>>COMING UP ON CENTRAL FLORIDA ROADTRIP, WE'LL TAKE A SPIN AROUND VOLUSIA COUNTY.

WE'LL SHINE A LIGHT ON THE PONCE INLET LIGHTHOUSE, AND WE'LL CRUISE OVER TO HOLLY HILL TO PLAY SOME WHACK-A-MOLE.

AND FINALLY, HOPEFULLY WE'LL AVOID ANY HAPPY LITTLE ACCIDENTS ON THE WAY TO PAINT YOU A PICTURE OF BOB ROSS'S LEGACY.

ALL THIS AND MORE ON THIS EDITION OF CENTRAL FLORIDA ROADTRIP.

♪ THEME MUSIC ♪ >>HELLO EVERYONE.

I'M DR. PHIL HOFFMAN AND WELCOME TO THIS EDITION OF CENTRAL FLORIDA ROADTRIP.

THIS WEEK, WE HEAD BACK TO THE COAST AND TAKE A SPIN AROUND VOLUSIA COUNTY.

THE COUNTY WAS FORMED ON LAND THAT WAS PART OF ORANGE COUNTY IN 1854.

IT WAS NAMED AFTER ITS LARGEST COMMUNITY AT THE TIME, VOLUSIA, WHICH WAS IN THE NORTHWESTERN PART OF THE NEW COUNTY.

ITS ORIGINAL COUNTY SEAT WAS IN ENTERPRISE, BUT SINCE 1887, THE COUNTY SEAT HAS BEEN LOCATED IN DELAND.

VOLUSIA COUNTY HAS LONG BEEN ASSOCIATED WITH RACING, STARTING WITH THE LAND SPEED RECORD SET ON THE HARD SAND OF ORMOND BEACH.

THEN THE STOCK CARS THAT RACED ON THE OLD BEACH COURSE IN PORT ORANGE.

AND NOW THE WORLD CENTER OF RACING AT DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY.

VOLUSIA COUNTY WAS ALSO THE SITE FOR A MAJOR MOMENT IN SPORTS HISTORY, WHEN JACKIE ROBINSON BROKE THE COLOR BARRIER IN MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL AT CITY ISLAND BALLPARK IN DAYTONA BEACH.

>>THIS WAS A MILESTONE IN SPORTS AND CIVIL RIGHTS HISTORY.

THIS WAS THE FIRST RACIALLY INTEGRATED SPRING TRAINING IN MODERN PROFESSIONAL BASEBALL HISTORY.

IT WAS THE ONLY BALLPARK IN THE SOUTH THAT SPRING TRAINING, WHERE HE WAS ALLOWED TO PLAY WITHOUT BEING INTERRUPTED.

>>IN SOUTH DAYTONA, THERE'S A NATIONAL LANDMARK THAT REALLY SHINES BRIGHTLY.

PONCE INLET LIGHTHOUSE.

PONCE INLET LIGHTHOUSE ACTUALLY IS THE TALLEST LIGHTHOUSE IN THE ENTIRE STATE OF FLORIDA.

>>THE TOWER YOU SEE BEHIND ME AND THE DWELLINGS WERE ALL BUILT IN 1887.

THE LIGHT WHEN IT WAS FIRST LIT WAS KEROSENE.

AND OVER TIME IT HAS BEEN UPDATED TO AN ELECTRIC LAMP.

THE TOWER IS 175 FEET TALL.

COUNTING THE STEPS, THE ENTRANCE STEPS AND THE STEPS UP TO THE TOP, IT'S 203 STEPS.

ALL OF US WHO WORK HERE AND ALL OF OUR VISITORS FEEL THAT THE VIEW IS JUST AMAZING.

OF COURSE YOU CAN WALK ON TO THE GALLERY AND SEE THE 360 VIEW.

AND OF COURSE THAT VIEW IT INCLUDES THE INLET WITH THE BOATS GOING IN AND OUT, WHICH IS QUITE BEAUTIFUL.

CAN SEE QUITE A BIT OF NEW SMYRNA.

IN ADDITION TO JUST THE TOWER, WE HAVE THE KEEPERS DWELLINGS AND THE OUTBUILDINGS AND THE OIL STORAGE BUILDINGS.

SO THAT WE'RE ONE OF THE MOST PRESERVED AND COMPLETE AND HISTORIC LIGHT STATIONS.

>>WHEN YOU THINK OF A PERSON THAT HAS MADE A MAJOR IMPACT AND REALLY CHANGED AN AREA, YOUR FIRST THOUGHT MIGHT BE IT'S A POLITICIAN OR A BANKER OR SOMETHING.

WELL, WE'RE GOING TO FOCUS ON A TEACHER.

MARY MCLEOD BETHUNE CAME TO DAYTONA BEACH AND TURNED HER VISION INTO REALITY.

>>MRS.

BETHUNE BELIEVED IN THE CONSTITUTION OF THESE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

AND SHE WOULD MAKE AMERICA LIVE UP TO THAT CREED.

>>MRS.

BETHUNE WAS A VERY INTERESTING PERSON.

SHE HAD THIS DREAM.

SHE ALWAYS WANTED TO BE A TEACHER.

SHE CAME TO DAYTONA AND STARTED THE SCHOOL HERE WITH FIVE LITTLE GIRLS AND A DOLLAR AND A HALF AND FAITH IN GOD.

>>THE SCHOOL STARTED OCTOBER THE 3RD, 1904, AND THE SCHOOL GREW RAPIDLY.

>>IN 1927, BETHUNE INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL FOR GIRLS MERGED WITH THE COOKMAN INSTITUTE FROM JACKSONVILLE, EVENTUALLY BECOMING WHAT IS NOW KNOWN AS BETHUNE-COOKMAN UNIVERSITY.

MS. BETHUNE HELPED CHANGE THE CULTURE, NOT ONLY OF DAYTONA BEACH, BUT ALSO A NATION.

>>CAN YOU IMAGINE IN 1945, AN AFRICAN-AMERICAN, A YOUNG LADY BEING CHOSEN TO BE A PART OF SETTING UP THE CHARTER FOR THE UNITED NATION, BEING THE ADVISOR FOR FOUR US PRESIDENTS?

>>PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT AND MARY MCLEOD BETHUNE RELATIONSHIP GOES ON FOR YEARS.

IT STARTED IN 1932 INTO 1933 PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT APPOINTED MS. BETHUNE TO HIS BLACK CABINET.

THIS CABINET, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE COUNCIL FOR NEGRO AFFAIRS LASTED UP UNTIL THE END OF PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT'S REIGN IN 1945.

MARY MCLEOD BETHUNE KNEW ELEANOR ROOSEVELT VERY, VERY WELL.

THE TWO BECAME VERY GOOD FRIENDS.

ELEANOR ROOSEVELT ALSO RECEIVED THE HONORARY DEGREE FROM BETHUNE-COOKMAN UNIVERSITY IN 1953.

IN 1938, THERE WAS A CONFERENCE ON HUMAN AFFAIRS IN ALABAMA.

THE LAWS WERE VERY STRICT IN TERMS OF MIXING AFRICAN-AMERICANS AND WHITES AND ELEANOR ROOSEVELT, KNOWING THIS WOULD ACTUALLY STILL SIT WITH MARY MCLEOD BETHUNE AND THAT SORT OF EXEMPLIFIES THE RELATIONSHIP THAT THE TWO WOMEN HAD.

>>THIS IS BIGGER THAN DAYTONA BEACH.

THIS IS BIGGER THAN BETHUNE-COOKMAN.

WE ARE TALKING ABOUT A WOMAN THAT INTERNATIONALLY FOUGHT FOR CHANGE FOR ALL PEOPLE.

>>IF YOU'RE A SHOPPER THAT LOVES SPENDING HOURS LOOKING AT UNUSUAL WORKS OF ART, THEN VOLUSIA COUNTY HAS THE SPOT FOR YOU.

THE BARBERVILLE YARD ART EMPORIUM IS A TREASURE TROVE OF ONE OF A KIND CREATIONS.

>>YARD ART, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE DO.

EMPORIUM BECAUSE IT'S HUGE.

WE HAVE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF HANDMADE, HAND-CRAFTED, HAND-PAINTED, HAND-CARVED PIECES AT ANY GIVEN TIME IN STOCK.

WE STARTED HERE AS BARBERVILLE PRODUCE BACK IN 1990.

THE ORIGINAL OWNERS STARTED SELLING PRETTY MUCH FRUIT AND NUTS.

HE THOUGHT THAT TRAVELERS WILL BE ONLY ATTRACTED BY, I DON'T KNOW, FREE ORANGE SAMPLES OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

WE ENDED UP PUTTING MORE MERCHANDISE OUTSIDE BY THE ROAD AND FOUND OUT THAT YOU COULD FIND ORANGES EVERYWHERE, BUT WHAT WE DO, YOU CANNOT FIND NOWHERE ELSE.

ACTUALLY, EVERYTHING YOU'RE GOING TO SEE HERE TOOK SOMEBODY TO SIT DOWN, FIGURE OUT WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO, CARVE IT, BUILD IT, AND PAINT IT.

WE DO OUR OWN PAINTING, BY THE WAY.

WE'VE GOT SOME PAINT ON OUR ALUMINUM PIECES.

WE HAVE MANY PIECES THAT LOOK SIMILAR BECAUSE THEY SHARE A MOLD.

>>BUT WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO THE FINAL STAGES LIKE PAINTING AND MAKING THEM UNIQUE, THERE CERTAINLY WILL BE.

I DON'T HAVE ANY TWO ITEMS THAT ARE THE SAME.

IT'S HARD TO FIND BECAUSE THERE'S NOT A FACTORY.

SO BASICALLY I GO OUT AND LOOK FOR HANDMADE.

IF IT LOOKS BEAUTIFUL, IF IT'S WELL-MADE, IF THE MATERIAL IS ALL RIGHT, IF THE COLORS ARE ATTRACTIVE, IF THE SHAPE WAKES ME UP, THAT'S WHAT I WANT FOR YOU AND FOR US.

>>THESE ITEMS THAT WE CARRY, THEY GET TO PEOPLE'S FEELINGS AND EMOTIONS.

AND THAT'S WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT.

WE CUSTOMIZE NOT ONLY IN SHAPES, BUT ALSO COLORS.

WE'VE BEEN HERE ONLY FOR 30 YEARS.

WATCH US.

WATCH US BECAUSE WE'RE LEARNING FROM YOU.

FROM ALL OF YOU.

WE'RE LEARNING.

WE'RE LEARNING NEW COLORS, NEW SHAPES.

AND IT'S AMAZING EVEN FOR US.

WE'RE HERE TO BE HAPPY AND TO MAKE PEOPLE HAPPY.

ONCE THEY SEE ALL THIS COLORS, ALL THIS DIFFERENT SHAPES, ALL THIS HUGE AMOUNT OF CRAFTSMANSHIP.

EVEN IF YOU DON'T BUY ANYTHING FROM US, WHEN YOU LEFT, YOU HAVE A DIFFERENT PERCEPTION OF THE WORLD.

AND PROBABLY THERE'S A GOOD CHANCE THAT YOU FOUND SOMETHING THAT YOU ACTUALLY LIKE.

WE ARE TRYING TO BRING HOPE AND HAPPINESS AND MAKE THIS NEW NORMAL A HAPPIER ONE.

>>NOW, HERE ARE THE TOP THINGS YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW ABOUT VOLUSIA COUNTY.

HOLLY HILL WAS INCORPORATED AS A CITY IN 1901, MAINLY TO SOLVE A PROBLEM WITH RAZORBACK HOGS GETTING INTO OTHER RESIDENTS GARDENS.

THE CITY WAS THEN ABLE TO FORCE LOCAL OWNERS TO KEEP THEIR LIVESTOCK IN PENS.

>>THE CITY OF LAKE HELEN WAS NAMED AFTER HENRY DELANDS'S DAUGHTER, HELEN, AND IS KNOWN AS THE GEM OF FLORIDA.

FREDERICK DEBARY, A WEALTHY WINE MERCHANT FROM NEW YORK CITY BUILT DEBARY HALL, A 20 ROOM ITALIAN STYLE MANSION.

DEBARY REPORTEDLY ENTERTAINED PRESIDENTS ULYSSES S. GRANT AND GROVER CLEVELAND.

THE MANSION IS NOW A MUSEUM.

WHEN YOU VISIT THE DUNLAWTON SUGAR MILL GARDENS IN PORT ORANGE, YOU CAN EXPERIENCE DIFFERENT ERAS OF HISTORY ALL AT THE SAME TIME, FROM THE SUGAR FACTORY THAT WAS PART OF THE FORMER DUNLAWTON PLANTATION IN THE 18 HUNDREDS, TO STATUES OF DINOSAURS MADE FOR THE SHORT-LIVED AMUSEMENT PARK BONGOLAND IN THE 1940S AND 50'S, TO THE PLANT COLLECTIONS IN PRESENT DAY.

THE DUNLAWTON SUGAR MILL GARDENS IS AN ALL-INCLUSIVE HISTORICAL SITE.

OF COURSE, IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO TALK ABOUT THE HISTORY OF VOLUSIA COUNTY AND NOT INCLUDE CARS.

NASCAR WAS STARTED IN DAYTONA BEACH THANKS TO THE VISION OF A GUY NAMED BILL FRANCE SR, FROM A VERY HUMBLE BEGINNING.

DAYTONA HAS ALWAYS BEEN KNOWN AS THE WORLD'S MOST FAMOUS BEACH, BUT A GUY NAMED BILL FRANCE SR USED THAT BEACH TO TRANSFORM THE FUTURE OF VOLUSIA COUNTY FOREVER.

>>ANYWHERE YOU GO IN THE WORLD, YOU MENTION DAYTONA, IS SYNONYMOUS WITH RACING.

BILL FRANCE WAS A TREMENDOUS VISIONARY.

HE BROUGHT ABOUT 35 OR 40 FELLAS TO THE STREAMLINE HOTEL IN DECEMBER OF 1947 AND PROPOSED HIS PLAN TO ORGANIZE EVERYBODY.

>>OUT OF THAT MEETING CAME AN ORGANIZATION AND OUT OF THAT MEETING CAME A LEADER.

AT THAT POINT, PEOPLE KNEW THAT HE WAS THE RIGHT GUY AT THE RIGHT TIME TO MAKE THE SPORT OF STOCK CAR RACING WHAT IT COULD BE.

>>WE WERE BLESSED WITH THE BEACH AND YOU TOOK THAT AND YOU EXPANDED IT AND YOU DEVELOP THE GROUNDWORK FOR THIS TREMENDOUS SPORT.

AND THEN WITH THE VISION OF BILL FRANCE, HE SAW WHAT THE FUTURE WAS GOING TO BE.

AND IT JUST HAS BEEN THE BASIS OF THE ECONOMY.

>>BILL FRANCE WAS ABSOLUTELY VINDICATED WHEN HE BUILT DAYTONA SPEEDWAY.

WITHOUT RACING, DAYTONA WOULD PROBABLY BE JUST A REAL NICE FAMILY RESORT, NOTHING FLASHY, NOTHING TOO FANCY.

>>THE SPEEDWAY HAS ALWAYS BEEN AN INTEGRAL PART OF OUR TOURIST RELATED ECONOMIES HERE.

THE SPEEDWAY IS PROBABLY ABOUT A $2 BILLION IMPACT ANNUALLY ON CENTRAL FLORIDA, NOT JUST DAYTONA BEACH AREA, BUT THIS WHOLE AREA.

SO THE RETURN ON THAT IS AWESOME.

IT'S LIKE HAVING A COUPLE OF SUPERBOWLS EVERY TIME IT COMES TO TOWN.

YOU CAN DO THE MATH AND FIGURE OUT IT'S A PRETTY GOOD DEAL TO HAVE.

AND WE'RE JUST BLESSED TO HAVE IT.

>>HAS THERE EVER BEEN A SINGLE ACTIVITY MORE SOLELY IMPORTANT TO A COMMUNITY THAN RACING HAS BEEN TO DAYTONA BEACH?

RACING HAS BEEN THE STRAW THAT STIRRED THE DRINK HERE FOR SO MANY YEARS AND IT CONTINUES TO.

>>IN NEW SMYRNA BEACH, THERE'S A SPECIAL STREET WITH AN UNUSUAL STORY.

CANOVA DRIVE TAKES AN UNUSUAL TURN AT ONE POINT, BUT IT'S TO HONOR A LONGTIME MONUMENT BUILT TO TEENAGER, CHARLES DUMMETT.

IN 1860, DUMMETT WAS HUNTING WITH A FRIEND WHEN HIS GUN DISCHARGED AND HE WAS KILLED.

HIS FATHER THEN BURIED HIM IN THE SPOT WHERE HE DIED.

>>THE TOMB IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET.

IT'S BEEN THERE LONGER OF COURSE IN THE STREETS HAVE BEEN THERE, SO WHEN THEY WERE LAID OUT, THEY ACTUALLY BYPASS IT BY GOING AROUND IT.

AND THAT'S WHY IT'S CALLED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET.

IT'S ACTUALLY A LITTLE WOODED AREA THERE THAT YOU'D HAVE TO DRIVE AROUND.

>>LATER IN THE 1960S, THIS BURIAL SPOT BECAME A PROBLEM FOR DEVELOPERS.

TO AVOID THE LEGAL DIFFICULTIES IN MOVING THE GRAVE, THE DEVELOPERS MADE THE ROAD SPLIT AND GO AROUND IT.

TO THIS DAY, CHARLES DUMMETT STILL REMAINS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET.

>>VOLUSIA COUNTY IS ALSO HOME TO ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR ARCADE GAMES EVER MADE.

IT'S PRODUCED AND SHIPPED WORLDWIDE RIGHT HERE IN HOLLY HILL.

>>LET'S PLAY WHACK-A-MOLE!

>>YEAH.

IT'S THOSE PESKY MOLES POPPING UP AND DOWN JUST TAUNTING YOU, QUESTIONING WHO IS FASTER.

LET'S GRAB A MALLET AND WELL, WE'LL WHACK-A-MOLE.

THE GAME IS PRODUCED BY A COMPANY CALLED BOB SPACE RACERS LOCATED RIGHT HERE IN HOLLY HILL.

>>WHACK-A-MOLE IS PROBABLY WHAT WE'RE MOST FAMOUS FOR.

IF YOU TELL SOMEONE, THEY ASK YOU WHAT IS BOB'S SPACE RACERS?

AND YOU SAY, WELL, YOU EVER HEARD OF WHACK-A-MOLE?

EVERYBODY'S HEARD OF WHACK-A-MOLE.

WE'VE BEEN MAKING WHACK-A-MOLE SINCE ABOUT 1976.

WE SELL ALL OVER THE WORLD.

PRETTY MUCH BUILD EVERYTHING CUSTOM.

SO WHEREVER YOU WANT IT, HOWEVER YOU WANT IT, WHATEVER COLOR YOU WANT, WHATEVER SIZE YOU WANT, WE BUILD IT RIGHT HERE AND SHIP IT ALL OVER THE WORLD.

WHACK-A-MOLE IS JUST ONE OF MANY GAMES PRODUCED AND SOLD BY BOB SPACE RACERS.

AND IT'S ALL DONE IN-HOUSE.

>>WE HAVE EVERY TRADE HERE WORKING.

WE HAVE ELECTRONICS, WE HAVE ELECTRICIANS, WE HAVE PLUMBER, WE HAVE PAINTERS, WE HAVE ARTISTS, WE HAVE SHEET METAL PEOPLE, WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT RUN CNCS.

WE HAVE EVERY TRADE HERE, SO THERE'S NOT TOO MUCH WE CAN'T DO HERE.

WE CAN BUILD A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS HERE.

>>THAT ABILITY TO DIVERSIFY HAS HELPED DEAL WITH THE CHALLENGES CREATED BY THE PANDEMIC.

>>OUR BUSINESS WENT FROM A HUNDRED MILE AN HOUR TO ALMOST STOPPED.

AND WE GOT INTO THE HAND SANITIZER BUSINESS.

SO WE MAKE PORTABLE HAND SANITIZER, HANDS-FREE.

WE MAKE A REALLY GREAT PRODUCT.

WE MAKE A REAL GOOD PRODUCT FOR SOMEBODY WHO REALLY WANTS TO DO IT RIGHT.

A LOT OF THE BIG COMPANIES AND STUFF LIKE THAT YOU GO INTO, YOU CAN'T FIND THE HAND SANITIZER.

IT DOESN'T WORK.

IT'S ALL OVER THE FLOOR.

AND WE MAKE A UNIT THAT SOLVES ALL THAT PROBLEM.

>>GIUSEPPE'S PIZZA IN PORT ORANGE IS ONE OF MANY LOCAL BUSINESSES USING THE NEW HAND SANITIZER.

>>WITH STATIONS LIKE THIS, IT MAKES IT EASIER FOR OUR CUSTOMERS TO SANITIZE.

IT MAKES OUR CUSTOMERS MORE COMFORTABLE.

THEY CAN SANITIZE ON THE WAY IN, THEY CAN SANITIZE ON THE WAY OUT.

THEY CAN COME BACK AND USE IT ALL THEY WANT.

IT'S EASY TO REFILL, AND IT'S NOT SOME BIG UGLY CONTRAPTION EITHER THAT EATS UP A TON OF MY FLOOR SPACE.

FOR THE DINING ROOM, THIS IS JUST SO MUCH EASIER AND MY CUSTOMERS HAVE LOVED IT.

>>WE'VE ALWAYS PUT SMILES ON EVERYBODY'S FACES WITH EVERYTHING WE DO.

AND NOW WE'RE HOPING WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE COVID-19.

WHAT A MESS THE WORLD'S IN WITH IT.

AND IF WE CAN BE A SMALL PART OF SOLVING THAT SOLUTION, WE WANT TO BE THERE.

>>FROM WHACK-A-MOLE TO HAND SANITIZERS, BOB SPACE RACERS IS EVOLVING TO FACE ANY NEW ISSUE THAT POPS UP.

DOWNTOWN NEW SMYRNA BEACH HAS A HISTORIC SPOT CALLED THE LITTLE DRUG COMPANY.

IN BUSINESS NOW FOR NEARLY A HUNDRED YEARS, IT MAINTAINS A QUAINT ATMOSPHERE AS THE OLDEST ONGOING INDEPENDENT PHARMACY IN VOLUSIA COUNTY.

>>THIS STORE HAS THE PRIVILEGE OF BEING OPENED SINCE 1922, WHICH MAKES IT ONE OF THE OLDEST STORES IN VOLUSIA COUNTY THAT'S BEEN IN CONTINUOUS OPERATION.

AS WE KNOW IT IS THE OLDEST DRUG STORE IN THE AREA.

AND IN 1972, AFTER I GRADUATED FROM COLLEGE, I STARTED WORKING FULL TIME HERE AND BEEN HERE EVER SINCE.

IT IS ALSO ONE OF THE FEW DRUG STORES THAT HAS A FULL SERVICE SODA FOUNTAIN.

SO THAT'S BEEN A POPULAR SPOT FOR A LOT OF VISITORS AND LOCALS TO COME AND HAVE ICE CREAM TREATS AND SANDWICHES AND ET CETERA.

>>OH MY GOSH, IT'S A RAINBOW FREEZE, IT'S MADE WITH SHERBET AND SPRITE AND THEY PUT IT ON THE MILKSHAKE MACHINE.

IT'S TO DIE FOR.

>>THIS DRUG STORE HAS A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT COME IN AND GET AN AFTERNOON TREAT.

AND IT IS A PLACE OF DESTINATION FOR SOME OF THEM THAT THEY'LL MEET AND YOU'LL SEE BUSINESS PEOPLE OVER THERE MAKING DEALS AND PEOPLE THAT YOU DIDN'T KNOW IN THE PAST NOW KNOW YOU BY YOUR NAME.

AND A LOT OF FOLKS ARE HERE JUST TO KICK THEIR SHOES OFF AND RELAX AND HAVE A NICE AFTERNOON OR EVENING.

>>ONCE A MONTH A NOSTALGIC ATMOSPHERE FROM INSIDE SPILLS OVER TO THE OUTSIDE AS THE CLASSIC CARS LINE CANAL STREET.

>>26 YEARS AGO, WE WENT TO THE CITY COUNCIL AND ASKED THEM IF WE COULDN'T DO A SHOW ON CANAL STREET AND THEY AGREED TO IT.

AND THEY SAID THAT WE COULD ADD TWO BLOCKS.

AND IF IT GREW ANY BIGGER THAN THAT, THEN WE COULD GO FROM THERE.

WELL, THE FIRST SHOW WE HAD, WE FILLED THE TWO BLOCKS.

THE SECOND SHOW WE HAD, WE FILLED THE ENTIRE STREET AND IT'S BEEN THAT WAY EVER SINCE.

THIS AUGUST WILL BE 25 YEARS WE'VE BEEN DOING IT.

CLUB WORKS REALLY HARD.

EVERYBODY'S VOLUNTEERS, IT'S THE EAST COAST CRUISERS CAR CLUB THAT PUTS IT ON.

WE'RE THE LARGEST ONCE A MONTH CAR SHOW IN THE SOUTHEAST.

AND WE'RE PRETTY PROUD ABOUT THAT.

AND WE TRY REAL HARD TO MAKE A NICE SHOW.

WE REALLY DO.

>>WELL, IF YOU'RE A LONG TIME PBS FAN, YOU'RE PROBABLY A FAN OF ARTIST BOB ROSS.

HIS SERIES, THE JOY OF PAINTING MADE HIM AN ICONIC FIGURE AND A PBS LEGEND.

WELL, ALL THOSE HAPPY LITTLE ACCIDENTS STARTED RIGHT HERE IN VOLUSIA COUNTY.

BOB ROSS WAS BORN IN DAYTONA BEACH IN 1942.

AND WHEN HE TURNED 18, HE ENLISTED IN THE AIR FORCE WHERE HE SERVED FOR 20 YEARS.

WHILE STATIONED IN ALASKA, BOB DEVELOPED AN INTEREST IN PAINTING AND LEARNED THE WET ON WET STYLE OF PAINTING FROM GERMAN ARTIST BILL ALEXANDER.

NOT HAVING TO WAIT FOR THE PAINT TO DRY TO PROCEED, ALLOWED ROSS TO FINISH A PAINTING IN ABOUT 30 MINUTES.

THE JOY OF PAINTING AIRED ON PBS FOR 11 YEARS FROM 1983 UNTIL 1994.

AND THE SHOW TURNED BOB ROSS INTO A HOUSEHOLD NAME.

ROSS WAS NOTED FOR HIS PERMED HAIRSTYLE, WHICH HE ULTIMATELY DISLIKED, BUT KEPT IT AS IT WAS INTEGRATED INTO HIS COMPANY'S LOGO.

BOB ROSS HAS INSPIRED COUNTLESS NUMBERS OF PEOPLE TO TAKE UP PAINTING LIKE POLICE SKETCH ARTIST, CHRISTOPHER SEGGI.

>>WHEN I WAS 11 YEARS OLD FLIPPING THROUGH THE CHANNELS, AND ON PBS, BOB ROSS WAS ON.

THIS GUY'S KNOCKING THESE PAINTINGS OUT IN A HALF HOUR AND IT LOOKS EASY.

SO I SAVED UP A FEW MONTHS AND I WENT UP AND I BOUGHT THE BOB ROSS PAINT SET, AND I STARTED KNOCKING OUT THESE OIL PAINTINGS.

>>MY PARENTS HAVE A RADIO SHOW AND THEY SAID WE HAVE A SURPRISE FOR YOU.

WE GOT BOB ROSS TO COME AND BE ON THE RADIO SHOW.

I WAS ALL EXCITED.

I'M LIKE A KID IN A CANDY STORE.

I WENT I GOT ALL MY OIL PAINTINGS TOGETHER.

I GRABBED THEM ALL AND I WENT TO MY DAD'S STUDIO AND THERE HE WAS, AND I SHOWED HIM MY WORK.

AND HE SAID, CHRIS, HOW ABOUT ONE DAY, YOU AND YOUR FAMILY COME OUT TO MY HOUSE IN LONGWOOD AND WE'LL DO A PAINTING.

>>SO WE WENT OUT TO HIS HOUSE AND WE WENT INTO HIS STUDIO AND HE PUT ONE OF THE PAINTINGS THAT HE HAD UP ON THE WALL.

AND HE SAYS, PAINT THAT PAINTING.

AND HE WATCHED ME PAINT IT.

AND TILL THIS DAY I STILL HAVE THAT PAINTING.

THAT'S WHEN I KNEW THAT THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT I WANTED TO DO.

>>FOR THOSE LOOKING TO BE INSPIRED, THERE'S THE BOB ROSS ART STUDIO RIGHT HERE IN NEW SMYRNA BEACH.

>>BOB HAD 30 YEARS OF PAINTING EXPERIENCE AND HE WAS A TRADITIONAL PAINTER TO BEGIN WITH IN MANY DIFFERENT STYLES AND THEN HONED HIS OWN PARTICULAR LOOK ON THE WET ON WET TECHNIQUE.

>>IT'S A COMBINATION OF EVERYTHING.

IT'S HIS APPROACH TO IT.

IT'S HIS PERSONALITY, ESPECIALLY AT A YOUNG AGE WHEN YOU'RE WATCHING TELEVISION AND YOU TURN ON YOU SEE A GUY WITH THIS GREAT BIG HAIR AND A BEARD, AND HE'S DOING THIS PAINTING AND IT LOOKS LIKE HE'S HAVING THE TIME OF HIS LIFE.

>>IN GENERAL, THEY STARTED OUT AS BOB ROSS FANS, IT WAS PEOPLE THAT ARE EXPOSED TO BOB IN THE BEGINNING SEE HIM ON TV.

AND THEY'LL THINK, GEE, THAT LOOKS FUN.

I'LL TRY THAT.

AND MAYBE THEY BUY SOME OF THE PRODUCTS AND TRY IT AT HOME.

AND THEN HOPEFULLY THEY GET INTO A CLASS AT SOME POINT.

YOU DO NEED TO TAKE CLASSES TO LEARN THE TECHNIQUE AND THEN PRACTICE THE SKILLS THAT YOU LEARN AND THE PAINTINGS DO GET BETTER.

THE LANDSCAPES TEND TO DRAW MORE PEOPLE.

OF COURSE THEY KNOW BOB FOR THE LANDSCAPES AND THEY RECOGNIZE THOSE LANDSCAPES.

SO THEY ALWAYS WANT TO START OUT WITH THAT.

AND A LANDSCAPE CAN BE A LITTLE MORE FORGIVING.

YOU CAN PUT A TREE SOMEPLACE THAT'S A LITTLE BIT OFF IT'LL WORK.

IT'S SEEING THEM COME IN A LITTLE DOUBTFUL OR MAYBE A LITTLE HESITANT AND THEN THEY LEAVE AND THEY'VE GOT ALL THIS CONFIDENCE AND THEY'RE PROUD OF WHAT THEY'VE DONE.

AND IT REALLY DOES CHANGE PEOPLE.

>>HE IS ABLE TO DRAW PEOPLE IN EVEN NOW, EVEN TODAY, AND HOLD THEIR INTEREST AND KEEP THEM COMING BACK TO SOMETHING LIKE THIS BECAUSE REALLY ONCE YOU TRY IT AND YOU HAVE SOME SUCCESS WITH IT AND YOU GO ON, THAT'S A FEELING YOU NEVER GET TIRED OF.

YOU CAN'T HAVE TOO MUCH OF A GOOD THING.

>>I THINK EVERYBODY WANTS TO BE CREATIVE TO SOME DEGREE.

THEY JUST DON'T KNOW HOW, AND WE MAKE IT REAL EASY TO DO THAT.

AND THAT WAS BOB'S GOAL.

HE WANTED TO MAKE IT UNINTIMIDATING.

HE WANTED TO MAKE IT LOOK SIMPLE.

AND HE DID BECAUSE HE REALLY DID KNOCK IT DOWN TO BASIC ELEMENTS.

>>BOB ROSS DIED IN 1995 WHILE LIVING IN ORLANDO AT THE AGE OF 52.

HIS GRAVE SITE IS AT WOODLAWN MEMORIAL PARK IN GOTHA, FLORIDA UNDER A PLAQUE MARKED BOB ROSS, TELEVISION ARTIST.

>>ONE OF THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES THAT NOT EVERYONE RECALLS TODAY IS FREEMANVILLE, WHICH WAS ACTUALLY THE BEGINNING OF PORT ORANGE.

AFTER THE CIVIL WAR, ABOLITIONIST JOHN MILTON HAWKS BROUGHT ABOUT 500 FREED SLAVES AND THEIR FAMILIES TO SETTLE IN VOLUSIA COUNTY, NEAR PONCE INLET, AND ESTABLISHED A NEW COMMUNITY CALLED FREEMANVILLE.

>>THE NAME FREEMANVILLE DOESN'T COME FROM THE IDEA OF THE FREEMAN.

IT COMES FROM THE NAME OF A FAMILY, THE FREEMAN FAMILY.

THIS IS IN THE 1880S.

THE EAST COAST RAILROAD COMES THROUGH RIGHT THROUGH THAT AREA.

AND A LOT OF BLACK WORKERS ON THE RAILROAD COME AND LIVE IN FREEMANVILLE.

SO FREEMANVILLE GROWS AND THE ORIGIN OF PORT ORANGE IS THIS FREEMAN COLONY.

>>ALTHOUGH THE LUMBER COMPANY WOULD EVENTUALLY FAIL, SEVERAL FAMILIES NOT ONLY SURVIVED, BUT FLOURISHED.

HENRY AND ANNA TOLLIVER BECAME PERHAPS THE MOST SUCCESSFUL OF THE ORIGINAL SETTLERS.

THE MOUNT MORIAH BAPTIST CHURCH BUILT IN 1911 IS BELIEVED TO BE THE LAST SURVIVING BUILDING.

>>NOW IT'S BECOME PART OF PORT ORANGE, SO EVERYTHING HAS CHANGED.

ALL THE STREETS WERE PAVED AND THEN A HOUSING DEVELOPMENT MOVED IN THERE.

SO IT NO LONGER RETAINS THAT IDENTITY OF A SPECIAL, SEPARATE COMMUNITY AS IT DID BEFORE ALL THAT.

THE IMPORTANCE OF FREEMANVILLE IN THIS AREA'S HISTORY IS SIGNIFICANT BECAUSE FREEMANVILLE BRINGS UP THAT WHOLE SUBJECT OF THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN PRESENCE IN THIS AREA AND HOW IMPORTANT THAT WAS TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THIS AREA.

>>OF COURSE, YOU CAN'T THINK ABOUT VOLUSIA COUNTY WITHOUT THINKING ABOUT RACING ON THE WORLD'S MOST FAMOUS BEACH.

EVERY YEAR, A CELEBRATION IS HELD WHERE IT ALL BEGAN AT THE NORTH TURN.

RACING ON THE BEACH IS A TREASURED MEMORY FOR FOLKS IN VOLUSIA COUNTY.

AT THE NORTHERN END OF THE OLD BEACH COURSE IS THE NORTH TURN RESTAURANT STILL STANDING AS A LANDMARK OF VOLUSIA'S RACING ROOTS.

EACH YEAR, THE NORTH TURN HOSTS A PARADE OF THE PAST.

OLD RACE CARS, RACE DRIVERS, TAKING PART IN A LAP AROUND THE OLD BEACH COURSE, STARTING ON THE ASPHALT OF A1A AND THEN THE RETURN LEG ON THE BEACH, RELIVING MEMORIES FROM DAYS GONE BY.

>>DRIVING ON THE BEACH, IT'S NOTHING THAT YOU COULD DUPLICATE IT WITH.

FANTASTIC TIME TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO RUN WITH SOME OF THE BIG BOYS.

THEY WERE GREAT PEOPLE TO KNOW AND TO COMPETE AGAINST.

>>THAT WAS THE BIGGEST THRILL I EVER HEARD OF.

WHO COULD RUN ON THE SAND?

AND HERE I WAS DRIVING 150 MILES PER HOUR ON THE SAND.

AND THE MORE I DROVE, THE MORE I LIKED IT.

>>IT'S A DAY WE'LL NEVER EVER EXPERIENCE WHAT US KIDS BACK IN THE FIFTIES EXPERIENCED WITH OUR FATHERS COMING DOWN HERE AND WITNESSING ALL OF THIS.

THIS WAS THE GREATEST RACE OF ALL OF THEM.

IT'LL NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN, BUT FORTUNATELY I GOT TO WITNESS IT AND TO SEE IT.

>>IT'S AMAZING TO SEE THE OLD VIDEO CLIPS AND THE PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE BEACH RACING DAYS.

AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO US TO REMEMBER WHERE WE COME FROM AND HOW WE DID IT.

AND JUST AS A FAN OF THE INDUSTRY AND A FAN OF THE AREA, IT IS AMAZING TO LOOK AT ALL THE OLD FOOTAGE IN THE VIDEO AND SEE HOW IT ALL CAME TOGETHER IN THOSE EARLY DAYS.

>>THINK YOU MIGHT KNOW A BIT ABOUT CENTRAL FLORIDA HISTORY THAT WE MISSED?

WELL THEN HEAD ON OVER TO FACEBOOK.COM/WUCFTV AND LET US KNOW.

AND FOR MORE ADVENTURES AROUND OUR AREA, CHECK OUT THE OTHER EPISODES OF CENTRAL FLORIDA ROADTRIP AT WUCF.ORG/ROADTRIP.

>>WELL THAT WRAPS UP THIS VOLUSIA COUNTY EDITION OF CENTRAL FLORIDA ROADTRIP.

I'M DR. PHIL HOFFMAN.

JOIN US AGAIN NEXT TIME AS WE CONTINUE TO EXPLORE THE RICH HISTORY THAT SURROUNDS US ALL EVERY DAY, RIGHT HERE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA.