Located in historic downtown Sanford is a mural commemorating the 150th anniversary of the Sanford…read moreFire Department which is the second oldest Fire Department in Florida. Key West has the oldest fire department in the state. The mural was painted in 2023 by celebrated local artist Bruce Merrell. Merrell is a Florida native and he served in the US Army before attending art school. His art career has included graphic design, scenic art for theme parks, and faux finishes and murals. Merrell's work has a strong focus on wildlife and landscapes representing the natural beauty of Florida. You can find this 16 foot by 24 foot mural in Paulucci Park. It was funded by the Sanford Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) and commissioned by the Public Art Commission of Sanford. The mural took five months to complete. The Sanford Fire Department was founded in 1873 and the mural depicts it's history starting in an old time sepia color before progressing into color. There is a mural key in front of it that gives more information about the significance of each image. Image #11 on the mural is Dr. Hezekiah Ross who became Sanford's first Black firefighter in February 1969. He was also the departments first Chaplain. Image #13 honors the firefighters who have been killed in the line of duty. You can learn more about the history of the Sanford Fire Department at the Sanford Museum which has a nice display and artifacts. You can even dine in the old fire house that has been turned into the restaurant The Station. Both are located close to the mural. Public art and history are two of my interests and I love how this mural brings both together. It also makes a great back drop for a photo so stop by and check it out if you find yourself in downtown Sanford.

As a fan of beautiful, Florida centric art, I was instantly drawn to this mural located at the…read moreCasselberry City Hall. It turns out it has quite a story to tell too. The Andres Mural is an over 20 foot long, tiled mural that was on the South Seminole Bank building which later became a Wachovia Bank. The bank building opened in the late 1950's and was notable for being the only Seminole County Bank outside of Sanford and for being the first all electric building in the county. It became a designated fall out shelter during the Cuban Missile Crisis. The bank was demolished in 2013 to make way for the US 17-92 Flyover. Spanish Artist Antonio Martinez Andres (1917 - 1966) was born in Madrid. He traveled and lived in Cuba from 1947 to 1961 where he was known for painting church murals and portraits of famous Spanish and Cuban people. He left at the beginning of Castro's regime for St. Petersburg, Florida and was commissioned to create a large-scale tiled mural on the wall behind the tellers at the bank. The mural features a panoramic landscape scene from Florida that includes rolling hills and citrus groves. During remodeling of the bank in 1994, the mural was hidden behind a wall where it remained forgotten except by one person. In 2013, former bank President David Powers learned that the old bank building was about to be torn down. He contacted former Seminole County Commissioner Larry Furlong to let him know that there was mural behind the wall with historical significance and artistic beauty. Furlong contacted the City of Casselberry and a few weeks later, a group of officials from FDOT, City staff, and David Powers entered the dark building with flashlights and made holes in the wall until they found it. An outside contractor was hired to remove the mural with the aid of a group of mosaic artists. Each tile was numbered, photographed, and recorded before being removed and placed in a storage facility near Casselberry City Hall. Artist Ulysses Mora worked for two years to restore the tiles. The mural was reinstalled for all to enjoy at its new location in the breezeway at Casselberry City Hall. It is truly stunning and a testament to teamwork.

While there is not much to this historic district, I always enjoy going and finding these locations…read morewhere a community started. It is hard to imagine the Florida that these early settlers new. Imagine a world with no air conditioner and an environment that's certainly was not friendly. This was the community that these brave men and women came to to start a new life. With its close proximity to the lake, I am sure that these early settlers looked at that water as a major form of transportation. There is still not a lot to do when you speak of Enterprise, Florida, but people moved here with little more than a dream and created a community. We should embrace that and honor these brave souls who came to a hostile environment looking for a better life. I am glad I came across this little part of Florida and this small street. It reminded me again to always appreciate the people who carved such a great place to live out of the desolation inhospitability of a swamp land.

I discovered the public art installation, Gulls in Flight while driving back to Sanford from the…read moreCentral Florida Zoo. They were so captivating that I had to stop and take a closer look. You can find this installation where Seminole Boulevard and French Avenue meet. It is in the grassy swale next to West Kelly Quarters, an event venue across the street from Lake Monroe at the start of phase 2 of the RiverWalk. Gulls in Flight are stainless steel seagull sculptures mounted on steel poles of various lengths. Each gull has a wingspan of 6 feet. According to the artist "The polished surface of the gulls plays with the natural light and gives the illusion of motion from different angles." This installation was created for the City of Sanford by Massachusetts artist and metal fabricator, Dale Rogers. He creates all of his pieces in his Haverhill studio which he opened in 2002. Rogers creates art for municipalities, corporations, and private owners. He started out welding farm equipment for repairs on the family farm and then moved into welding sculptures. Dogs are another favorite subject matter. Former President Bill Clinton purchased one of his iconic American Dog pieces for his home. I love how this sculpture takes its inspiration from something you would see in nature. It looks lovely against the backdrop of Lake Monroe. Now that I am familiar with Dale Rogers work I spotted it in a few other spots around town. Count me a fan.

Next to Friendship Park and behind the building that houses the Oviedo Historical Society sits a…read moretime capsule placed by the Oviedo, Florida chapter of the Rotary International. It was sited in 1982, moved in 2012 and is scheduled to be opened in December of 2062. I wonder what the world will be like in 2062? Oviedo has changed so much since I moved to the Orlando, Florida area back in 2001. What will the future residents think of the items that were placed in that time capsule? I love the concept of a tome capsule. It is a way for us to leave a message to the future. Perhaps now with computers, a time capsule might seem antiquated, but what a wonderful greeting from the past.

I have a deep love of alligators so I was delighted to find Old Joe across from Gilbert Park…read more According to legend, 15 foot Old Joe terrified local residents at the turn of the 19th century by consuming livestock and other small animals. He was well known by the steamboat captains and was the most respected alligator on the lake. Today Old Joe's offspring can still be found swimming in the area. In 2018 two local residents, dentist Loyd "Mike" Kiernan and Richard MacSherry decided to commemorate Old Joe with a donated $52,000, 15 foot, bronze statue. Joe was unveiled on February 20, 2018. The 1,200 ton statue now sits next to Lake Beauclaire, one of Old Joe's old haunts. The American Bronze Foundry In Sanford created the statue of the conch blowing greeter at the southern most point in Key West and they also made Old Joe. Old Joe sits on the ground so people can climb on him for a photo. The only thing dangerous about this Joe is he is made of metal that can burn your legs on a hot summer day.

I have been living here since I was 7 and I'm 45 I have seen a lot in my years things have caused…read moreme to move back up north and still came back down the city has its goods and bad just like any city.

I ate at 2 different McDonald's in 3 weeks time. Every mcrib sandwich had very little sauce on it…read more I threw mine away. It was two dry. I will not get it again. This year. Awful..no picture i was at the restaurant.

This is a great little museum tucked away on a "no name of a road in Sanford". What used to be the…read moreonce, 13th Street, It is now been renamed to show the local flavor, now calling it, Goldsboro Blvd. I met the Curator, Miss Francis, for the first time, a year ago at a Christmas Party- and she is an absolute asset to the community. The atmosphere is primitive and folksy. And although there is no charge, you are "Free" to make a donation. he he Across the street is the Welcome Center. It is welcoming but again, very primitive, in a "grandma's" house kinda way. The biggest thing is the education, you will learn about Goldsboro, before it was Sanford. Hopefully, some day they will Incorporate the old Booker Town of Sanford, located on the other side of the Sanford Rail. (Shoot, I remember those days too). The second thing is, White people are truly welcome. No one stares, no scene to be had. They are actually glad you showed, And you will be too. These are not the olden days of Circa 1990, assuredly, it is NOT. Also, they do Charity work for the Community. I missed out on the last phone drive, but to give you an example: it was for a bus pass for a week for citizens of Orlando to get a job in Orlando. This is a grea tplace for kids and teens alike. The is one off putting thing, at least to me, Is the Trayvon Martin scene. I just don't like it when any museum, funded by public, take on Political views. I think it is inappropriate. Sorry for any typo's- he he.