Wine and art event Feb. 5 in Daytona Beach to benefit Lilian Place

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Courtesy photo / The historic Lilian Place as shown here is one of Daytona Beach's treasures made famous in the book "Open Boat" by Stephen Crane, who also wrote "The Red Badge of Courage."

DAYTONA BEACH -- The Art League of Daytona Beach will hold a Wine and Cheese Reception and Fine Art Auction on Saturday Feb. 5, to benefit Lilian Place – the oldest house on Daytona’s beach side.

Admission is free for the 6 to 8 p.m. event held at the League’s Main Gallery, 433 South Palmetto Ave.

Art work by 27 specially selected artists will be featured in a silent auction with a portion of the proceeds donated to the non-profit Heritage Preservation Trust of Volusia County.

A little more than a year ago Lilian Place -- a prime example of Italianate High Victorian architecture -- stood empty and neglected.

The property, located on Orange Avenue, was purchased by the Trust with a Volusia County ECHO grant.

"During the past year the roof was repaired and exterior of the building restored. Future plans for the riverfront home include interior repairs, furnishing rooms in authentic 1884 period furniture and opening the property to the public as a museum, meeting and event site, said said Nancy Long, Trust president

In December, Lilian Place was the site of a wedding reception for the great grandson of Laurence Thompson, who built the historic home.

“We’d love to open the doors of this beautiful and valuable historic mansion for the community to enjoy,”  Long said. “We have a wonderful group of volunteers and supporters who are working hard to raise the funds to make that happen, but we can always use more help.”

Lilian Place also has its place in American literature. Stephen Crane, author of “Red Badge of Courage” made the historic home famous in his story “The Open Boat” where he described how he and two companions were rescued when their boat sank off shore in 1896.

For more information, please visit the Trust’s Web site at www.heritagepreservationtrust.org or call Nancy Long at 386-299-4974.