DeBary is a city in Volusia County, Florida, United States, on the eastern shore of the St. Johns River near Lake Monroe. According to the 2020 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 20,696. It is part of the Deltona–Daytona Beach–Ormond Beach, FL metropolitan statistical area, which was home to 553,284 people in 2019.

History

The Timucuan Indians once lived in the vicinity of Lake Monroe, where the domain of Chief Utina extended to just north of Lake George. They hunted, fished, and gathered plants and berries from the forest. By 1760, however, the Timucua had disappeared and been replaced by the Seminole tribe from Alabama and Georgia. Florida was acquired from Spain in 1821, but the Seminole Wars delayed settlement. In 1866, Elijah Watson of Enterprise sold land to Oliver and Amanda Arnett on the northern shore of the St. Johns River at Lake Monroe, where they built a house. The couple in turn sold 400 acre in 1871 to (Samuel) Frederick deBary, a wealthy wine merchant from New York City, and that same year, he erected a hunting lodge. Called "DeBary Hall", the 8,000-sq-ft (700-m2), 20-room Italianate mansion featured a two-tiered veranda, stables, an ice house, and the state's first swimming pool, fed by a spring. Visitors included Presidents Ulysses S. Grant and Grover Cleveland. Over time, he acquired an additional 9,000 acre, planting orange groves and pecan trees. Some debate remains as to whether this was actually the first pool in Florida, as a St. Augustine pool has also made the same claim. One possibility is that this was the first spring-fed pool in the state, In 1875, deBary bought a small steamboat, the George M. Bird, to transport his horses and dogs along the St. Johns River for hunting expeditions, and also to take fruit to market. He established the DeBary Merchants' Line in 1876, a steamship service contracted to carry mail between Jacksonville and Enterprise. It acquired the sidewheeler Frederick DeBary. In 1883, the firm merged with the Baya Line, owned by Colonel H.T. Baya, to create the DeBary-Baya Merchants' Line, with 13 steamboats and a crew of 3,000 running to Sanford. The DeBary-Baya Merchants' Line sold its business in 1889 to the Clyde Line, which survived until 1928. Frederick deBary died in 1898, and his mansion is today a restored museum, listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972. The estate, reduced to 10 acre, now features the community's oldest building, the Arnett House. Incorporated in 1993, the City of DeBary is named for its noted settler.

Geography

DeBary is located at 28.88422°N, -81.311°W. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 21.4 sqmi, of which 18.2 sqmi are land and 3.2 sqmi (15.02%) are covered by water. Konomac Lake, a reservoir for Florida Power & Light, is located in the city.

Demographics

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 22,260 people, 8,235 households, and 5,555 families residing in the city. As of the 2010 United States census, there were 19,320 people, 7,955 households, and 5,634 families residing in the city. In 2010, the population density was 1018 PD/sqmi. The population was distributed as 20.0% under the age of 18, 4.9% from 18 to 24, 24.9% from 25 to 44, 27.2% from 45 to 64, and 23.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.3 males.

Public transportation

Bus

DeBary is served by VOTRAN's #23,#31, #32, and #33 routes.

Rail

DeBary is served by SunRail, the Central Florida commuter rail system.

Parks and recreation

DeBary boasts several large parks and open land, each serving several outdoor activities. City parks Volusia County parks

Notable people

Education

Public primary and secondary education is handled by Volusia County Schools. The one elementary school in DeBary is DeBary Elementary. Students attend middle and high schools in the nearby cities of Deltona and Orange City.