Stetson Law started Florida's law school story
Stetson Law began in DeLand in 1900 as Florida's first law school, then moved to Gulfport in 1954.
Florida’s first law school began in DeLand and later found its long Tampa Bay home in Gulfport.
Stetson University opened the law school in DeLand on October 2, 1900. The first class had five Florida students. At the time, it was the state’s first law school.
In 1954, the school moved to the old Hotel Rolyat site in Gulfport. The new campus used 17 former hotel buildings. Jack Taylor had promoted the hotel, and “Rolyat” is his last name in reverse. The site later housed the Florida Military Academy before Stetson arrived.
That two-city path is easy to miss, but it joins the story together. DeLand holds the school’s 1900 start. Gulfport holds the campus people know today. Both places are direct parts of its history.
For a current visit, use Stetson’s visitor, admissions, and event pages. The old history tells you why the campus looks the way it does, while the live pages tell you how to see it now.
Where to see it
Stetson University College of Law in Gulfport and Stetson's DeLand history. Check current campus visitor, admissions, and event pages before visiting.
Place paths
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Official sources
Last checked against these sources: July 29, 2026.
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