Instructions:
1....Print this file.
2....At its end, click on "rules" to see a copy of the trail rules, print it, and then click where indicated at the end of the 3-page rules and patch order form to get back to the list of Florida trails.
3....If you wand a hand-drawn map showing the locations of all of the sites, send a self-addressed stamped envelope to Steve Rajtar, 1614 Bimini Dr., Orlando, FL 32806.
4....Hike the trail and order whatever patches you like (optional).
WARNING - This trail may pass through one or more neighborhoods which, although full of history, may now be unsafe for individuals on foot, or which may make you feel unsafe there. Hikers have been approached by individuals who have asked for handouts or who have inquired (not always in a friendly manner) why the hikers are in their neighborhood. Drugs and other inappropriate items have been found by hikers in some neighborhoods. It is suggested that you drive the hike routes first to see if you will feel comfortable walking them and, if you don't think it's a good place for you walk, you might want to consider (1) traveling with a large group, (2) doing the route on bicycles, or (3) choosing another hike route. The degree of comfort will vary with the individual and with the time and season of the hike, so you need to make the determination using your best judgment. If you hike the trail, you accept all risks involved.
Much of US 441 was a part of the Dixie Highway, which was the dream of Carl Fisher of Indianapolis. He had made his fortune in the new auto industry, and wanted to build a highway from Chicago to Miami. When news got out, many communities formed associations to lobby for inclusion on the route.
The Dixie Highway Association met in Chattanooga and chose a route passing through Tallahassee and Jacksonville, and proceeding south along the east coast. Frenzied lobbying also produced an inland route passing through Gainesville, Ocala, Winter Park, Orlando, Kissimmee, Bartow and Arcadia, rejoining the coastal route at Palm Beach.
In 1915, Fisher led an auto cavalcade from the Midwest to Miami, popularizing auto trips to Florida. The Dixie Highway was officially open for traffic in October of 1925 from the Canadian border at the northern tip of Michigan to Miami.
In 1948, this land was given as a park by Floyd Fletcher Wooten and Amanda Wooten. On the nearby shore of Lake Dora, L.G. Coven built a pavilion in 1912, and it stood until 1961. The All Children's Playground was built in 1993.
This home was built in1920 for R.P. Hamlin, who was the law partner of Harry C. Duncan. Later, this became part of the W.H. Bolt, Sr. estate.
In 1920, this house was built for Arthur Hamlin. Later owners included Charles and Frances Lovell, and later W.H. Bolt, Sr.
This Georgian Colonial style home was built in 1925 for Harry C. Duncan, who was the law partner of R.P. Hamlin. Other owners included Bill Wells, Sr. and Dr. A.A. Boggus. It was later converted to Eastwood's Fleur du Lac bed and breadfast establishment.
After the emphasis was switched from making Tavares a resort town, it headed toward becoming a railroad and industrial center. The Texas and Gulf Railroad was completed in 1885.
The Jacksonville, Tampa and Key West Railway was new when, in April of 1888, a spark from one of its trains ignited the dry goods store of Charles H. Newell, resulting in a fire that burned the entire business district. The Grand Hotel with its three towers, plus 25 other principal buildings, were destroyed.
This building served as the railroad station, and later became the home of the fire department.
This building was erected in about 1922 for use as a furniture store. It later housed the Estes Tea Room, then the USO headquarters, the first A & P Grocery Store in Tavares, and Satin's Candy Factory.
This structure was built in 1896 to serve the residence of Robert L. Nutt. It later served as the First Baptist Church parsonage, and then the home of Mary Ann Nutt Woodard. After Irving and Willie Woodard Rhea lived there, it was converted into an antique store.
This church was founded in 1885 by W.W. Winchester of Mount Dora. It housed both Methodist and Baptist congregations until the early 1900s. Its first sanctuary was constructed in 1886-88 of lumber donated by Maj. Abrams, on land which he also donated. It was designed by J.B. Sears, who intended it to resemble Trinity Church in New York. It had a Victorian Revival style, with a bell cupola, gable roof with verge board, and unusual front porch.
The present sanctuary was completed in 1985.
This house was built in 1881 and was the residence of two sheriffs, first T.C. Smythe and later B.A. Cassady. It was also the home of tax assessor Reginald G. Cassady and teacher Evelyn Cassady.
This house was built in 1881, and was the residence of Robert L. and Annie Nutt. Mr. Nutt was elected as the first tax assessor of Lake County, and served in that position for 33 years. Mrs. Nutt founded the Tavares PTA.
Their daughter, Helena Nutt, also lived here and followed in her father's footsteps by becoming the tax assessor. The home was later owned by Lincoln and Clara Nutt Rees, and their daughter, Bobbie Rees.
This house was built in 1910 and was the home of C.J. Post. Later owners have included Leonard Duncan, Robert Boulware, and Richard Roof.
This home, built in 1880, was the home of Mrs. Orth. Later owners have included court clerk George Dykes and Nellie Bassett.
This home was constructed in 1913 by L.G. Coven. Later owners have included William and Dolly Rogers, and Jimmy Shattles.
In about 1905, the inn was built for Mr. Lacey. Later, it was owned by Jack King, Sr. and his wife, Marie King. The inn burned down in 1963 and was replaced the following year by four apartments, owned by Jack and Charlene King.
This structure was built in 1881 and was the home of Judge Milam and the first Lake County courthouse. Later residents have included Judge Tally and Evelyn Buchanan.
The original concept for Tavares was as a resort complex, to compete with Mount Dora. Then, its developers decided that it would be a good place for the state capital. Four blocks here were set aside by Maj. Abrams, as a site for the capitol.
When they were unsuccessful in luring the capital to this part of the state, that land became this city park. The civic center was built in 1960, the shuffleboard courts in 1961, and the library in 1971. There are monuments in the park in memory of Dr. Sanford C. Colley, Maude Wakelin, and Helena Nutt.
The library, now located in the park, was begun by the Woman's Club, which organized in 1915. The first collection of books was housed in its clubhouse.
This home was built in 1920 by L.G. Coven. Later residents have included Ruth Fretwell and Dorothy Gable, operators of Greyhound Bus Lines.
This home, built in 1881, was the residence of Maj. Alexander St. Clair Abrams. He was the prime mover in settling this town, attracting a strong and wealthy group of associates. Abrams spent over $500,000 in building stores, a hotel, the first courthouse, and lumber mills. Later, this home belonged to Harry Duncan, the Keister family, and Ken and Harriet Sears.
When this building was erected in 1923-26, it was used as a Methodist Church.
This house was built in about 1900 for T.A. Hux. The Hux family settled during the 1870s in the area which is now known as Astatula. Later owners of this house have included Gene and Brenda Smith, and it has been turned into professional offices.
The home of Henry Holcomb Duncan was built here in about 1880. As clerk of the court for 33 years, he entertained many important persons in it. The house was later moved and was replaced by the present structure.
A bill was introduced in the state legislature in 1887 to create a new county, which became Lake County. The temporary county seat was established in Bloomfield, a settlement near Leesburg. Later in 1887, the permanent county seat was determined by a vote of the citizens, and Tavares received a majority of the votes.
In 1890, this was the site of the Pioneer Building, which served as the courthouse. The Pioneer Building was moved across the street, then demolished in 1975.
In 1924, this courthouse was built for a cost of $250,000, with the county jail located on the top floor. The flagpole base was built in 1937 with 58 pieces of rock from several states and foreign countries, including granite from the Gettysburg battlefield (in which are embedded two bullets, one Union and one Confederate), stone from the top of Pike's Peak, and lava from Glacier National Park.
This building was erected in about 1917 and served as the city hall and the fire department. After serving as a private law office, it became the headquarters of a branch of the Greater Orlando Area Legal Services.
This company was founded in 1887, and operated out of an office in a wooden building. After it was destroyed in the 1888 fire, it moved to the house of Mr. and Mrs. E.S. Burleigh. Later, Leonard Duncan took over its operation. This building was erected in 1924.
This building was erected in 1914 and was used by attorney Harry P. Johnson, who also served as mayor and state legislator.
This building was erected in 1928 and served as the law office of Duncan, Hamlin and Duncan. It was moved to its present spot in 1975.
When built in 1918, this building served as the post office. It was later used as an auto parts store and the office of a title insurance company.
This lodge building was constructed in 1916, with the Masons meeting upstairs. The first floor has housed commercial establishments, including Lucille Tally Insurance.
This building was erected in 1918 and housed the Townsend Barber & Pressing Club. Later businesses which have been located here include Pike's Grocery, Peeples Cleaners, the Yellow Jasmine Gift Shop, and Kenneth Wicks.
This was built in 1924 to house Gardner's Garage, which moved from its prior location on New Hampshire Ave. Mr. Gardner owned and operated taxicabs. Later, this became the home of Tavares Hardware, and then Ace Hardware.
The first Bank of Tavares was organized by R.T. Hall in 1886, who served as its first president. It was located near Lake Dora. After the 1888 fire which destroyed its office, the bank moved into the brick hotel. It suffered losses from the freezes in 1894, 1895, 1897 and 1898, and closed for good in 1898.
Another Bank of Tavares was organized in 1913 as a branch of the Citizens Bank of Eustis, with G.W. Holmes as its president. A bank building was erected here to house it in about 1915. The bank reorganized in 1925 as an independent institution.
In addition to the Bank of Tavares, it has also been the home of banks known as Flagship Bank, Florida National Bank, and First Union National Bank.
On this site in 1888, a business block was under construction. When the great fire in April of that year destroyed most of downtown, the plans were changed and it was completed as Biltavern, which was later known as the Osceola Hotel.
The hotel rooms were upstairs, while the first floor was used by a number of commercial establishments, including a drug store, Mosely's Grocery, Fretwell's Meat Market, the Hitching Post Restaurant, Hill's Bar, the Newton Chain Store, Western Auto, and Kenne Pearce Furniture. The upstairs was later renamed the Val Coursey Apartments.
In 1980, the building was remodeled to serve as the Tavares City Hall. It served as such until 1992, when it was torn down. The present city hall was built in its place and dedicated on December 10, 1993.
Tavares comes from a Spanish word meaning "the center", and was the name of an ancestor of Maj. Abrams.
This was built in about 1920, and later housed a succession of beauty salons.
This building was erected in about 1920, and originally housed Wiseman's Grocery. It then became Jonathan and Emma Smith's Grocery, before the Lemon Tree Flower Shop moved in. Later, it became an insurance office.
"Doc" Daniels had a drug store in this building, erected in about 1920, and was succeeded by "Doc" Boulware.
Maj. Abrams built this structure, and for a time lived in it. It served as the town's opera house. In the rear during the 1890s was a tomato packing house. The Tavares Improvement Association met here, and this became the town hall in 1904.
In 1917, the two top floors burned. The following year, it was reduced to two floors and renamed the Lake Building. Stores which have been located in this building include Chase's Fashion Shop, A & P Grocery, the post office, the Dutch Warnocky Bakery, King's Dress Shop, Barney Roth's, and then Lincoln and Clara Rees' Petite Dress Shop.
The first schoolhouse in Tavares was built here in 1886. The two-story building had a belfry, an auditorium on the second floor, and two classrooms downstairs. The auditorium was also used for meetings of town officials, lodge members, and clubs. When a new school was built in 1916, the old one was sold, moved and cut into two parts. Each of the separated stories was made into a separate residence.
The Tavares Elementary School was built here in 1956. In 1974, it became the Tavares Middle School.
A three-story brick schoolhouse was built here in 1916, and painted a cream color. It handled grades one through nine or ten in some years, and then students traveled for high school to Eustis or colleges. It became an elementary school in 1927. The building also served as a library, junior high school, and after the new elementary school opened, a storage facility. It was razed in 1982 after a fire damaged the second story.
This school was built in 1927 with a Spanish style, with stucco and a red tile roof. It began with 12 classrooms, an auditorium, library, cafeteria, an administrative suite, and a gymnasium.
Florida Bed & Breakfast Guide, by Valerie C. Bondy (Queen of Hearts Publications 1995)
Guide to Florida's Historic Architecture, (University of Florida Press 1989)
Historic Downtown Tavares, Florida: A Walking Tour, (Historical Society of Tavares 1996)
History of Lake County, Florida, by William T. Kennedy (Lake County Historical Society 1988)
Lake County, Florida: A Pictorial History, by Emmett Peter, Jr. (The Donning Company 1994)
Memories of Mount Dora and Lake County, by David Edgerton (1983)
Through Schoolhouse Doors: A History of Lake County Schools, by The Lake County Retired Teachers Association (Rose Printing Co., Inc. 1982)
Click here for a copy of the trail rules.