Tarragona Tower, Historical tower in Daytona Beach, Florida.

Tarragona Tower is a 45-foot coquina rock structure in Daytona Beach, designed by architect Elias F. De La Haye and completed in 1925. Its walls, from 18 inches to 4 feet thick, hold narrow windows at different levels, and its interior artwork is attributed to Volusia County artist Don J. Emery. The design drew on an octagonal medieval tower and arches in Tarragona, Spain.

Designed by architect Elias F. De La Haye and completed in 1925 by builder Charles Ballough, the tower marked the entrance to the 1,000-acre Daytona Highlands development. Its northern arch over Volusia Avenue was torn down in 1942 for feared troop movements that never occurred. In November 1994 the 800-ton structure was moved 75 feet south for $500,000 to clear a widened International Speedway Boulevard.

The tower's name comes from the medieval octagonal tower and arches of Tarragona, Spain, which inspired its design. Its eight rooms once held the developer's sales office, furnished with handmade Spanish furniture and a fireplace, and the interior artwork is attributed to Volusia County artist Don J. Emery. After the sales office closed, residents used the building as a community center until the 1950s.

The tower stands on the south side of West International Speedway Boulevard, set back from the six-lane road after its 1994 move. Its interior, including the ground-floor sales office and the top-floor room with 24 windows, is closed and locked; the coquina walls, the patched north face and the surviving arch are seen from the sidewalk and roadside. Parking is in nearby commercial lots.

The 1994 move cost $500,000 and shifted an 800-ton structure on a specially built track. The state had ruled out demolition, a road detour and disassembly before choosing to jack up the whole tower. Look at the north wall facing International Speedway Boulevard: the triangular scar where the demolished arch's gable met the tower is still visible.