DeLand Hall
421 N Woodland Blvd · 1884
The oldest continuously-used higher-education building in Florida. Original DeLand Academy academic building; named for founder Henry A. DeLand. Victorian Eclectic brick construction.[S19]
Related page
Stetson University Campus Historic District
Quick answer: The Stetson University Campus Historic District is a National Register of Historic Places district in DeLand, Florida, preserving the oldest private university campus in Florida. Its anchor building, DeLand Hall (1884), is the oldest continuously-used higher-education building in Florida.
Location
Address: 421 N Woodland Blvd, DeLand, FL 32720Hours: Campus open daily
Get directions on Google Maps
How the campus formed
Henry A. DeLand founded DeLand Academy in 1883 — a classical-education secondary school intended to anchor the new city he had platted just seven years earlier. The Academy expanded into post-secondary work within a year, and DeLand Hall, the first purpose-built academic building, was completed in 1884. DeLand Hall remains the oldest continuously-used higher-education building in Florida — a single built-artifact claim few American universities can match [S19].
In 1889, John B. Stetson — the Philadelphia-based hat magnate who wintered at his DeLand mansion and had become the school's primary benefactor — agreed to expand his support in exchange for the school's renaming. DeLand Academy became John B. Stetson University in 1889, and Stetson's funding (combined with Henry DeLand's continued involvement) drove the campus expansion of the 1890s–1910s [S11, S13, S19].
The core buildings of the historic district date from the period 1884–1907, with later additions through the 1920s–40s completing the district's period of significance.
Key buildings in the historic district
Elizabeth Hall
Stetson campus · 1892 (era)
Early academic building, historically housing arts and humanities programs. Used as the SCLSU academic building in The Waterboy (1998).
Related pageCummings Gymnasium
Stetson campus · Historic era
Historic brick gymnasium; principal filming interior for Walt Before Mickey (2015) and exterior gym scenes in The Waterboy.
Related pageSampson Hall
Stetson campus quad · Historic era
Historic academic building within the core campus quad.
Flagler Hall
Stetson campus · Historic era
Named for Henry Flagler, the Florida East Coast Railway developer and contemporary of John B. Stetson; historic academic building.
Stetson Hall
Stetson campus · Historic era
Named for John B. Stetson, the university's namesake and 1889 benefactor.
DuPont-Ball Library
Stetson campus · Historic era
Library building at the heart of the campus quad.
Hulley Tower memorial
Campus quad · Former carillon tower
Site of the former Hulley Tower carillon; now a contemplative memorial garden on the quad.
Related pageSpecific construction years and architect attributions are on file in the National Register nomination and the Stetson University archives.
Famous alumni & filming events on this campus
The Stetson University Campus Historic District has a disproportionate cultural footprint for a small private university.
- Jacob deGrom & Corey Kluber — 4 combined Cy Young AwardsBoth pitchers trained at Melching Field at Conrad Park, adjacent to the historic district.Deep page
- Gen. Roy Geiger (Stetson Law LLB 1907)The only Marine Corps officer to command an army in combat (Tenth Army, Okinawa 1945).Deep page
- Pam Bondi (Stetson Law JD 1990)87th U.S. Attorney General.Deep page
- The Waterboy (1998) — Adam Sandler comedyStetson's campus stood in for the fictional SCLSU; Elizabeth Hall, Cummings Gymnasium, and Spec Martin Stadium were principal filming locations.Deep page
- Walt Before Mickey (2015)Cummings Gymnasium was a principal filming location for the Walt Disney biopic.Deep page
Visiting the campus today
- Parking: visitor parking at designated lots; confirm at Stetson visitor information.
- Walking tour: Stetson Campus Walking Tour.
- Admissions tours: Stetson Admissions offers guided prospective-student tours — call the admissions office to schedule.
- Academic calendar: campus is most active August through May.
- Accessibility: paths are mostly ADA-accessible; individual historic-building interiors vary.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the Stetson University Campus Historic District?
- A National Register of Historic Places district preserving the main campus of Stetson University in DeLand, Florida — Florida's oldest continuously-operating private university campus, anchored by DeLand Hall (1884), the oldest continuously-used higher-education building in Florida. [S19]
- What is the oldest building at Stetson University?
- DeLand Hall, built in 1884 as the first purpose-built academic building of DeLand Academy (renamed Stetson University in 1889). DeLand Hall is also the oldest continuously-used higher-education building in Florida. [S19]
- When was Stetson University founded?
- As DeLand Academy in 1883 by Henry A. DeLand. Renamed John B. Stetson University in 1889 when Philadelphia hat magnate John B. Stetson became the school's primary benefactor. [S19]
- Was The Waterboy filmed at Stetson?
- Yes — Stetson's campus stood in for the fictional South Central Louisiana State University (SCLSU) in The Waterboy (1998). Elizabeth Hall, Cummings Gymnasium, and Spec Martin Memorial Stadium were principal filming locations.
- Can you visit the Stetson campus as a non-student?
- Yes — the Stetson campus is open to the public. A self-guided walking tour covers the historic district in about 1 hour.
- Is Stetson's law school on the DeLand campus?
- No — the Stetson University College of Law relocated from DeLand to Gulfport, FL (Pinellas County) in 1954. Stetson's undergraduate and graduate programs remain on the DeLand campus.
- What's the difference between the Stetson Campus Historic District and the Downtown DeLand Historic District?
- Two different National Register districts. The Stetson Campus Historic District is the Stetson University academic core at 421 N Woodland Blvd. The Downtown DeLand Historic District is the commercial core around Woodland Blvd and Indiana Ave. They are separated by about one mile.