The city is named for Henry A. DeLand. It was founded in 1876, and incorporated in 1882. In 1883, Henry A. DeLand established DeLand Academy. Later, DeLand entrusted the academy to his friend John B. Stetson, a wealthy hat manufacturer from Philadelphia and a founding trustee. In 1889, it was renamed John B. Stetson University after its new patron. The name was later shortened to Stetson University, and in 1900 it became the first law school in Florida. The University's sports teams are called the Mad Hatters. DeLand grew during the 1920s Florida Land Boom. The Downtown DeLand Historic District has been undergoing extensive renovations recently. http://wikitravel.org/en/DeLand