- January 12, 2025
-
-
Loading
Loading
About four years ago, City Commissioner Dwight Selby was driving down A1A when he spotted something that caught his attention.
The old A-frame building at 630 S. Atlantic Avenue in Ormond Beach was being torn down. The county had purchased the property and was in the process of turning it into what is now the Cardinal Drive off-beach parking lot. But that A-frame building was part of Ormond Beach history: It once was part of the Ellinor Village Shopping Center, which in the 50s, was one of the largest family resorts in the state.
And the sign had been hidden behind the building's exterior facade for what at least several decades.
Selby moved to Ormond Beach in 1983. Ellinor Village wasn't operating as a resort then, but he was familiar with the history. So he decided to save it. He bought the sign for a couple hundred dollars, and has stored it since. But, it is time for the sign to find a permanent home.
"If somebody is interested in it, I would love to hear from them," Selby said. "If they have a place where it could be displayed — ideally displayed and open to the public, and then maybe someone who knows some of the history or would want to share of the history of Ellinor Village."
Ellinor Village was built in Ormond Beach by brothers Merrill and Byron Ellinor and opened in 1949. It had about 650 cottages in what is now known as Ocean Village Villas, off South Atlantic Avenue. Eventually, the resort grew to include the property at Oceanside Country Club at 75 N. Halifax Drive, which prior to 1964, was the Ellinor Village Country Club.
A noteworthy event in the village's history is that the Mrs. America pageant was held at the resort in 1954.
Selby said he would hate to see a small piece of Ormond history vanish. He's approached a few local people and groups, but so far, no takers.
"It's really just a function of trying to get the word out," Selby said. "If there's nobody that sees the significance in it, well then that might be what happens to it, but hopefully that's not the case."
Anyone interested in the sign should contact Selby at [email protected]
