National Register of Historic Places

Abbey, The

Daytona Beach, Volusia County, Florida
Listed
April 8, 1987
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
87000615

About this property

The Abbey (also known as Thompson's General Store or Rhodes House) is a historic site in Daytona Beach, Florida, United States. It is located at 426 South Beach Street. On April 9, 1987, it was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. The Abbey was built in 1875 as the area's second general store, built and run by area businessman and long-standing town clerk and town council member, Laurence Thompson. While the vote to incorporate what was then simply Daytona was held at the area's first general store, the city incorporation papers were signed at the Abbey. It was, at various times, used as a church meeting room, a social hall, and a lending library. Laurence Thompson, who had by then moved into real estate and insurance, sold the property in 1891. In 1904, it was bought by Adelaide Rhodes, who heavily renovated the store into a residence, adding the two additions and peaked roof that give the structure its current look. Her son, Harrison Garfield Rhodes, prolific writer, playwright, travel writer and magazine editor, lived there seasonally from 1918 to 1929. The house was bought in 1955 by Dr. William Doremus, who applied for its place on the National Register of Historic Places in 1987. On February 15, 2016, the Abbey Historical Trust held an event celebrating the building's 140th anniversary, where the City of Daytona Beach declared the day "Abbey Day" and the house was opened to the public from 1-5 PM. Volusia County listings at National Register of Historic Places Volusia County listings Archived June 5, 2011, at the Wayback Machine at Florida's Office of Cultural and Historical Programs

Location

426 S. Beach St.
Daytona Beach, Volusia County, Florida
29.20506, -81.01685

Categories

LITERATUREEDUCATIONEXPLORATION/SETTLEMENTPERFORMING ARTS
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Native Heritage
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Nearby Historic Sites

South Beach Street Historic District
Listed
0.1 mi
Blodgett, Delos A., House
Industrial
0.2 mi
Olds Hall
Modern
0.2 mi
City Island Ball Park
Listed
0.3 mi
City Island
Listed
0.3 mi

Nearby Battles

Battle of Simmons Bluff (FL)
1863Civil War
5.5 mi

Questions about this property

When was Abbey, The listed on the National Register?

Abbey, The was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on April 8, 1987.

What type of historic resource is Abbey, The?

Abbey, The is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Abbey, The?

The period of significance for Abbey, The is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Abbey, The?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Abbey, The will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

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