Bill Dreggors Park and Memorial Hospital has got to be one of my favorite places to visit. Maybe because Florida itself is not very hilly yet the hospital and park sit on atop of a  hill when approaching it. The grounds are so beautiful at night all lit up in the front and during the day oak trees, cypresses and palms are visible. The park was named after Bill Dreggor who has been and still is an important resource for history in the DeLand Area. It was named after him to honor the living historians successes in revitalizing the community, preserving historic buildings, and educating the public about Central Florida's history. 

This historic site is also registered with the National Registry of Historic Places and the site contains the Sensory Butterfly Gardens which was was started by the DeLand Garden club created for the Visually and physically challenged including Braille at each exhibit. Many specially selected plants can be be sensed such as there scents, color, texture, taste, and touch. There is also a 7/16 mile loop for joggers and walkers. Also on the parks grounds is the Hawtense Conrad Elephant Fantasyland, Toyland, The Lemon Room and Freedom Playground. One can visit the Memorial hospital and take a lovely stroll sitting on one of the benches in this 7 acre park. It really is a place of serenity and peace. Back in the 90s when the Sensory Gardens were open a poem was read and many butterflies were released out into the open. Today some of the park is used by DeLand Parks and Recreation Department,

Now lets talk about the Memorial Hospital which today is a museum featuring 8 exhibits. It was built in 1920 and by 1922 it was dedicated to the service men of WWI. The hospital remained in service all the way up to 1948. In 1993 it was restored and today you can see the original operating room with equipment and even a  antique pharmacy display. The building behind the hospital was built for the care of the Black Community. Both hospitals on the grounds were in use till in 1952 the services were transferred to the former Deland's Naval Air Air Station which was awaiting the opening of Fish Memorial Hospital. At that time it was used by Stetson University as a fraternity house, then it was used by administrative offices for the public schools in DeLand and even a place where rooms could be rented out for a few dollars a day.

Today if you walk past the hospital you will see an area dedicated to the Veterans of various wars fought in the last century such as WWI and WWII. One plaque even list the soldiers who died and were from DeLand. So there is lots of history here and like most military hospitals, frat houses and places where surgery occurs there is a always a ghost story.

But from our research we discovered various transparent faces in some of the windows watching us, cold spots, orbs with faces and even the apparition of a man sitting down at the gazebo on our first investigation. So we do have some activity occurring. It is just a matter of monitoring it over time to learn a little bit more about what kinds of entities haunt the grounds.

We will revisit here again many times since this place is a very important part of Deland's history. Also the fact is that we believe its very haunted as we seen many different apparitions while taking photos of the grounds at night. But also my son seen a man sitting in the gazebo next to the hospital who was he a veteran? A victim of war? We may never know! But be brave and walk with us as we looked in the dark windows of this old hospital, walked the dark trails in the park, and were not alone as the supernatural surrounded us. Below you can find a little more in depth history about the Deland Memorial Hospital Museum.

© By

Rick-AngelOfThyNight

Daytime

Night

Inside 

(Taken From DeLand's City Site)

About The Museum More In Depth

Currently a museum housing eight galleries and exhibits, the DeLand Memorial Hospital was originally built to serve the growing needs of a population expanded by the land boom era. In 1920, its cornerstone was placed, and in 1922 the completed building was dedicated to the service men of WWI.

In 1926, the smaller Burgess Building was built behind the main hospital to care for the needs of the Black community. Both facilities continued to provide surgical and obstetrical services until 1948 when hospital services were transferred to the former DeLand Naval Air Station awaiting the opening of Fish Memorial Hospital in 1952.

The hospital building remained functional for other purposes during the years following its closure as a medical facility. For a short time, it was used by Stetson University as a fraternity house. Then, for several years, it housed the administrative offices of the public school system.

Eventually, the building became empty and fell into severe disrepair. However, as a result of a grant from the Florida State Historic Preservation Board, the hospital was restored and rededicated on April 17, 1993 and is now listed in the Registry of Historic Buildings.

Today, the hospital contains not only the offices of the DeLand Parks and Recreation Department, but also the Bert Fish Room, as well as the Operating Room & Apothecary exhibit, the Veterans Gallery and the Ice & Electric exhibit. The Burgess Building houses the Hawtense Conrad Elephant Fantasyland, the West Volusia Black Heritage Gallery and Conrad's Toyland.

Appointed curator by the West Volusia Historical Society, Gilbert R. Seigworth, MD, undertook the task of furnishing the hospital's original operating room with vintage, historical equipment and artifacts. Using mannequins to represent the surgical team and patient, a display was created depicting an operating room of the 1920's. 

Large windows light the surgical arena. The lights and operating table used came from a navy ship that was to be sunk and used as an artificial reef. 

Dr. Seigworth and his wife Ora stocked the Pharmacy Display with period pieces such as jars and other artifacts found in early pharmacies. This display recreates the atmosphere of a hospital dispensing department.

With the glow of the first street lights in 1887, the city of DeLand enjoyed the first electrical system in the state of Florida. This exhibit is owned and furnished by Bill and Jo Dreggors and is one of only a very few electrical museums in the country.

Among the very rare artifacts are vintage photos depicting the early history of the area's ice & electric business as well as a variety of early tools, equipment and appliances. Also displayed is an outstanding collection of insulators. Known once as the "jewels of the wires," these insulators range from every shape and size to every color of the rainbow.

Veterans Memorabilia - This collection of military memorabilia contains some rare items representing a time period from the Revolutionary War to Desert Storm. Nazi glassware and china, flags and weapons from Germany and Japan are on display.

A large collection of finely crafted models was donated to the museum by Lacy Jones of Deltona. These aircraft models show the transition in military chronology from 1918 thru 1990. Also featured in this exhibit are artifacts and photos from local men and women who served during World Wars I & II. We invite visitors to view the Veterans Memorial Wall located outside the museum. This structure features several plaques honoring veterans of WWI, WWII and the Korean Wars. There is also a special plaque honoring Charles Bailey and the Tuskegee Airmen.