The Gilded Sands: When Daytona Beach was the World’s Most Exclusive Stage
As we approach another adrenaline-fueled race season here in Daytona, it’s easy to focus on the roar of the engines and the modern marvel of the Speedway. But just a few miles east, beneath the shifting sands of our coastline, lies the foundation of it all.
Before Daytona was the "World Center of Racing," it was the winter playground for the world’s most powerful families. This season, Gallery500 is proud to present a rare window into that era through the archival work of Richard LeSesne. These aren't just photographs; they are the "ancestor portraits" of speed, captured by a man who was as much a social documentarian as he was a pioneer of the lens.
LeSesne, Richard H., 1880-1946. William K. Vanderbilt and his powerful Mercedes - Daytona Beach, Florida. 1904. Vanderbilt brought the first world speed record to the beach at 92.30 mph.
The Original "Gasoline Alley"
Long before the manicured garages of International Speedway existed, there was the Ormond Garage. Built in 1903 by railroad tycoon Henry Flagler, it served as the first "pit row" for the global elite.
Ormond Garage. 1970.
Imagine a scene where Henry Ford, Harvey Firestone, and Ransom Olds weren't just names on a building, but men in wool suits, tinkering with experimental machines on the sand. The racing was a gentleman’s pursuit: an expensive, dangerous, and utterly fashionable hobby that drew the "Glamoratti" of the Gilded Age to our shores every winter.
LeSesne, Richard H., 1880-1946. Ransom E. Olds in the Olds Pirate racing car - Ormond Beach, Florida. 1896. From the Florida Memory archives: Visitors at Ormond hotel discussed the idea of an auto race on the beach. Alexander Winton had already built and driven a race car called the Bullet while Ransom E. Olds was manufacturing small two seaters and had sold a sightseeing bus in Ormond. Winton agreed to bring his car down and Olds said that he would build a suitable challenger. The two cars met and had identical speeds of 57 mph. It was fine sport and neither claimed victory.
Fashion on the Dunes
In the archival LeSesne prints currently on display at the gallery, you’ll notice that the cars, though magnificent, are only half the story. The spectators are a study in early 20th-century elegance.
LeSesne, Richard H., 1880-1946. Untitled V
While the drivers prepared for their runs, the dunes were lined with men in three-piece suits and women in elaborate Edwardian hats and long skirts. They traveled here by private rail car and stayed at the legendary Ormond Hotel, known then as the "Playground of the Wealthy." For these visitors, the beach was a stage, and the land-speed record attempts were the season’s most anticipated social galas.
Crowd gathered on the beach - Daytona Beach, Florida. 1900 (circa).
"Neighbor John" and the Local Legacy
Perhaps the most famous resident of this era was John D. Rockefeller. From his winter home, The Casements (which still stands today as a testament to this golden age), Rockefeller was a frequent fixture of local life. He was often seen on the beach watching the time trials, famously handing out bright new dimes to children and locals.
LeSesne, Richard H., 1880-1946. Winter home of John D. Rockefeller, Ormond Beach, Fla. 1929.
His presence cemented Daytona and Ormond Beach as the "it" destination for the international elite. It was a time when the pursuit of speed was synonymous with high society, and Richard LeSesne was there to capture every quiet moment of preparation and every high-stakes start.
Experience the Archive
The four LeSesne photographs we are currently showcasing at Gallery500 offer a rare, "still" look at these gargantuan machines and the world they inhabited. Unlike the blurred action shots of today, these portraits allow you to see the textures of the sand, the intricate brass of the radiators, and the quiet dignity of a time when the beach was the fastest place on Earth.
As you enjoy the festivities of race season this year, we invite you to stop by the gallery to see where the story began.
