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...

Eyesore on I-4: Origin of the Majesty Building

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....

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...

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...

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...

Evans Block in 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...

Reed’s 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...

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...

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...