Here is the Forest City plat, filed with Orange County in 1883. I’ve overlayed 2023 landmarks on it to give reference. The red line is the old Orange Belt Railroad line, which is now (partially) a bike trail that is part of the rails to trails program — the part that is not under a parking lot or superstore now.

This is the commercial center of west Altamonte Springs at the State Road 434 and 436 intersection. Forest City had a separate identity from Altamonte Springs until the 1980s. It fought for a long time to maintain its own rural post office, but eventually lost.

Up until the 80s, this intersection was still a prime citrus-growing country. Mega shopping complexes have replaced the many orange groves, prominent packing houses, and juice factories that dominated the landscape just a few decades ago.