Crossroads is a nice neighborhood in the Waterford Lakes area. It is close to major highways,…read moreshopping, supermarkets, restaurants and other things that make a neighborhood attractive. Another nice thing is that it is located right beside the Waterford Lakes community park.

This plaque in Greenwood Cemetery memorializes Orlando's first African-American community which was…read moreestablished in the 1880's by formerly enslaved African-Americans who settled along Fern Creek. This community was named to honor Sam and Penny Jones. This community stood on the northern thirty acres of Greenwood Cemetery. This is an important plaque and we must remember the resilient people who settled here.

The Fletcher Park Monument is a historical marker that commemorates Austin B. Fletchers…read morecontribution to the state of Florida. Austin B. Fletcher was born in 1852 in Massachusetts as a descendant of the Bay Colony Settlers. He graduated from Tufts College as a lawyer in 1872. Subsequently Fletcher came to own 38 acres of land between Haines and Kissimmee Florida. Hidden in the land was an orange grove that was s well kept secret of the Seminole Indians. When Fletcher passed away in 1923 he left his estate to Tufts who then deeded the land to Florida in 1935 to protect the cypress trees. The marker was moved from its original location on the old Tampa highway when they were widening and it now resides next to the Osceola County Welcome Center & History Museum.

This is located within Greenwood Cemetery and remembers a respected family that resided here in…read moreOrange County, Florida and can trace their lineage to Thomas Jefferson. I have said it before, but it bears repeating, we need to remember and acknowledge the footsteps from our past that brought us to where we stand today. This was a nice find in the historic cemetery known as Greenwood.

I was exploring the history of Orlando in the historic Greenwood Cemetery when I discovered this…read moremarker dedicated to the Eppes and Shine families buried here. I learned from the sign that they were descendants of Thomas Jefferson who made their mark on early Orlando. Francis Wayles Eppes VII, was 8 years old in 1809 when he spent Christmas in Virginia with his grandfather Thomas Jefferson who had just completed two terms as president. Francis's mother was Jefferson's beloved daughter Maria who died during child birth in 1804 when he was three. His father John Epps was a congressman who remarried and was often away in Washington, DC. so Francis grew up in the care of his grandfather. Francis was the only one of Maria's three children to live to adulthood. Jefferson had set aside the family outpost called Poplar Forest, a 300 acre estate near Lynchburg, Va. for Francis as his inheritance. When Francis turned 15, Jefferson sent him a letter with this advice "Above all things, and at all times, practice yourself in good humor. This, of all human qualities, is the most amiable and endearing to society." Thomas Jefferson died in 1826, when Francis Eppes was 25 and married to Elizabeth with two children. The Jefferson family ended up selling Monticello and Poplar Forest due to debts and legal problems. Francis Eppes landed in Tallahassee with his young family but his wife Elizabeth would pass here during child birth like his mother and two of his seven children died in infancy. Francis Eppes remarried Susan Margaret Ware (1815-1887), the daughter of a governor of Georgia. They lived at Pine Hill, a 1,900-acre plantation, and had six more children, four girls and two boys. Francis Eppes founded St John's Episcopal Church and went on to serve two terms as mayor of Tallahassee in the 1840s and 1850s. He was one of the founders of Florida State University when in the 1850s he helped establish the West Florida Seminary that would become the university where he would serve 11 years on the school's board, eight of them as president. The Civil War hit the Francis Eppes family hard. Eppes sold his land but it was purchased with worthless Confederate money. The family was broke and they moved further south into what would become Orlando, a frontier outpost that sprung up from Fort Gatlin, an outpost during the Seminole Wars. In Orlando Francis Eppes became a citrus farmer. Three of the Eppes daughters married three Shine brothers in 1866. Martha Virginia married Capt. Thomas Jabez Shine, called T.J., Capt. Tom Shine, a Confederate veteran, was the director of the First National Bank, a board of trade officer, an alderman, and commander of the Orlando Guards, later named Shine Guards. In 1879, Thomas built a home on Orange Avenue with the first indoor bathroom in Orlando. The first sidewalk in the city ran past the house and it had a tennis court. He named the cross street Jefferson Street in honor of his wife's family Caroline Matilda married David Shepard Shine who became deputy clerk of Orange County and was appointed postmaster. Caroline and her sister Martha served their communities as members of the Rosalind Club, Sorosis, and with other charities. The third Shine brother Dr. William F. Shine was married to Martha Eppes. Unlike the previous two couples, they did not live in Orlando. Dr. William F. Shine, served as a Civil War surgeon and practiced medicine in St. Augustine after the war. Maria Jefferson Eppes founded the St. Augustine Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution which bears her name. Francis Eppes died on May 30, 1881 a few months before his 80th birthday. Francis Eppes and Susan Ware Eppes are buried in Orlando's Greenwood Cemetery in a family plot with members of the Shine family, including T.J. Shine, and their descendants. The Shines are noted for being among Orlando's earliest civic minded families. Marker F-838 was erected in 2014 by The City of Orlando and the Florida Department of State.

I still cross Little Lake Harris frequently but not as often as I once did when I had full time…read moreresponsibility at a facility in Howey in the Hills, this bridge and the previous bridge was always a waypoint for me signifying I was close to my early morning destination. Most mornings I arrived here just as the sun began it's ascent and the views were amazing. I initially questioned the need to replace the old bridge but once constructed began it was clear that the elevation changes would allow larger vessels to safely travel under the new bridge. I don't know how much the clearance increased but it seems to be significantly higher - with the seaplane base nearby maybe there was a need to allow for rescue operations or a way to tow these planes from one side of the lake to the other. A little research provided a better explanation of why the old bridge was replaced. The 1951 State Road 19 bridge across Little Lake Harris in Howey-in-the-Hills was replaced because it was experiencing gradual settling and increasing vibrations from traffic. The 3,300-foot span also lacked modern safety features like wide shoulders and a separated sidewalk, making it hazardous for pedestrians and cyclists. The old concrete bridge was torn down after a new, $22.2 million replacement span featuring 12-foot travel lanes, 10-foot shoulders, and a dedicated, protected sidewalk opened in early 2020 Now we know...

Carrying State Route 19 between Tavares and Howey-In-The-Hills, this is the second bridge to…read moreperform the function. The first was completed in 1926. At the time, it saved drivers about 52 miles when driving between Tampa and Jacksonville. It had been a single lane bridge with a section in the middle that was wide enough for two cars to pass. That wooden structure was replaced in 1950 with a concrete span. And then this new bridge is the third here. It was started in 2017 and completed in April 2021 for $22.350,000. It goes from Savage Circle to north of Hickory Point Park. This new bridge has wide shoulders and a wide sidewalk which makes for a much safer route for cyclists. There is no toll to cross the bridge and it has lighting at night. It is a fixed bridge with no portion that raises for boat traffic. The bridge is wide and smooth enough to support its 55 mph speed limit. It is completely boring and without features. You'd never know you were on a bridge rather than a piece of regular highway. [Review 1033 of 2024 - 1908 in Florida - 22061 overall]

The Magnolia Square Clock is one of Sanford's most recognizable landmarks. The clock was originally…read morepurchased in 1883 for the First National Bank No. 1, which was located in the Lyman Bank Building at 101 West First Street. When the First National Bank moved to the corner of West First Street and South Park Avenue, the clock was stored in the basement for decades. In 1931, A. H. Moses, a produce dealer, acquired the clock and donated it to the City of Sanford. The clock was then placed on top of a pole and traffic signal at the intersection in front of the bank. The clock broke soon after and rather than pay a $200 repair bill the city instead decided to cover the clock faces with cardboard. In 1941, the clock was moved to the Elks Club Lodge, located at the northeast corner of East Second Street and San Juan Avenue. During a downtown renovation project in the 1980's, Stella Oritt, granddaughter of A.H. Moses and her husband offered to restore the clock on the condition that it would remain on Magnolia Square where she grew up. On July 9, 1985 the clock was dedicated at Magnolia Square, at the north end of South Magnolia Avenue near East First Street. Today the clock is a historic symbol of Sanford. You can see the image on artwork throughout the city and carved onto the tree in front of the Sanford Civic Center. It is even part of the city logo. The clock is a popular place to snap a photo so make the time to visit this beloved landmark when you visit Sanford.

This fountain is located in Lake Eola and is a popular subject for photos. It was built in 1957 for…read morethe 100 anniversary of Orlando's anniversary so it was named the Centennial Fountain. Local banker Linton E. Allen was responsible for convincing the mayor to place the fountain in the lake. Allen founded the First National Bank in Orlando during the Great depression. He was a veteran of both World Wars and he was also an avid traveler. He fell in love with the fountains of Europe and was determined to create something like that for Orlando. Upon his passing in 1965, the fountain was renamed the Linton E. Allen Memorial Fountain in his honor. The fountain has become an unofficial symbol of Orlando. In 2009 the fountain was damaged by a lightening strike but it was completely refurbished in 2011. Although lovely by day the fountain comes alive at night with a water and light show. It is very nice to walk around the lake in the evenings and watch the colorful jets stream the water high in the air.

I just found out that the iconic fountain at Lake Eola had a name (I was today years old when I…read morefound this out, lol). The fountain in Lake Eola is called the Linton E. Allen Memorial Fountain. The fountain was rebuilt in 2009 after a devastating lightning strike destroyed it. Something else I did not know. Lake Eola Park is my favorite park on Orlando and this fountain in so many ways is the central point of the park, both figuratively and literally. At night, it is bathed in colors, thanks to the lights in the fountain. Definitely very cool. Lake Eola Park is a wonderful addition to Orlando, Florida and this particular fountain (now I know it as the Linton E. Allen Fountain) is a jewel in the Lake Eola Park's crown. Overall, this fountain deserves a five-star rating.

This monument to remember the soldiers, sailors and statesmen of the Confederate States of America…read morenow sirs in historic Greenwood Cemetery after being moved from the courthouse to Lake Eola Park and now to Greenwood Cemetery. We cannot forget history, tge path that led us to today and this memorial statue was erected by the Annie Coleman Chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy here in Orlando back in 1911. I came across this monument this morning while in Greenwood Cemetery and I was curious e ough to look it up.