History of Daytona Beach, Florida in Timeline
Daytona Beach is a coastal city in Florida, USA, known for its tourism. As of 2020, its population was 72,647. The city is part of the Deltona–Daytona Beach–Ormond Beach metropolitan area and is a major part of Florida's "Fun Coast" region.
1902: Motorsports Arrive in Daytona
Daytona Beach's hard-packed sand attracted automobile and motorcycle races starting in 1902.
1904: Land Speed Record Attempts Begin
Daytona Beach began hosting land speed record attempts in 1904, with William K. Vanderbilt setting an unofficial record of 92.307 mph (148.554 km/h).
1922: Daytona Beach Golf Course Established
The Daytona Beach Golf Course was established in 1922.
October 10, 1924: Record Rainfall in a Day
Daytona Beach received a record 12.85 inches of rain on October 10, 1924.
1926: Daytona Beach Is Incorporated
The towns of Daytona, Daytona Beach, Kingston, and Seabreeze merged in 1926 to form Daytona Beach.
1927: Halifax Hospital Taxing District Established
The Halifax Hospital Taxing District, a public hospital district, was established in 1927 by an Act of the Florida Legislature.
1928: Frank Lockhart's Fatal Crash
Land speed racer Frank Lockhart died in a crash on Daytona Beach in 1928 while driving the Stutz Black Hawk.
1929: Lee Bible's Fatal Crash
Land speed racer Lee Bible died in a crash on Daytona Beach in 1929 while driving the Triplex Special.
March 7, 1935: Campbell's Final Land Speed Record
On March 7, 1935, Malcolm Campbell set a land speed record of 276.816 mph (445.492 km/h) on Daytona Beach, marking the end of land speed racing on the beach course.
March 8, 1936: First Stock Car Race
The first stock car race was held on the Daytona Beach Road Course on March 8, 1936, in what is now Ponce Inlet, Florida.
June 24, 1944: Record High Temperature (Tied)
Daytona Beach set its record high temperature of 102 degrees Fahrenheit on June 24, 1944.
1952: Daytona Beach International Airport Construction Begins
Construction began on the Daytona Beach International Airport with terminals being constructed in 1952.
1952: Daytona Beach Symphony Society is Founded
The Daytona Beach Symphony Society, a non-profit organization, was founded in 1952 to sponsor performances at the Peabody Auditorium.
1953: Highest Annual Rainfall
Daytona Beach experienced its highest annual rainfall in 1953.
1956: Lowest Annual Rainfall (Tied)
Daytona Beach tied its record for lowest annual rainfall in 1956.
1958: Additional Terminals Constructed at Daytona Beach International Airport
In 1958, additional terminals were constructed at Daytona Beach International Airport.
1958: Daytona International Speedway Is Born
William France Sr. and NASCAR built the Daytona International Speedway in 1958 to move races off of the beach.
1959: Daytona International Speedway Opens
The Daytona International Speedway was built in 1959 by William France Sr. and NASCAR, replacing the Daytona Beach and Road Course.
1960: Hurricane Donna
Hurricane Donna caused damage and injuries in Daytona Beach in 1960.
1963: FEC Labor Dispute Impacts Long Distance Routes
In 1963, long distance routes were diverted to Atlantic Coast Line Railroad and Seaboard Air Line Railroad routes following the beginning of a labor dispute on the FEC.
July 31, 1968: FEC Terminates Passenger Operations
On July 31, 1968, the FEC (Florida East Coast Railroad) ended passenger operations system-wide.
1977: Dayton 2 Daytona
In 1977, the annual event Dayton 2 Daytona began, which draws over 3,000 University of Dayton students.
July 15, 1981: Record High Temperature (Tied)
Daytona Beach tied its record high temperature of 102 degrees Fahrenheit on July 15, 1981.
1983: Record Cold Daily Maximum Temperature
Daytona Beach experienced its record cold daily maximum temperature on Christmas Day in 1983.
January 21, 1985: Record Low Temperature
The record low temperature in Daytona Beach was 15 degrees Fahrenheit on January 21, 1985.
1989: "Daytona" by Chris Rea Released
Chris Rea released his song "Daytona" in 1989 as part of his album "The Road to Hell".
1990: Days of Thunder Filmed
The movie "Days of Thunder" was filmed in Daytona Beach and nearby DeLand in 1990.
1991: Beginning of Freeze Data
Data on the number of freezing nights in Daytona Beach was first collected in 1991.
1992: Rogue Wave Hits Daytona Beach
A 28-mile (45 km) long rogue wave with a 9 feet (2.7 m) high crest hit Daytona Beach in 1992, causing property damage and 75 reported injuries.
1992: New Daytona Beach International Airport Constructed
In 1992, the current Daytona Beach International Airport facility was constructed at a cost of $46 million and included a domestic and international terminal.
1993: Daytona Tortugas Founded
The Daytona Tortugas, a minor league baseball team of the Low-A Southeast, were established in 1993 and play at Jackie Robinson Ballpark.
1994: LTU Ends Flights to Daytona Beach
LTU ended all flights to Daytona Beach in 1994.
1997: American Airlines Ends Flights to Daytona Beach
In 1997, American Airlines ended all of its flights to Daytona Beach.
1998: Kissimmee Tornado Outbreak
The 1998 Kissimmee tornado outbreak caused damage and injuries in Daytona Beach.
August 2, 1999: Last Recorded Temperature Above 100 Degrees
The last time Daytona Beach reached 100 degrees Fahrenheit was on August 2, 1999.
2000: 2000 United States Census: Household Data
In 2000, the United States Census reported that 18% of households had children under 18, 30.1% were married couples, 14.5% were female-led households, and 51.6% were non-families. Additionally, 39.4% were individuals, and 14.4% had someone living alone who was 65 or older.
2004: Hurricane Charley
Hurricane Charley caused damage and injuries in Daytona Beach in 2004.
2004: Tourism in Daytona Beach
Over 8 million tourists visited Daytona Beach in 2004.
2006: Lowest Annual Rainfall (Tied)
Daytona Beach tied its record for lowest annual rainfall in 2006.
2007: Continental Airlines Discontinues Flights to Daytona Beach
Continental Airlines discontinued flights to Daytona Beach in 2007.
2008: AirTran and United Airlines Discontinue Flights to Daytona Beach
Both AirTran Airways and United Airlines discontinued flights to Daytona Beach in 2008.
2008: Record Warm Daily Minimum Temperature (Tied)
Daytona Beach tied its record warm daily minimum temperature on September 1, 10, and 11, 2008.
2008: Marley & Me Filmed
Daytona Beach was one of the filming locations for the 2008 film "Marley & Me".
2008: Children's Science Center Opens
The Museum of Arts and Sciences in Daytona Beach opened a children's science center in 2008.
December 28, 2010: Last Temperature Below 25 Degrees
The last time temperatures in Daytona Beach fell below 25 degrees Fahrenheit was on December 28, 2010.
2010: 2010 United States Census Data
Data from the 2010 United States Census showed that 61,005 people resided in Daytona Beach, distributed among 25,093 households and 12,234 families.
2016: Veterans Memorial Bridge Closure and Replacement
The Veterans Memorial Bridge was closed in June 2016 as part of a three-year project to replace the drawbridge with a high span bridge.
2019: City's Financial Report
The City of Daytona Beach published its 2019 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report.
August 25, 2020: Record Warm Daily Minimum Temperature (Tied)
Daytona Beach tied its record warm daily minimum temperature of 82 degrees Fahrenheit on August 25, 2020.
2020: 2020 United States Census Data
According to the 2020 United States Census, there were 28,763 households and 14,607 families residing in Daytona Beach.
2020: End of Freeze Data Collection
The collection of data on the number of freezing nights in Daytona Beach ended in 2020.
