The Sanford Welcome Center is located in the building that was the first U.S. Post Office in the…read moreCity of Sanford. The red brick Classical Revival building was built in 1917 by Algernon Blair of Montgomery. James Wetmore served as the supervising architect. The building is typical of government buildings of the time and it is trimmed in Georgia sandstone and white sandstone pillars. The original exterior is still intact. After a new post office was built two blocks away in 1962 it became the city library and in 1975 part of the Seminole County library system. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. I love the architecture of this building and today it is looking better than ever as the Sanford Welcome Center. Their mission is to provide education and information as they market Sanford as "an arts, culture, recreation, and historic destination." I popped in during my visit to town and was warmly greeted by Rosie. I had a great chat with her. Inside the welcome center you will find public restrooms, cheap snacks and drinks, attraction brochures, maps, and places to stay and dining recommendations. The Chamber of Commerce has an office. Downtown historic Sanford is experiencing a renaissance. Check in here to learn about events, food and drink, and one of a kind experiences in this charming town.

The Sanford historic center is now back open it is located on 1st Street in Sanford Florida…read more Inside you will find some brochures about things to do in the area there is also a gift shop with lots of fun stuff to buy. Most of the time they have an art gallery in the back containing art from local residence. There's always someone there to help you if you need to get advice of where to eat or things to do. They also have bathrooms and a small place to sit if you want to rest and get out of the heat and check out the Sanford newspaper. I come here at least once a week there is always something different to see each week. Walking distance to many restaurants, shops and the beautiful Lake Monroe lakefront.

I recently had the opportunity to tour the historic 19th century DeBary Hall. The 20 room,…read moreItalianate style hunting lodge was located a mile from the St. John's River. The property was listed on the National Registry of Historic Places on July 24, 1972. DeBary Hall is the oldest intact building in southwest Volusia County. This historic site sits over 10 acres and includes the 8,000 square foot main home, stables, ice house, equipment shed, and tenant house. DeBary Hall was built in 1871 as the winter hunting retreat of Samuel Frederick DeBary (1815-1898), a European-born wine merchant for Mumms Champagne. He chose Florida to help ease his daughters asthma and to indulge in his love of hunting. This was the smallest of his six homes. While this may have been a vacation retreat, he still used it to make money. While in residence he operated a 600 acre citrus grove. He built a packing house beside the lake pier and was one of the first citrus growers to sort oranges by size by rolling them down an inclined trough with variously sized holes. He also developed the DeBary Merchants Line which ran a commercial steamboats for trade up the St. John's River to Jacksonville. German born Samuel Frederick DeBary was one of the wealthiest men of his day. His estate was a center of sport hunting and hospitality. In the late 1800's and early 1900's DeBary entertained Presidents Ulysses S. Grant and Grover Cleveland; the Astors, Goulds, and Vanderbilts, General William Tecumseh Sherman, and the Prince of Wales before he became King Edward VII. Popular activities included swimming in the local springs, fishing, and hunting quail, deer, and alligator. The DeBary's used the hall as their family winter retreat until 1941, when the last American ancestor, Leonie DeBary Lyon Brewster, died without an heir at the age of 31 in a plane crash with her husband. Her brother Adolphe met a tragic end at the age of 23 in New York while saving a young lady from being hit by a taxi. After Leonie's death there were plans was to create a grand subdivision in the 1950's and land was parceled out in 1/2 acre plots to begin Debary Village but it went bankrupt a few years into the project. After that DeBary Hall passed through various hands as the house was left to decay and the furnishings lost. The State of Florida purchased DeBary Hall in 1967. After years of abandonment, people came together in the 1990's to restore the home to its former glory. The State of Florida now leases the historic site to the County of Volusia as a historic house museum. The home has few original pieces but there are other period furnishings representative of what would have been accurate for the time. Unique advanced features of the house for the time include an elevator for guests' luggage, running water through a 500-gallon tank in the ceiling, wall fed electricity made onsite by natural gas, a wired call system throughout the entire house, and a lightning protection system that covered the roof. The house had Florida's first spring-fed swimming pool which used a pump to fill and drain the pool each day. Mr. DeBary also had the bathroom moved indoors which was not common for the time. Later on family members added indoor plumbing. The house also has an almost unheard of feature in Florida, a basement! My admission was only $5. I came late in the day and was lucky to receive a private tour from Ed who was so kind and knowledgeable. I learned do much about the DeBary family and the history of this area. A visit starts with a 15 minute movie about the history of the St. John's River during which you take a simulated steamboat ride. After the movie I was given an informative tour of both floors of DeBary Hall. In February they have an annual Living History Day that I would love to come back for next year. I highly recommend a visit DeBary Hall if you are in the area. A big thanks to the community for saving this historical gem for everyone to enjoy. DeBary Hall is a stop on the Lake Monroe-Gemini Springs-DeBary Hall trail. The Spring to Spring Trail is so named because the 6.6 mile trail links a number of state and county parks that contain springs. Be sure and check out some of the beautiful springs if you visit the area.

We came here on a Friday afternoon and took the tour with Ann. The tour took about an hour and a…read morehalf and we walked some of the grounds and toured the house upstairs and downstairs. We learned so much about the history of Mr DeBary his family and his vacation hunting home. There's also a short 15 minute movie with rotating seats! Prices are very reasonable $4 for seniors and $5 for adults. Kids $2. Although I think the kids may be a little bored. But each year they do offer a History Day that sounds amazing check the website. A must see if you're in the Sanford area. Across the street is Gemini Springs a beautiful Park where you can stroll through the woods or a long the beautiful springs. Pet friendly with dog park and kids area.

Hannibal Square is a historic district in Winter Park on New England Avenue two blocks west of Park…read moreAvenue, between Virginia and Pennsylvania Avenues. Winter Park sprang up around a railroad track laid in 1880 by the South Florida Railroad that connected Orlando to Sanford. Hannibal Square was founded in 1881 as an African-American community of laborers who built the town and worked as domestic servants to the areas wealthy families. The people who lived in Hannibal Square had educational opportunities, prosperity, and professional standing. The railroad tracks served as the dividing line in the town with whites living on the east side and blacks to the west. While visiting Hannibal Square I enjoyed taking in the charming architecture, Shady Park, the Hannibal Square Heritage Center, restaurants, and shops. Hannibal Square is not as busy as the Park Ave area of town but it is still near enough to it that you could easily walk there.

2019 Review 47/100 A…read moregreat little area in Winter Park. Worth stopping by if you're strolling down Park Ave (it's only a few blocks away). Hannibal Square is lined with a variety of great restaurants and cool shops (Rifle Paper Co. is my fave!). It's much smaller than Park Ave. And almost never as crowded. So it's great if you're looking for a chill "Winter Park experience" without the hustle and bustle of Park Ave. Plus parking is always much easier. I usually park in Hannibal Square on Saturday mornings and go for a nice run through the Square up to Park Ave and walk around the Winter Park Farmers' Market.

Hibbard Casselberry is the founder of Casselberry, Florida. In 1926 he came to the area to visit…read morehis family in Winter Park. At the time the surrounding area was a fern farm that grew asparagus plumosis ferns for the florist industry. Casselberry became the sales manager for Fern Park Estates but left to plat his own subdivision, Winter Park Ferneries which became known as Fern Park. Throughout the 1930's he continued to develop his fernery and real estate business. On October 10th, 1940, the tax-free Town of Casselberry including parts of Fern Park Estates was officially incorporated. Today this building is the seat of government in Casselberry. The City of Casselberry is governed by a Commission and City Manager form of municipal government. A Mayor and four-member Commission are elected for staggered four-year terms. The City Manager is employed to oversee daily City operations and the City provides services for water and sewer, utility, sanitation, road maintenance, parks and recreation, planning and community development, and police. While many in town come here to deal with government issues I came to explore the art in Lake Concord Park that runs behind the City Hall. In the park you can experience the Sculpture Walk, Sculpture House, Art House, and Casselberry Art Center. During the holidays the area around City hall is decorated in lights. Many city events are held here during the year. These include Earth Fest, Spring Jazz and Art Festival, Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony, Casselberry Food and Wine Festival, concerts, car shows, and food trucks. The City of Casselberry does a great job of drawing the community together with support for the arts, well thought out recreational amenities, and engaging events.

I would associate this building with the birth of the community of Windermere…read more In 1911, John Calvin Palmer, Cal to all who knew him, and Dr. J Howard Johnson bought the lots here in Windermere and formed the Windermere Improvement Company. While Dr. Johnsn returned home to begin selling the properties, Palmer stayed here to develop and sell the lots locally. Palmer would also become the Post Master. It took men like this and their vision and courage to go from what Florida was like then to what it is now. If you are in Windermere, stop by and look at its birthplace

The Withers-Maguire House was established in 1888 in what was a very different Ocoee, Florida…read more The house was the first home in Orange County to have closets inside the bedrooms and I believe is the oldest building in Ocoee. Definitely worth checking out.

We came to visit this little historic village and it's very scenic. The trees are so pretty too…read more There is parking and public restrooms available. We made a bad choice for dinner but I will return.

The Clermont Historic Village is a collection of historic buildings in Clermont, Florida. The City…read moreof Clermont purchased the land for the village in 1996 and it included the Train Depot and the Quonset Hut. Through the years various other historic buildings were moved to the village. The non profit South Lake Historical Society, formed in 1997 operates the village in conjunction with the City of Clermont. The mission of the historical society is to preserve, maintain, and share the history of South Lake County's pioneer families. The village opened in 2005. The historical society gives tours which covers the period of history from the 1800's to WWII. There are seven buildings that make up the village. These include the Herring Hooks Schoolhouse which was the last building added to the property. It is a replica of an 1881 one room schoolhouse that used to exist near Jack's Lake and served as Clermont's first school. It was recreated using old photographs. The Cooper Memorial Library was built in 1914 and nicknamed The Little Cooper. It was moved to the village from West DeSoto Street in 2009. The outhouse is a replica of one and was built as an Eagle Scout project. The Train Depot stands in its original location. It received refurbishment in 2011. The Quonset Hut was built by the US military and it is original to the WWII era. It has been turned into a museum. The Kern House was built in 1895 on Montrose Street in a traditional New England style by Alexander Kern. He was one of the original signers on the incorporation of Clermont. The house was moved to the village in 2008. The Townsend House was built in 1895 on SR 50 by the first Black family to move to Clermont, James and Sallie Townsend. It was the first building to be moved to the village in 2002 and it opened for tours in 2005. The Historic Village is free but asks for a suggested $5 per person donation. It is open for tours Saturday and Sunday between 1 and 4. You can contact them for private tours and rentals. Every year the Historical Society hosts a Heritage Day Festival. During my visit there was a very nice Christmas village on display. I love how the city of Clermont has preserved their history in these buildings. This is a great place to get a glimpse of what life was like at the turn of the century through WWII.

Stopping for a minute to read a historic marker is a great way to learn more about the history of…read morean area. I have gained so much knowledge about Florida from these blue historical markers that can you find all around the state. I found this one on the grassy plain at Lake Ivanhoe Park near Southwest Ivanhoe Boulevard and Columbo Circle in the neighborhood of College Park. The Lake Ivanhoe Marker commemorates that the Lake Ivanhoe Residential Historic District was the first subdivision in College Park created by developer Walter Rose in 1921. Rose was inspired to name the streets in his subdivisions for colleges and universities. In 1925, the Cooper-Atha-Barr Company (CABCO) added more college-named streets in the first of nine subdivisions to be named College Park. College Park is defined by boundaries of Texas Avenue to the West, Colonial Drive/Hwy 50 to the South, Fairbanks Avenue to the North, Orange Avenue to the East. The Lake Ivanhoe Residential Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2010. This development was built during Florida's 1920's land boom years when developers platted new housing developments at the edge of cities and builders erected a large numbers of residences of similar sizes and styles to provide shelter to the growing middle-class. After WWII another housing boom occurred when the GI's came home after World War II and looked to the warmer climate of Florida to recuperate from their injuries. The Lake Ivanhoe historic district is 262 acres and contains 1,000 buildings. The first resident of the area now known as College Park was in the 1800's. Citrus grower John Ericsson built his home at 19 West Princeton Street, in the middle of an 80-acre citrus grove. it is the only home left from pre-land boom in College Park. The marker was promised to the College Park Historical Society because the neighborhood experienced a lot of hardship and disruption when the Florida Department of Transportation expanded I-4. Marker F-1202 was dedicated on October 24, 2023 by City of Orlando Commissioner Robert F. Stuart, the College Park Historical Society of Orlando, Orange Preservation Trust, and the Florida Department of State.