and just south of the St. Johns River (in the form of Lake Monroe River)

 

Originally this location along the river was Ft. Mellon, built in the 1830’s

 

 

Fort Mellon Historical Site (Camp Monroe)

 

Site of Fort Mellon

 

 

 

 

 

 Reg Garner / Facebook

Sanford Museum

520 East First Street
Sanford, Florida 32772-1788
Seminole County
(407) 688-5198

Henry Sanford came to this area in the 1870’s—he had been a Minister for Belgium under Abraham Lincoln and his dealings and while he brought citrus to Central Florida and developed this town there is lots of negative out there which I have yet to complete sorting through—though I do know that his daughter donated two rooms of furniture from his home to make up for the fact that the town had nothing to remember him by—it remains at the museum to this day.

Sanford did bye 12,500 acres which he had developed by Swedes and Scotts who he brought into the country when the local white populations–probably due to his involvement in the Lincoln government as this was deep in the South that had fought so hard against returning to the union….and then when he tried to hire black residents they were confronted and withdrew their service which resulted in bringing in out of towners.

The Museum of Seminole County History

 

 

 

MY GIRL – Filming Location – Sanford Florida

My Girl House

603 S. Myrtle Ave (private residence)

but you can walk by.

 

 

This Queen Ann Style home built in 1894  was once the residence of R.J. Holly.    Here generations of Sanford’s youth studied piano–fearing Miss Fannie Reba’s ruler on their knuckles!  This is the house that was used in filming the movie “My Girl”.

 

 

Filming Locations Matching “Sanford, Florida, USA” (Sorted by Popularity Ascending)

 

 

 

Restaurants in Sanford

 

 

 

 

 

 

• 

  Into the Woods – Intrinsic Visions of the Deep South

  Sat, Aug 20

  Jeanine Taylor Folk Art

  More Info
• 

  Mini Santa Workshop with Melissa Menzer

  Sat, Sep 03

  Jeanine Taylor Folk Art

 

 

 

 

 

 

Historic Downtown Excursions

 

 

 

SEMINOLE COUNTY

SANFORD

Historical Black Sanford

Hopper Academy

1101 South Pine Avenue

Built between 1900 and 1910, this frame vernacular two story T-shaped building served as Sanford High School. One of the few remaining early black high schools in Florida, the facility now houses an educational community service center.

 

John H. Hurston House

621 East 6th Street (Private)

The Reverend John Hurston was the father of noted author and anthropologist, Zora Neale Hurston. Reverend Hurston and his wife, Mattie, lived in this Second Empire style residence.

 

Goldsboro Museum

1211 Historical Goldsboro Boulevard

On Dec. 1, 1891 the town of Goldsboro marched into history as the second black incorporated City in the United States. The Goldsboro Museum showcases and preserves the history, heritage, livelihood, and culture of the area.

 

 

 Crooms Academy Museum

1211 Historical Goldsboro Boulevard

Crooms Academy, an all-black institute, was constructed in 1926 due to the westward movement by the Black population of the Goldsboro Community, once known as the “Celery Belt”. The history of Crooms Academy is told in a wide-ranging collection of pictures, year books, and other artifacts and memorabilia depicting the Crooms story.

 

 

Page Jackson Cemetery

West 25th Street

Page Jackson Cemetery was established in 1830 as the main burial ground for former slaves and their decedents residing in Goldsboro. At the time of its conception it was known as the “Colored Cemetery,” and is located approximately on 2 acres of land that gave African Americans the opportunity to give their loved ones a final respectful resting place. The extraordinary heritage of African American community leaders, businessmen, educators, politicians, farmworkers, railroad labors, domestics, indigents, all who were early settlers before the incorporation of Goldsboro and the City of Sanford are all buried side by side. Within its boundaries also lies the final resting place for African American Civil War, World War I, World War II Veterans.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This Next recommendations is two cities that are both on  Route 19 in Lake County and just about 6  miles from each other

 

Eustis

 

 

Eustis is in what some call the Heartland of Florida.  It is said (by some though I found that not everyone agreed to this) to be named for Brig General Abraham Eustis, who served in Florida during the Seminole Wars.  And others say that it’s named for Abraham’s son who was a General (his name was Henry Lawerence Eustis) who in addition to serving in the Civil War was also an engineer and professsor, first at West Point and then Harvard—not bad creds I must say. 

 

As I said previously you can drive from Sanford to Eustis and make it a 3 city day for you—-that’s up to you and its 30ish miles from Sanford to Eustis,  depending on the route you take—just google it of course depending on your preference on type of roads etc.

 

 

Ferran Park

 

Route 19 South of Eustis

 

Eustis Lake Walk at Ferran Park

This 8′ wide concrete boardwalk is accented with red brick inlays.  It runs from the

Eustis Aquatic Center 

to the end of the historic Ferran Park

Ferran Park was developed in the early 1900s and named for E.L. Ferran whose department store on Eustis’ Bay Street was described at that time as a “community focal point.”    The park included an ornate band shell which faced the town—however after it was built it was discovered that the town buildings echoed the music back on the shell which resulted in the shell being rebuilt in it’s current position.

 

 

Ferran Park and Eustis Lake Walk, Eustis

 

 

Trout Lake Nature Center

 

 

History

The old and new of a hotel

After the 1880s Eustis was known for good hotel accommadations at the Ocklawaka House both old and new—The original was built by A.S. Pendry in what was then Pendryville (before 1880’s it would then become Lake Eustis and finally it’s present name of Eustis), was said to provide “very pleasant accommodations.”

The New Oklawakahee was started with a ground breaking in 1876.   It included the first post office also at the hotel site, along with a first school which was open in 1877.  The name change to Eustis was made in 1880.    The town wouldn’t get its first electrical lights until 1906.

 

 

By 1912 a covered pier was constructed 80 yards into the water with a roofed pavillion at the end where dances and concerts were held.

 

 

 

Upcoming Events

 

 

 

The Clifford House Museum

Clifford-Taylor House

536 N. Bay Street

Eustis historical museum.

Residence of an early settler G.D. Clifford, a merchandiser, who built the house for his family who came here in Nov. 1911  He was said to have been instrumental in Eustis’ growth.

Setting on  the shores of Lake Eustis with an impressive 18 rooms, two great hall ways and floors of double heart pine and cypress wood on the floors, doors and trim.   But we can’t stop there as the six fireplaces each have a diffrent Italian tile and bevelded mirrors on the mantels.  Then there’s the beveled glass entrance doorway all make for a house like you’re not likely to see too many of in this section of Florida’s Heartland.   And I didn’t even mention that all the light fixtures, hinges and door knobs are brass and the original copper wire screenings is still in place.

 

Oh the house by the way is a classic revival with 2 1/2 stories, frame clipboard accopad with a full height portico with the paired Doric columns.

Eustis Historical Museum

 

 

 

 

Historic Downtown District

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Eustis, FL 32726-2832

        Military Themed Breakfast and     Lunch Restaurant

 

 

 

                          Fox Den Country Inn

Umatilla

And now we’re getting to our second site for this day out (or 3rd if you include Sanford)–a town…it has a story on how (not who) it got its name—Seemes like there was a native American village here  where the women had been told not to speak with the white men.    But one of them ask the name of the village from one of the native lady and one of the braves directed the woman to answer telling her “You may Tella”

 

 

 

 

 

 

UMATILLA HISTORICAL MUSEUM

299 N. Trowell Avenue

 

 

 

What to do and see in 

Umatilla, Florida (FL)

 

 

 

 

Umatilla Food Guide: 10 Must-Eat Restaurants & Street Food Stalls in Umatilla

 

 

 

UMATILLA, FLORIDA  History 

OH wait about Umatilla’s name–it was actually naed after a lake in Oregan.  The town was estalished in 1862.   It is believed that the name came from William A. Whitcome. who was residing in the area and had correspondence from some persons from Oregan (where it was the name of a lake and the county that that the lake was in).  It is a Native American name thought to mean “water rippling over sand.”

 

 

 

SR 19, looking north towards the CR 42 intersection in April 2009

If you want more to see—3 or 4 miles further north on 19 is 

Altoona.

 

 

FIDDLERS GREEN RV RANCH

Chilsom Trail Campground

Alexander Springs Recreation Area

 

 

 

Hope this helps give you some ideas for some new and FUN adventures and DAYS OUT……and next week we’ll do some bits and pieces again

Have fun  and HAPPY FOURTH of JULY Weekend

Festival is at the Enzian in Maitland Florida—just click below to learn more.

https://enzian.org/films/festivals/kidfest/