Nestled on the shores of Lake Maitland, Kraft Azalea Garden is one of the most peaceful and…read morebeautiful spots in Central Florida. From the moment you walk in, you're surrounded by towering cypress trees draped in Spanish moss, creating a calm, almost magical atmosphere. The lakefront views are absolutely stunning, especially around sunset when the light reflects off the water--it's the perfect place to relax, take photos, or just unwind. The historic Exedra monument adds a unique touch and makes for a great backdrop. What really stands out is how quiet and serene it feels, even though it's so close to everything in Winter Park. Whether you're going for a peaceful walk, a picnic, or just some time to clear your mind, this hidden gem delivers every time

Excellent park with easy parking. Take deep breaths of fresh air, and enjoy the breeze. Sit on a…read morebench. No restrooms that I found, but Park Avenue is nearby, drive over. Great place to find peace.

This historic building appropriately enough houses the Oviedo Historical Society. The house dates…read moreback to somewhere around 1890 when it was built by H.H. Lee, Sr. In 1910, he sold the daughter to his daughter, Charlotte, and her husband, T.W. Lawton and they moved the home on rollers to the present site. T.W. Lawton, his wife. Charlotte Lawton, and their three children made this their home and it looks to be a comfortable place to call a home. All in all, it was a cool place to check out and had me thinking about how different Oviedo, Florida must have been back then. I would definitely recommend a visit here.

The Lawton House seems to be best known for its Farmers Market. It is open the first Saturday of…read moreevery month from 8am to 1pm. The Lawton House was built in 1890 where the Oviedo Police Station is located. It was moved in 1910 to its current location. It is owned by the City of Oviedo. Tours are given of the seven bedroom house during the farmers market.

Stopping for a minute to read a historic marker is a great way to learn more about the history of…read morean area. I have learned so much from these blue historical markers that can you find all around the state. This particular marker is located in H.H. Dickinson Azalea Park. One side of the marker tells about the park and the other side is about the nearby Washington Street Bridge. During the 1920's, Florida experienced a massive period of growth called the land boom years. As growth moved east in Orlando the little wooden bridge over Fern Creek could no longer with stand the increased vehicle traffic. In July of 1926, the Orlando City Council accepted proposals to replace the bridge. Concrete Steel Bridge Company of Miami Beach was chosen for their $10,400 bid. Orlando City Engineer Morton Hagartney designed a reinforced concrete arch deck bridge with walkways on both sides. The historically inspired light fixtures give the bridge its classical appearance. The bridge isn't very large but it is very pretty and is great for pictures, especially by the lamp posts. The Washington Street Bridge is the only bridge of its kind in the City of Orlando and was designated a Historic Landmark by the city in 1991. In 2014, historic marker F-808 was installed by The City of Orlando District 4 Commissioner Parry Sheehan, Girl Scouts of Citrus Council, Orlando Garden Club, Lake Lawsona Fern Creek Historical Neighborhood Association, Eugene & Lois Pawlak & Family, Dr. Howard Green & Family, The Van De Bogert Family, Deborah Kohan, The Magley Family, Robin & Nancy Lewis, Nancy & Walk Jones, Kathy Wickman, Theresa Smith and the Florida Department of State.

I love discovering these little historical markers that you can see in every city and town across…read morethe country. By seeing the blue historical sign, I learned a little bit more about the history of Orlando. The Washington Street bridge is located on the corner of Washington Street and Rosearden Drive in the downtown section of Orlando. It is right next to Dickson Azalea Park and this new bridge is going on one hundred years old. The bridge was built back in 1926 to replace a deteriorating wooden bridge over Fern Creek and was built for the sum of $10,400. Today, it is the only Bridge of its kind here in Orlando and was designated a Historic Landmark by the city back in 1991. It is hard to imagine what Orlando was like back in 1926. However, this bridge gives us a glimpse of that moment in history. How many people have walked across this bridge since its opening? Orlando is a city that continues to change and progress, but we can never lose sight of the past of the city.

Hannibal Square is a historic district in Winter Park on New England Avenue two blocks west of Park…read moreAvenue, between Virginia and Pennsylvania Avenues. Winter Park sprang up around a railroad track laid in 1880 by the South Florida Railroad that connected Orlando to Sanford. Hannibal Square was founded in 1881 as an African-American community of laborers who built the town and worked as domestic servants to the areas wealthy families. The people who lived in Hannibal Square had educational opportunities, prosperity, and professional standing. The railroad tracks served as the dividing line in the town with whites living on the east side and blacks to the west. While visiting Hannibal Square I enjoyed taking in the charming architecture, Shady Park, the Hannibal Square Heritage Center, restaurants, and shops. Hannibal Square is not as busy as the Park Ave area of town but it is still near enough to it that you could easily walk there.

2019 Review 47/100 A…read moregreat little area in Winter Park. Worth stopping by if you're strolling down Park Ave (it's only a few blocks away). Hannibal Square is lined with a variety of great restaurants and cool shops (Rifle Paper Co. is my fave!). It's much smaller than Park Ave. And almost never as crowded. So it's great if you're looking for a chill "Winter Park experience" without the hustle and bustle of Park Ave. Plus parking is always much easier. I usually park in Hannibal Square on Saturday mornings and go for a nice run through the Square up to Park Ave and walk around the Winter Park Farmers' Market.

What a beautiful place to listen to music. It is located just off Park Avenue next to the Winter…read morePark golf corse. It is an old farmhouse and has the rooms still decorated with the century furniture. Very charming and quaint.

Beautiful venue for a wedding everything was perfect even the food the design and atmosphereread more

Boston Cemetery is a historical cemetery in Oviedo, Florida that dates back to 1927, when the…read morecemetery was created so that African Americans could have a final resting spot. At the time, African Americans could not be buried in white cemeteries. To get to the historical cemetery, I drove down Boston Cemetery Road until the road ran out and then continued on the unpaved road. It is not a large cemetery and recent development has built around it, but we must remember the history attached to it. Oviedo, Florida was a very different place back in 1927 and in the near century from when Boston Cemetery was created to when I am writing this now in 2023, the area is probably unrecognizable. I am grateful for the tome that I was able to come here and pay my respects to those who are in their eternal slumber here and to contemplate how much Oviedo, Florida and the world has changed in not even a hundred years.

I love learning about architecture and history so I was immediately drawn to this historic marker…read moreon Sligh Street in Orlando. I am particularly fond of historic train stations, many of which were built during Florida's land boom hey days of the 1920's. Orlando was named in 1857 and incorporated in 1875. In 1880 the first railroad was built to Orlando which at that time was a pioneer cattle and citrus outpost that sprung up from the area around Fort Gatlin, built during the Seminole Wars. Atlantic Coastline Railroad acquired the railroad in 1902 and in an effort to bring more tourism to Orlando, in 1927 they hired architect M.A. Griffith to build on new train station on Sligh street. During the 1920's, Mediterranean Revival was the most popular architectural design choice but Griffith was inspired by his travels along the Pacific Coast where he admired the Spanish architecture and colonial parish churches. The W.T. Hadlow Construction Company of Jacksonville was hired to build the Spanish Mission style building with twin bell towers, arches, parapet, and tile roof at a cost of $300,000. The station was dedicated on January 11, 1927 in front of a crowd of 6,0000 people. On February 27, 1978, the train station was designated an Orlando Historic Landmark. In 2014 the station's original wood doors and windows were restored along with the original building colors. Repairs were also made to the stucco walls, roof, ceilings, paving, and upgrades were made to the restrooms. In 2015, the restoration project won the City of Orlando's Historic Preservation award for Outstanding Commercial Rehabilitation. In 2016 historic marker number F-904 was installed in front of the train station by The City of Orlando and the Florida Department of State. Today the station is considered the largest and finest example of Mission Revival architecture in Central Florida and is the only train station of this style in the state. The station serves Amtrak's Silver Meteor and Silver Star Lines and the SunRail commuter train. I have been to many train stations from the 1920's throughout Florida. Some have been torn down, some are now abandoned, others have been restored and turned into something else like a museum, but it is very rare to see one still being used today. I love that people are still arriving and departing through this historic building. I think M.A. Griffith would be proud to know that the Atlantic Coastline Station is still servicing Orlando's travelers today.

This very well preserved marker is in front of the Orlando Amtrak station and recalls the time when…read morerailroads first started into Florida as well as a certain time in American history and race relations. Certainly well before "Amtrak" was a thing. The marker has text on both sides and it reads: "In 1880, the South Florida Railroad built a railway through Orlando. The small community boomed with land speculators, citrus and cattle investors, and tourists. In 1902, the larger Atlantic Coastline Railroad acquired the South Florida Railroad. Although three earlier Orlando stations were located on Church Street, Atlantic Coastline hired architect M.A. Griffith to design a new station on Sligh Boulevard in 1926. Griffith traveled the Pacific Coast and drew inspiration from Spanish architecture and colonial parish churches. The W.T. Hadlow Construction Company of Jacksonville received a $300,000 construction contract for the Spanish Mission style building. Twin bell towers, arches, parapet, and tile roof reflect this influence. Griffith designed the letters of "ORLANDO" over the west entrance arch. When the station was dedicated in January 1927, it attracted a crowd of more than 6,000 and became an immediate icon. The racially segregated station included a separate waiting room with ticket windows and restrooms for African American passengers on the south side of the building. Built-in curved wooden settees, once featured in both waiting rooms, remain only in the current waiting room." "Known historically as the Atlantic Coastline Railroad Station, this building represented the city's efforts to encourage tourism in Orlando during the 1920s Florida Land Boom. Since its opening, the station has served as a passenger terminal for residents, visitors, and workers. The words "Seaboard Coast Line" on the east arched parapet replaced "Atlantic Coast Line" after the two rail companies merged in 1967. The station was documented by the Historic American Buildings Survey with six drawing sheets archived in the Library of Congress. On February 27, 1978, it was designated as an Orlando Historic Landmark. An extensive renovation began in 2014 to restore the station including the original wood doors and windows. Careful research revealed original colors of the building, window sills, and domes. In 2015, the project won the City of Orlando's Historic Preservation award for Outstanding Commercial Rehabilitation. The station is considered the largest and finest example of Mission Revival architecture in Central Florida and is the only train station of this style in the state. The station serves Amtrak's Silver Meteor and Silver Star Lines and the SunRail commuter train."

The red Chinese Ting is structure located in Lake Eola Park. It was given to the city of Orlando in…read more1987 by philanthropist, scientist, and businessman Dr. Nelson Ying. The ting was built in Shanghai, disassembled, shipped to Orlando, and reassembled in the park. Mr. Ying said he donated the ting "to create a place for this mayor and future mayors to entertain dignitaries,'" and "'to make downtown more attractive to citizens.'" In 1985 Mr. Ying worked with mayor Bill Frederick to secure a sister-city relationship between Orlando and the Chinese city of Guilin and the ting celebrates the friendship between the two cities. People like to picnic around the ting and as you walk around the lake it is nice to take pictures and sit here and watch the swans.

This tree and memorial stone is located on the edge of Solary Park in Oviedo, Florida and…read morecommemorates humanity's aspiration for world peace. I know at times it is hard to believe that we as a majority want world peace, but I honestly believe that most of humanity are good people and strive towards that goal.