The origins of the word "Volusia" are unclear, though several theories exist:
The name came from a word meaning "Land of the Euchee", from theEuchee Indians who migrated into the area after theTimucua Indian cultures declined in the early 1700s.[5] The Euchees (or Uchees) lived in the area of Spring Gardens, about 10 miles (16 km) south of Volusia.[6]
It was named after a British settler named Voluz, who owned a plantation located on the St. Johns River in the late 1700s.[7]
The name originated from the Veluche, the surname of a French or Belgian owner of the trading post in Volusia. According to some, this was during the British regime, and according to others, it was around 1818. Over time, the name Veluche became anglicized to Volusia.[8]
The town was established by and named for Jere Volusia.[9]
The settlement was named by the Spanish after the celebrated Roman juristLucius Volusius Maecianus, who wrote 30 books and tutoredMarcus Aurelius, the Roman emperor and philosopher.[7]
Volusia on the right bank of the St. Johns River (c. 1835)Timucua owl totem found nearHontoon Island in the St. Johns River, Volusia County
Volusia County was named after its largest community, Volusia, when the Florida Legislature created it by dividing Orange County on December 29, 1854. At the time, Volusia County had about 600 residents.[5]
The land area of present-day Volusia County was long inhabited by the indigenousTimucua andMayaca peoples. Neither historic group exists today as distinctethnic tribes, having been decimated by disease and war in the decades after contact with European traders and settlers. The large shellmiddens atTomoka State Park and other evidence of their historic habitation can still be seen in various areas of Volusia County.
During the British occupation of Florida, a colony known asNew Smyrna was started in southeast Volusia County byAndrew Turnbull. This colony was connected toSt. Augustine, the capital ofEast Florida, via the Kings Road. After the failure of the colony the settlers, many of whom were ethnicMenorcan andGreek, traveled the 70 mi (110 km) to move to St. Augustine.
TheSeminole Indians, descendants of theCreek tribe of Alabama and Georgia who resisted forced relocation toIndian Territory, also camped in various parts of Volusia County. During theSecond Seminole War (1836–1842), the Seminole burned a large sugar plantation in what is today the city of Daytona Beach.
On the east shore of the St. Johns River in Volusia, in present-dayDeBary, GeneralWinfield Scott established a fort/depot in 1836 named Fort Florida.
Avenue of Moss-Covered Oaks, Near Ormond, Florida -- an 1893 duotone print
According to theU.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,432 square miles (3,710 km2), of which 1,101 square miles (2,850 km2) are land and 331 square miles (860 km2) (23.1%) are covered by water.[10]
Drawing of Volusia County in 1925 (looking east from theSt. Johns River)
Volusia County is bordered on the west by the St. Johns River andLake Monroe, and by the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Roughly the size ofRhode Island, Volusia is situated 50 mi (80 km) northeast ofOrlando, 60 mi (97 km) north of theKennedy Space Center, and 89 mi (143 km) south ofJacksonville.
The Volusia County government divides the county into three regions. This parallels the three calling regions used byBellSouth, the regional phone company:
Southeast Volusia, also known as the greater New Smyrna Beach area, includes the cities ofNew Smyrna Beach,Edgewater, andOak Hill; also the unincorporated areas close to these cities.
West Volusia, also called St. Johns River country (named for the St. Johns River, which flows nearby), includes the cities of Barberville, DeBary,DeLand,DeLeon Springs,Deltona,Glenwood, Enterprise,Lake Helen,Orange City,Pierson, andSeville, and the surrounding unincorporated areas close to these cities. Deltona is the largest city in Volusia County.
As of the2020 United States census, there were 553,543 people, 220,386 households, and 136,510 families residing in the county.
As of the 2000census,[20] 443,343 people, 184,723 households, and 120,069 families were residing in the county. The population density was 402 inhabitants per square mile (155/km2). The 211,938 housing units averaged 192 per square mile (74/km2). Theracial makeup of the county was 86.11% White, 9.29% African American, 0.31% Native American, 1.00% Asian, 1.86% from other races, and 1.43% from two or more races. About 6.57% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race; ancestry was 13.7%German, 11.5%Irish, 11.2%English, 10.7%American, and 8.7%Italian ancestry.
Of the 184,723 households, 24.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.40% were married couples living together, 10.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.00% were not families. About 27.90% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.32, and the average family size was 2.82.
In the county, the age distribution was 20.30% under 18, 8.20% from 18 to 24, 25.30% from 25 to 44, 24.20% from 45 to 64, and 22.10% at 65 or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.80 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $35,219, and for a family was $41,767. Males had a median income of $30,573 versus $22,471 for females. Theper capita income for the county was $19,664. About 7.90% of families and 11.60% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 16.30% of those under age 18 and 7.10% of those age 65 or over.
As of 2016, an estimated 205,310 households were in Volusia County. The total population was 510,806. About 86.8% spoke English as their only language, so 13.2% could speak a language other than English. The largest ancestry groups in the county wereEnglish-American at 15.7%,German-American at 12.3%,Irish-American at 11.0% andItalian-American at 7.0%.[21]
Until 1952, Volusia County was reliably Democratic, with Republicans only winning it once in 1928. From 1952 to 1988, Democrats only carried the county twice, in 1964 and 1976. Democrats then gained ground again by winning the county five times in a row. Since 2010, it has trended more Republican, and in 2024Donald Trump carried the county with the highest percentage for any candidate from either party since Reagan's 1984 landslide.
Previous Florida Gubernatorial election results in Volusia County[23]
Under Volusia County's council-manager form of government, voters elect a county council, which consists of seven members who serve four-year terms. Five are elected by district; the county chairman and at-large representative are elected county-wide.
The county council establishes ordinances and policies for the county. It also reviews and approves the county budget annually. The county council appoints a county manager, who carries out the will of the council and handles day-to-day business.
The county's courts operate from facilities in both DeLand and Daytona Beach. There, they preside over a variety of cases, including felonies, misdemeanors, traffic, and domestic cases in their dockets. An elected prosecutor tries cases for the public. Defendants may find representation through the office of the elected public defender.
The power of electing the county's sheriff lies with the county's residents. The county sheriff is directly responsible to the courts, but also to the state for the enforcement of state laws. The county sheriff's deputies provide law enforcement to the unincorporated areas of Volusia County, and assist the various municipal police departments, such as theDaytona Beach Police Department.
Many volunteers work alongside the paid professionals. Included are Citizen Observer Program (COP), who are volunteers working under the direction of the county sheriff and play a part in the county's policing operations.
The Volusia County Correctional Center and the Volusia County Branch Jail are both located on U.S. Highway 92, also known as International Speedway Boulevard, which is roughly equidistant between DeLand and Daytona Beach. The county's jail imprisons inmates awaiting trial, convicted offenders who have yet to be sentenced, or those who have been sentenced for a term of a year or less. Longer sentences may be served in theFlorida state prison system or alternatively in thefederal prison system according to the dictates of the offense.
The county centrally controls 14 libraries, with DeLand and Daytona Beach-City Island being the largest two. Each library branch is administered by geographic region.
Region
Libraries
Ormond Beach Region
Ormond Beach Regional Library
Daytona Beach Region
Daytona Beach Regional Library (Daytona Beach-City Island) John H. Dickerson Heritage Library (Daytona Beach-Keech St.) Hope Place Public Library
Port Orange Region
Port Orange Regional Library
New Smyrna Beach Region
New Smyrna Beach Regional Library Edgewater Public Library Oak Hill Public Library
DeLand Region
DeLand Regional Library Pierson Public Library
Deltona Region
Deltona Regional Library DeBary Public Library Lake Helen Public Library Orange City Public Library
Collections included 869,491 books, 83,943 videos, 58,784 audio materials, 2,051 magazines and newspapers, over 100,000 government documents, and 51 licensed databases. Personal computers for public use are hooked up on broadband in all libraries. An estimated 230,000 Volusia County residents have library cards. One library card is valid at all locations, and materials are lent between locations through a daily courier service and outside the libraries by interlibrary loan. Library cards are free for all Volusia County residents.
Depending on size, the branches have different operating hours; six are open every day of the week (Ormond Beach, Daytona Beach-City Island, Port Orange, New Smyrna Beach, DeLand, and Deltona), three are open six days a week (Edgewater, Hope Place, and DeBary), and five are open five days a week (Daytona Beach-Keech Street, Oak Hill, Pierson, Lake Helen, and Orange City).[30]
The Volusia County Library System was officially started in 1961.[31] Prior to 1961, there were small libraries throughout Volusia County that were maintained by different organizations prevalent in the county. In 1949, Charlotte Smith started an effort to organize the public library system within Volusia County.[31] In 1960, 10 libraries existed in Volusia County, however they were not connected together in a centralized library system.[31] In September 1960, state officials met with librarians and county officials to discuss how theLibrary Services Act could be applied to Volusia County.[31] A committee was formed to study the conditions of the libraries within the county and determine if organizing the libraries in the county into a centralized system was an appropriate move. After a year the committee found that a countywide library system would be the best course of action for the county. With the development of the Volusia County Library System, a library board was appointed by the governor and the board hired Bradley Simon to be the first director of the Volusia County Library System.[31] During this time, bookmobiles were purchased and sent to rural areas in Volusia County to provide residents there with library services. By 1962, nine public libraries and the bookmobiles were part of the Volusia County Library System, and within the next four years Holly Hill, Ormond Beach, and Orange City joined the system.[31] As new funds were made available, new construction of library facilities occurred, with many of the libraries in the Volusia County Library System being granted new buildings. In 1976 the Deltona Library opened and became the only library that the county fully owned.[31] In 1977 the Dickerson Community Center Library opened and served the black community of Daytona Beach, and is now the John H. Dickerson Heritage Library.[31] Expansion in the 1980s included the construction of buildings for the Port Orange Regional Library in 1984, the Lake Helen Public Library and the Edgewater Public Library in 1988, and the DeLand Regional Library in 1989.[31]
The overall gross metro product (GMP) for Volusia County economy increased from $12.98 billion in 2005 to $13.69 billion in 2006; a $709.9 million increase. The GMP is an annual measurement of the total economic output and sales of goods and services provided within the metropolitan statistical area that comprises all of Volusia County and its 16 cities. A GMP of $13.69 billion represents a significant circulation of new capital resources in an economy populated by just over 500,000 residents.
Local consumer confidence and a continued immigration of an estimated 28,800 new residents, new capital investments for new construction exceeding $1.11 billion, and the steady growth of professional and health-care services continued to drive much of the county's economic viability.
Volusia County's manufacturing sector maintained a steady and stable position within the local economy contrary to the declining trends being experienced elsewhere within Florida. The overall number of manufacturers present within the county increased to over 430 in 2006 and accounted for a large portion of the county's GMP. Manufacturing maintains one of the highest of all average wage levels within the county and generates a higher rate of circulation of economic impact than any other business sector that comprises the local economy.
Volusia County's manufacturing sector generated an average annual wage of $37,632 in 2006, well above the county's average annual wage of $32,200 for all workers.[32]
I-95 (SR 9 /Interstate 95) is the main north–south interstate highway along the east coast of the state. Eight interchanges exist within the county, three of them in Daytona Beach.
I-4 (Interstate 4) is the main east–west interstate highway through Central Florida, but it also serves as the westernmost interstate highway in the county. It contains at least seven interchanges and becomesState Road 400 east of I-95.
US 1 (SR 5 /Ridgewood Avenue) is the main local road through eastern Volusia County, running north–south. It served as the main north–south highway in the state and the eastern half of the county until I-95 was built.
US 17 (SR 15) is the main local road through western Volusia County, running north–south. The road is named Charles Richard Beall Boulevard in DeBary, Volusia Avenue in Orange City, and Woodland Boulevard in DeLand.
SR A1A is the scenic coastal alternate route to US 1, which also includes some county road spurs and extensions.
SR 11, a scenic north–south road, runs from US 17 north of DeLand to US 1 in Bunnell in Flagler County.
SR 40, an east–west road in northern Volusia County enters the county from the Astor Bridge over the St. Johns River and heads east towards Ormond Beach.
SR 44 (New York Avenue), an east–west road in southern Volusia County, enters the county from the Crows Bluff Bridge over the St. Johns River and heads east towards New Smyrna Beach.
SR 46, an east–west road on the southwestern corner of Volusia County, enters the county from the Mims Bridge over the St. Johns River and enters Brevard County with no major junctions.
SR 421 (Taylor Road /Dunlawton Avenue) is a connecting east–west road between I-95 and thePort Orange Causeway.
SR 483 (Clyde Morris Boulevard), a north–south state road, it runs west of SR 5A from Port Orange to Holly Hill. It runs along the eastern border of both Daytona Beach International Airport andDaytona International Speedway.
The Volusia County Parking Garage in Daytona Beach
Volusia County Public Transit System (VOTRAN) is the local bus service. The buses offer service throughout the county, Monday through Saturday, from 7 am to 7 pm, and is handicapped-accessible. Limited service is offered in East Volusia in the evenings and on Sundays. The cost is $1.25 per trip, $3.00 for a one-day bus pass, or $40 for a 31-day pass (valid for all VOTRAN routes).
Passenger train service to Volusia County is provided byAmtrak on theSilver Meteor andSilver Star routes.Service between Volusia County and Orlando is provided bySunRail, acommuter rail line running from Volusia to Orange County. The initial phase of the project commenced in 2014 and extends service to as far north as DeBary. A planned expansion was to include theDeLand Amtrak station in 2015,[37][38] but didn't actually reach the station until August 2024.[39]
Public broadcasting stationWDSC-TV is located in Daytona Beach and broadcasts to 10 counties inCentral Florida. Television stationWESH is allocated to Daytona Beach - Orlando, and its transmission tower is located midway between those two. Otherwise, Volusia County is served by the major TV broadcasting stations in Orlando and Orange County.
^The Volusia County chair is officially elected in anon-partisan election, despite commonde facto party affiliation.[1]
^Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race.[16][17]
^Simmons, William Hayne (1822).Notices of East Florida. Gainesville, FL: University of Florida Press (1973 reprint). pp. 27, 28, 59.ISBN0-8130-0400-4. RetrievedAugust 18, 2011.{{cite book}}:ISBN / Date incompatibility (help)
^Gold, Pleasant Daniel (1927).History of Volusia County Florida. Daytona Beach, FL: Higginson Book Company (reprint). pp. 78–84.ISBN0-8328-7061-7.{{cite book}}:ISBN / Date incompatibility (help)
^Hay, Thomas (January–March 1917). "The Davis-Hood-Johnston Controversy of 1864".The Journal of American History.11 (1): 68.doi:10.2307/1891927.JSTOR1891927.
Connell Collection Approximately 550 photographs of Volusia County and the surrounding area taken between 1900 and 1915. From the State Library & Archives of Florida
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