LETTERS: Ormond Beach shouldn't be proud to be known as cheap

Ormond Beach Observer
Opinion

Ormond Beach needs retirees with money, thank you very much, AARP; and, the Ormond Hotel was actually not built by Henry Flagler.

COMPILED BY THE OBSERVER STAFF

Thanks for nothing, AARP

Who needs AARP's distinction of being grouped amongst the cheapest places in the country to retire to? This is not a positive for our town. Let Daytona Beach and Deltona bathe in that glory, if they wish. Here in Ormond Beach, we need an influx of retirees with the financial means to help our existing taxpayers support our current operating expenses and pending pension obligations.

Thanks for nothing, AARP.

Chuck Wadro

Ormond Beach

Ormond Hotel not built by Flagler

Dear Editor,

My husband and I read the Ormond Beach Observer faithfully every week and we want to thank you for all the pertinent information about our community you deliver.

In the Oct. 17 issue, in the article titled “Bill Jones honored for downtown restoration,” Mr. Jones was certainly correct when he stated that “Ormond Beach has a lot of history that needs to be preserved and glorified.” His statement that the Rose Villa was built and that Rockefeller lived in Ormond is correct; however, his statement that “Flagler built the Ormond Hotel” was unfortunately incorrect.

The Hotel Ormond was built in 1887 and opened Jan. 1, 1888, through the efforts of two of Ormond’s most influential and enterprising pioneers: Mr. John Anderson and Mr. Joseph Downing Price. Henry Flagler purchased the hotel in 1890 for $112,500 to support travelers along his Florida East Coast Railroad to Key West.

As authors of seven books about Ormond/Daytona history, my husband and I feel this piece of misinformation needs to be rectified so that only the accurate history of Ormond is that which is “glorified.”

Alice Howell

Ormond Beach