Michael Garvey Watson Realty Corp.

Port Orange’s history is rich and unique. Starting with the prehistoric peoples of the land, namely the Timucuan and Seminole Indians, and with Dr. Andrew Turnbull’s New Smyrna Colony in 1768 during Florida’s plantation period, this area was full of explorers and efforts to tame this wild, unforgiving environment.

Beside the New Smyrna Colony, another attempt to transform this area into a viable cash crop producing land came when Patrick Dean was granted 995 acres in 1804 from the Spanish Crown which later was named the Dunlawton Plantation. The Dunlawton Sugar Mill on Old Sugar Mill Road still stands having withstood these many years and being destroyed twice by Seminole Indians during the Second Seminole Indian War of 1836.

The second major era for Port Orange occurred after the Civil War. Dr. John Milton Hawks, an abolitionist and United States Army Surgeon, along with other Union Army officers formed the Florida Land and Lumber Company and brought 500 freed slaves to public lands along the Halifax River, north of Spruce Creek in 1866. Dr. Hawks moved the settlement he was credited with naming Orange Port in February 1867 from the Mosquito Inlet (Ponce Inlet) to where the community lies today. In April 1867, the settlement’s changed it's name to Port Orange because another town in the United States already had the former name.

Quaint yet modern, Port Orange is recognized statewide for its quality of life. Its small-town feel, yet progressive spirit, along with its proximity to larger metropolitan areas makes it an ideal place for young singles, families and senior citizens to live. Port Orange is made up of some 150 distinct "neighborhoods", each with it`s own distinctive flavor. The City encompasses 26.4 square miles speckled with beautiful parks and is home to over 50,000 residents. The area also holds the lowest per capital crime rate in Volusia County and a nationally recognized Fire and Rescue Department.

In February of 2012, there were 206 residential homes sold at an average price of $153,900. The highest priced home selling for $1,300,000 and the lowest priced selling for $139,900.

There are many wonderful homes in this area, but you need a local market expert to help you. Watson Realty Corp is a locally owned company with over 40 years experience selling homes in the area. Call the Watson experts at 800-257-5143.