Photo Post Card Daytona Beach FL 1911 The Plaza Resort

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Original Vintage Photo Post Card at Daytona Beach, Florida from 1911 showing The Plaza Hotel, which burnt down and was rebuilt coming back as the new "fireproof" Clarendon Hotel on January 1st, 1911. As a special tourist attraction the Clarendon Hotel and the City Leaders contracted with an airplane manufacturer to perform a "Flying Exhibition" on the beach as a tourist attraction. Photo post card measures 10" by 3 1/2" and has a crease in the lower right hand corner. The post card does have writing on the back, it was not sent there is no stamp. Historical information on the Plaza Hotel from their current website: "A Brief History of the Long Legacy of the Plaza Resort For more than 100 years, the Plaza Resort has stood watch over Daytona Beach. Many hotels have come and gone, but the Plaza has weathered storms, fires and economic disasters to remain a distinguished landmark on the World's Most Famous Beach.The Plaza's history begins in 1888, just 12 years after Daytona had its first "town" meeting. One of the fist American settlers to the area, Charles Ballough, built a large beach cottage at the end of Ocean Boulevard. Although it was a summer residence for the Wisconsin native at first, the cottage was soon expanded and named "The Clarendon". This cottage was to become what we now know as the Plaza Resort.In the spring of 1895, Ballough formed a partnership with another local business man. The two combined their properties including the Clarendon, the Breakers (on the North side) and a 1,200 foot pier (on the South). With the successful partnership, the Clarendon and the Breakers were joined as "The Clarendon Hotel". The hotel was complete with a casino, spacious porches overlooking the ocean and a stable/livery for horses and carriages. The cost to stay at the Clarendon started at $3.50 per night.At the time, Daytona Beach was the "end of the line" for Henry Flagler's railroad. The Daytona Beach area was a popular tourist destination for the wealthy. Daytona, Seabreeze and Daytona Beach were considered the hub of Florida. The three cities would not be combined into Daytona Beach, as we know it today, until 1926.In February of 1909, tragedy struck the popular hotel. At the height of the Winter Season, a fire broke out and the entire hotel was destroyed. Guests were rushed out of the hotel at put-up at the nearby Colonnades Hotel. Although, many guests stayed for hours on the beach to watch the grand hotel burn.Three months later, Philadelphia architects Price & McLanahan completed plans for the brand new "fire proof" Clarendon Hotel. Guestrooms were built of solid mahogany, with glass doorknobs and buff marble floors. The "new" Clarendon was opened on New Year's Day in 1911. The famous hotel had risen from the ashes with more grandeur than ever. Hotel guests were treated to Turkish baths, an 18-hole golf course, horseback riding and trap shooting. At the time, the Clarendon was one of only two major hotels on the east coast of Florida that directly faced the Atlantic Ocean.Just one month after opening, City leaders and the Clarendon contracted with an airplane manufacturer to perform a "Flying Exhibition" on the beach as a tourist attraction. The Wright Brothers had only taken their maiden voyage eight years prior, so the novelty of manned flight was still very much a curiosity of the time. For $3,500, John A. D. McCurdy brought his "Silver Dart" airplane to Daytona, by train. The airplane, complete with bicycle tires as landing gear, made a series of 3 flights along the beach to the delight of visitors and residents." I invite you to check out my other auctions as I have many more assorted and interesting items listed. Item will be shipped USPS First Class Mail. Shipping and handling is a fixed price for both Domestic and International. I gladly combine shipping. I accept PayPal only per eBays new acceptable payments policy. Shipping and handling is $3.50 for Domestic and $5.50 for International. Non-Paying winners will be reported to eB... read more

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