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Interstate 4 Westbound - Volusia County

Interstate 4 West
Approaching the Exit 118BA interchange with Florida 44 (New York Avenue) on Interstate 4 west. The interchange was reconfigured to include a new ramp for motorists traveling west toward DeLand. Florida 44 travels west from New Smyrna Beach into the DeLand Historic District through central Volusia County. Photos taken 12/30/05 & 11/13/08.
Exit 118B serves Stetson University in downtown DeLand (along Woodland Boulevard at Michigan Avenue East) while Exit 118A serves the Volusia County Fairgrounds just east of the interchange. Photo taken 11/13/08.
The exit ramp for Exit 118BA now departs Interstate 4 before approaching the newly rebuilt overpasses for Florida 44.
Motorists departing for DeLand now exit a new ramp built as part of the six-laning of Interstate 4 between Florida 44 and Florida 472 four miles to the west. Continuing ahead on the loop ramp will now bring motorists onto eastbound Florida 44 Photo taken 11/13/08.
A look at the original Florida 44 overpasses and Exit 118 loop ramp to New York Avenue from Interstate 4 west. Florida 44 meanders around Lake Winnemissett to junction Volusia County 4101 (Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Beltway / Kepler Road). New York Avenue carries the state road westward into downtown DeLand and its junction with U.S. 17 & 92 (Woodland Boulevard). Photo taken 12/30/05.
Interstate 4 continues southwest into the city of Lake Helen. Lake Helen was developed by Henry DeLand and named after his daughter Helen in 1883. The community began with a sawmill and hotel at the small Lake Helen, and spread out from there.1 Photo taken 01/01/06.
Meeting Interstate 4 at Exit 116 is Volusia County 4116 (Orange Camp Road) and Main Street West from Lake Helen. Downtown Lake Helen and the lake itself lie one mile east of the Exit 116 half-cloverleaf interchange. Main Street East ends at Volusia county 4139 (Lakeview Drive). Photo taken 01/01/06.
Exit 116 departs Interstate 4 westbound for Volusia County 4116 (Orange Camp Road) west and Main Street West eastbound. Orange Camp Road continues Main Street west three miles to junction U.S. 17 & 92 (Woodland Boulevard South) in DeLand. DeLand began in 1876 after Henry A. DeLand purchased the land, settled there, and encouraged others to invest in area property. DeLand founded the DeLand Academy, which later became Stetson University, after benefactor John B. Stetson and the request of John DeLand himself. New York Avenue (Florida 44) derives its name from DeLand's home state of New York.2 Photo taken 01/01/06.
One mile north of the Exit 114 partial-cloverleaf interchange with Florida 472 (Howland Boulevard). Florida 472 spurs southeast from U.S. 17 & 92 (Woodland Boulevard) and DeLand to Interstate 4 near Cassadaga. Photo taken 01/01/06.
Motorists destined for Cassadaga should use Florida 472 northwest to the Martin Luther King Jr. Beltway for Cassadaga Road (Volusia County 4139) east. Blue Springs State Park lies west of Orange City along Volusia County 4142 (French Avenue West). The waters of Blue Springs remain constant at 72 degrees Fahrenheit all year round. The waters provide a haven for manatee during the winter months. Photo taken 01/01/06.

Road construction present during 2006 involves the adding of a new eastbound on-ramp to Interstate 4 from Howland Boulevard west. Volusia County 4145 overtakes Howland Boulevard from Florida 472 just south of Exit 114. The east-west road joins northern Orange City with northern Deltona. Photo taken 01/01/06.
Westbound reassurance marker posted ahead of the Volusia County 4145 (Graves Avenue East) over crossing. Volusia County 4145 leads west from Howland Boulevard to junction U.S. 17 & 92 (Volusia Avenue) south of French Avenue West, the road to Blue Springs State Park. Photo taken 01/01/06.
Growth of Orange City along the frontage of Interstate 4 resulted in the installation of sound barriers along the freeway. Pictured here is road work and a mileage sign for Sanford and Orlando. Orange City was started by Dr. Seth French and company in 1874 with a purchase of 5,000 acres. The town derives its name from the thousands of orange groves planted in the area. Orange City was incorporated in 1882.3 Photo taken 01/01/06.
Next in line for westbound travelers is the Exit 111B/A three-quarter cloverleaf interchange with Saxon Boulevard (Volusia County 4146). Saxon Boulevard links Orange City to the west with Deltona to the east. Deltona began as a Mackle Brothers vision in 1962 with the purchase of 17,203 acres. The developers aspired to build a master-planned retirement community with 35,143 lots. Construction followed soon thereafter, with the initial population living in Deltona by April of 1963. By 1991, 52,000 called Deltona home. Unincorporated until a successful vote on December 31, 1995, the city now boasts over 70,000 residents.4Photo taken 01/01/06.
Exit 11A serves the city of DeBary via Saxon Boulevard west to U.S. 17 & 92 (Charles Beall Boulevard) south. The Orange City Park & Ride Lot resides just west of Interstate 4 adjacent to Deltona Memorial Gardens Cemetery. Photo taken 01/01/06.
Interstate 4 westbound at the Exit 111 collector/distributor roadway for Saxon Boulevard (Volusia County 4146) west and east. Saxon Boulevard ends 1.75 miles west at U.S. 17 & 92 (Volusia Avenue) and five miles east at junction Volusia County 4162 (Doyle Road) in south Deltona. Photo taken 01/01/06.
Exit 111B departs the westbound c/d roadway for Saxon Boulevard west. Saxon Boulevard intersects the south end of Veterans Memorial Parkway and Volusia County 4156 (Enterprise Road) within one mile. Photo taken 01/01/06.
Exit 111A loops onto Saxon Boulevard eastbound for central Deltona. Saxon Boulevard meets Normandy Boulevard (Volusia County 4154) and Providence Boulevard (Volusia County 4155) within three miles of Interstate 4. Photo taken 01/01/06.
Enterprise Road passes over Interstate 4 one mile north of the Exit 108 folded-diamond interchange with Volusia County 4162 (DeBary Avenue / Dirksen Drive). Volusia County 4162 straddles the north shore of Lake Monroe from Providence Boulevard in Deltona westward to Dirksen Drive in DeBary west of Interstate 4. Photo taken 01/01/06.
The community of Enterprise lies along the north shore of Lake Monroe one mile east of Interstate 4. Enterprise consists of an unincorpated community rich in history. During the 1800s, Enterprise became a weekend destination for area residents with its mineral springs, lakeside access, and steamboat access to Jacksonville. Enterprise was the first county seat for Volusia in 1854. Later the town became a railroad depot along the Jacksonville Tampa and Key West Railroad.5 Photo taken 01/01/06.
Interstate 4 westbound at the Exit 108 ramp departure to Volusia County 4162. DeBary Avenue travels east from Interstate 4 to Enterprise and Doyle Road in Deltona. Dirksen Drive carries the county highway west into DeBary, serving Gemini Springs State Park along the drive to U.S. 17 & 92. DeBary incorporated in 1993 to prevent annexation by the larger Orange City to the north. The community was founded by Frederick deBary with a 400-acre purchase of land in 1871.6 Photo taken 01/01/06.
Interstate 4 straddles the western shores of Lake Monroe between Exit 109 and the Seminole County line. Wetlands associated with the lake lie west of the freeway along the four-mile drive to the St. Johns River crossing. Photo taken 01/01/06.
The first Seminole County interchange joins U.S. 17 & 92 with Interstate 4 at Lake Monroe. U.S. 17 & 92 turn southeast from DeBary to downtown Sanford. Sanford was originally home to the U.S. Army post Fort Mellon, an installation established during the Seminole Wars of the 1830s. Later settlers created the town of Mellonville, which grew as a distribution point for steamboat service between Lake Monroe and Jacksonville. Mellonville became the first county seat of Orange in 1845.

By 1870, Henry Shelton Sanford purchased a large swath of land west of Mellonville with the intention of building "the Gate City of South Florida", a transportation hub for southern Florida. In 1877, the city of Sanford incorporated and by 1883, Mellonville was annexed. The Southern Florida Railroad fueled growth with its establishment to Sanford by 1884. Sanford grew as a vegetable shipping center in the early 1900s, receiving the nickname "Celery City" for its most successful crop. On April 25, 1913, Seminole County separated from Orange with Sanford as its seat. Between 1942 and 1968, Sanford Naval Air Station operated on what is now Orlando-Sanford International Airport.7 Photo taken 01/01/06.
A pair of three-lane concrete bridges span the St. Johns River at the Volusia and Seminole County line. The St. Johns River flows northward to Jacksonville and the Atlantic Ocean. It is the longest northward flowing river in the United States. The name St. Johns is based on the Catholic mission established on Fort St. George Island near the river's mouth in 1578, the San Juan del Puero. The River took the name Rio de San Juan because of that. Rio de San Juan translated to St. Johns River in English, and the name has remained ever since.8 Photos taken 01/01/06.

Sources:

  1. Lake Helen, Florida - Community Information of Lake Helen Florida.
  2. City of DeLand, Florida - Virtual Tour - The History of DeLand, City of DeLand.
  3. City of Orange City, Florida -- Orange City Town History.
  4. City of Deltona - General Information - City History.
  5. History of Enterprise, Oldenterprise.org.
  6. DeBary, Florida @ Wikipedia.org.
  7. History, City of Sanford, Florida.
  8. St. Johns River @ Wikipedia.org.
  9. History, City of Lake Mary, Florida.
  10. History, City of Longwood, Florida.

Page Updated January 14, 2009.