Page 188 - John Anderson

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There was a gym available with pulleys, weights, parallel and
horizontal bars and punching bags. The one guest that always
preferred to stay there rather than the Ponce de Leon was Thomas
Alva Edison. One of the most popular managers associated with the
Alcazar was Joseph Pearson Greaves.

The Hotel Ormond
Two years after opening the Ponce de Leon, Flagler continued
expanding his Florida holdings. He built a railroad bridge across the
St. Johns River to gain access to the southern half of the state and
purchased part interest in the Ormond Hotel, owned by Utley J. White,
in 1890. Later the following year on May 1, 1891 Mr. Flagler
purchased the remaining Anderson and Price interests, retaining the
former owners as managers and making The Hotel Ormond part of
the Florida East Coast System. At that time the hotel was valued at
one hundred and twelve thousand, five hundred dollars. This was the
beginning of unprecedented growth along the east coast of Florida
and the little town of Ormond would become a pleasant stopover in
Henry’s path southward.

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