TOWNS of the FLORIDA MIDLAND RAILROAD

Central Florida’s story, in terms of growth and expansion, cannot be properly chronicled without telling of the effect short-lived railroads had on the landscape of the land I refer to as CitrusLAND. Disregarding the story of these phantom trains is tantamount to removing the more fascinating chapters of the earliest days of Lake, Orange, Osceola, Seminole, and Florida’s surrounding Citrus-belt counties.

P. A. DEMENS & Company, Railroad-Tie Plant (1885)

Outlying suburbs of today, as well as numerous ghost towns of yesteryear, were one-time vital hubs for 19^th century railroads. Such towns include Longwood, Palm Springs, Apopka, Ocoee and Kissimmee City, each of these examples being railway depots of the Florida Midland Railroad (FMR).

Previous RAILS & TRAILS posts in this series have discussed primarily north-south trains, interior railroads that contributed to developing central Florida as we know it today. Success of a railroad to Maitland, for example, versus the inability to finance a southbound train at today’s Ghost Town of Mellonville, are but two examples of how railroads shaped the region’s countryside.

The earliest regional railroads all planned to run southbound from a steamboat port. But the FMR was different, as it was designed as an east-west train from its founding.

Florida’s General Assembly approved Florida Midland Railroad’s charter February 10, 1885, granting organizers a franchise that, “shall be completed between Lake Jessup (sic) and Leesburg, or to such other point or points as provided in this Act, on or before the first day of June, 1888.” The “point or points” changed over time. The railroad did not actually start at Lake Jesup, nor end at Leesburg, but during its brief existence, this east-west train became a major contributor to central Florida growth.

LONGWOOD was the first vital rail intersection south of Lake Monroe. The FMR crossed over South Florida Railroad track at the center of Edward W. HENCK’s town of Longwood. Henck founded his city in 1876, served as the initial 1880 President of South Florida Railroad, and was a major force in the organization of Florida Midland Railroad.

Longwood also became headquarters for the P. A. Demens Construction Company, one of early suppliers of railroad ties, shipping from a Longwood plant in all four directions.

By year end 1885, Webb’s Historical, Biographical & Industrial periodical said a portion of the FMR had already been completed, “from a point, 6 miles west of Lake Jesup, to Longwood, Palm Springs, and FITZSIMMONS.” Webb’s also reported that the railroad would soon be completed into the town of Apopka.

PALM SPRINGS, the first town west of Longwood, also became an important crossroad when Peter A. Demens built his north-south railroad beginning in 1886 (A Future Post).

Continuing westbound, the 1880s town of LAKE BRANTLEY grew up around a FMR depot, and even further west, the FMR became the second of three planned railroads to serve APOPKA. At Apopka, the FMR then made another sharp turn, changing course from Leesburg, and instead setting sights on Osceola County's up-and-coming- town of KISSIMMEE.

Today, one can walk a remnant of the FMR route along the WEST ORANGE TRAIL. Apopka Vineland Outpost of the WOT, at the northwest corner of Apopka-Vineland Road and Clarcona -Ocoee Road, sits where the FMR train from Apopka veered west, passing through OCOEE on its way to APOPKA.

By 1890, the FMR was certified as having 33.9 miles of completed track running from Longwood to GOTHA. Founded by Printer & Inventor Henry A. HEMPLE, his town of Gotha, and later the towns of WINDERMERE and VINELAND, were each given life by the path of the Florida Midland Railroad.

Residence of GOTHA founder, Henry A. HEMPLE

Stay tuned, as a new RAILS & TRAILS, and another GHOST TOWN or two, returns next Wednesday, July 27, 2016. Our summer series is sponsored by ‘Ghost Towns & Phantom Trains,’ a historical novel based on real-life Central Florida 19^th century residents, and the true-life 1895 devastating event that forever changed their lives.

This summer, Central Florida Railroad Museum, in historic Winter Garden, in association Winter Garden History Center, and Bookmark it Orlando book stores, have priced my book at a Rails & Trails special price of $15.00.

Take the family on an outing, explore central Florida’s amazing network of RAILS & TRAILS.

COMING THIS FALL to CroninBooks.Com - an entirely NEW Mystery, an entirely NEW Genre! Watch for details: http://www.croninbooks.com/MYSTIQUE.html OR follow me on my Goodreads, Richard Lee Cronin Author Page www.Goodreads.com

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