The historic 1876 Heritage Inn is the oldest operating hotel in Volusia County and one of the oldest in the State of Florida. It is a contributory historic property in the recently approved Orange City Historic District. Current owners/innkeepers, Amy and Randall Farley, welcome inquisitive visitors to come in and see this historic building. They would also welcome anyone that can add to the history of this building by sharing pictures, experience, or more.

In 1936, Ralph Hankinson purchased the then vacant hotel to cater to the Daytona race car drivers. During his ownership, he added a center wing with a bar on the first floor and three additional rooms on the second floor. The Rainbow Room as it was known featured a black onyx bar with colored lights behind glass brick and leather booths. The Rainbow Room became a favorite hangout for race car drivers and grounds for expulsion for any Stetson students found at the hotel. People came from miles around to see the Rainbow Room.

Sometime between 1939 and 1954, Wittenburg University and John Kolar owned the hotel

In 1954, Charles and Carol Forrer purchased the hotel and used it a nursing home until 1973 when the building state regulations were changed to prohibit nursing homes in frame structures. Mrs. Forrer, a nurse, started with just 8 patients and before long had an average of 49 patients for a facility licensed for 55. The Orange City Nursing Home, as it was known, was the first in the state to have an organized volunteer nursing auxiliary and the first to have a nurse call system installed by its auxiliary. In 1965, the home had 32 employees. A complete beauty parlor served the patients and churches of all demoninations took turns holding services on Sundays.

After closing the nursing home, Mrs. Forrer filled the front rooms with craft stores, painted it white and called it the “The White Elephant”. She was one of area’s the largest dealers of recreational vehicles and sporting goods. Even to this day, many people refer to the building as the “White Elephant”.

During the 1980s, the property was updated with a sprinkler and fire alarm systems. The veranda was constructed to extend around the entire building and bathrooms were added to every guest room (instead of shared bathrooms).

In the 1980s, the property changed hands a few times but Mrs. Forrer retained an interest due to mortgage she held on the property. She took the property back in 1995 and once again returned it to its original purpose, a hotel, naming it the 1876 Heritage Inn. In 1998, she graciously agreed to allow the U.S. Postal Service, for the sum of $100 a year, to lease a former hotel room for the beginnings of a postal museum. Since then the postal memorabilia spilled over to the hallways and lobby. Click here to see more on the postal museum.