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 learned so much from these blue historical markers that can you find all around the state. This particular marker is located in H.H. Dickinson Azalea Park. One side of the marker tells about the park and the other side is about the nearby Washington Street Bridge. During the 1920's, Florida experienced a massive period of growth called the land boom years. As growth moved east in Orlando the little wooden bridge over Fern Creek could no longer with stand the increased vehicle traffic. In July of 1926, the Orlando City Council accepted proposals to replace the bridge. Concrete Steel Bridge Company of Miami Beach was chosen for their $10,400 bid. Orlando City Engineer Morton Hagartney designed a reinforced concrete arch deck bridge with walkways on both sides. The historically inspired light fixtures give the bridge its classical appearance. The bridge isn't very large but it is very pretty and is great for pictures, especially by the lamp posts. The Washington Street Bridge is the only bridge of its kind in the City of Orlando and was designated a Historic Landmark by the city in 1991. In 2014, historic marker F-808 was installed by The City of Orlando District 4 Commissioner Parry Sheehan, Girl Scouts of Citrus Council, Orlando Garden Club, Lake Lawsona Fern Creek Historical Neighborhood Association, Eugene & Lois Pawlak & Family, Dr. Howard Green & Family, The Van De Bogert Family, Deborah Kohan, The Magley Family, Robin & Nancy Lewis, Nancy & Walk Jones, Kathy Wickman, Theresa Smith and the Florida Department of State.

I love discovering these little historical markers that you can see in every city and town across…read morethe country. By seeing the blue historical sign, I learned a little bit more about the history of Orlando. The Washington Street bridge is located on the corner of Washington Street and Rosearden Drive in the downtown section of Orlando. It is right next to Dickson Azalea Park and this new bridge is going on one hundred years old. The bridge was built back in 1926 to replace a deteriorating wooden bridge over Fern Creek and was built for the sum of $10,400. Today, it is the only Bridge of its kind here in Orlando and was designated a Historic Landmark by the city back in 1991. It is hard to imagine what Orlando was like back in 1926. However, this bridge gives us a glimpse of that moment in history. How many people have walked across this bridge since its opening? Orlando is a city that continues to change and progress, but we can never lose sight of the past of the city.

The red Chinese Ting is structure located in Lake Eola Park. It was given to the city of Orlando in…read more1987 by philanthropist, scientist, and businessman Dr. Nelson Ying. The ting was built in Shanghai, disassembled, shipped to Orlando, and reassembled in the park. Mr. Ying said he donated the ting "to create a place for this mayor and future mayors to entertain dignitaries,'" and "'to make downtown more attractive to citizens.'" In 1985 Mr. Ying worked with mayor Bill Frederick to secure a sister-city relationship between Orlando and the Chinese city of Guilin and the ting celebrates the friendship between the two cities. People like to picnic around the ting and as you walk around the lake it is nice to take pictures and sit here and watch the swans.

I love learning about architecture and history so I was immediately drawn to this historic marker…read moreon Sligh Street in Orlando. I am particularly fond of historic train stations, many of which were built during Florida's land boom hey days of the 1920's. Orlando was named in 1857 and incorporated in 1875. In 1880 the first railroad was built to Orlando which at that time was a pioneer cattle and citrus outpost that sprung up from the area around Fort Gatlin, built during the Seminole Wars. Atlantic Coastline Railroad acquired the railroad in 1902 and in an effort to bring more tourism to Orlando, in 1927 they hired architect M.A. Griffith to build on new train station on Sligh street. During the 1920's, Mediterranean Revival was the most popular architectural design choice but Griffith was inspired by his travels along the Pacific Coast where he admired the Spanish architecture and colonial parish churches. The W.T. Hadlow Construction Company of Jacksonville was hired to build the Spanish Mission style building with twin bell towers, arches, parapet, and tile roof at a cost of $300,000. The station was dedicated on January 11, 1927 in front of a crowd of 6,0000 people. On February 27, 1978, the train station was designated an Orlando Historic Landmark. In 2014 the station's original wood doors and windows were restored along with the original building colors. Repairs were also made to the stucco walls, roof, ceilings, paving, and upgrades were made to the restrooms. In 2015, the restoration project won the City of Orlando's Historic Preservation award for Outstanding Commercial Rehabilitation. In 2016 historic marker number F-904 was installed in front of the train station by The City of Orlando and the Florida Department of State. Today the station is considered the largest and finest example of Mission Revival architecture in Central Florida and is the only train station of this style in the state. The station serves Amtrak's Silver Meteor and Silver Star Lines and the SunRail commuter train. I have been to many train stations from the 1920's throughout Florida. Some have been torn down, some are now abandoned, others have been restored and turned into something else like a museum, but it is very rare to see one still being used today. I love that people are still arriving and departing through this historic building. I think M.A. Griffith would be proud to know that the Atlantic Coastline Station is still servicing Orlando's travelers today.

This very well preserved marker is in front of the Orlando Amtrak station and recalls the time when…read morerailroads first started into Florida as well as a certain time in American history and race relations. Certainly well before "Amtrak" was a thing. The marker has text on both sides and it reads: "In 1880, the South Florida Railroad built a railway through Orlando. The small community boomed with land speculators, citrus and cattle investors, and tourists. In 1902, the larger Atlantic Coastline Railroad acquired the South Florida Railroad. Although three earlier Orlando stations were located on Church Street, Atlantic Coastline hired architect M.A. Griffith to design a new station on Sligh Boulevard in 1926. Griffith traveled the Pacific Coast and drew inspiration from Spanish architecture and colonial parish churches. The W.T. Hadlow Construction Company of Jacksonville received a $300,000 construction contract for the Spanish Mission style building. Twin bell towers, arches, parapet, and tile roof reflect this influence. Griffith designed the letters of "ORLANDO" over the west entrance arch. When the station was dedicated in January 1927, it attracted a crowd of more than 6,000 and became an immediate icon. The racially segregated station included a separate waiting room with ticket windows and restrooms for African American passengers on the south side of the building. Built-in curved wooden settees, once featured in both waiting rooms, remain only in the current waiting room." "Known historically as the Atlantic Coastline Railroad Station, this building represented the city's efforts to encourage tourism in Orlando during the 1920s Florida Land Boom. Since its opening, the station has served as a passenger terminal for residents, visitors, and workers. The words "Seaboard Coast Line" on the east arched parapet replaced "Atlantic Coast Line" after the two rail companies merged in 1967. The station was documented by the Historic American Buildings Survey with six drawing sheets archived in the Library of Congress. On February 27, 1978, it was designated as an Orlando Historic Landmark. An extensive renovation began in 2014 to restore the station including the original wood doors and windows. Careful research revealed original colors of the building, window sills, and domes. In 2015, the project won the City of Orlando's Historic Preservation award for Outstanding Commercial Rehabilitation. The station is considered the largest and finest example of Mission Revival architecture in Central Florida and is the only train station of this style in the state. The station serves Amtrak's Silver Meteor and Silver Star Lines and the SunRail commuter train."

I went here last weekend for the Orlando pickle festival and it was really great experience . The…read morepark is right in the heart of downtown Orlando. There was a nice open space and room for multiple vendors and food trucks . They provided porter potties and hand washing stations which was nice. I will definitely be back for pickle festival next year . I also would love to attend other events too at festival park. I parked in the bealls parking plaza near by to avoid having to pay which was great.

Went here for Panda Fest. It was our first time attending an event at Festival Park. Traffic was…read morepretty snarled up near the venue and parking is difficult, but several places were offering parking for $20 cash. We were able to get parking nearby and walk easily to the event. The park itself is setup well for events. Plenty of open area for booths. They had clear entry and exit areas and security staff to handle entry. The general line was very long, but the security was professional and did their best to move things along. They had porta-potties and mobile real bathrooms in VIP at this particular event. They also had plenty of trash cans. They did need more accessible water for purchase. It was mostly at just the bar huts and those lines were very long. Not good on a hot day when you aren't allowed to bring in your water bottle. The ground is also pretty uneven in spots, so just need to be mindful of that for people with mobility issues. I would go here again for another festival.

I have walked the mile path surrounding Lake Eola many times and I always stop for a moment at this…read morepeaceful garden with its distinctive red bridge. The Japanese Rock Garden along Lake Eola contains a 12.5 ton and 19,5 foot long piece of black marble donated by Su-Nan Chong, Mayor of Tainan, Taiwan. The rock was given in 1983 as a gift of friendship between the sister cities of Tainan and Orlando. The marble is said to have been discovered in the mountains in Hua-Lien at an altitude of 1,600 meters and was sculpted by wind over 10,000 years. The Mayor requested the following to be inscribed on the stone. "Loyal To Country Filial To Parents." When the rock was delivered Orlando it was requested to be placed "in your great Walt Disney World". Disney World however is not in Orlando and Disney declined the gift leaving Orlando to figure out what to do with it. While waiting for permanent placement it was called the Mayor's pet rock. When Lake Eola Park was renovated in 1988, the Japanese Rock Garden was created and the rock finally had a home. Today you can see the famous rock and take pictures on the pretty bridge. The story of the marble has become a quirky part of Lake Eola history.

I like Orlando! I visited my childhood best friend when she and her family loved in Orlando. The…read moreonly drawback for me, for Orlando, is I'm not a Disney fan in the least and you can imagine this city, and especially their airport, is rife with mousketeer ears! On our visit to Orlando, we enjoyed the weather, the hospitality, dining out, and in general all that Orlando offers (sans Disney). I'm not knocking Disney, in fact it employs my best friend's (now ex) husband and has for decades! So, hats off to Disney for providing careers and for providing for families' welfare and prosperity. My best friend took a job in South Carolina and now I don't have any friends or relatives in this region nor a pressing need to return since my flights into Orlando were lawya to visit my Sister on the Space Coast and she's moves back to Alabama. Regardless, thanks Orlando for the nice airport, the great memories and the fun visits!

I will never ever complain about LA traffic again! No matter…read morethe time of day, there is constant traffic. 15 miles takes 40 mins; 30 miles took an hour and 15 mins. Also, why is everyone in a rush, why everyone honking & why so many tailgaters. Heaven forbid I wait for the pedestrian to cross the street before making a right, because the lovely driver behind me is already honking like crazy. Sorry, let me just run the pedestrian over so you can get to your destination a minute early. I'm trying to switch lanes, I get honked at, I don't gas it right when the light turns green, I get honked at. You better hope you're driving on the right lane cuz ain't no one going to let you merge over. And trust me if a Floridian needs to merge, you non Florida drivers better watch out cuz they will make their big ass trucks fit. Floridians exiting a driveway into ongoing traffic, yea they ain't yielding, you are! Speed limit, yea that doesn't exist! I can say I'm a crazy LA driver but driving in Florida made me want to park the car and walk my ass. Driving here is no joke! And the state is Toll happy!

A darling venue. I attended a beautiful wedding at the Dr. Phillips House and this was the perfect…read morebackdrop for my friend's wedding. It fit her aesthetic completely, there's parking in the area, multiple areas for different set-ups (music, dining, dancing, bar, overnight stays, kids room, etc).

Our friends had a lovely wedding party March 28, 2026. The staff was alert and friendly. We enjoyed…read moreappetizers by the gazebo. Dancing and cocktails. We then had a lovely buffet dinner inside. The House is gorgeous history. The food was great. Two servers (a handsome bronze man and a younger pretty lady) had great personalities and interacted with us in conversation too.

I always stop to read a historical marker if I happen upon one. I have learned so many interesting…read morethings about Florida and its people this way. For some reason I always thought this marker was associated with the historic Eola House which it is near but when you actually stop to read you learn that it was put in place of a home that is no longer here. The John R. Mott House was the former 1920 Mediterranean-style bungalow home of past Nobel Peace Prize-winner John Raleigh Mott. Mott retired to Orlando in 1938 and purchased the home. It was torn down along with three other historic homes in 2013 to expand Lake Eola Park. The homes were known as the The Lake Eola Five. Lake Eola House located near this historic sign was the only one left standing to serve as the Lake Eola Park offices. John Raleigh Mott was a very influential humanitarian figure. He was a leader in the YMCA and the World Student Christian Federation. He helped to found the World Council of Churches in 1948. He held honorary degrees from six universities, including Yale, Edinburgh, Princeton, and Brown. In 1946 he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in recognition of his humanitarian work with international Protestant Christian student organizations that promoted peace. Mott authored The Evangelization of the World in this Generation and he became a popular recruiter of college students to foreign mission work. When he was offered free passage on the Titanic he had the good sense to decline in favor of a less luxurious ship more aligned with his austere taste. It was very sad to learn that Orlando tore down four historical homes to basically have a field where they can hold events in the downtown area. The bungalow was especially cute and attached to a historical figure. It could have served as museum. To ensure that Mott would not be forgotten, in 2017, the city of Orlando placed a two sided Florida Historical Marker F-932, at the site of where Mr. Mott's home once stood, in recognition of his life's work. The marker was paid for by Commissioner Patty Sheehan along with private donations from he Van Dusen and the Nollet families. One star for Orlando tearing down Mr. Mott's home and five stars for all of John R. Mott's great work.

The John R. Mott House Site is a piece of Orlando, Florida history located by a plaque on the edge…read moreof Lake Eola Park. It commemorates the house site of John Raleigh Mott, who was a Nobel Peace Prize recipient. In addition, Mott was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal for his relief work for prisoners of war. Whenever I see a local historic plaque, if possible, I pull over and check it out. We individually and as a society need to remember our history, the steps that brought us to where we stand today. Our society would not be what it is today had it not been for pioneers like this gentleman who strived to make the world a better place. I am grateful that I discovered this cool piece of history and I give it five stars.

Located outside of the Orange County Government building sits this interesting statue. I have seen…read moreit countless times and appreciate it as a bit of art that gives Orlando its personality.