Even if you are not a literary fan, you have likely heard of Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings or are familiar with her work. In 1939 she won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction for her novel “The Yearling.” The book was later adapted into a movie staring Gregory Peck. The setting of the book and movie put North Central Florida on the map as the author gave insight into what life was like in the rugged days of Florida’s past.
Rawlings also published a book called, “Cross Creek,” which is an autobiography of her life in the Florida town with the same name. In an attempt to capture the same friendly atmosphere and culture as the Alachua County town, a subdivision was built in DeLand in the 1990’s named Cross Creek.
The main entrance into the subdivision can be found at the intersection of Marjorie Rawlings Drive and Plymouth Avenue in DeLand. The street names draw their inspiration from Ms. Rawlings and her books. Currently, the community has 127 single-family homes. It is a deed restricted community with automatic membership into the homeowners association.
Residents of the community can enjoy:
The Cross Creek subdivision may not look exactly like the original old Florida town, but one can’t help feeling like they have stepped back in time to a simpler place that drew inspiration from a true literary hero.