Central Florida History Challenge - Part 3

Citrusland’s Central Florida History Challenge #3:

The Challenge:

You are no doubt aware of Hamilton Disston of Philadelphia receiving 4 million Florida acres in exchange for $1 million in cash, funds which then made it possible for the State to pay in full its pre-Civil War debt obligations. The first cash installment was made by Disston on 13 September 1881, and at the same time a Darling of a new settlement - Tavares – was in the design process for a spit of wilderness land separating two large lakes in West Orange County.

Hamilton Disston (1844-1896)

The Tavares original design had one lakeside “Boulevard”, 14 east-west “Streets” and 12 north-south “Avenues”. Of these roadways, the easternmost north-south artery, on the “Township” line, was named Disston Avenue. The roadway still exists today, and is still called Disston Avenue.

Our history challenge #3 is a True or False? “Disston Avenue of Tavares also encroached on a portion of those 4 million acres that were acquired by Hamilton Disston?”

Visit my FREE blog page to find out if your answer is correct by clicking this link:

 

 Answer:

CitrusLAND’s Central Florida History Challenge #3 was borrowed from Chapter 3 of my latest book, Tavares: Darling of Orange County, Birthplace of Lake County, now available at Amazon.

The correct answer? TRUE! The 4 million acres acquired by Hamilton Disston starting in 1881 are generally thought of as land in the vicinity of Kissimmee. His property however included land as well along the Gulf Coast - at Tarpon Springs, Tampa, and Charlotte Harbor – as well as some acreage north of Kissimmee, such as four (4) small parcels on each corner of Lake Eustis.

One of the four Hamilton Disston Lake Eustis parcels was a 56 acre site identified by the letter E on the below exhibit, borrowed from page 45 of my new book (The bold black line below and to the left of the E section aligns with Disston Avenue of Tavares).

Each lettered section above is detailed in Chapter 3 of the book.

The Hamilton Disston land deal was reason enough for the founders of Tavares to name a road for the man. The town’s concept was to create a South Florida railroad hub, a plan made possible because Governor Bloxham (Chapter 4: Bloxham Avenue) had made a cash deal with Disston that allowed Florida to begin building railroads. Tavares could not be a railroad hub unless and until Florida’s debt was resolved. But, having a piece of the Disston property adjoining the Town of Tavares – well, that was merely icing on the cake for the town founders.

Hamilton Disston decided to sell all four of the small Lake Eustis parcels, part of the fascinating story of Florida’s “Great Lake Region’ that I will reserve for Chapter 3 readers of Tavares, Darling of Orange County, Birthplace of Lake County.

 

CLICK ON BOOK COVER TO SEE BOOK DETAILS

40 plus want-to-be Orange & Sumter County settlements of May 26, 1887

40 plus want-to-be Lake County communities as of May 27, 1887

362 pages including detailed Index and Bibliography

THE STORY OF HOW LAKE COUNTY CAME TO BE

Visit my CroninBooks.com website to view each of my Central Florida history books.