- July 26, 2024
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When the infamous Hotel Ormond Cupola building closes for the summer season, the historical displays inside will be undergoing a revitalization of sorts.
Cupola volunteer coordinator Linda Lampman said the project is a joint effort between herself and and another former Ormond Beach Historical Society president, Bonda Garrison. The two are working together to reorganize the collection over the summer and clean up or replace some of the photographs on display that have been damaged over the years.
“We figured this summer we'll get our new displays figured out and created,” Lampman said. “And then we’ll reorganize it a little bit so that we think we've got a nice timeline.”
The Cupola, located in Fortunato Park at the northeast corner of the Granada Bridge, is all that remains of the historic Hotel Ormond. The displays are managed by the Ormond Beach Historical Society and was refurbished to resemble when it topped Hotel Ormond — and Ormond Beach’s skyline — for over 100 years.
The Cupola is open for tours from September to May, from 2-4 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.
Hotel Ormond first opened in 1888, according to the Ormond Beach Historical Society’s website, and was later demolished in 1992. Lampman said the Cupola structure was rescued from the city dump and restored in its new home in Fortunato Park, where it serves as a memorial to Hotel Ormond.
“It [was], you know, the signature skyline of the city of Ormond for over 100 years. And a lot of people that come in there, remember the hotel,” she said. “It was quite the centerpiece of the city.”
Over the years, she said, the Cupola has received donations of Hotel Ormond memorabilia and photos. The plan over the summer is to reorganize those donations into a cohesive timeline, in order to more accurately tell the history of Hotel Ormond to the public, Lampman said.
The Cupola has even put out the call for additional Hotel Ormond memorabilia donations. Because of the small space, she said, the Cupola asks residents interested in donating their Hotel Ormond pieces to reach out to the Cupola first.
Residents can email a photo of the item, with its dimensions, to [email protected], and leave their contact information as well. If it’s a good fit for the display and limited space, Lampman said, the Cupola team will reach back out.
Lampman suggested residents tour the Cupola over the final two weekends in May and return in September to see the new displays. She said her favorite part of residents and visitors touring the Cupola is hearing the stories of what people remember from when the hotel still dotted the skyline.
“It's all about sharing the story of our local history,” she said, “and hearing what other people have to say.”
