On the Twelfth Day of Christmas

On the 12^th day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:

TWELVE unforgettable central Florida frontierswomen;

ELEVEN West Orange County Ghost Towns;

The TEN original Altamonte homesteaders;

An intriguing story of Gatlin’s NINTH Senatorial District;

The EIGHT-Sided Castle plus the builder’s biography;

SEVEN Honorable Floridians;

SIX swans swimming in an Iconic misspelled lake;

FIVE Gold Star book reviews;

A FOUR acres gift that became a major city;

TRIPLET and other namesakes, 1 lake of 303;

SECOND Lake’s history – aka – Lake Monroe to thee;

And ONE Mule in an Orange tree – all by RLC.

Isaphoenia C. (Ellington) Speer owned more Orange County land in 1860 than most every male counterpart of her time. Sarah Jane (Church) Whitner partnered with Mary E. Randolph to open the first-ever free-standing hotel in present-day Orange, Osceola and Seminole County. That year was 1869! “CitrusLAND: Curse of Florida’s Pariadise” tells the history of the struggles of central Florida’s earliest settlers – men and women alike, and each of 12 chapters starts out with a dedication to one of the region’s very special 19^th century frontierswomen.

A very special thanks to the Whitner family and Winter Garden Heritage Foundation for sharing the photos of Isaphoenia and Sarah.

Cronin Books are about the origins 
of this amazing place we call HOME

HAPPY HOLIDAYS from CitrusLANDFL

Yes Central Florida, there really is a SANTA CLAUS!

On the night before CHRISTMAS (1871), after crossing the Atlantic and arriving at New York Harbor, John Otto Fries came south to Mellonville, on Lake Monroe’s south shore, a mile east of present-day SANFORD. Early the next morning he joined four others by climbing aboard a buckboard wagon belonging to Mr. George Lewis. Fries described his carriage: “A horse and a mule, harnessed largely with bits of rope, and an old lumber wagon on whose bed several small boxes were nailed down, to furnish seats for his passengers.”

Leaving Lake Monroe at 9 AM on CHRISTMAS morning, his sleigh-ride followed a 30 years old sand rutted military trail, heading southbound. The travelers arrived as the first town – a small village named Orlando, after dark. Along the route, J. O. Fries said he saw only “one house and a little store building at #Maitland.” That would have been the home and store of Christopher Columbus Beasley, founder of Maitland.

Kena Fries, daughter of John Otto Fries

Author: Orlando of Long, Long Ago

A meticulous surveyor, John Otto Fries became witness to the birth of central Florida’s Citrus-Belt firsthand. He was dedicated to his craft, generating an abundance of detailed charts, maps and town plats. The most precious of gifts John Otto Fries left for Central Florida was a comprehensive 1890 Map of Orange County. Records produced by J. O. Fries provide a priceless visual story of the origins of Central Florida.

His likeness IS uncanny - and yes, CitrusLANDfl does believe in SANTA CLAUS!       

On the Eleventh Day of Christmas...

On the 11^th day of Christmas, my true book gave to me:

ELEVEN Ghost Towns of 1890s West Orange County;

TEN homesteaders of 1882 Altamonte Springs;

An intriguing history of Gatlin’s NINTH District;

The EIGHT-Sided Castle plus the builder’s biography;

SEVEN Honorable Floridians;

SIX swans swimming in a misspelled Iconic lake;

FIVE Gold Star reviewed books:

A FOUR acres gift that became a city;

TRIPLET and other lake namesakes, a total of 303;

SECOND Lake’s story – aka – Lake Monroe to thee;

And A Mule – Isaac’s Rutland Mule – by RLC.

Orange Belt Railway opened West Orange County to development in the 1880s. Towns sprang up all along the railroad’s route, cities such as Sylvan Lake; Palm Springs; Forest City; Lakeville and others. Then came the freeze of 1894-95. Ride along with Edward T. Stotesbury of Philadelphia, PA soon after the freeze – and meet the real-life homesteaders who had become town builders as well as fruit growers. Most lost everything – including their town! “Citrusland: Ghost Towns & Phantom Trains is available at Winter Garden Heritage Foundation Museum and Amazon.com

Plats of Ghost Towns are included as Exhibits

HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM CITRUSLAND

On the Tenth Day of Christmas

On the 10^th day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:

The TEN homesteaders of 1882 Altamonte Springs;

An intriguing history of Gatlin’s NINTH District;

An EIGHT-Sided Castle plus the builder’s biography;

SEVEN Honorable Floridians;

SIX swans swimming in a misspelled Iconic lake;

FIVE Gold Star reviewed books:

How FOUR acres became a major city;

TRIPLET and other lake namesakes, 1 lake of 303;

SECOND Lake’s story – aka – Lake Monroe to thee;

And ONE Mule – Isaac’s Rutland Mule – by RLC.

After enjoying his 1882 Thanksgiving feast in downtown Orlando, Thomas C. Simpson, of Newburyport, MA, finalized the acquisition of 1,200 acres - buying ten homesteads north of Orlando in then Orange County. As Trustee, Simpson then signed over all ten parcels to the Altamonte Land, Hotel & Navigation Company of Boston, MA. These ten homesteads became the original town of Altamonte – or as known today – Altamonte Springs.

“Altamonte Springs of Florida”, buy it and each of RLC’s central Florida history books at Winter Garden Heritage Foundation’s museum or Amazon.com. For a last-minute rush order of signed books to gift this holiday season, email me at Rick@CroninBooks.com

HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM CITRUSLAND

On the Ninth Day of Christmas..

On the 9^th day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:

The intriguing story of Gatlin’s NINTH District;

An EIGHT-Sided Castle plus the builder’s biography;

SEVEN Honorable Floridians;

SIX swans swimming in a misspelled Iconic lake;

FIVE Gold Star book reviews:

How FOUR acres became a major city;

TRIPLET and other namesakes, 1 lake of 303;

SECOND Lake’s story – aka – Lake Monroe to thee;

And ONE Mule – Isaac’s Rutland Mule - by RLC.

Recipient of the 2017 Pine Castle Historian Award, "Beyond Gatlin: A History of South Orange County" picks up where “First Road to Orlando” left off. This first known history of South Orange County, this book will make an excellent holiday gift for every history lover in your family. Beyond Gatlin is also a perfect companion to “Will Wallace Harney: Orlando’s First Renaissance Man”. Combine two autographed books by picking them up at Pine Castle Historical Society’s quarterly meeting, tomorrow, December 8, 2019, at 5901 S. Orange Avenue. Book sales from 2:30 to 3 PM and approximately 3:30- 4:30 PM

On the Eighth Day of Christmas..

On the 8^th day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:

An EIGHT-Sided Castle and the builder’s biography;

SEVEN Honorable Floridians;

SIX swans swimming in Orlando’s Iconic misspelled lake;

FIVE Gold Star reviewed books:

A history of how a gift of FOUR acres became a city;

Lake TRIPLET’S Namesake, 1 lake of 303;

The story of “SECOND Lake” – aka – Lake Monroe to thee;

And ONE Mule - The Rutland Mule Matter, all by RLC.

A cradle to grave biography, Will Wallace Harney: Orlando’s First Renaissance Man was researched and written by RLC for the Pine Castle Historical Society. Builder of the Pine Castle on central Florida’s Lake Conway, for which the city of Pine Castle was named, Harney was one of the most important of early Orange County pioneers. A newspaper correspondent during the 1870s, his articles, published in the North, encouraged new settlers to the area – and serve today as an invaluable collection of reference material for historians.

Harney's Pine Castle shortly before it burned down.

Pick up an autographed copy at Pine Castle Historical Society’s quarterly meeting this Sunday, December 8, 2019 at 5901 S. Orange Avenue. Book sales begin at 2:30 PM. 

On the Seventh Day of Christmas..

On the 7^th day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:

Seven Honorable Floridians;

SIX swans swimming in Orlando’s Iconic misspelled lake;

FIVE GOLD STAR reviewed books:

A history of how a gift of four acres became a city;

Lake Triplet’s Namesake, 1 lake of 303;

The story of “Second Lake” – aka – Lake Monroe to thee;

And an autographed copy of The Rutland Mule Matter, all by RLC.

Two Orange County residents were among the seven (7) Floridians to vote NO to Florida’s Secession. One of the two made it into the history books – one did not. With regard to the Seven Honorable Floridians, little was known – until now. RLC’s $3,79 EBook at Amazon, in addition to telling of Tallahassee’s politically charged atmosphere of January 1861, includes a biography of each of the men who stood their ground and voted against the wishes of the crowd. 

A PERFECT COMPANION TO THIS EBOOK

All RLC books are available at amazon.com or pick up an autographed copy at Pine Castle Historical Society’s quarterly meeting, 5901 S. Orange Avenue, December 8^th. Book sales begin at 2:30 PM. 

HAPPY HOLIDAYS