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TRAVEL SKETCHESNew SmyrnaThe motorcade first went to Ormond, where we had another view of the hotel, John D. Rockefeller’s home, and the beach. We drove down the beach for several miles past Ortona and Seabreeze toward New Smyrna, our destination. Westopped once to examine some ancient ruins, consisting mostly of stone foundations supposed to be ruii;s of early Spanish homes. We arrived at New Smyrna about four O’clock. After driving through the city we were taken to the ruins of an old mission which is supposed to antedate any structure on the coast, including those ancient ruins of St. Augustine. The following interesting account is the basis of their claims:“New Smyrna is one of the oldest towns in the United States, and some say she antedates St. Augustine by about six months. Certain it is that her claims seem to be well founded. Spanish records in Madrid, Spain, speak of a colony being founded at New Smyrna nearly five hundred years ago. Just west of the present city are the ruins of Fort Columbus, said to have been built by Christopher Columbus in 1512. The exact date of the first SpaK \sh settlement here is unknown bu. Dr. Andrew Turnbull, an Englishman, established a town herein 1765, when Florida was a British province. Dr. Turnbull (very aptly named, it seems) brought a colony of fifteen hundred Greeks, Italians, and Minorcans here and named the town New Smyrna, after his wife’s Greek birthplace. He constructed an extensive system of drainage and irrigation canals, working his people, men and women alike, so hard that they died like flies. The drainage canal along the main street of the town (still open and running) is said to have been dug almost entirely by Minorcan women working with sea shells. The entire area west of this city is said to have been under cultivation at this time, and evidences of such a fact still remain in the stone indigo vats to be found in that section. Of course, the venturedid hot prosper, many of the colonists deserting and taking refuge in St. Augustine.“For seven miles along the river bank the ruins of Minorcan houses are scattered. The floors of these houses are made of native coquina4 4rock, while the chimneys and wellsare curbed with hewn stone. That the colony wss projected with great energy is indicated by the drainage canals, the indigo vats, and the ruins of the old sugar mills. There is still to be found the old Spanish mission supposed to have been the Minorcans’ Church of San Pedro Mosquito, deserted when the colonists fled to St. Augustine and later used as a sugar mill. With its vine-clad walls and its quaint arches ihis ancient piece of masonry offers an interesting bit of color to the local history.”After viewing the ruius, taking some snapshots at various angles,and plucking some of the beautiful flowers growing along the banks of the ancient ditches, we returned to the city, where we found promising indications of a splendid banquet to be served in the near future.A section of the street a block long, a part bf the Dixie Highway, had been roped off in the residence district and swept clean. A long line of tables had been placed in the center, and preparation of the feed” was well under way.While preparations for the meal were being completed we noticed a sign on a lot nearby calling attention to a proposition relative to a dwelling that was being erected on the lot. On closer examination we learned that this enterprising city of New Smyrna had conceived an original and doubtless effective plau of advertising their town.The chamber of commerce had purchased a fine lot on one of the main streets, right on the Dixie Highway, and was building a neat six-room bungalow equipped with all modern conveniences, aud expected to complelely furnish it in every detail, even to silverware for the dining table, and give lot, building, and furnishings, absolutely free, to the individual furnishing the best written article on the subject, “Why I should own my own home in New Smyrna. ” Thetofler is to everybody, everywhere, and stands open until some time next February, at which time the contest will close and the deed will be delivered to the individual who has submitted the best article. As the property represents $7500 the successful entry will probably be one of the highest priced articles of the year, and probably the only[Continued to page eight]
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Industry Press
Industry, Illinois, US
Thu, Aug 25, 1921
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FL, USA 18 Feb 2023
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