[2] Henry Addison DeLand, a baking soda magnate from Fairport, New York, visited there in 1876, and envisioned building a citrus, agricultural and tourism center.

He sold his northern business and hired people to clear land, lay out streets, erect buildings and recruit settlers, most of whom came from upstate New York (though DeLand never lived in the city year-round).

On December 6, 1876, at 2:00 PM, the settlers decided to rename the community from "Persimmon Hollow" to "DeLand", in honor of him founding and helping develop its infrastructure.

One story has it that DeLand had guaranteed settlers' investments as an inducement to relocate, and so was obligated to buy back their ruined groves, though there is no hard evidence that this took place.

As for many other would-be real estate magnates in the area at the time, his Florida investments were nearly worthless after the freeze, and he returned to his home in the North.

DeLand entrusted the academy to his friend John B. Stetson, a wealthy hat manufacturer from Philadelphia and one of the institution's founding trustees.

[10] During the 1920s Florida Land Boom, fine examples of stucco Mediterranean Revival architecture by native architect Medwin Peek and others were constructed in DeLand.

Since 1992, the city has hosted the DeLand Fall Festival of the Arts, a two-day event held annually in the historic downtown area on the weekend before Thanksgiving.

[15] On August 18, 2020, an EF-2 tornado made landfall in DeLand Around 4 PM EST, and caused an estimated $7.4 million in damages over its 4.6 mile path.

The men's and women's basketball teams play at the J. Ollie Edmunds Center, an on-campus arena which opened in 1974 and seats approximately 5,000 spectators.

The Hatters baseball team plays at Melching Field at Conrad Park, a 2,500-seat ballpark located off campus just south of downtown DeLand.

As part of Stetson's re-entry into college football, Spec Martin Stadium underwent significant renovations, including a new press box, handicapped and premium seating areas, and new locker room facilities.

This in combination with the tourist end of the industry makes it one of the town's largest supporters and invaluable to the local economy.

DeLand has been the filming location for a number of television and movie projects, including the 1999 Adam Sandler comedy The Waterboy.

Scenes showing the fictional South Central Louisiana State University Mud Dogs home football games were shot at Spec Martin Stadium.

Ghost Story, starring Fred Astaire, Douglas Fairbanks, Jr and Craig Wasson, was filmed in part at Stetson University and the Holiday House.

Since August 12th, 2024, the station has been the northern terminus of Orlando's SunRail commuter rail system, with service approximately every hour on weekdays only.

It also contains a spur leading from the station which was built by the Orange Ridge, DeLand and Atlantic Railroad and has received passenger service in the past.

[35] During World War II, the Babcock Airplane Corporation manufactured 60 Waco CG-4 assault gliders at DeLand,[36] but the firm was out of business by 1945.