The
St. Johns River historically has
been a major artery into Central
Florida from the east coast. Thus,
its highest navigable point, Lake
Monroe, early became the focal point
for civilization.
When
the United States acquired Florida
real estate from Spain in 1821,
General Andrew Jackson was named
Provisional Governor of the territory.
To keep the Seminole Indians in
check, an army garrison called Camp
Monroe was built on real estate
on the shore of Lake Monroe
in 1836.
After a fierce Seminole attack
in which Captain Charles Mellon
was killed, the garrison was renamed
Fort Mellon.
In
early 1837 General Thomas Sidney
Jesup held a peace conference at
Fort Mellon with Chief Osceola and
other Seminole leaders. Later that
year, Jesup was replaced by General
Zachary Taylor, who created a road
between Lake Monroe and Tampa connecting
Fort Mellon, Fort Reid, Fort Maitland
and Fort Meade.
In
1840, the federal government enticed
settlers to the territory with offers
of food and supplies. In 1845, Florida
became a state, and Mellonville,
as this section of realestate had
become known, was chosen to be the
county seat of then Orange
County. A large general store
was built , houses sprang up and
Mellonville became a trading center.
Then the Orange groves were planted.
In
1870, General Henry Shelton Sanford,
former Minister to Belgium, purchased
12,535 acres of real estate and
laid out his namesake community
of houses, Sanford. General Sanford
arranged for a colony of Swedes
to settle the area, work an orange
grove and experiment with fruits
and flowers from all over the world.
Mellonville
was incorporated in the 1870's -
Sanford in 1877. In 1883, Mellonville
was absorbed by the City of Sanford.
In 1884, ex-President Ulysses S.
Grant completed the link for the
South Florida railroad, connecting
Sanford
and the towns of Lake
Mary, Longwood and Altamonte
Springs with Jacksonville. The area
became the home of the largest shipper
of oranges in the world, and thousands
of groves brought prosperity.
After
25 years of growing prosperity came
a decade of disaster. In 1887, a
fire destroyed all of the wooden
buildings in downtown Sanford. The
next year there was a yellow fever
epidemic. In 1894 and 1895, two
freezes wiped out the town's citrus
industry. People turned to growing
vegetables and in 1898 the first
carload of celery was shipped.
From
1900 to 1940, agriculture formed the base
of Seminole County's economy and vegetables
were transported by rail all over the
country. However, between 1950 and 1985,
agriculture declined because it was cheaper
to grow crops in the more fertile real
estate of South Florida. Citrus prospered
until 1984 and 1985 when killer freezes,
Mediterranean fruit flies and a citrus
canker once again destroyed nearly all
the groves in Central Florida.
The
arrival in Orange County of Martin Marietta
Corporation's aerospace factory in the
fifties and Disney World in the seventies
caused rapid growth in industry and tourism
which spilled over into Seminole County.
The construction of the Altamonte Mall
in the seventies made southern Seminole
County a focal point of retail sales in
Central Florida. Some of today's major
employers in Seminole County include Siemens
Stromberg-Carlson, United Telephone of
Florida, American Automobile Association,
K-Mart and Wal-Mart, ESCO, ABB Power Distribution,
Sprague Electric, NCR and Southern Bell.
Because both city and county governments
offer a positive environment for development,
there has been an influx of companies
moving to Seminole County. Two of the
more recent companies moving onto Seminole
County real estate in 1995 are Dixon Ticonderoga
and Cincinnati Bell Information Systems.
And this has meant more housing needs.
Orlando Realtors John Hambrick and Angela
Chapman can help you find your perfect
home, whether it be a charming condo or
a beautiful, luxury estate home.
Call these two for all your real estate
requirements in Lake
County, Osceola
County, Orange
County, Seminole
County, Polk
County, Brevard County and Volusia
County.
Seminole
County is blessed with outstanding natural
resources. Slow, lazy rivers, and spectacular
lakes combine with lush wooded areas, creating
a unique environment that offers a unique
getaway experience.
The County
is bordered by pristine rivers and a huge
lake, the Wekiva to the west, the St.
Johns to the east and Lake Monroe to the
north. This piece of real estate is an
ideal spot to own a home for those seeking
beauty and a sense of Old Florida.
Central Florida Realtor John Hambrick
can help you find your home in this beautiful
part of Florida.
Its
344 square miles of real estate is home
to lush tropical foliage, approximately
2,000 fresh-water lakes and rivers, diverse
wildlife, citrus orchards and quaint towns.
And Seminole
County is in close proximity to both
Orlando along with it's attractions and
the gorgeous beaches of Florida's east coast.
In
addition to it's natural beauty, the County's
strong economy, outstanding schools, low
crime rate, fantastic weather, diversity
of home choices and ideal location make
it a great place to live. The cost
of living is lower than in other parts of
the country. The 2000 census states
the county's population was
361,590. So
if a relaxing life style is what you're
looking for, let John Hambrick, Realtor,
help you fulfill your dreams.
Government
All cities
in Seminole County, as elsewhere in Florida,
are established by acts of the State Legislature,
usually in the form of a charter. Among
the services commonly furnished by a city
are fire and police protection, real estate
set aside for recreation facilities, and
garbage collection. The Legislature has
empowered the cities with certain rights
including the authority to collect funds
through ad valorem taxes and other methods,
control of building and zoning and many
other activities within municipal limits.
To assist in exercising these powers,
the governing body of the city usually
appoints boards, councils or commissions
for specific subjects.
There are
seven incorporated municipalities within
Seminole County. Each city has a mayor
and councilmen who are elected for two-year
staggered terms, except for Sanford where
the term is four years. In Altamonte
Springs and Longwood,
the cities are divided into districts
and the candidate must reside within the
district in order to run for office. In
the other cities, candidates need only
be residents of the city. All elections
are nonpartisan.
There are
a number of other communities in the county
which resemble cities, but are unincorporated.
These include Chuluota, Fern Park, Forest
City, and Geneva. Although they may have
a local post office, police and fire protection,
they have no power of self-government.
Relocating?
John & Angela, metro Orlando's No. 1
Realtors, will be happy to help you find
just the right location for your new home
in this beautiful
city or any of the surrounding communities.
And if you've decided you want to sell your
home, check out our
seller's page.
They can help
you with real estate in
Orange
County, Seminole County, Lake
County, Volusia
County, Polk
County,
Brevard County
or
Osceola
County.
Government
