In 1879 John P. Donnelly came to Mount Dora from Pittsburgh Pennsylvania. At the time it was a…read morepopular winter destination for wealthy northerners. Donnelly has made his fortune in real estate and citrus business ventures. In 1881 he married local resident Annie McDonald Stone. Annie was a divorced single mom who ran the boarding house Donnelly was staying in and she also happened to be the daughter of his boss. In 1893 Donnelly had this gorgeous Queen Anne style house built as a gift to his wife. The plans for the house were chosen from 59 plans in the Cottage Souvenir No. 2 book sold by Tennessee architect George Franklin Barber. It is estimated Barber sold 20,000 plans in his career. The yellow and white Victorian house with stained glass windows was dubbed the Gingerbread House. The original property was a city block in size and included a barn and tenants house. Mount Dora was granted it's first charter in 1910 and Captain John Philip Donnelly became it's first mayor. At that time the population of Mt. Dora was 371 people. Donnelly was also one of the founders of the yacht club. The couple lived in the house until Annie's death in 1908. In 1924 Donnelly sold a corner of his property to the city for $45,000 to be turned into Donnelly Park. John P. Donnelly died in 1930. After his death the house was purchased by another prominent Mount Dora citizen, D. F. Gorman. After Gorman died the house was sold to the masons. Today more than 13,000 residents call Mt. Dora home. The Donnelly home was listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places on April 4, 1975. It is one of the most photographed buildings in the city. It is now owned by a Masonic temple, Mount Dora lodge #238 F & AM. To pay for the upkeep of the house the masons rent out the first floor for private events. A visit to Mount Dora would not be complete without a visit to this magnificent and historic home.

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.

Had a wonderful time here. This garden is a beautiful and peaceful place. There are so many birds…read moreand wildlife. The perfect place to walk around, read, have a picnic. Public bathrooms available. Lots of free parking.

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

This historical tour was fantastic! We did the last tour of the day with Kayla, the owner. She was…read moreextremely knowledgeable and shared so much information on the home and what's happened over the years. I'm going to have to take this tour again just to try to remember it all! Lovely maintained home with so much history. Who visited, who contributed to the building and maintenance of the home, the restoration efforts. It was fascinating. We happened to be there on a day when they received a gift of an original Edison grammaphone with the beeswax songs in paper wrappers! And it actually worked! Amazing. Also loved the Louis Comfort Tiffany windows - just gorgeous!

If you're planning a visit to nearby Blue Springs State Park, the Stetson Mansion is an absolutely…read moremust-visit stop. Yes - Stetson - as in the hats. I was just as surprised to learn that the famed hat-maker once called the small town of DeLand, FL home. I happened to be visiting during peak manatee season and so had the privilege of being able to still enjoy the mansion during its special holiday tour season. During the holiday tour, each room of the mansion has a unique theme to it that you get to learn all about from your helpful docent. Not only do you get to the enjoy the wonderful story of that room's decorations theme but the history of the home and family is wonderfully blended in. I'm told that obviously during the regular historical tour you dive deeper but I left learning waaaaay more about the Stetson family than I ever expected (or knew). The home is privately owned and you the love and passion the new owners have for the historic property is evident in every room. We even had the pleasure of meeting one of the owners (the super sweet and DeLand native, Kayla) I was surprised to learn she had even created many of the decorations herself that adorned the opulent rooms in the mansion. The Stetson Mansion is a great example of one of the many historical gems tucked away in Florida small towns that you can stumble upon when exploring the state. Whether you're doing the regular history tour or holiday tour, you're sure to have a fabulous visit to the Stetson Mansion.

The Monument of the States is one of those must-stops if you're ever in the Kissimmee area. It's…read moresuch a unique and meaningful landmark, built as a symbol of unity after the attack on Pearl Harbor. What makes it even more special is that it's made from stones sent in from all over the United States (and even a few from other countries), which gives it so much character and history.

Came at night so puctures don't show. It's an interesting piece of art if you're in Kissimmeeread more

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.

We are in Orlando for a family vacation and this was on our to-do list. I absolutely recommend…read morecoming here, especially when they open to beat that heat a little bit! If you plan your day right with cooling towels, water, fans, etc., this is actually a really really fun experience! There's also a splash pad here too! We didn't sign up for anything extra, just general admission. We did buy gator food. It was kinda neat because you could essentially feed them any time throughout the walk! There's lots of signage with literature about the gators and history. We really enjoyed our time here, excited to come back if we're in town again!

First time here, as a long time resident and honestly this was fun! Lots of the expected such as…read morefeeding gators and shoes. I was surprised by the size of the beer garden menu, including many Florida local beers. We payed extra for the "monster truck"style ride in the back, but conjugate to other Florida attractions this was apretty big let down.

I love watching around downtown and I only live 10 minutes walking distance from there.I love…read morelooking at the shops and eating at the main st pizza. The owners are pretty nice and the pizza is great.

It is is believed Kissimmee is a modern spelling of an ancient tribal word. The city was founded as…read morea small trading post on the northern bank of Lake Tohopekaliga then known as the community of Allendale. After the Civil War, the area was purchased along with four million acres of marshland and plains for 25 cents an acre by Hamilton Disston, the owner of Disston Saw Company in Philadelphia. By 1882 a one room school house opened on Main Street and Kissimmee was incorporated as a city one year later in 1883. Today you can head down US-192 through the welcome gate into historic Kissimmee. There are many historic buildings and attractive old trees. Many of the buildings have murals on them as part of the Osceola Art, ARTisNOW, a public murals project. One of the oldest businesses on Broadway is Makinson Hardware. It was established in 1884 and is reported to be the oldest retail hardware stores in Florida still in operation. The historic downtown is filled with an eclectic mix of shops, restaurants, and businesses. Restaurants include Abracadabra Ice Cream Factory, 3 Sister's Speakeasy, Big John's Rockin BBQ, Broadway Pizza Bar, Buchito, Neptuno's Bar & Grill, Pa'l Callejón, Willy's Wieners, and 2v Brothers Steakhouse. Shopping destinations include Echoes of Yesterday Antique Mall and Lanier's Historic Downtown Marketplace, Other places of note in the downtown is the Monument of States constructed in 1943 after the attack on Pearl Harbor to inspire American solidarity by incorporating a rock sent from each state. Another place is the The Osceola County Courthouse which opened on May 6, 1890 and is Florida's coldest continuously operating courthouse. Kissimmee has many open space and parks along the shoreline of Lake Tohopekaliga with walkways and green spaces which are opportunities for relaxing. Kissimmee Lakefront Park has a fishing pier, walking paths, picnic pavilions, a playground, and lots of shade trees. It is used to host many events throughout the year. To make the downtown more visitor friendly the Kissimmee Community Redevelopment Agency has completed projects on the streets of downtown, Main Street, Broadway, Dakin, Monument, Darlington. You can park for free on the street or at the upgraded Pleasant Street parking lot and Toho Square parking garage. The historic Key's Service Station on the corner of Broadway and Drury Avenues has been restored and repurposed as the Kissimmee Mainstreet Welcome Center. On the first Friday of each month is the Kissimmee Valley Farmers Market, where the community can shop from local farmers and artisans between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m.

Quaint and vibrant downtown. We love coming as a couple, with friends or the kids for a family…read moreouting. There are some great restaurants and activities, especially the Saturday Farmers Market or the splash pad for the kids to best the FL heat. You can plan a quick visit or a full day of fun, there is plenty for everyone.

Being a Orlando junkie for many years, we traveled outside the "magic world" to Winter Garden. What…read morea great community. The visitors center staff were very friendly and helpful and directed us to various points of interest: Rollins College (school were Mr. Rogers attended) lake boat cruise on 3 lakes, and great downtown area with shops and museums.