AUTHORS

Jason Byrne

Is it Fort Basinger or Bassenger or Bassinger…?

Since just about 1837 there has been confusion over the name of the Seminole Wars fort and its sister towns on opposite sides of the Kissimmee River . Growing up, I guess I was a bit of a nerd. I...

Brighton, Florida: Ghost town that was almost a county seat

“Here will soon be one of the busiest and most populous towns in Florida,” insisted one October 1925 announcement. Another advertisement boldly proclaimed the new Highlands County settlement would “become the trading center of the greatest and most profitable truck-farming, poultry-raising...

Sebring and Avon Park Battle for County Seat

When the Florida legislature formed Highlands County from DeSoto County in 1921, it kicked off a heated campaign to decide which town would become the capital city. In the early 1900s, south-central Florida was dominated by mega-county DeSoto County, itself having...

Brick Highways of Orlando: The Fading of Highway 22

During the 1910s and 1920s, brick roads connecting towns throughout Florida were all the rage. The few remaining today are fading fast. One hundred years ago, in 1916, brick highways were considered state-of-the-art. The now antiquated paving material was a revolutionary...

The Marvelous Wooden Railroad

John C. Burleigh needed a steam engine for his sprawling sawmill in Avon Park, and nothing would stop him! Imagine living in frontier Central Florida in the year 1895. Without roads or mechanical equipment, you must move a 12-ton locomotive...

The Lost Colony of Pabor Lake

Most people interested in the history of Highlands County have heard about the involvement Melvil Dewey (of Dewey Decimal System fame) had on the founding of Lake Placid, Florida. However, few have ever heard of the Pabor Lake Colony, which...

Ocoee On Fire: The 1920 Election Day Massacre

A quiet Florida citrus town became the scene of a gruesome racial cleansing that purged the black population for over 60 years. It must have seemed like a lifetime ago to Julius “July” Perry since he first arrived in Ocoee. More...