Archive for the ‘Parks’ Category
Ormond Memorial Art Museum & Gardens
Enjoy a tropical getaway in a formal public garden right along SR 40 in Ormond Beach
Admission: Free
The Ormond Memorial Art Museum & Gardens provide a two-fold aesthetic experience. The gardens, established in the 1940s as a war memorial, designed by Chicago landscape architect Henry Stockman, are atop a sand dune. With lush native plantings, winding pathways, a waterfall, and multiple levels with ponds where turtles sun, it’s a visual and aromatic delight. Benches in quiet spots provide places for relaxation and reflection, and there’s a touch of history in one corner—the 1885 Emmons Cottage, which was moved here from Beach St. Built of heart pine, this pioneer structure withstood many a hurricane and the ravages of the salt breeze; it is open Wed–Fri 11–2 and features fine art from local artists. At the other corner of the gardens, the art museum began with the donation of 56 religious paintings by Canadian artist Malcolm Fraser in 1946, which sparked a community-wide effort to fund a museum. Originally called the Ormond War Memorial Art Gallery, it was the first Florida memorial to honor World War II veterans. The museum has expanded from its original space to include a new building with rotating exhibits by regional artists.
Museum open Mon–Fri 10–4, Sat–Sun 12–4, donation
Gardens open sunrise–sunset, free.
Ormond Memorial Art Museum & Gardens
78 E Granada Blvd
Ormond Beach, FL
386-676-3347
www.ormondartmuseum.org
Visit an ancient village: The Green Mound
Explore the remains of an ancient civilization near Daytona Beach
Admission: Free
The Green Mound is one of the largest pre-Columbian middens in Florida, and can be explored on the trail system through Ponce Preserve. The mound is thought to have been built by late St. Johns period cultures, after AD 800, and was greatly disturbed prior to the 1940s—as many middens were—by removal of materials for roadfill. Excavations in the midden have uncovered evidence of a village, including postholes marking the corners of raised houses.
The Green Mound is protected by Ponce Preserve, along Peninsula Drive between Wilbur-by-the-Sea and Ponce Inlet. Open daily, dawn to dusk. Removal of artifacts (including oyster shells) prohibited.
Antebellum glory at the Gamble Plantation
P
lay Scarlett among the oaks at the antebellum Gamble Plantation
Admission: Free admission to the park. $5 for tour.
Flanked by 300-year-old oaks, the grand entrance to the Gamble Plantation Historic State Park along US 301 is reminiscent of a scene from “Gone With The Wind.” And like the mythical Tara, the last remaining antebellum plantation in South Florida played an important role in the last days of the War Between the States. As one of the first post-statehood settlers in southwest Florida, Major Robert Gamble established his 3,500-acre sugar plantation along the Manatee River in 1843, shipping his finished products downriver and out into the Gulf of Mexico to New Orleans. Built of tabby (a mix of oyster shells and lime) with walls 2 feet thick, his Greek Revival mansion was designed to trap cool air like a cave and to utilize rainwater cisterns for fresh water.
