The Linton E. Allen Memorial Fountain, also known as the Centennial Fountain with its nightly…read morewater and light shows in the middle of Lake Eola is probably the better known Lake Eola fountain but that doesn't mean the lovely, more classic Sperry Fountain should be overlooked. It has been a part of Orlando for more than a century and is a reminder of an influential Orlando pioneer. E.F. Sperry (b. 1843) was from Connecticut but moved to this area in 1885 after visiting for a vacation. Less than a year after the move he co-founded the South Florida Foundry and Machine Works which became one Orlando's earliest businesses by providing metal works for iron stairs, balconies, trains, and fencing.The business made him very prosperous and he owned a house and property on the southwest shore of Lake Eola. After selling his business he became civically active by serving on the park commission, as President of the Orlando Citrus Exchange and he was a founding member of the 1912 First Unitarian Church of Orlando. My favorite thing about him was he was the first president of the Men's Equal Suffrage League which helped women the right to vote. He was a man ahead of his time. Mr. Sperry was first elected to the office of mayor in 1914. At this time he donated his Lake Eola property to the city. Along with property donated by Jake Summerlin and J. P. Mussellwhite, it allowed for the completion of Lake Eola Park which is so beloved today. In 1913 Sperry also donated the $2,000 for the fountain that bears his name. Sperry never finished his term as mayor, He passed away two years after his election in 1916. He work was continued by Mayor James L. Giles and three years after Sperry's death the City Council voted to amend the city charter allowing women to vote in Orlando. The Sperry fountain that sits here today is an exact replica of the fountain he donated in 1913.The fountain was prone to mechanical failure and in 2011 the iron fountain was replaced with a bronze one. The actual fountain Sperry donated can be found in Greenwood cemetery today. I love the swans on the fountain that mirror the ones you see swimming on Lake Eola. The real Lake Eola swans were not introduced to the lake until 1922 when they were put there by an Englishman raising them to separate two breeds who were having a territorial dispute. After a walk around the lake it is nice to sit and relax on one of the benches surrounding the fountain. March 2024 will mark the 110th anniversary of the Sperry Fountain.

The Sperry Fountain is located on the edge of Lake Eola Park and is named for E.F. Sperry, who was…read moreelected mayor of Orlando, Florida in 1913 and served until he passed away in 1916. Sperry was also a businessman who founded the South Foundry and Machine Works. This fountain is an exact replica of the fountain that Sperry himself donated to the City of Orlando (as well as land for a public park) back in 1913. The fountain itself is a nice place to chill and I have a few stone benches around if you would like to sit and take the view in. All in all, this is a nice addition to both Lake Eola Park and the city of Orlando, Florida. Lake Eola Park is definitely my favorite park in Orlando. It is because of things like this that make it my favorite park. All in all, I will give Sperry Fountain five stars

Lake Eola in downtown Orlando has a lot of wonderful public art surrounding it. One such…read moreinstallation is the sculpture, Fantasy Swan sculpted by Thai artist S. Hardthalae and donated to the City of Orlando on October 18, 2008 by local resident and author Angi Perretti. You can find it where you cross over the foot bridge just before the Chinese Ting. it is usually surrounded by a gang of bossy geese giving people the shake down. Inspired by the City of Orlando's establishment of Lake Eola as a Swans of the World Habitat, Peretti authored the book "The Identity of AngiArts: A Muse for Artistic Inspiration." which is an original fantasy story about magical princess Angilika who along with her pet swan travels through time and galaxies to fulfill her divine prophecy "to instill artistic inspiration into the hearts of all peoples of all cultures in the third millennium and beyond." The sculpture in the water area depicts a girl and a swan and is a moment in the story where a magical spell on the pet swan ends and it is transformed into a black necked swan. On the bridge there is a bronze book telling the story in 175 words. In addition to the sculpture Peretti also donated a pair of black necked swans to live in Lake Eola. I love how the statue reflects the beautiful real swans living on Lake Eola. I could sit and watch their elegance for hours. Like the story, it is truly a magical experience to see them in person.

Thos piece of art is by sculpture S. Hardthalae and was donated to Orlando, Florida by Angi…read morePerretti. The work pays tribute to a princess who was "granted superpowers from the art gods and travel through time warps and galaxies with their magical pet swan" and the story ends with the words "Let the magical aura of this sculpture evoke a moment for your soulful inspiration that shall move your hearts to joy. The end to this story now begins inside your own soul." A a beautiful sentiment and a perfect a perfect addition to this wonderful place in Orlando known as Lake Eola Park. Lake Eola Park truly a great oasis of art, birds, and green space on the edge of downtown Orlando. This sculpture and the foot bridges are just a perfect enhancement to an already wonderful place. I have to give the sculpture and the sculpture's sentiment five stars.

Grandmother's Legacy of Love Butterfly Garden is a piece of art located in Lake Eola Park by the…read moreSperry Fountain and something you should definitely notice if you are in Lake Eola Park. The sculptures were created by Barbara Sorenson and it was donated to the community by Rita Hutchinson. It was created to honor a family's love for one another and symbolizes love and renewal. Think about it, a family renews itself with each generation, but continues the lessons and values instilled with each generation. This area is also filled with pollinator friendly plants inviting butterflies to come here and flourish. I would definitely recommend checking here out.

I am very familiar with the blue markers of the state wide Florida Historical Marker Program…read more Occasionally I will come across a county or city historic marker. I discovered this Orange County marker about the Barber/Mizell Feud while walking through Barber Park. Historical markers are a great way to learn about the formative people, buildings, and events in Florida's history. I was somewhat familiar with the Barber/Mizell feud from having visited Harry P. Leu Gardens. The Mizell family were the first people to own the land of what is now the popular tourist attraction botanical gardens. David Mizell Jr. arrived in 1858 with his wife Angeline from Alachua County during the years of Reconstruction after the Civil War. It was a time when there were only a few pioneers in the area. They purchased 8 acres where they built a cabin, raised cattle, and farmed. Mizell called his property Lake View and a small community of the same name grew up around it. When Lake View got a post office, the name was changed to Osceola after a Seminole warrior who had died 30 years earlier. In the late 1860's Mizell was elected to the Orange County Commission and the State Legislation. His son John was a judge in the Orange County Court while oldest son David was appointed sheriff of Orange County. David was killed in the line of duty in 1870 while trying to settle a dispute over taxes and cows. David Mizell's death was part of a feud with the Barber cattle ranching family. Moses Barber moved to Florida from Georgia in 1833. They went on to develop one of the largest cattle empires in the state but during the Civil War their cattle was seized and they lost their wealth. The Barbers relocated to Central Florida to rebuild but it put them into competition for grazing land with the Mizell's who had the benefit of having a sheriff in the family. Both families accused each other of cattle rustling. Moses Barber refused to pay taxes enacted by the government which forced David Mizell to seize cattle in lieu of payment. During this attempt he was killed. His son John and a newly elected sheriff went after the Barber family. They located and killed the ranch hand they believed shot David Mizell. The Barbers left for northern family where Moses Barber was captured but never tried. Eventually anywhere from 8 to 13 people would be killed before the feud was finally ended in the 1940's when members from the two families were married. David is buried in the small Mizell Family Cemetery in Harry P. Leu Gardens. Barber Park was created on the cattle grazing land once owned by the Barber family.

This historical sign is located in Barber Park and marks the Barber/Mizell Fued that occurred here…read moreback in the 1800's. At least eight people were killed in this three month fued. It was in essence a battle between two cattle barons. It is amazing to imagine the Florida that was back in the 1800's versus what it is today. That's why these markers are so important. They give us a glimpse of the past.

This for me is one of the iconic and memorable things of orlando. Whenever I see the fighters yet,…read moreI know I am home. This jet was flown by Orlando native Colonel Joe Kittinger on four combat missions over Northern Vietnam. This Monument is dedicated to all the Vietnam veterans of Central Florida. Again, not only is it historically significant, but for me, it is a part of Orlando and a reminder when I see it that I am home.

Opal Gardens is a small neighborhood not far off of Ivey Lane…read more I was not here for long, but it seemed nice enough.

This neighborhood is located west of the Conway section of Orlando and has a convenient and…read morecomfortable feel to it. There are enough supermarkets, restaurants, and shopping options in the area to make it convenient and all in all, it is a nice enough place.

Tucked away in Lorna Doone Park and in the shadow of Camping World Stadium here in Orlando, Florida…read moreis a statue that signifies an important moment in the history of Civil Rights here in the South. The statue is of two twelve year old boys, one wearing the uniform of the Pensacola, Florida Jaycees and the other wearing the uniform of the Orlando, Florida Kiwanis. These two teams, the coaches, players and their families made history on August 9, 1955 when they stepped together onto the playing field, black and white, and stepped beyond the segregated patterns of the time not only in Forida, but throughout the South and broke a long-held barrier. The majority of those people, if not all of those people at that historic game are gone now, but that is remembered and reverberated as part of a movement that changed the world forever.