About Deltona Citizens United, Inc.
The Historic Town of Garfield, Florida.
Garfield, Florida started off as the "colored neighborhood" of Enterprise. The town was never chartered but had its own stores and church. Garfield residents were mostly former enslaved people from local yeo-man farmers, such as the Watsons. Others families moved from Freemanville that was located near Port Orange to Garfield. Garfield's economy was in agriculture and timber just like most other settlements in Volusia county in the late 19th Century.
July Jenkins & the town of Garfield.
Around 1867, a former enslaved man named July Jenkins, from Troupe County, Georgia arrived in Enterprise. He would purchase almost 50 acres of land about a mile and half (underlined in blue on the map pictured) from a man described as a "Confederate sympathizer". That land transaction very well could have been the very first land sale in Florida between a White man and a Black man. Further research needs to be done to fully substantiate the claim, but so far it may be accurate. In 1868, July Jenkins married Rita Saunders and his farm prospered. Many of his family from Georgia and South Carolina moved near the Jenkins farm. By 1880, the town of Garfield was born as the formed their own AME congregation. In 1882, July Jenkins and other members of the Garfield AME bought 2 acres of land for $2 to build the first Garfield AME Church. The log cabin structure served as a school and house of worship.
Garfield: 20th Century thru today.
By 1890 the log cabin church wasn't suitable for the town and the built St. Paul AME that is pictured. Unfortunately, hard winters in the late 1890's and early 1900's ruined citrus harvest. After WWI the U.S. Navy cut almost all of it's need for turpentine, and Garfield's timber industry suffered. The Great Depression was the final blow for Garfield. Many of its residents were forced to seek their fortunes elsewhere. Those who did stay were in financial hardship like most of America then. In 1940's many of the Garfield residents lost their family land to "unpaid back taxes" and were forced to move. In 1948, the historic St. Paul AME was moved to its current location at 1580 Osteen-Enterprise Rd. It is the last physical connection to the town of Garfield that began with a historic land deal.
Help save Garfield's AME Church
Protect and preserve the "Old Garfield Church"
The property that the "Old Garfield Church" at 1580 Osteen-Enterprise Rd. has been sold. We have no idea what the new property owners have instore for the historic church, and we are asking all of Deltona to please be vigilant. We must protect that historic building! Please join us in our efforts to protect and preserve our local history.
