DELAND, Fla. – The city of DeLand announced Monday that it is launching two “digital historic tours” on Google Maps and Google Earth as part of National Historic Preservation Month.
According to city officials, the two self-guided tours will allow people to explore many of the city’s historic sites and landmarks, which date back more than a century.
Recommended Videos
Over 20 sites are featured in the tours, mapping out the following historic districts in the city:
- Downtown DeLand Historic District
- Stetson University Historic District
- Garden District
- West DeLand Residential Historic District
Combined, those districts feature more than 450 historic buildings, according to city officials.
The tour offered on Google Maps shows the locations for several of these historic sites, allowing users to map out their tours on a GPS and ride along in their vehicles. To check out that tour, click here.
[TRENDING: Become a News 6 Insider]
As for the virtual tour offered on Google Earth, it allows users to explore DeLand and its historic locations from the comfort of their own home. To check out that tour, click here.
“We’re excited to offer these digital historic tours as a way to connect to our city’s past,” DeLand Mayor Chris Cloudman said. “This is a great opportunity for all to learn more about our city and its unique history.”
As part of the city’s preservation projects, city officials said they have invested more than $150,000 in structural improvements to the DeLand House Museum, which is operated by the West Volusia Historical Society.
In addition, city officials said they are raising awareness among property owners about the tax exemptions available for historical properties. Those exemptions would allow up to 100% of the assessed value of improvements to those properties to be tax-exempt.
For more information on the city’s digital historic tours, click here.
To learn more about historical tax exemptions offered in Volusia County, click here.
Get today’s headlines in minutes with Your Florida Daily: