By spring of 1889, the Florida East Coast Railway extended its service from Jacksonville to Daytona, and railroad magnate Henry Flagler bought The Ormond Hotel and enlarged it to handle 600 guests.

In 1914, John D. Rockefeller arrived at The Ormond Hotel for the winter season, and rented an entire floor for his staff and himself.

After four seasons at the hotel, he bought The Casements, a nearby estate also beside the Halifax River.

On November 24, 1980, The Ormond Hotel was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.

The original cupola now stands in Fortunato Park, directly west of the site of the former hotel.