First My Cutie of the Day—I apologize to the big guy but I for got his name—I do know that his human companion said that he was disabled—the cutie that is– and has a condition of the pelvis/hips that limiteds his activities—-Oh and the picture was taken at Lake Underhill Rd’s Good Will in Orlando, Fl.

Continued from Last week  when we visited Winter Springs—Today we’re in Oakland

In two miles (from last entry last week) you come to the Oak Lined entry to Oakland (I made this trip years ago do my description may be a  bit off as to thing like this—the items I list for visit and see there include current web sites so you can enjoy it today)

OAKLAND

https://oaklandfl.gov/

Those massive trees announce that you’ve arrived into a town that was part of a Russian in Florida’s railroad kingdom.  In 1886 Peter Demen’s choose this place for the headquarters of a railway he was building to the west coast of Florida—he would have to cross immense pine forests, many lakes—not to mention the mashy low land that Florida is so noted for and there was the Withlocouche River as well.  His route which wandered south west would eventually end (he planned) into an area on Tampa Bay.  What’s 150 miles of wilderness to a man who was coming up short of fund.

But he carried on with surveyors to plot and crews to clear all in the heat of Florida summer.  Soon those who could afford the trip heard of the project and many came to Oakland wo see the results as well as the bass in Lake Apopka.  One of those was Philip Armour, a meat packer who wasn’t convinced to invest, but he did provide some loans.  It got so bad money wise that his creditors went to all manner of efforts to get their money they chaine his trains to the tracks, an effort that legends says resulted in one of the chainers to have a fatal heart attack.

And it wasn’t just the rich that were after this crazy Russian—in 1887 a group of worker–reportedly hungry and ,rag clothed Italians arrived in Oakland on railroad flatbed cars.  They took possession of Demens and threatened to hang him—if not for the help of some local bankers he might never have survived.

And while he was waiting for the completion of his train, he also built a pier in Oakland and launched a 48′ ship on Lake Apopka to bring fruit to his shipping center..

The Town endured much to receive fabulous prrosperity—but as you look around you will notice it never came.  The Orange Belt wasn’t a winner and Oakland faded with it helped along by a fire that destroyed much of it.  Today it is a small village—at the time I visited about 900 people.

Oh and by the way even though it wasn’t successful—-He did get the railroad to the coast and that place on Tampa Bay which he helped found and named for a place he had spent his youth–St. Petersburg.  And that was successful.

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Turn right  off of  on 438/Oakland Ave

Go north to  Town Hall  230 N Tubb St, Oakland, FL 34760  on right side of the road.

https://oaklandfl.gov/217/Historic-Town-Hall

This is a quaint building on Pete Tucker Circle beside the trail

Continue up Tubbs to

342 Tubbs St

This is the site where the

Oakland Hotel

https://www.facebook.com/OakTownUSA/posts/backwhenwednesdaythe-oakland-hotel-opened-in-1910-on-the-southeast-corner-of-wha/1274209049380366/

once stood.  It was a 3 story building where railroad execs once stayed.

(across the street from the site of the  old hotel is Speer Park    https://oaklandfl.gov/Facilities/Facility/Details/Speer-Park-2)

Follow Tubbs to its end and there is a small entry area to go to Demens’ Lake Apopka Pier—Now Jake Voss Pier   https://oaklandfl.gov/Facilities/Facility/Details/Speer-Park-2

This quaint town of nearly 3,000 residents lies about 2 miles west of Winter Garden on the southern shores of Lake Apopka. “Oakland became the center of Orange County’s social and economic life with people of wealth and fashion coming to the hotel and neighboring homes for the winter social season,” wrote author Eve Bacon in a book entitled Oakland, the Early Years, which traces the town’s history. “If it had not been for the failure of the railroad, Oakland may well have become the population center of Orange County.”

https://oaklandfl.gov/220/Oakland-History

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West Orange Trail

goes thru Oakland—just north of the Town Hall

https://www.traillink.com/trail/west-orange-trail/

D.G. Donuts

One of several unique markers at the site.

Oakland African American Cemetery

Tucked deep in a wooded area just north of West Colonial Drive, mostly hidden among weeds, downed limbs, giant banana-spider webs and debris, are the final resting places of some of the earliest residents of Oakland. There’s James W. Walker, whose family was one of the first to settle in the town; another family member is buried nearby. There are many children, too, in the Oakland African-American Historic Cemetery, which the town now operates.

The Cemetery Board quit-claimed the land (in 2014), approximately three acres in size, to the town so the cemetery could be better taken care of. The small board had not been active; one member moved out of state and another was an elderly man with health problems.

To learn more:  https://www.orangeobserver.com/article/oakland-takes-over-historic-black-cemetery

and check out this:  http://fpangoingpublic.blogspot.com/2014/09/old-oakland-african-american-cemetery_27.html

also check here for info on the oakland cemetery African American Grounds:  https://oaklandcemetery.com/african-american-grounds-project/

 This yellow house on Tubb Street, the Hartsfield house, was once the Oakland hospital. The Central Florida Archaeological Society did a dig here recently and uncovered lots of artifacts from the town’s past. Back in those days, refuse and broken objects were often buried on site, effectively serving as time capsules. Excavations help show that Oakland was once an industrious, populous town, busy with railroad and agricultural enterprises as well as being a noted social hub for Orange County.

Deeper Inside West Orange County, Florida: Oakland, Beulah, and “To Kill A Mockingbird” in Winter Garden

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Cross over