Central – Section 2.1: Early Settlements & Pioneering Spirit
A step back in time at Little’s Drug Co. on Canal Street in New Smyrna Beach—a nostalgic gem that’s been serving the community since 1922. Photo courtesy of New Smyrna Beach Area Visitors Bureau.
Much of the history of Central Florida is a story of hardy pioneers and how they tamed a wild land. In fact, until the railroads opened Florida to the rest of the U.S. in the 1800s, forbidding terrain kept most of Central (and South) Florida’s development confined to the coasts, which is where you’ll find one of the state’s oldest settlements, New Smyrna Beach, founded in 1768. Strolling the downtown Canal Street Historic District will give you a sense of a bygone era, while the New Smyrna Museum of History explores the diverse facets of the city’s heritage with exhibits on African American history, the pioneer years, the railroad era and even East Coast surfing.
