Driving around Volusia County, I found these beautiful, romanesque ruins of historic arches on Calle Grande.
At first, I was just surprised to realize that these beautiful structures were just standing there. At that moment, I didn’t know what they were. Or why they were abandoned.
I later learned that the ruins were once in discussion to be demolished. Which I thought was super sad because they are so pretty.
But after a car crash damaged one of the columns, county officials said they were looking into the possible restoration of the historic arches in Volusia County.
These historic arches on Calle Grande in Ormond Beach were built back in 1924. They were meant to be the entranceway to Rio Vista Resort, a Mediterranean-style development also known as Rio-Vista-on-the-Halifax and The Riviera Hotel.
Today, the former hotel is now an assisted living facility. The Riviera Country Club is also right alongside the arches.
The columns were built as a replica of Roman ruins and painted to look like marble. They even had toga-clad statesmen built above the arches. Ironically, they are now real ruins of their own.
These historic arches are probably the most notable structure of what’s left of the development.
What was once the dream of Ohio developer William Collins Hardesty, was never built due to the Great Depression. I have no doubt these historic arches would’ve been part of a beautiful place.
Details of the Ruins of These Historic Arches
Although abandoned, the ruins continue to remain very picturesque and picture-worthy.
The columns still have a beautiful marble-like color and most of them remain pretty much intact.
Once you enter Calle Grande, you pass through the arches, which are visible on both sides of the road.
Since the arches were also meant to be the launching point for gondola rides, you will notice how the structure leads you to the canal.
Another detail that caught my attention is that not all of the columns are completed with an arch. I wonder if that’s the way it was meant to be.
Or if it’s just where they had to leave it when the plans were put to a halt. What do you think?
There are many historic ruins near Daytona Beach. But I have to say that the story behind these arches makes them quite amazing.
How to Get to the Historic Arches in Ormond Beach
Address: 365-399 Calle Grande St, Ormond Beach, FL 32174
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Yanitza Ninett
Yanitza is an avid adventurer with 15+ years of hiking experience and outdoor travel. As a PADI-certified scuba diver, she's also passionate about ocean conservation. When she's not exploring the great outdoors, Yanitza obsesses over The Vampire Diaries and dreams of traveling to Mallorca, Spain.
I’ve driven through these awesome arches dozens of times, always wondering how and why they came about.
Your article was the answer; thank you! Do you know where I can find more info on these spectacular structures?! Also, if you have a blog concerning other ancient sites, I would be interested to follow you.
Thank you for reading! It makes me happy to know you enjoyed my content on these beautiful historic arches in Ormond Beach. The Daytona Beach News Journal has a lot of information on these arches. You can also check with the Volusia County Historic Preservation Board. This is my only blog at the moment and you can find other historic landmarks on here 😊 Thank you for sticking around!