# Florida History Blog > Learn the hidden stories and forgotten figures of Central Florida's vibrant past. Dive into our blog for captivating tales of places and pioneers. ## Posts - [Muskmelons and Gun Powder: The Origins of Fort Maitland](https://floridahistoryblog.com/muskmelons-and-gun-powder-the-origins-of-fort-maitland/): Long before modern sailboats defined the shore, Lake Maitland was known as "Muskmelon Place," an indigenous sanctuary transformed into a tactical military outpost during the Second Seminole War. Discover the story of a lost 1838 stockade and the incredible archival detective work that unearthed its location a century later to preserve a pivotal chapter of Florida’s past. - [Dr. Washington Kilmer: A Journey of Resilience and Service](https://floridahistoryblog.com/dr-washington-kilmer-a-journey-of-resilience-and-service/): Imagine facing a grim prognosis, given merely a year to live by your own medical colleagues. This was the stark reality for Dr. Washington Kilmer in 1872, then a physician in Ironton, Ohio, suffering from a severe physical breakdown induced by his tireless professional labors. But Dr. Kilmer was no ordinary man. Instead of succumbing, he embarked on an extraordinary 1,500-mile journey to Florida, on foot, hoping its famed climate and natural springs would restore his health. - [A Pioneer Memory: Poem by Bessie M. Peeples](https://floridahistoryblog.com/a-pioneer-memory-poem-by-bessie-m-peeples/): This poem was provided to me by Merrilou Joanne Wilder Inks, granddaughter of Fannie Green Lastinger. The Lastinger family was the first to homestead in Lake Placid around 1890. A PIONEER MEMORYBy: Bessie Mae Lastinger Peeples-Deckhut(Daughter of Joshua Lastinger, who homesteaded the shore of Lake June property) Said Father Josh to Mother Lou, “The hills are calling me,My heart is fondly longing, for a land that’s wild and free,I hear that crystal lakes abound, ‘mong hills and hammocked dells,That homesteads there may now be had, by those that meaneth well. “So pack our small belongings; dress well the children dearAnd with your […] - [Altamonte Springs 1892 Plat Map](https://floridahistoryblog.com/altamonte-springs-1892-plat-map/): Altamonte Land Hotel & Navigation Company Surveyed by M. B. Given Revised and Platted by Otto Fries, 1892 - [Mayaca-Jororo, the native people of Orlando](https://floridahistoryblog.com/mayaca-jororo-the-native-people-of-orlando/): If you ask most residents who lived in Central Florida when the Spanish arrived, they’d probably tell you the Seminoles. However, the Seminoles didn’t even exist when the Spanish arrived. Instead, they were bands of refugees fleeing to Florida long after those early nations were wiped out. Long-time residents of the Orlando Metro might smugly correct that myth, insisting that the Timucuan tribe called the area home when Ponce De Leon first arrived on Florida’s east coast. While this has been traditional lore in the region (even cited in many books), this too is incorrect—instead, the Mayaca people called the […] - [Dr. Howell Tyson Lykes: Founder of the Lykes Brothers](https://floridahistoryblog.com/dr-howell-tyson-lykes-founder-of-the-lykes-brothers/): Dr. Howell Tyson Lykes was born in Columbia, South Carolina in 1846. He moved to Spring Hill, in the Brooksville area, with his family at a young age. He served with the Confederate Army during the Civil War; he was captured and held prisoner at Bayport in 1865. After the war, he earned a medical degree at Charleston Medical College. He briefly practiced medicine in Brooksville during the 1870s, but it never seemed like his calling. His entrepreneurial spirit led him to explore other avenues.   In 1874, Dr. Howell T. Lykes married Aimeria Bell McKay of the wealthy McKay family […] - [Osceola Ghost Town](https://floridahistoryblog.com/osceola-ghost-town/): The company town of Osceola was a bustling and modern city from 1916-1940. When the company relocated to south Florida, it literally dismantled the town board by board. - [Petty's Market of Longwood](https://floridahistoryblog.com/pettys-market-of-longwood/): Siblings Jay and Mary Alysson Pettigrew were twenty-something entrepreneurs passionate about food. Their first venture was running a typical high-volume supermarket owned by their parents (Jerry and Rosemary) in St. Cloud. They sold that market around 1976 when a buyer marched in and made them an offer they couldn’t refuse. For version two, they wanted the opportunity to serve their customers with premium products and a personal touch, which they decided was a gap in the market. So they decided to open a new, small market back home in Brevard County. In February 1977, they opened the first Petty’s Meats. […] - [Lord family founded Ebenezer Methodist Church in Elder Springs (Sanford)](https://floridahistoryblog.com/ebenezer-methodist-church-in-elder-springs-sanford/): John Minton Lord (1839-1924) served with his brother, Jeremiah, for the 3rd Georgia Regiment of the Confederate Army during the Civil War. He was wounded and left for dead at Gettysburg. He lay for nine days under an apple tree, with both legs badly injured, until he was found by Union soldiers. He recuperated in a Union prison for almost a year, spending the remainder of the war on crutches. After being released in 1866, Lord moved with his widowed mother from Wilkinson County (Georgia) to Columbia County (Florida). His neighbor, Miles Tanner, decided to follow them to Florida along […] - [Jasmine Theater of Altamonte Springs](https://floridahistoryblog.com/jasmine-theater-of-altamonte-springs/): You'd never guess it today, but this modest residence was once the hub of social activity in early Altamonte Springs. - [Cross Florida Barge Canal: A Shortcut That Never Was](https://floridahistoryblog.com/cross-florida-barge-canal-a-shortcut-that-never-was/): The Cross Florida Barge Canal was an ambitious and ultimately unfulfilled project to carve a watery path across the state's midsection, connecting the Atlantic Ocean with the Gulf of Mexico. - [Juneteenth in Bealsville: Freedom's Fertile Ground](https://floridahistoryblog.com/juneteenth-in-bealsville-freedoms-fertile-ground/): Juneteenth holds a unique significance in the fields near Plant City. A story of resilience, hope, and the unshakeable dream of freedom unfolded in this corner of pioneer Florida. - [Gangland Life and Murder of Ed Milam](https://floridahistoryblog.com/gangland-murder-of-ed-milam/): Orlando boss, Ed Milam, was found brutally murdered in a Kissimmee swamp. We examine his life and death. - [Polk County Sheriff ousted in gambling crackdown](https://floridahistoryblog.com/polk-county-sheriff-frank-williams/): Crime bosses installed Frank Williams as Polk County sheriff in exchange for an unmolsted bolita monopoly. - [Smiths Island in Lake Apopka is named for Snapper lawnmower inventor](https://floridahistoryblog.com/smiths-island-in-lake-apopka/): Lake Apopka is Florida’s fourth-largest lake. It was once home to some of the best fishing anywhere. However, by 1970, it became the state’s most polluted. Phosphates and pesticides from agriculture in the north and runoff and sewerage spills from development in the south destroyed it, making Lake Apopka virtually uninhabitable. Thanks to the work of environmentalists, birds, and aquatic life are returning. The lake is on the long road to recovery. On the lake’s western shore, just north of Montverde’s town limits, we find 13-acre Smith’s Island. It is inaccessible from mainland Lake County. On the other side of […] - [Harry T. Moore: Champion of Justice](https://floridahistoryblog.com/harry-t-moore-champion-of-justice/): Transcript Harry T. Moore: A champion for justice. Meet Harry Tyson Moore, Florida’s forgotten hero of the Civil Rights Movement. Harry was born in 1905 near Live Oak, Florida. He graduated from Bethune Cookman, where he met his wife Harriet. After college, they moved to Brevard County. Harry was a founding member of the Florida NAACP. He led the voting registration drive and filed lawsuits against voter suppression techniques. Harry worked tirelessly for housing and education equality. He fought for justice for lynching victims and with Thurgood Marshall in the famous Groveland 4 case. Broward County fired the Moores from […] - [Florida's Lottery started as the Cuban game of Bolita](https://floridahistoryblog.com/florida-lottery-origin-is-bolita/): The modern-day lottery in Florida has a surprising origin story. Its roots lie not in the halls of government but in the bustling streets of Havana, Cuba. Around 1890, a game called Bolita, meaning “little ball,” crossed the Florida Straits and found fertile ground in Cuban communities, particularly Tampa’s Ybor City. During World War I, Bolita’s popularity transcended cultural boundaries and spread throughout the state. The irony of Florida’s official lottery, established in 1986, is stark. For the preceding 70 years, Bolita was demonized as a destructive vice. Millions of dollars were poured into eradicating its illegal operations; tragic turf […] - [Pioneer Villages to Visit in Florida](https://floridahistoryblog.com/visit-pioneer-villages-in-florida/): Greater Orlando Fort Christmas Historical Park 1300 N Fort Christmas Rd, Christmas, FL 32709 This county park is awe-inspiring for history lovers. It has a replica of the Seminole War fort and an entire recreated village. The county has been collecting neglected old buildings from the surrounding area and lovingly restoring them. There are also farm animals to simulate what life would have been like. Pioneer Village at Shingle Creek 2491 Babb Rd, Kissimmee, FL 34746 The village includes a general store and post office, schoolhouse, church, train depot, homesteads from Osceola settlers, Seminole settlement, a cow camp, and working […] - [Kappy's Subs in Maitland is a Step Back in Time](https://floridahistoryblog.com/kappys-subs-in-maitland-is-a-step-back-in-time/): During the Great Depression, restaurant owners began to use retired train cars as micro-cafes. These cars were only big enough for a grill top and two staff members. A long bar with stools was the only seating. This became the prototypical vision of the American diner. Arthur Valentine started as a restaurant operator in Kansas but became the frontman behind sales of prefabricated diners in the 1930s. They were initially manufactured by the Ablah Hotel Supply Company. After World War II, this company became Valentine Manufacturing, Inc. and sold units nationwide. They became known as Valentine Diners. Few survive today, […] - [Origins of the Sonny's and Fat Boys BBQ chains](https://floridahistoryblog.com/sonnys-and-fat-boys-bbq/): Who says there is no such thing as Florida barbeque? Sonny’s BBQ is the largest chain in the industry, and it all started in Central Florida. Where exactly? I reckon some would say Gainesville, but that depends on how far you want to go back in time. Joe Culpepper: The great-grandaddy of Florida barbeque Joseph Seaborn Culpepper is the great-grandfather of barbeque restaurants on the Florida peninsula. He was born in 1907 and grew up in Cordele, Georgia. His father, David Culpepper (1873-1940), guarded a dozen heirloom family recipes that led many to say he made the best barbeque in […] - [Fat Boys BBQ Recipes](https://floridahistoryblog.com/fat-boys-bbq-recipes/): To follow up on the origin story of Fat Boy’s Bar-B-Q, here are some of the recipes shared from this throwback restaurant favorite. These recipes were passed down to Fat Boy’s founder, Andy Keller, from Florida barbeque legend Joe Culpepper. Baked Beans Wash the beans, add the water, garlic, bacon (or pork), and chopped onion. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat, let cool, and soak overnight in the refrigerator. Remove from refrigerator and boil for 1 to 2 hours until just tender. Test regularly during the last half hour of cooking so you don’t overcook. Make the bean sauce […] - [LuRae Hotel in Casselberry](https://floridahistoryblog.com/lurae-hotel-in-casselberry/): The Lurae Tourist Court, known today as the Lu-Rae Motel, dates back to 1951. It is located at 3400 S US Hwy 17 92 in Casselberry, Florida. A 1953 postcard boasts the motel’s amenities, which included a private beach on Lake Ellen, tiled baths, and unique panel ray heaters. These heaters, popular in the 40s and 50s, functioned like stoves and required ventilation while in use. Howard Hamer opened the hotel with his wife Edith in 1951. The couple hailed from Lionville, Pennsylvania, and became active members of the Presbyterian Church after moving to Longwood, Florida, in 1950. The couple’s […] - [Hicoria, Florida went up in smoke](https://floridahistoryblog.com/hicoria-florida/): Hicoria went from sleepy settlement to boom town overnight in 1929. Six years later, it again retreated into obscurity. - [Death metal started in Altamonte Springs](https://floridahistoryblog.com/death-metal-started-in-altamonte-springs/): Death was born in Altamonte Springs. No, that’s not some sort of poetic oxymoron. “Death” is the name of a band founded in 1983 by three students: Chuck Schuldiner, Kam Lee, and Rick Rozz. Schuldiner attended Lyman, while Lee and Rozz went to Lake Brantley High School. Early heavy metal bands like Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, and Kiss inspired the trio. Schuldiner, the group’s lead guitarist and vocalist, was just 16 when they started performing locally. He reportedly named the group “Death” as a way of coping with the loss of his older brother, Frank Schuldiner, who died […] - [Eyesore on I-4: Origin of the Majesty Building](https://floridahistoryblog.com/eyesore-on-i-4-the-story-behind-the-majesty-building/): It started as a building; it became a meme. Central Floridians never get tired of a good “Eyesore on I-4” joke. The never-ending construction project started in 2001 and (as of 2024) shows no signs of being completed… like ever. But before we talk about the present, let’s rewind the tape. Claud and Freeda Bowers Claud Bowers is the man behind the Majesty Building. He was born in 1944 and raised in Bonifay, Florida. It is the county seat of Holmes County, an exit off the lonely stretch of I-10 halfway between Pensacola and Tallahassee. It has two traffic lights. […] - [How did Orlando get its name?](https://floridahistoryblog.com/how-did-orlando-get-its-name/): Over the past century, probably a hundred historians have debated the name origin of the City of Orlando. “So,” I thought, “why not become 101?!” I will reveal some new tidbits and an angle not previously suggested. First, I’ll lay the backdrop, then we’ll discuss various origin stories that have been told, and then finally give you my theory. Jump to the end if you want to cut to the chase; read on if you want to follow the investigation. Orange County in the 1850s Only a few hundred people lived in Orange County in 1850. The vast area also […] - [Oviedo Ghost Lights](https://floridahistoryblog.com/oviedo-ghost-lights/): The “Oviedo Lights” is one of the most enduring ghost stories in Seminole County. Bored local youngsters (especially in the county’s more rural period) for decades have ventured to the secluded wetlands north of Chuluota. There Snow Hill Road curves north toward Geneva, passing over the Econlockhatchee River bridge and through the historically black community of Snow Hill. Some say the sightings began in the 1940s, but the earliest documented cases started in the mid sixties. Legend says starting around midnight, at unpredictable intervals and especially in the winter months, a light zooms down the road. It heads south from […] - [Elder Springs](https://floridahistoryblog.com/elder-springs/): The area behind the former Flea World at the corner of 17-92 and 427 was long known as Elder Springs. It was named for Captain Philip Mahlon Elder, who moved to Sanford in 1884 and served as postmaster for many years. The area also was known as Clyde, the name born on the train depot, post office, and schoolhouse. Its earliest pioneers settled in the 1880s and by 1886 it had both Methodist and Baptist congregations. Ebeneezer Church (Methodist) was located at 427 and Tucker Dr. and built in 1890 on an acre land donated on the homestead of J. […] - [Evans Block in Lake Mary](https://floridahistoryblog.com/evans-block-lake-mary/): Frank Evans built this two-story building in 1926 at the southeast corner of Country Club Rd and Crystal Lake Ave in Lake Mary. The bricks were salvaged from the general store of Axel E. Sjoblom, which previously stood at this main downtown intersection of Historic Lake Mary. Dr. O. J. Miller’s Drug and Sundry Store was established in 1926 and has been popular for decades as the best place to get ice cream, soda, or a float. The photo above was colorized from the original image from the 1950s. Ruth Milstead operated a grocery store here until June 3, 1957. […] - [Reed's Motel and its Diving Lady](https://floridahistoryblog.com/reeds-motel-and-its-diving-lady/): In 1957, W. L. and Ruth Bennett constructed a roadside hotel on US Highway 27 in Avon Park. They called it the Bennett Motel. In the days before interstates, Highway 27 was a primary artery for folks traveling to South Florida. The small hotel was one of the last stops of civilization before multi-hour stretch of virtual nothingness past Lake Placid. So it stayed busy with a nightly rate of $4 or $5 Harold and Betty Reed purhcased it from the Bennetts in 1959 for $145,000 in 1959. It was considered one of the newest and most modern hotels in […] - [Was there really a Fort Concord?](https://floridahistoryblog.com/was-there-really-a-fort-concord/): Oral tradition says it was located on the northern shore of Lake Concord, essentially in the Home Depot parking lot. I spoke about the “fort” extensively in this post: Casselberry’s original settlement, Concord. Some legends state that it was built by Aaron Jernigan and his relatives during the “Indian Scare of 1849.” At that time, near Fort Gatlin, south of Orlando, the local settlers (including the Jernigans) constructed a makeshift lodging and barricaded themselves into a peninsula on Lake Conway for almost a year. In my article, I cited a Second Seminole War construction date (1835-1839), which was based on […] - [Early Settlers of Snow Hill / Kolokee](https://floridahistoryblog.com/early-settlers-of-snow-hill-kolokee/): Nestled in rural Seminole County, next to the Little Big Econ State Forest, Snow Hill’s identity hangs on by a thread. A few dozen homes and a green highway sign provide the only indication of the community’s long history. Early Homesteaders Henry and Sarah Detreville moved from South Carolina to settle on the Econlahatchee River in 1905. Henry named the farm “Snow Hill” since he thought the sloping, white sandy shores along the river resembled snow-covered hills. Many black families moved from other southern states to Florida around the turn of the century. The state’s agriculture industry was blowing up, […] - [Murder at Maison & Jardin and Sleepy Hill Farm in Altamonte Springs](https://floridahistoryblog.com/murder-at-maison-jardin-and-sleepy-hill-farm-in-altamonte-springs/): Robert Henry and Verna Fluent Walsh left Chicago and moved to Altamonte Springs around 1925. They purchased an estate of about 24 acres along Wymore Road, just south of the Spring Valley subdivision and fronting the eastern shore of Spring Lake. From their first arrival, the Walsh family was well-connected and involved in the local cultural scene. They would often host events at their farmhouse. They called their sprawling acreage Sleepy Hill Farm. At that time, it was considered “Maitland” but is now incorporated into Altamonte Springs. The couple was married in 1902 and had two sons: Harold Robert (born […] - [Racial Violence Threatened in 1925 Sebring](https://floridahistoryblog.com/racial-violence-threatened-in-1925-sebring/): Many people in Sebring today like to have rose-colored glasses about race relations in the town’s history. Inescapably, Sebring was a typical segregated Southern town with plenty of racist ideals. In September of 1925, the finishing touches were being put on updates to the old Sebring High School building (torn down in 1979, at the present location of Sebring Middle School). The contractor reported that he first tried to hire white painters but could not find the necessary help. Reluctantly, he was “forced to hire negroes” because he needed the work to be done quickly and found plentiful willing workers […] - [Casa de Josefina: The Castle on the Ridge](https://floridahistoryblog.com/casa-de-josefina-the-castle-on-the-ridge/): The quaint Village of Highland Park is just south of Lake Wales on Scenic Highway 17. The hamlet is surrounded by orange groves and anchored by its crown jewel Casa de Josefina. The home, often mistaken for a hotel, was built in 1923. Developer Irwin Yarnell constructed the sprawling Spanish/Mediterranean castle for his wife, Josephine. It was his ultimate love letter. The Yarnells first came to Florida in 1907, and they purchased 3,000 acres north of Crooked Lake in 1919. The grounds were once much more extensive, including a lavish botanical garden with thousands of species of plants. Parcels of […] - [Flying Seminole Ranch in Oviedo](https://floridahistoryblog.com/flying-seminole-ranch-in-oviedo/): The Flying Seminole Ranch was opened east of Oviedo in 1965. Its original owners were Tom Tuck and Jerry Lindsey. It had a 4000-foot grass runway and a training center for aspiring pilots. It was discussed as a possible more extensive airport operation to supplement Herndon Airport in Orlando before McCoy and Sanford’s airports became more prominent. During the 1980s, it was purchased by glider enthusiasts Knut & Ingrid Kjenslie. However, when flight restrictions on those aircraft types were enacted because of the Orlando International Airport, the Kjenslies left town to build a new airstrip in Lake County. Mike Jones […] - [Lorida Memories Book: June 26, 1976](https://floridahistoryblog.com/lorida-memories-book-june-26-1976/): This is a small-run book that was written by a typewriter. Copies were made and hand-stapled to be distributed to local pioneers at the First Annual Lorida Schoolhouse Reunion in 1976. A second book was printed for the 1977 reunion. This book was graciously given to me by Edgar and Norma Stokes (1941 – 2021) in 2017 when I visited their home to research my article on the history of Lorida. The booklet is quite frail with the wages of time. I publish its contents here to preserve it and share it with most of you who could not otherwise […] - [Maitland overpass marks the old town of Mayo](https://floridahistoryblog.com/mayo-avenue-in-maitland/): Hidden under the busy flyover intersection of Maitland Boulevard and US 17-92 are the reminders of a small town that once thrived here around 140 years ago. Mayo Avenue betrays its secret. Rudolph Gustave Mayo (August 22, 1829 – December 15, 1911) was the first to settle on the northern shore of Lake Minnehaha. He was born in Saxony, a German province, and immigrated to Virginia in 1849. According to his 1854 passport application, he was 5 foot, 4.5 inches tall, with “hazel eyes, dark hair, round face, broad forehead, a rather healthy complexion, and an ordinary nose, mouth, and […] - [Forest City, Florida - Plat Map from 1883](https://floridahistoryblog.com/forest-city-florida-plat-map-from-1883/): 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 […] - [Early Population of Highlands County](https://floridahistoryblog.com/early-population-of-highlands-county/): Highlands County Population Year Total White Black Hispanic Native Asian Other 1880 1885 1890 1900 1910 1920 1930 9,193 6,511 2,677 0 0 4 1935 11,086 7,861 3,224 0 0 0 1 1940 9,287 7,339 1,889 23 0 0 36 1945 16,252 13,355 2,893 0 0 0 4 Sebring Population 1920 1,313 1,137 176 1930 3,250 2,428 818 1935 3,675 2,628 1,047 1940 3,155 2,417 737 1945 7,189 6,071 1,115 Avon Park Population 1890 1900 1910 285 1920 1,698 1,274 404 19 1930 3,355 2,428 927 1935 3,423 2,481 942 1940 3,165 2,423 742 1945 4,357 3,432 924 Lake Placid […] - [1890 Property Map of Lake Brantley area](https://floridahistoryblog.com/1890-property-map-of-lake-brantley-area/): Lake Brantley and Hunt Club area. This 1890 Orange County tax role map shows the property owners overlayed on the modern-day satellite view map. The red highlighted area indicates the section the Lewton family donated for the Lake Brantley Union Chapel, constructed in 1895 with a cemetery behind it. The deed stipulated that it must be used as a public church open to all denominations and classes, or it would revert to them. After the church was abandoned following the Great Freeze, the Lewtons took it back. They deeded their property to Rollins College in exchange for their children’s tuition. […] - [Sanford Landmarks of the 1960s](https://floridahistoryblog.com/sanford-landmarks-of-the-1960s/): This photo looks southward down Park Avenue from the Veteran’s Memorial Park. - [Cardinals Played in Avon Park from 1927-1929](https://floridahistoryblog.com/cardinals-played-in-avon-park-from-1927-1929/): The St. Louis Cardinals won the World Series in 1926, so it was with much excitement in Avon Park when the tiny “scenic ridge” town was announced as their spring home. The Red Birds signed a three-year contract to play at Avon Park’s newly constructed Cardinal Field. It is now called Head Field, named for businessman Charles R. Head who was a driving force in building the stadium and convincing the Cardinals to call Avon Park their February and March home. For those three years, the city was alive with baseball fever. For some games, the attendance was higher than […] - [Frostproof 1928: Wall and Scenic (Colorized)](https://floridahistoryblog.com/frostproof-1928-wall-and-scenic-colorized/): I loved this old photo of Wall Street and Scenic Highway from the 1920s so much that I wanted to bring it to life with some color. I’m still learning colorization with Photoshop and the buildings further in the background were a challenge. Overall, I’m really happy with the result. At the end of the street, you see the road melt into the azure Reedy Lake behind. More on Frostproof history… - [Wauchula 1925: Main & 7th Street (Colorized)](https://floridahistoryblog.com/wauchula-1925-main-7th-street-colorized/): I had some fun bringing this 1925 photo to life. I played off the puddles on the original to turn it into a stormy evening with a beautiful sunset. Hopefully, you like it! - [Visit to Lake Harney's Mansfield Island in 1891](https://floridahistoryblog.com/mansfield-island-on-lake-harney-1891/): In January 1891, photojournalist Clarence Bloomfield Moore traveled down the St. Johns River with a small crew. It had become an annual tradition since he first journeyed deep into the Florida wilderness in 1879. Moore was a Harvard-educated archeologist from Philadelphia. He traveled around the world (literally) and navigated the Amazon River in 1876. He became a millionaire running the family’s paper interest but spent as much time as possible studying archeology. Native American studies in the Southeastern United States fascinated Mansfield, which brought him often to the St. Johns River to study ancient Timucuan Indian shell middens and burial […] - [Pre-1860 Land Ownership in Seminole County](https://floridahistoryblog.com/pre-1860-land-ownership-in-seminole-county/): Armed Occupation Act Purchase from US Government Grant for Seminole War Service - [Blumberg treasured her Winter Springs country oasis for nearly 50 years](https://floridahistoryblog.com/blumberg-property-in-winter-springs/): Juanita and Lewis Blumberg sure led an exciting life! “Lew” moved to Orlando in 1933 and served in the army during World War 2. He earned Distinguished Flying Cross, Silver Star, 8x Air Medal, and a Purple Heart. After the war, he became an entrepreneur, owning Acme Glass Company in downtown Orlando. Lewis married a young wife, Juanita, in the late 1950s. They built Acme into a thriving business and sold it for a handsome profit. The new owners struggled, though, and the Blumbergs re-acquired the business, brought it back to profitability, and then sold it again! Lewis encouraged Juanita […] - [Bates-Vammen House in Altamonte Springs was built in 1888](https://floridahistoryblog.com/bates-vammen-house-in-altamonte-springs-was-built-in-1888/): The Bates-Vammen House is at 115 Maitland Avenue, south of 436 in Altamonte Springs. It was built in 1888 by George Frost, who wintered in Altamonte Springs from 1881 until he died in 1905. He was one of the first Boston-based investors to arrive with the Altamonte Land, Hotel & Navigation Company that built the Altamonte Hotel and purchased 1200 acres around Lakes Orienta and Adelaide. The 2.5-story house is a massive 4,350 square feet. George Bates became the Altamonte Hotel’s manager (across the street) in 1901. He lived in the house until he died in 1931. His son Everett […] - [Lake Monroe Public School, Constructed in 1919](https://floridahistoryblog.com/lake-monroe-public-school-constructed-in-1919/): The town of Lake Monroe was once a thriving community but much of its identity was swallowed up by I-4, and the rest erased by industrial buildings around the railroad of West Sanford. It overlays roughly with the former village of St. Joseph and borders the historically black community of Bookertown to its west and the Swedish settlement of Upsala to the south. Hidden down a one-lane road, conveniently called School Street, we find the old Lake Monroe Public School. It opened in 1919 and closed in 1977 after the school board decided the real estate was not worth the […] - [Paola Historical Cemetery](https://floridahistoryblog.com/paola-historical-cemetery/): The Paola Historical Cemetery, also known as the Banana Lake Cemetery or Paola Church Yard Cemetery, is an unassuming lot recently cleared of underbrush in hopes of being finally developed. It is estimated that around 60 graves were once buried here, although only the remains of 10 markers can be found today. The remaining 10 headstones were relocated to the southeast corner of the property in the 1990s by James Froelich when he previously attempted to spur development. The bodies were not moved, so they still are in the original locations on the lot and disgracefully displaced from their grave […] - [Bradenton Almost Replaced Tampa as Cigar Hub](https://floridahistoryblog.com/bradenton-almost-replaced-tampa-as-cigar-hub/): Tampa began manufacturing cigars in 1886, becoming the city’s primary industry. Tampa went on to be the region’s principal city. But Bradenton could have filled that role instead, according to Manatee County’s first settler Josiah Gates. Around 1880, Gates was visiting with some Cubans who frequented Bradenton (then known as the village of Manatee) in the cattle trade. The Cuban businessman fell in love with the area and offered Gates to acquire a large section of land to build several cigar factories. He sailed back to Cuba to collect the financing in gold doubloons to close the deal; Gates was […] - [DeSoto County Seat Moves from Pine Level to Arcadia](https://floridahistoryblog.com/desoto-county-seat-moves-from-pine-level-to-arcadia/): DeSoto County was split off from Manatee County in 1887. The new county included what is now Hardee, Highlands, Glades, Charlotte, and DeSoto counties. Pine Level had been the county seat of Manatee County and initially remained so in the new county. However, other communities had begun overtaking the tiny hamlet, often described as lawless (like a town from an old Western movie). So a movement began to relocate the seat of government. At that time, the voting precincts for the county were: Fort Green, Hartsuff (Wauchula/Zolfo), Coker, Pine Level, Charlotte Harbor (Punta Gorda), Fish-Eating Creek (Venus), Fort Basinger, Grove […] - [The Parker Brothers Ranch of DeSoto County](https://floridahistoryblog.com/the-parker-brothers-of-desoto-county/): Captain John Parker was a Seminole War veteran and former sheriff of Hillsborough County. He was the first settler east of Arcadia (before the town existed) in 1858. He became a cattle baron and established a ranch spanning 125 square miles. It straddled both sides of what is now Highway 70 to the Highlands County border. The Parkers also had land holdings in what is now Highlands and Okeechobee counties. Captain Parker had five sons with his wife and additional children born to his former slaves. In those rough and tumble days, bushwhacking, mob-like assassinations, cattle rustling, shootouts, and other […] - [Maitland's Lake Lily was known as John's Hole](https://floridahistoryblog.com/maitlands-lake-lily-was-known-as-johns-hole/): In the days before railroads penetrated the forest, let’s call it 1859, only a few scattered families braved living in frontier Orange and Seminole County. Back then, along the lonely Orlando-Mellonville Road, not a single house could be found between Orlando and Fort Reid (two miles south of Sanford’s Lake Monroe Wharf). A man named John lived with his wife and children south of Orlando near old Fort Gatlin on Lake Conway. John hunted, fished, and took whatever odd jobs he could find. The family plowed some land and set out a crop of sweet potatoes. His wife and children […] - [Soda Factory Store in Casselberry was a lively destination in the 70s](https://floridahistoryblog.com/soda-factory-store-in-casselberry-was-a-lively-destination-in-the-70s/): In 1976 a combination retail store and soda bottling factory opened in Casselberry. It was called The PoP Shoppe and located in front of the Semoran Skateway at 1101 Semoran Blvd. The Casselberry factory made 16 regular and 8 diet flavors, including “Lime Rickey,” Grapefruit, and Fruit Punch. In addition to its own retail store, the bottles were distributed at a dozen regional retail-only PoP Shoppes from Sanford to Merritt Island. Customers of the factory store could watch the bottling process through large windows. They bragged about the tremendous price breaks they could offer by cutting out the middleman. The […] - [East Altamonte Clings to its Heritage](https://floridahistoryblog.com/east-altamonte-clings-to-its-heritage/): Against all odds, East Altamonte has persisted for over 130 years. The historically black community is surrounded by valuable real estate and three land-hungry municipalities. “In 20 years, Winwood will not exist,” Alcee Hastings, the community’s most famous son, said in 1981. “At the turn of the century, what we know as Winwood will be a massive shopping center or something… There’s no question about it. It’s just a matter of time.” Hastings (before he died in 2021) was Florida’s first black federal judge and served for 28 years in the US House of Representatives. He was born in the […] - [Nolan House in Altamonte Springs](https://floridahistoryblog.com/nolan-house-in-altamonte-springs/): Yesterday, I stopped by the Nolan House in Altamonte Springs. I’ve been meaning to for a while, after numerous “trips” there on Google Street View. I serendipitously ran into owner Carmen Bierman, who was hanging out on the porch. The Bierman have owned the home for over 20 years. She leads the Altamonte Springs Historical Society (which is still trying to reboot) and is involved in the Seminole County Historical Society. We had such a great conversation! Carmen has invested tens of thousands of dollars and many years into the labor of love to repair and preserve this gem. Sure, […] - [Mary Toney was a bus driver turned six-term politician](https://floridahistoryblog.com/mary-toney-was-a-bus-driver-turned-six-term-politician/): Mary Toney was born in 1933 and moved to Sebring as a toddler. She graduated from E. O. Douglas High School in Sebring, class of 1951. At 48, she worked as a school bus driver and decided to run for City Council. Not exactly the background you’d expect for a politician. However, she was active in the NAACP and wanted to make a difference in her community. She turned that ambition into action. When she won the election in 1981, she was only the second black candidate to ever run in Sebring — and the first to win. To put […] - [Avon Park City Council Throws Out All Black Votes in 1951 Election](https://floridahistoryblog.com/avon-park-city-council-throws-out-all-black-votes-in-1951-election/): The good old boy system of Avon Park was shaken to its core in 1949. That September, five out of six incumbents were voted out of office. Among the newly-elected was young Wiley Sauls, who was just 21. The story gathered widespread media attention that announced he was the youngest mayor in America. Sauls, a native of Avon Park, graduated from Avon Park High School in 1946 and then went to law school at the University of Florida. The mayoral election of 1949 was hotly contested, with five candidates throwing their hats in the ring. In addition to Sauls, three […] - [Pipkin Band Shell at Florida Southern College](https://floridahistoryblog.com/pipkin-band-shell-at-florida-southern-college/): The Pipkin Bandshell at Florida Southern College in Lakeland was constructed in 1941. It was named after a Lakeland pioneer named L. N. Pipkin, who moved to Polk County in 1883 and served as a Florida Southern trustee since 1910 and still going as of that dedication October 1941 ceremony. The 80-year-old campus landmark was torn down this week to make room for the growing college’s new athletic department building. At one point, bandshells cropped up in many small towns across Central Florida. Most were constructed in the 1920 boom years and most were torn down during the 1960s and […] - [Kingsbury House is Winter Springs Town Center Hold Out](https://floridahistoryblog.com/kingsbury-house-is-winter-springs-town-center-hold-out/): A lone single-family home sitting behind the Winter Springs Town Center, between an apartment complex and Magnolia Square (where Winter Springs hosts many festivals). The home was built in 1975 on a tract that included at least 16 acres. The property was passed down to June Kingsbury (and her husband Laverne) when June’s mother Helen Kohn, died in 1988. The Kingsbury’s owned much of the tract that now makes up the Winter Springs Town Center, including the Publix property, between 434, Tuskawilla, Bear Springs Dr, and Blumberg Blvd. Tuskawilla Road on the Lake Jessup Side of 434 was then known […] - [Hollieanna Groves in Maitland serving customers since 1953](https://floridahistoryblog.com/hollieanna-groves-maitland-store/): Update – Hollianna Groves’ Maitland Store ClosedThis article was written in 2021; however, the Lingle family announced on October 30, 2024 that their Maitland storefront is permanently closed. They cited challenges in the Florida citrus industry (citrus greening), a changing macroeconomic environment, and the aging family as reasons. Central Florida is collectively sad to see the end of an era.They still offer fruit by mail order under the Hollieanna name. It is fulfilled through a South Florida packinghouse. Go to https://hollieanna.com/ There aren’t many patches of Old Florida left in the busy Orlando metro area. But smack dab in the […] - [Longwood Town Marshal Kidnapped by the KKK](https://floridahistoryblog.com/longwood-town-marshal-kidnapped-by-the-kkk/): The Ku Klux Klan of the 1920s is notorious for lynchings and bigotry. And that dishonor is well-earned, of course. However, the hooded order was involved in more than simply terrorizing blacks, immigrants, Jews, and Catholics. In those days, the Klan was a civic institution in Central Florida. Its roster numbered in the thousands from every walk of life — even many high-ranking politicians and pastors. With incidents like the Ocoee Massacre in 1920, its influence during this period is hard to exaggerate. Longwood of 1921 was a speck of a town, having a population of barely over 300. It had […] - [Orlando’s Fort Gatlin and Council Oak](https://floridahistoryblog.com/orlandos-fort-gatlin-and-council-oak/): Historians have debated the location of the fabled landmark where Seminoles gathered. Let’s solve the puzzle. Background: Orange County was Seminole Territory Contrary to popular belief, the Seminoles were not natives of the Everglades. They didn’t even have a unified identity until much later. One by one, the independent groups migrated south; they arrived as refugees. The displaced bands — largely of Muskogean-Creek origin — found a haven in the mostly uninhabited wilderness. Florida’s original natives were gone, having died (whether by war or disease) or fled to Cuba by the mid-1700s. Outside Pensacola and Jacksonville, the population was almost […] - [Kenansville is a tiny town with a rich history](https://floridahistoryblog.com/kenansville-is-a-tiny-town-with-a-rich-history/): You have to REALLY want to visit Kenansville. It’s not the kind of place you stumble upon. I have wanted to visit for years, so I took the lonely stretch of 441 north from Yeehaw (instead of the Turnpike) to arrive in Kenansville today. The area was originally settled just after the Civil War. A small pine courthouse was located west of the Turnpike on a marshy lake called Courthouse Slough. It served as the county seat for what was then part of Brevard County. The original settlers were along the north shore of Lake Marian, and the village became […] - [Old South Bar-B-Q Ranch](https://floridahistoryblog.com/old-south-bar-b-q-ranch/): Weary travelers for four decades were kept awake by the funny signs and nourished by the taste of this Clewiston oasis. There aren’t many roads more desolate and monotonous than going south on US 27. Once you pass Lake Placid, you better hope you don’t need to use the restroom. Two decades ago, heading down to Miami or the Keys, the one thing that always kept it interesting was the signs! The first collection was the rustic witticisms erected by Tom Gaskins, advertising his Cypress Knee Museum in Palmdale. He nailed the first cypress-carved letters to trees in 1951 and […] - [Lastinger Family were first to settle pioneer Lake Placid](https://floridahistoryblog.com/lastinger-family-were-first-to-settle-pioneer-lake-placid/): Joshua Berrien Lastinger decided that his idea of a garden paradise was the wild lake country of southern Highlands County. One of the few surviving photos of Lake Placid’s first white settler, Joshua Berrien Lastinger, comes from a 1904 family reunion. The children of William Lastinger and their families — over a hundred grandchildren and great-grandchildren — gathered for a colossal feast on their father’s posthumous 100th birthday. Many had not seen each other for years, traveling back to South-Central Georgia, where it all began. William, the family patriarch, acquired 2,225 acres of land northeast of Valdosta. With the purchase, the […] - [Lyman Twins of Altamonte, famous Vaudeville stage actors](https://floridahistoryblog.com/lyman-twins-of-altamonte-famous-vaudeville-stage-actors/): The comedians settled in Seminole County after retiring from a 15-year career, thrilling audiences nationwide. It’s not every day that genuine celebrities move to town! The citizens of tiny Altamonte Springs were delighted when the famous “Lyman Twins” decided to retire a mile west of their fern-cultivating village in 1911. During the height of the Vaudeville era, Howard and Herbert Lyman were headliners that packed theaters for up to a dozen performances in some large cities. Their gags became legendary, inspiring many who came after them, including the Marx Brothers. Howard and Herbert were originally from Michigan and started performing […] - [The Last Cowgirl of Lake Mary](https://floridahistoryblog.com/griffin-farm-lake-mary/): Lillian Humphrey was born on her family’s Lake Mary homestead in 1928. She was the third generation to be born in what became Seminole County. - [Rounding Wagner's Curve](https://floridahistoryblog.com/rounding-wagners-curve/): Hidden beneath suburban Winter Springs is the old village of Wagner and its once-infamous dead man’s curve. - [Webb’s Citrus Candy: Central Florida Favorite since 1928](https://floridahistoryblog.com/webbs-citrus-candy-central-florida-favorite-since-1928/): What started as two women making tropical treats for their friends was made stalwart by the Taylor and Webb families. As a kid growing up in South-Central Florida there was always great promise venturing north on US 27 toward the big city of Orlando. What wonders there were in the city full of theme parks and dinner shows! Passing Haines City and inching closer to I-4, you always knew your destination was nearby when the huge signed beaconed: “Citrus Candy Factory: Visitors Welcome” and “Goats Milk Fudge!” Mom, dad, can we please stop??!! That plea often didn’t take a ton of […] - [Tom the Turkey of Pabor Lake](https://floridahistoryblog.com/tom-the-turkey-of-pabor-lake/): Every town needs a mascot. In the Pabor Lake, it was a friendly fowl who narrowly evaded becoming Thanksgiving dinner. Every town needs a mascot, and the Pabor Lake Colony had a right-friendly one named Tom. Arguably the fowl became more popular around the settlement than town founder William Pabor himself. The plumed pet would play with the kids and follow the Pabor family around the seven lakes as they did their daily business. He would welcome any new visitors to the area with a resounding “gobble” and would disappear from time to time as he ventured out to visit […] - [War of 17–92: Casselberry v. Fern Park](https://floridahistoryblog.com/war-of-17-92-casselberry-v-fern-park/): Gordon Barnett’s Fern Park was riding high until Hibbard Casselberry incorporated a new town smack dab in the middle. Ask your average Seminole County resident: Where is Fern Park? If they have even heard of it, they’ll probably tell you: South of 436 and north of Maitland Boulevard on 17–92. Long-time residents may reference the former line of strip clubs that made it notorious. But skipping back a few decades, an orphaned piece of Fern Park used to be north of Casselberry and south of Longwood. Rewinding the tape further, we encounter a surprising coup d’etat that created the town of Casselberry smack dab in the middle of […] - [Bear Hops on Cedar Key Bound Train](https://floridahistoryblog.com/bear-hops-on-cedar-key-bound-train/): The baggage master of an 1887 passenger train was surprised to discover a large, hairy hitchhiker. - [Orange and Seminole County’s First Railroad](https://floridahistoryblog.com/orange-and-seminole-countys-first-railroad/): The legacy of that first narrow-gauge railroad from Sanford to Orlando still lives on today through SunRail. The first railroad in Seminole County was a narrow-gauge line stretching 23 miles between Sanford and Orlando. It was initiated by E. W. Henck, the founder of Longwood, and Dr. C. C. Haskell of Maitland. The line was constructed in under a year and reached Orlando on October 1, 1880. The next day a large gala was thrown to celebrate the accomplishment. Throngs of people from Sanford piled onto the train cars shipped in by steamship on the St. Johns River. Hordes of […] - [Fern Park, Florida and the Largest Industry Under One Roof](https://floridahistoryblog.com/fern-park-florida-and-the-largest-industry-under-one-roof/): Fern cultivation gave rise to a new town with the Haines, Barnett, Casselberry and Vaughn families its royal court. Before Seminole County was created in 1913, the area that is today known as Casselberry was referred to as the Concord Settlement. I dove into the early pioneers of that village in a previous article. That community mostly dried up in the 1880s, after its church burned and the railroad stopped at Longwood and Altamonte instead. Any remaining hope for Concord’s long term development was likely killed off (with all the citrus) during the great freeze of 1894–1895. Since orange groves […] - [What happened at N*****town Knoll?](https://floridahistoryblog.com/what-happened-at-ntown-knoll/): Until the 1990s, this offensively named settlement appeared on Florida maps, but its origins were lost. Until now. Warning: This article contains offensive racial slurs for historical and academic purposes. It will be kept to a minimum, but reader discretion is advised. I’ll mention them only once in this article: Niggertown Knoll and Niggertown Marsh. These two offensive anachronisms survived on official government maps in Highlands County, Florida, until 1992, when public outcry convinced county officials to remove them. Despite their vulgarity, the references preserved the legacy of the first African American settlement east of the Peace River valley. Ironically, without […] - [Legend of Code Hill, the Sage of Bear Lake](https://floridahistoryblog.com/legend-of-code-hill-the-sage-of-bear-lake/): His story is epic. Perhaps no one in Orlando was more universally loved than this charismatic pioneer from Lockhart. - [Ginger Ale Springs](https://floridahistoryblog.com/ginger-ale-springs/): Every day thousands of cars zoom past on nearby Markham Woods Road. Its bubbling brook gurgles only a few hundred feet from Interstate 4 and State Road 434. Hiding off in the woods is a tiny boiling spring. Although unknown even to most lifelong residents, for decades, it has been called “Ginger Ale Spring” by insiders. - [Winn-Dixie and the Davis Family](https://floridahistoryblog.com/winn-dixie-and-davis-family/): Boldness and tenacity took Winn-Dixie from a single store in Miami to a multi-billion dollar grocery empire. - [Elizabeth Haines Mansion in Sebring](https://floridahistoryblog.com/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 Heights neighborhood in 1927. The community was platted in 1923, but mainly lots were bought by speculators who never built. Haines moved into the home in 1928 and lived there until she sold it to William Vernon Higgins, owner of the luxurious Hotel Sebring, in 1943. The large home sits on a corner lot at the intersection of Summit Drive […] - [Pioneer Justice: How to make a thief talk](https://floridahistoryblog.com/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](https://floridahistoryblog.com/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](https://floridahistoryblog.com/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](https://floridahistoryblog.com/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](https://floridahistoryblog.com/casselberrys-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 corner of my eye — right across the highway from the Home Depot — a mysterious small lot with a flagpole grabbed my attention. As the light turned green, the little historian hairs on the back of my neck stood on end. I only saw it for a split second, but instinctively, I knew that this inconspicuous little parcel had […] - [Bog to Beauty: Crane’s Roost Park](https://floridahistoryblog.com/cranes-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](https://floridahistoryblog.com/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](https://floridahistoryblog.com/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](https://floridahistoryblog.com/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. - [The Pioneer Life and Murder of Dempsey Dubois Crews, Jr.](https://floridahistoryblog.com/the-pioneer-life-and-murder-of-dempsey-dubois-crews-jr/): The well-known cowboy came to frontier Zolfo Springs as a boy and later founded the town of Crewsville. Then his life was needlessly cut short in a dispute over hogs. - [Winter Springs was almost called Semoran](https://floridahistoryblog.com/origin-of-winter-springs/): A late bloomer relative to its neighbors, Winter Springs went through some growing pains including an intense debate over what its name should be. - [Lorida, Florida: Origins of a Cracker Town](https://floridahistoryblog.com/lorida-florida-origins-of-a-cracker-town/): Many towns in Florida were started by skilled real estate developers with capitalistic dreams of striking it rich, not Lorida. Its cowboy homesteaders sought the hard country life, building their own version of Eden on the edge of the Everglades. Speed too quickly down Highway 98 between Sebring and the Kissimmee River, and you might just miss Lorida. Not so much as a blinking light is there to give it away. Only a slim spattering of buildings — a few small stores and churches — betray its “downtown” district. The final bump-bump of a railroad crossing bids you “so long” […] - [Southern States Feared Negro Domination](https://floridahistoryblog.com/southern-states-feared-negro-domination/): Nothing was more terrifying to wealthy landowners in the post-Confederate South than an empowered black electorate. The suffrage of the previously subjugated class could easily disrupt their monopoly on Southern politics. The 15th Amendment, in theory, guaranteed the right to vote for all male citizens over the age of 21. Upon its ratification in 1870, the black population of the South numbered nearly five million. That number would increase to around ten million by 1910. In a few states — such as South Carolina — this gave newly-minted black citizens the clear majority. In others, the powerful minority represented between […] - [The Illusion of Freedom: African Americans in 1890s Florida](https://floridahistoryblog.com/the-illusion-of-freedom-african-americans-in-1890s-florida/): Despite being granted their freedom some thirty years prior, freed slaves in turn of the century Florida were still barely unshackled. Being set free (13th Amendment), granted equal citizenship (14th Amendment), and given the right to vote (15th Amendment) didn’t mean very much once the Union soldiers pulled out after the Great Betrayal of 1877. Wealthy landowners and politicians were then loosed to pass all kinds of laws and discriminatory practices. Town developers in the booming Sunshine State could deny land ownership rights or ban “negroes” altogether. Most of the white populous certainly had no intention of seeing blacks as more […] - [See Midget City: The biggest little city in the world](https://floridahistoryblog.com/midget-city/): Before Disney World, Orlando was home to many original roadside attractions, including this gem. Ohio native Lloyd Cronk built the electrified mini-town with excruciating attention to detail. There he sat behind the cash register, bored out of his mind. The days seemed to inch by, sometimes with virtually no sales to show for it. At the height of the Great Depression customers to Lloyd Truman Cronk’s hardware store near Sandusky, Ohio, were few and far between. As his mind wandered, awaiting the next patron, he thought about the great boats upon nearby Lake Erie and the Huron River. His mind […] - [Conners Highway Rivals Impact of Flagler’s Railway](https://floridahistoryblog.com/conners-highway-rivals-impact-of-flaglers-railway/): Between 1915 and 1930, there was perhaps no more substantial issue in Florida than the quality of roads. The opening of the first paved road through the Everglades in 1924 was a turning point for South and Central Florida. - [Is it Fort Basinger or Bassenger or Bassinger…?](https://floridahistoryblog.com/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 loved maps! I studied every name and curve. Almost thirty years later, I guess I’m still a map nerd. Staring at maps and wondering what the origins were of these mysteriously named places is a big part of what sparked my interest in local history. One of the things that I remember observing as a kid was the different spellings […] - [Brighton, Florida: Ghost town that was almost a county seat](https://floridahistoryblog.com/brighton-florida/): “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 and dairying section in the South.” Such boasts were typical in the 1920s, at the peak of the Florida Land Boom. However, the reputations of its sponsors, Glenn Hammond Curtiss and James Bright, gave these claims substantial credence. The friends and business partners were each famous in their own right. Curtiss (though today far less known) was more successful than […] ## Pages - [Search](https://floridahistoryblog.com/search/): Latest Posts Popular Topics - [Oral Histories](https://floridahistoryblog.com/oral-histories/) - [Property Records](https://floridahistoryblog.com/property-records/): Library / Property Records - [US and Florida Census](https://floridahistoryblog.com/census-records/): Library / Census Records - [Hendry County Voter Registration 1928](https://floridahistoryblog.com/hendry-county-voter-registration-1928/): Hendry County FlArchives History - Voters .....1928 List Of Qualified Voters ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/fl/flfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Cynthia Stanton http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00029.html#0007059 August 02, 2010 OFFICIAL QUALIFIED LIST OF HENDRY COUNTY VOTERS Posted in the The Hendry County News, LaBelle, FL, 25 Oct 1928 District No. 1, Clewiston Avant, Harvey C. Bigg, Agnes H. Geiger, T. J. Lawrence, A. W. Simpson, H. L. Allen, Dan B. Couch, M. H. Geiger, Marion Lincoln, A. G. Scott, J. W. Allen, C. M. Cole, Sarah G. Godfrey, W. J. Lincoln, Mrs. V. W. Smith, Janie […] - [Books, Magazines, and Publications](https://floridahistoryblog.com/publications/): Library / Publications - [Historic Aerial Photography](https://floridahistoryblog.com/historic-aerial-photography/): Library / Aerial Photography - [Maps](https://floridahistoryblog.com/maps/): Library / Maps - [Mayors of Altamonte Springs](https://floridahistoryblog.com/mayors-of-altamonte-springs/): # Mayor Picture Term Party Notes Elmer T. Haines 1920-1924 Frank Haithcox 1924 “Acting mayor” Birdsie L. Maltbie 1924-? B. O. Smith 1931-1932 Benjamin F. Haines 1932-1933 Republican B. O. Smith 1933-1947 Lawrence Swofford ?-1959 Lawrence Swofford 1961–1973 Norman Floyd 1974–1980 Ray Ambrose 1981–1988 Dudley Bates Republican Russel Hauck 1999–2008 Republican Patricia Bates - [Series](https://floridahistoryblog.com/series/) - [Locations](https://floridahistoryblog.com/locations/): Locations - [Topics](https://floridahistoryblog.com/topics/) - [People](https://floridahistoryblog.com/people/) - [Florida Historian Hall of Fame](https://floridahistoryblog.com/florida-historian-hall-of-fame/): These are folks that I admire for their contributions. Who am I missing? Help me add to the list! Authors Writers that have published written-word-first (not photo-first) books that are either prolific in number or have significant historical value. Newspapers Prolific journalists that wrote meaningful long-running history columns. Online Creators of written-word-oriented online Florida History content that are prolific, substantial, and original research. Professors This is not for great teachers but for teachers who have contributed significant original research or curated or created important written or oral histories libraries. - [Related Sites](https://floridahistoryblog.com/history-links/): Here are some links to other pages you might like about Florida history. - [Links to Historical Societies & Museums](https://floridahistoryblog.com/historical-societies/): Library / Historic Societies - [Research: Dempsey Dubois Crews](https://floridahistoryblog.com/library/research-dempsey-dubois-crews/): Timeline Photos: References John Collier and Sellers https://www.facebook.com/CrewsvilleCrews/photos/a.342398889182112.81885.342377952517539/342398909182110/?type=1&theater https://billiongraves.com/grave/John-Collier/13290421 http://www.williamscowpens.com/The_Salt_Lick_Ranch_of_Okeechobee_Florida/History_Part_1.html http://www.genealogy.com/forum/surnames/topics/collier/3117/ http://www.floridacountiesmap.com/hicostories/ghosttowns.shtml - [South Florida Pioneers Magazine](https://floridahistoryblog.com/library/south-florida-pioneers-magazine/): Published by Richard M Livingston of Fort Ogden, Florida from 1974-1977 Master Index Topic of Article Issue # ADDISON, David James, 1824-1886 ADDISON, Joel Jackson, 1833-1915 ADDISON, John, 1793-1858 ADDISON, William H., 1823-1897 ALBRITTON, Andrew B., 1838-1889 ALBRITTON, James Arthur, 1846-1921 ALBRITTON, Thomas H. ALBRITTON, Thomas H. Family Bible ALBRITTON, William James, 1831-1890 ALDERMAN, James, 1801-1880 ALDERMAN, Jesse, 1826-1908 ALDERMAN, Timothy Family Bible ALDERMAN, William, 1838-1893 ARNOLD, Newton Jasper, 1836-1920 BARNWELL, William Henry, 1825-1902 BATES, John Maston, 1832-1918 BELL, Alexander, 1827-1898 BENTON COUNTY: 1850 Schedule of Slave Owners BENTON COUNTY: 1850 Census BETHEA, Hugh, 1829-1887 BONEY, David J. W., 1815-1889 BRANNON, David, 1831-1862 BREWER, James – Bounty Land Application, 1850 CARLTON, Albert, 1845-1925 CARLTON, Alderman, 1803-1856 CARLTON, Alderman Family Bible CARLTON, Daniel Wilson, 1823-1891 CARLTON, Isaac, 1835-1897 CARLTON, […] - [Reference Library](https://floridahistoryblog.com/library/): Links Lists Research Notebooks Other Research Sources - [Archives](https://floridahistoryblog.com/archives/) - [Browse Content](https://floridahistoryblog.com/browse/): Search by Keyword Locations Topics - [Florida Counties](https://floridahistoryblog.com/counties/) [comment]: # (Generated by Hostinger Tools Plugin)