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Port Orange proclaims Freemanville Day and hears resident plea to preserve historic neighborhood
Summary
Council proclaimed Feb. 10, 2026, Freemanville Day and heard resident Carolyn Sanders James recount the community's founding after the Civil War and ask the city to preserve the old church and burial sites in the Freemanville neighborhood.
The Port Orange City Council adopted a proclamation recognizing Feb. 10, 2026, as Freemanville Day and received remarks from Carolyn Sanders James, a long-time Port Orange resident and local historian. James recounted Freemanville (also referred to as Fort Orange in the proclamation) as one of Volusia County's first all-Black settlements established in 1866–1867 with ties to Union Army surgeon Dr. John Milton Hawkes and families who worked for the Florida Land and Lumber Company.
James said the community retained churches and a school after the company failed and asked the council to keep Freemanville’s history in the public eye, to check the condition of a church building she said is closed to the community, and to consider the historical burial area in local planning. Mayor Scott Stilner read the proclamation that cited the 1866–1867 origins and noted the city’s 2003 Freemanville historic marker.
Why it matters: Freemanville is tied to Port Orange’s early post-Civil War history and its recognition underscores local efforts to preserve African American historic places. Residents urged the council to monitor deteriorating structures and burial grounds that community members say still exist in parts of the neighborhood.
Next steps: The mayor invited the community group to come forward for a photo and the council encouraged follow-up coordination with staff to ensure preservation concerns are documented on city records.
