Still Florida Week:  today it’s places you may not know

Starting on 434 in Seminole Co.

WINTER SPRINGS–read Bedroom community :

“The city was incorporated in 1959 as North Orlando, and it wasn’t until 1972 that it changed its name to Winter Springs. On the basis of land area, it is the largest city in Seminole County now. This city was ranked by the August 2007 issue of Money Magazine as the 31st best place to live in the United States and the 2nd best place to live in the state of Florida.”  http://www.citytowninfo.com/places/florida/winter-springs

IF you continue on 434 you’ll eventually come to

OVEIDO:  Named for a city in Spain.  It began as a settlement in 1869 and got a post office ten years later.

Oviedo and nearby Attractions

• Cross Seminole Trail
• http://www.traillink.com/?gclid=Cj0KEQjwqNiwBRDnq93MioaqtKQBEiQAb7Ezn84nB2Ih0mTPPvc-wJvdXjWPRy6VbTQVYO1Ma9O2kpAaAtyA8P8HAQ
• Florida National Scenic Trail
• http://www.fs.usda.gov/fnst
• King’s Manor Bed & Breakfast
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vVw2_7RXAVs

CHULUOTA.  Indian name which may mean fox den or pine tree (or island).  Interesting fact the names are suppose to be from the Seminole and the Creek—but they are the same tribe (just relocated to Florida the Creeks became Seminoles).

Once a station on Henry Flagler’s long gone railway (ran past Genva, Bithlo, Holopaw and Yeehaw on its way to Okeechobee) over 100 years ago it had an Inn (Lake Catherine) whose guests included Duponts, Dodges, Cabots and Rockefellers.

Former (or possibly current) residents include Scott Hall WWF Wrestler and The Pinegrove Bluegrass Band–not to mention its where Sister Sam Volcanic Fire Sauce originated.

Near By:

Continue on 419 until you come to Route 420.

Turn left/East

Then Right/South on Ft. Christmas Road

Then Left on Route 50 (east again)

CHRISTMAS  this unincorporated blip on the map is one of only 4 in America with this name (there are 5 others that include Christmas in their names)  Named in 1837, when a detachment of U.S. Army troupes, engaged in the war against the war with the Seminoles established a fort about half way down the east coast of Florida.  The fort which took 3 days to build was abandoned 3 months later and eventually burned.  After the Indians moved further south ranchers and some of the former soldiers began to homestead and many of those families still reside in the area.    Today the town sports a permanently decorated Christmas tree and people from all parts of the country send their holiday cards here to get the official post mark “Christmas”.

A replica fort has been built here with a playground and a museum of pioneer

Continue on 50 to US 1

Turn Left–North on 1

TITUSVILLE:  Established after the Civil War by Col. Henry T—wait for it—Titus, who had been a fierce antagonist of John Brown in the struggle over Kansas before the war.  Prior to this it had been called Sandy Point, but Titus as postmaster changed the name.  Titus spent his whole life supporting revolutionaries (including some from Cuba and other south of the border trouble makers) but rumor tells us that his exploits were not so heroic with flights of retreat and discovery in hiding that ended him in Sandy Point during the Civil War where he prospered selling to the Confederate Army and helping (one assumes for a profit) their men dessert to escape execution.  By the end of the war he had a general store, insurance agency and a mule transport team which hauled passengers, mail and produce to and from Lake Harney (closest place to catch a river boat on the St. Johns)  He built a hotel for tourists  (and added a saloon later) where in his later years he would set in his wheelchair with a shotgun and tell the hated northerners of his exploits.  He died in 1881.  When he passed the town boasted two stores and a circuit riding minister as well as another Hotel (the Dixie later renamed Indian River).

Now:

Turn right (east) on 406

Across the Indian River

MERRIT ISLAND–(Named for Captian Pedro Marrat–Spanish explorer or a Mr. Merritt who planted crops here before 1823.) Douglas Dummett established the first “budded” orange grove in Florida on his estate here in the 1830’s  (grafted from Sweet China Orange buds onto wild sour orange trees).  He was a former militia captain fighting the Seminoles and then lived in a cabin in his grove.  His oranges were prized in New York and after his death in 1873 his oranges went on to be the progenitors of the Indian River Orange.

Of interest:

Turn South /left on 515

Cocoa first house erected here 1881.  The original name of the settlement was Indian River City which the Post Office said was too long.  The current name was selected from a box of Baker’s Cocoa which was delivered to B.C. Willard’s general store while the discussion about a new name was being considered.

Of Interest:

Florida has the longest coastline in the contiguous United States (1,350 miles or 2,170 km), and is the only state in the United States that borders both the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean.