google Maps. 

CHAPTER FOUR:  HOSPITAL AND COLLEGE CAMPUS 

Walking south on Heineman from Willis, you are instantly enveloped by the Hospital to the west and college to the east.  The hospital now stretches from Willis south to ISB.  It is an massive sprawling campus.  The college has taken over most of the Welch area and all the property from Heineman to White Street.  Both the hospital and college grounds remain well maintained despite their growth and size. 

Highlands Elementary now being used as industrial space for the college

Early Aerial Pic of Hospital

The lake across from the hospital back in the day that likely gave Lakeshore Drive its name. This pic may be from the 30s.  

 CHAPTER FIVE:  VOLUSIA AVENUE

We made the observation that most of us had not been on the sidewalk along this corridor since our school days.  From the hospital campus, we peered over to the KMart Plaza and remembered things from the past like the Brundage Trailer Park, Sherrys, Curbys and other iconic businesses.  KMart came around 1970.  The Mainland Campus in 1962.  All of this was outside of city limits at the time, on the outskirts of "the boonies" back in the day.  The city grew west to meet the developments. 

So, how and why has the hospital been in that prime area since the 1920s?  Likely due to the land boom of the 1920s, before the depression.  All of the area there was platted out as a golf community.  None of the development west of the current Highlands at Tarragona area ever came to fruition.  When the plaza was constructed for KMart, the county formally abandoned the roadways that were platted underneath...some likely used by the trailer park that was there.  

1925 plats of Daytona Highlands Golf Club, at 92 and Clyde Morris area 

The leg of ISB from the airport to Nova is heavily travelled, the main corridor thru the heart of the city.  The view of the hospital, college and school campus are impressive to passersby, and even more intimidating while walking slowly past.  Regrettably, a strip plaza has appeared at the eastern side of the high school campus, pushing toward the arch.  Daytona Highlands is fighting back to prevent such development, but could not stop this from being constructed.  That said, it is not a horrible looking plaza and likely serves the college and high school students well. 

Clearing land for new campus in 61

CHAPTER SIX: DAYTONA HIGHLANDS

Daytona Highlands appeared during the land boom of the 1920s and was laid out with plans for Spanish style architecture homes.  The arch at Tarragona was the grand entrance.  Originally, Volusia avenue was not the main thoroughfare out of town.  Bellevue was the route to DeLand out of Daytona.  Before WW2, Volusia was not a main route, with very little development past Lakeshore Dr (Clyde Morris).  The arch had two sides originally, one to Tarragona, and one west on Volusia.  When Volusia was widened in the 40s to provide access for military vehicles for defense, and to access the Welch area, the northern half of the arch was demolished. 

In 93, when 92 was further widened, there was talk about demolishing the remainder of the arch.  Instead, the arch was jacked up, put on rails and rolled to its current location, slightly SW of the original location. 

Abstract showing the arch crossing Volusia Avenue before 43

Back when you could still drive under it before the big move 

Daytona Highlands still retain many of the original Spanish architecture homes, and they also have a mix of great mid century modern homes.  It is still a desirable area to live in, and homes in that area command good prices.  Most all seem tidy and well maintained.  The home pictured below was for sale for $450,000. 

Infamous Suicide Hill

If you crawl up on the western ridge there is a path north to south the separates the highlands from the Riddle campus.  It is fun to explore out there.   

We went east on Orange Avenue.  There was so much more to see in the Highlands area, but just too far to walk.  Derby Hill, Suicide Hill, the ridge along the western border and so many of the great homes.  The stroll along Orange led us to Tuscawilla Park.

 



CHAPTER SEVEN - TUSCAWILLA PARK   

At the main entrance to Tuscawilla Park, we are greeted by the War Veterans Memorial that was previously in Riverfront Park back in the day, until it was eventually moved into storage then set up at Tuscawilla. 

Memorial as it appears in the park currently, and past pics of the memorial downtown, 1940s and earlier...

 

Tuscawilla was originally private property held by the Highlands Corporation and sat in a natural unmolested habitat.  It was platted for development as a subdivision called Tuscawilla Park, with street names all named for Native American Indian tribes. 

There had been much discussion among nature lovers that the city should purchase the land and preserve it.  After many many years the city finally bought it, around 1948.  Alys Clancy and the garden club were very active in this campaign, and in the efforts to utilize the space and make it a city asset. In 1969 there was a full blown renovation of the park that created most of the paths and ponds that are there now.  There was talk of a full rec facility that never came about.  In more recent years, the park has become the home to Frisbee Golf enthusiasts, and a zipline has been installed on the northern end of the park that is popular.  

The property just to the west of Tuscawilla is known as Rosella Park.  That was considered in the purchase of Tuscawilla as well.  Rosella was the name of the owners wife.  We cut over to Rosella Park, walked thru the church property back to 92, and crossed back to our cars, ending our annual walkabout. 

did not want to get caught digging the scene at the park HAHA...

 

Planned pavilion that never was  

1948 reprieve from development.  John J Whalen owned a lot of land in the area.  

Original 1925 plat of Tuscawilla Park, to be developed as home sites

We crossed over by Frederick street, and looking at the office buildings and bank there reminded me of when they decided to build a bank on the north side, that the family who lived there opted to move their house, rather than demolish it.  They moved it off that corner in the 70s, and all the way to the western dead end of 6th Street, at the edge of what was woods back then.  The house still stands at that dead end today. 

   


IN CONCLUSION - OUR TAKEAWAY  

Everyone says how horrible this town is, and to be crude, what a shithole it is.  We were waiting to find the horrible part, but we just never saw it.  To be fair, the mall area was the sketchiest site of our day, and once we headed away, we were hard pressed to find ANYTHING to complain about.  EVERY property seemed tidy and well maintained.  We were not accosted or endangered at all.  We did not see a speck of litter, did not see any derelict property to be embarrassed about.  While we expected disappointment, we found a great little area.  Several of us mentioned we would be perfectly happy living there...especially in the Highlands.  It was sad to see some of the changes, but many have been done quite well, and as is the case of the schools and hospital, quite beneficial to the area. 

So when you really want to see a city, get out and walk it and explore.  Get to know your city first hand.  It might just surprise you.  Hope you enjoyed the coverage of this years walk.  If you have any questions, see any mistakes or if I forgot anything just let me know.

See you next year. If you have a suggestion for next years walk, be sure to let me know. 

Harry