Enterprise Preservation Society (Links)

future Enterprise Heritage Center"

In early 2004, the Volusia County School Board donated the historic
Enterprise Elementary School building (c. 1936) to The Enterprise
Preservation Society.

To escape demolition, the 3,000 sq. foot building, originally used for
educating grades 7-10 and then as a community food pantry, had to be moved
from the school campus.

In June of 2007, the building was moved about 1/8 of a mile across Main
Street, where it begins its new life as The Enterprise Heritage Center and
Town Hall. The interior of the building is in surprisingly good shape,
retaining many of its original features, especially on the second floor.

After renovation, the building will be open to the public, as a
permanent display space for the extensive collection of historic letters,
documents, photos, artifacts and other material owned by The Enterprise
Preservation Society. These important and valuable items relate to the
history of Enterprise and surrounding communities such as Stone Island
and Garfield. In addition, the Heritage Center will feature a 1930's-era
classroom; exhibits on Enterprise history and area ecology, a gallery for
works by local artists, community meeting space, archives and library space
as well as office space for the Society.

"It is rare for a preservation society to have a building, such as the
Enterprise Elementary School Building, to be donated toward such a
culturally important cause," said Sally Landis Bohon, then President
of the West Volusia Historical Society.

An article with photo of The Heritage Center was featured in the Summer
2004 issue of The Florida Preservationist Magazine.

In November 2004, the Enterprise Heritage Center booth and exhibit was
honored with a first place award at the Volusia County Fair.

Money for foundation work and building renovations is, of course, a
major need. While the Volusia County ECHO program has pledged matching
funds to pay for much of the building move itself, there is still much work
to be done. Sponsors can buy an engraved paver in a walkway or a brick
building foundation. Corporate sponsors can buy naming rights to one of
the galleries. Other fund-raising efforts include a wine and chocolate
tasting in September, tha Festival of Tables in October and, of course the
Annual Old Enterprise Festival in the spring.

For more information, please contact Cindy Sullivan, EPS fundraising chair
for the Heritage Center project: Phone 386-575-0694 or email
cindy-sullivan@cfl.rr.com.

If you would like to make a donation to the Heritage Center project, please
make your check payable to Enterprise Preservation Society and mark for
"EHC project." Mail to EPS, PO Box 4015, Enterprise, Florida 32725.

*Enterprise Preservation Society is a 501c.3 non-profit organization.