Jason Byrne, Author at Florida History Blog

Elizabeth Haines Mansion in Sebring

The Elizabeth Haines House is one of the most impressive mansions in Sebring from the Great Florida Land Boom. Haines was the widow of wealthy businessman John Locke Haines. It was one of the first homes constructed in the Sebring...

Pioneer Justice: How to make a thief talk

John Collier, Jr. knew he had found the thief. Now he just had to extract the truth from Perry Sellers.

Origin of Yeehaw Junction

There are a lot of inventive stories about how Yeehaw Junction got its name. All but one are false.

The Great Hot Springs of Sebring

A town still in its infancy bursts with excitement over a natural wonder found in the heart of downtown!

Mysterious Bombing at Bank of Oviedo

The village of Oviedo was rocked by a 1929 attack perpetrated by apparent burglars… or was there another motive?

Casselberry’s Concord settlement is oldest in south Seminole County

Thousands of cars unknowingly pass by this relic every day. Concord pre-dates Longwood, Altamonte, and Oviedo. On a recent Saturday, I was battling 17–92 traffic for approximately the 953rd time since moving to the area 15 years ago. Out of the...

Bog to Beauty: Crane’s Roost Park

Since its namesake hotel burnt in 1954, sprawling Altamonte Springs had no real center. So, it created one… from a swamp.

The Village of Taintsville

Residents who lived in the rural community between Chuluota and Oviedo lacked an identity, so they created one.

Rollins Prank Ends Era of Altamonte Tram

From its founding in 1883 until 1925, a horse-drawn street car ushered guests from the train station to the Altamonte Hotel. The storied transport came to an abrupt halt.

Lynched in Longwood: The Brutal Killing of John West

Despite being acquitted by the court, an angry white mob took matters into their own hands in 1925 Seminole County.