In the 1870s, New York wine merchant Frederick deBary built a winter retreat in the St. Johns river area where he had hoped to try his hand at growing oranges. DeBary Hall, however, turned into a hunting estate and luxurious getaway for the upper echelons of society, and by 1941 had amassed more than 6,000 acres. Today, the estate spans only ten acres, but the main house, stables, a few outbuildings, and a collection of farming artifacts still remain to give visitors a taste of the nineteenth century high life and early tourism.
Exhibits, multi-media programs, and guided tours take guests on a journey that features the house, land, and stories of the people who lived and worked at the estate. The Hall is also the site of some wonderful events, including the Moonlight N' Mums Harvest Ball, the Artist of the Month changing exhibit, and Holidays at the Hall, when the estate is beautifully decorated to celebrate a Victorian Christmas.
