Editor, The Beacon:
Sadly, I need to let all know that every possible forever home site that we have looked at for DeLand’s US Army WW2 “ST” ST479 “Tiger” over the past two years has not turned out to be workable, and we simply cannot move ahead.
Within the last few days, I have received emails from the Ocala National Forest/USDA Forest management, as well as the manager of the Blue Spring State Park/French Landing area, telling me for various reasons, some of which are certainly valid and related to conservation corridor issues, that they will not support even a simple national monument project on their land, much less the St. Johns River Maritime & Military Museum Phase Two possibility we have been discussing. Either of those two sites would have been magical!
I worked the first year to try to see if there was any way our priceless treasure could go in Ed Stone Park on the St. Johns River, and at the same time I was attempting to work a practical and logical deal on Lake Beresford. Sadly, I was a few months too late to change plans already in motion on the old State Road 44 bridge site; and nothing else worked anywhere in the park either, with its long-known lack of truck and trailer parking.
Little land is for sale on Lake Beresford, and certainly nothing at a price that would appraise (essential for a grant or possibly ECHO funds), making development there impossible for us unless the county seriously considers something in Volusia County’s Lake Beresford Park. Not to mention we would have to raise the money!
But development there will be costly, and a road would need to be built to make it work. But it might be made of gravel and not paved. Wetland issues might be a problem as well, but there is a high bluff with enough room even for the possible Phase Two Museum idea. Development here could be done, but who in the county has the will to support it?
Similar issues exist for building something at Lake Monroe Park: Most of the available land is wetlands that are costly to develop, and that’s quite a drive from DeLand as well. But at least we would have county support and not have to fundraise to buy land, which is why I made the attempt to build on donated state or federal land. Having the forever site free could help greatly with potential grant match requirements.
This challenge has now reached its third year, and we have no solution in sight for where Tiger might go for a visible forever home. And after 80 years in the water, she must be brought out of the water soon … and that won’t be cheap. At this point, I have little choice and will consider anything, even on the east side, perhaps in one of the veterans parks.
Should you know of anyone willing to donate or discount waterfront land on the St. Johns or Lake Beresford … or at the very least offer up 2-5 acres that could actually be purchased at appraised value, please let me know. It’s time for someone to step up and help us make this happen … I’ve done all I can.
Private citizens have donated $290,000 on this project, including me, and I certainly am not well off, and that’s not counting the tug’s donation that I value at another $500,000. With hundreds of volunteer hours, it’s already a million-dollar project … 100% done at this point entirely with private efforts and zero public funds.
Please consider a donation. We still have ongoing expenses while this all gets sorted out! Tiger is ready to move on short notice, and we will keep her that way. But we really do need to get her out of the water.
Maybe it’s time for our city, county, regional, and state government leaders to step up and help save Tiger. We certainly had the support and encouragement from the City of DeLand to return her, but it looks like we can’t be very close to the city, thus limiting what they can do politically in the way of financial support.
By all means, email your creative ideas!
Happy Veterans Day, Tiger! Welcome home to DeLand, and thanks for your indispensable service. And congratulations on your 80th birthday. We could not have won at Normandy and elsewhere in World War II without help from U.S. Army ST tugs just like you.
Dan Friend
President, DeLand Historic Trust Inc.
