Florida Senate - 2018 (NP) SR 1938
By Senator Hukill
14-03551A-18 20181938__
1 Senate Resolution
2 A resolution celebrating the 250th anniversary of the
3 founding of New Smyrna Beach.
4
5 WHEREAS, New Smyrna Beach has a rich heritage and history
6 that began with the Timucua Indians, who lived in the area for
7 several hundred years as hunters, gatherers, and fishermen and
8 developed a highly aristocratic tribe, and
9 WHEREAS, in 1768, Andrew Turnbull, a Scottish physician and
10 entrepreneur, obtained a grant from the British Crown and
11 established a colony of 1,225 immigrants on the coastal
12 plantations of what was then known as Smyrnae, and
13 WHEREAS, this colony was the largest single attempt at
14 colonial settlement in the United States and is recognized as
15 being the second-oldest European-settled community in this
16 state, and
17 WHEREAS, the settlement was located on the west bank of the
18 Indian River across from one of coastal east Florida’s
19 relatively few inlets and consisted of people of many cultures
20 who spoke many languages, and
21 WHEREAS, inspired by the irrigation system in Egypt, Dr.
22 Turnbull’s colonists built a similar system of canals lined with
23 coquina rock, which remain beneath the streets of New Smyrna
24 Beach today, and
25 WHEREAS, Dr. Turnbull envisioned increased commercial
26 production of crops, such as corn, indigo, rice, and cotton,
27 with indigo being the primary crop, which led to the
28 establishment of 13 indigo processing works to maintain high
29 production, and
30 WHEREAS, many settlers were killed during the first year of
31 the Second Seminole War, but resettlement began shortly
32 thereafter, and in 1887, with a population of 150, the Town of
33 New Smyrna was incorporated under Florida law, and
34 WHEREAS, in 1892, Henry Flagler’s East Coast Railway
35 arrived, spurring the development of the area’s economy, which
36 was then based on the tourism, citrus, and commercial fishing
37 industries, and
38 WHEREAS, at the turn of the 20th century, the town
39 continued to grow, with the population increasing fourfold over
40 the course of the next two decades, and
41 WHEREAS, today, about 800 structures remain standing from
42 the historical period, such as the Old Fort, whose ruins and
43 origin remain a mystery to this day and serve as an important
44 reminder of the incredible heritage of New Smyrna Beach, and
45 WHEREAS, New Smyrna Beach is home to museums and cultural
46 centers that keep the rich heritage of the city alive, such as
47 the Mary S. Harrell Black Heritage Museum, which serves as the
48 cornerstone of the Historic West Side community, and
49 WHEREAS, the New Smyrna Museum of History, located in the
50 old post office building, is the official repository of
51 archeological artifacts belonging to the City of New Smyrna
52 Beach and Volusia County and houses the formal exhibit to
53 commemorate the Turnbull Settlement and other important local
54 area artifacts and archives, and
55 WHEREAS, New Smyrna Beach is known as a surf hub that
56 attracts visitors from all over the world, and the excellent
57 surfing conditions have produced eight world-class surfers over
58 the years and have led many to call it one of the “Best Little
59 Surf Towns in America,” and
60 WHEREAS, New Smyrna Beach is home to the Atlantic Center
61 for the Arts, which is a world-renowned artist-in-residence
62 program where artists from all over the world come to work with
63 prominent artists in a supportive and creative environment, and
64 WHEREAS, New Smyrna Beach is known as the “Redfish Capital
65 of the World,” and many anglers participate in world-class
66 fishing offshore and in the backwaters of the Mosquito Lagoon,
67 and
68 WHEREAS, the Canal Street Historic District offers an
69 eclectic and vibrant blend of historic buildings, parks, art
70 galleries, and cultural attractions, which brings locals
71 together and also attracts visitors to the area, and
72 WHEREAS, New Smyrna Beach has an incredible 13-mile stretch
73 of sandy beaches along central Florida’s Atlantic coast, which
74 visitors and residents enjoy year round, and
75 WHEREAS, the 250th anniversary of the founding of New
76 Smyrna Beach is being celebrated at a number of sestercentennial
77 events throughout the year which recognize this milestone, NOW,
78 THEREFORE,
79
80 Be It Resolved by the Senate of the State of Florida:
81
82 That the 250th anniversary of the founding of New Smyrna
83 Beach is celebrated.