Point of Interest: Persimmon Hollow

The Persimmon Hollow Brewing Company recalls the earliest history of this area, when John and Clara Rich built a log cabin in a wooded vale known as Persimmon Hollow. At that time, persimmon trees grew wild around natural springs, welcoming newcomers with sweet and tangy persimmons the size of plums.

In 1876, Henry DeLand came prospecting for land, and he stayed overnight in John and Clara's cabin. The very next morning, he bought the 40-acre claim next to theirs, where downtown DeLand eventually would grow ... and the rest, as they say, is history. 

Next location: Walk past Persimmon Hollow and the parking garage next door, and turn right. Walk north along Artisan Alley, which is just a block long, until you reach New York Avenue. From there you'll see the entrance to Chess Park across the street.