From Spanish conquistadores' conquests to a booming citrus industry in the 1890s, Florida has always been a place of big dreams... and bigger failures. Its money-making paradise reputation has sparked grandiose plans. We have the ruins to prove it.
If you find yourself on Calle Grande Street in Holly Hill, you might think you’ve driven through a portal into Rome. Before you reach US 1, past the railroad tracks, the street has what appear to be ancient Roman columns. No, the Romans never built an empire in Florida. But, an Ohio man, Walter C. Hardesty, had big plans for one of the most ambitious housing developments in the state.
Hardesty came to Florida during the 1920s land boom. He planned to develop over 3,000 lots, a golf course, and a hotel called Rio Vista on the Halifax. The columns, painted to look like marble, were the entrance to this majestic community.
But before Hardesty could realize his dream, the land boom fizzled. Then, the stock market collapsed, ruining his plans. (Get it? Ruins? Sorry...) Before the money ran out, they built the hotel, golf course, and about 30 homes.
Hardesty died in 1935 still trying to pay the taxes on the property, which was later auctioned off. The old hotel is now The Riviera Assisted Living Facility. The golf course is part of the Riviera Country Club. The county owns the ruins of Calle Grande, which are... in ruins.
These decaying columns, the product of unfulfilled dreams, are enchanting. They are a glimpse of a mysterious, untouched Florida, woven into Volusia's story. If you want to explore, drive past the columns. Enjoy a bit of free, but not so ancient, Florida history.
Sources:
City of Holly Hill, Florida. (n.d.). Rio Vista on the Halifax and the Riviera Hotel. City of Holly Hill, Florida. Retrieved February 5, 2023, from https://www.hollyhillfl.org/community/page/rio-vista-halifax-and-riviera-hotel
Florida Historic Golf trail. (n.d.). Featured golf course. Florida Historic Golf trail. Retrieved February 5, 2023, from https://floridahistoricgolftrail.com/courses/riviera-country-club/
Lelis, L., & Writer, S. S. (2021, August 5). Preserving the arches. Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved February 5, 2023, from https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/os-xpm-2004-08-06-0408060344-story.html
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