Volusia County Courthouse - Peter Schreyer

Mr. Jim Wright, owner and restorer of historic commercial building on Wright’s Corner, DeLand, Fla.
When completed in 1921, the red brick building represented the first business venture for African-Americans in DeLand. It was constructed by the DeLand Mercantile Association on land purchased from Mr. Wright’s grandfather. It originally housed a grocery and meat store, theater, pool hall, restaurant and a service station.

Mr. John Strawn, third-generation owner of historic Bob White Packing House, DeLeon Springs, Fla.
In the 1880s Mr. Strawn’s grandparents moved from Illinois to Volusia County, where they were the first to plant orange trees. By 1915 they had become one of the largest citrus growers in Central Florida. Listed on the National Registry of Historic Places, the current packing facilities were constructed in the early 1920 and closed for business after the devastating freeze of 1983 to 1984.

Spring Hill neighborhood native Mrs. Elizabeth Durant, age 92, with her daughter Jacque Jenkins next to the remnants of a family-owned grocery store, DeLand, Fla.
Widowed for 30 years, Mrs. Durant is the only survivor of a family of five brothers and sisters. For the past 49 years she has lived in the same neighborhood, situated across the street from the former grocery store. She says she “really likes living” and appreciates the nice neighbors.

Mrs. Luella Ross, teacher’s aide and interpreter of regional history, Pioneer Settlement for the Creative Arts, Barberville, Fla.
A resident of the small rural community of Pierson since 1968, Mrs. Ross grew up on a turpentine farm in Union County, north Florida. She spent many of her younger years living in a quarter or section house similar to this one, which has been preserved as a living history monument at the pioneer center. She has worked there part time since the mid-1980s, teaching visiting school groups about the “old ways” of living in the rural South. Because of her demonstrations on how to make butter, some of the children have dubbed her “the butter lady.” In addition, she teaches natural health courses, a skill she had learned a long time ago from her mother, a seamstress and midwife.

Pastor Troy A. Bradley with members of the Progressive Mother’s Club, Greater union First Baptist Church, DeLand, Fla.
Winton Daniels, Eva White, Williemae Hill and Albert Howell are posing in front of the 12-year-old historic church where Pastor Bradley has led a 35-member congregation since 1999. His church responsibilities include weddings and funerals as well as various ministries whose mission is to assist families and individuals in need. In addition, Mr. Bradley works as a full-time campus adviser at Southwestern Middle School in DeLand.

The Catalino Frias Family, Seville, Fla.
Parents Catalino Frias and Renigia Castaneda are proud of their new home in the New Hope Villas of Seville subdivision. Mr. Frias currently serves as the president of the Farmworker Association of Florida, a statewide advocacy organization for agricultural workers. As an active member of that organization for the past 13 years, he was a tireless advocate for the construction of this new housing community. Together with their daughters and grandchildren, the family has lived in Volusia County for more than 20 years.

The Timoteo Estrada Family, Pierson, Fla.
Grandparents Epifanio and Maria Estrada, children Osiel, Monica, Marina and Jaime live with tier father, Timoteo, a widower, in a big house in the center of Pierson. Originally from Mexico, the Estrada family has made their home in Volusia County for the past 13 years. Mr. Estrada works as a fern cutter in the local agricultural industry. All his children are bilingual, including Osiel, 11, and Monica, 6, who were born in Volusia County.

Mrs. Tammy Elcyzum and Mrs. Gladys Clifton, two generations of postmasters, Barberville, Fla.
Mrs. Elcyzum and her husband, who is from Ukraine, have been residents of Volusia County since 1990. The small post office serves 260 postal box holders and a general population of more than 3,000. An area native, Mrs. Clifton served as the postmaster from 1961 to 1984.