The Interlachen history book is available for purchase at the Interlachen Museum in Interlachen Hall, or you can purchase book online at the address below.
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Interlachen
Memories
A History of Interlachen, Florida |
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| About the Book: | |||||||
| This book records the history of the Interlachen and the West Putnam County area of Florida from its earliest days into the 21 century. The well researched chronological history is supplemented with numerous photographs and intimate first hand accounts. | |||||||
| Number of pages:243 | |||||||
| About the Author: | |||||||
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Lynn
E. Dawson has a degree in History from the University of Florida. He has
authored two books and taught History in Putnam County Schools. Mary Lou
Dawson shares her husband’s interest in history. She is a charter member
and past president of the Interlachen Historical Society and is
frequently asked to give programs about Interlachen History. The Dawsons
have lived in Interlachen since 1979. They have pored over so many
pictures and articles about Interlachen that they feel as though they
actually know the people portrayed in this book and hope the reader will
feel the same connection and affection for the pioneers of Interlachen. |
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Interlachen’s
Time Line
8,000 BC - Approximate time first people arrive in Florida
400 AD - Estimated time Timucuas arrive
1513 - First Europeans explore Florida.
1562 - French with Le Moyne explores N. Florida.
1565 - Spanish settlement of St. Augustine
1700 - Approximate time of first Seminoles in Florida
1763 - British take Florida from Spanish.
1776-1783 - American Revolution
1784 - Spanish take Florida from British.
1812 - First Seminole War
1821 - Spain cedes Florida to the United States
1833 - Federal survey of north Florida
1836 - Second Seminole War
1845 - Florida becomes a State
1849 - Putnam County is established and named after Benjamin Alexander Putnam who, among other things was the first president of the Florida Historical Society
1852 - Survey of the Palatka Micanopy Road past the “Blue Pond”
1860 - Florida secedes from Union and Civil War begins
1865 - Civil War end
1870-1875 - Strickland, Matchett, King, Wimberly, Cole and Allen families settle in area
1877 - Oliver Parker homesteads land around Blue Pond
1879 - Railroad agrees to survey area
1880 - Florida Southern starts building Palatka to Gainesville railroad
1880 - Survey is made of the area
1881 - First train arrives in town in August
1881 - George Decker builds one of the first frame houses in Blue Pond
1881 - George W. Hastings and friends tour area
1881 - Charles Francis arrives in Blue Pond
1881 - Regular train service commences in December
1881 - The Post Office is established on December 19th
1882 - Survey of area is recorded
1882 - Dr. Oliver S. Whipp, moves to Blue Pond/Interlachen
1882 - Hastings, Holford and others form “The Interlachen Winter Resort Company”
1882 - George W. Hastings builds home on Tropic Street which is still standing
1882 - Name of town is officially changed from Blue Pond to Interlachen
1882-83 - Frederick Holford builds home on Prospect Street which is still standing
1883 - Interlachen Winter Resort is incorporated in Springfield, Ohio
1883 - Charles A. Brush builds store, which houses the first Post Office
1884 - Lake View House Hotel built. It is still standing and in use as a private home.
1884 - Interlachen Hotel built
1884 - Congregational Church built. It is still standing and in use.
1885 - Benjamin Gillett opens store
1886 - Lagonda Hotel built
1888 - City of Interlachen Incorporated
1889 - The H. G. Hastings Seed House was established
1890 - The Bank of Interlachen opened
1891 - Town buys Mr. Groom’s store for use as Interlachen Town Hall
1891 - The Interlachen Town Hall burns mysteriously
1892 - Interlachen Hall is built and opensto replace the original Town Hall
1894 - Methodist Church built. It is still standing and in use.
1894 April - George W. Hastings begins publishing The Florida Ruralist.
1894 - December temperatures plummet below freezing
1895 - February freeze (becomes known as Big Freeze).
1895 - Many people leave Interlachen due to freeze
1895 - The Bank of Interlachen closes with no losses to its customers
1895 - Interlachen Academy built. It is still in use and is the oldest wooden school that has been in continuous use in Florida.
1899 - Hastings Seed Company business moves to Atlanta with H. G Hastings as President. His father, George W. Hastings stays in Interlachen
1899 - Hastings Seed Store building sold
1900 - The Editoria Hotel (formerly the Interlachen Hotel) burns.
1900 - The Lagonda Hotel burns
1905 - G. W. Hastings offers Interlachen lots for one dollar to “anyone who will build a good dwelling house of four or more rooms”
1910 - New Bethel A.M.E. church formed
1910 - Seed store built by George and Harry Hastings burns along with other buildings in the area
1912 - Charles Francis and others organize the Interlachen Telephone Company
1913 - Dr. Lydia Woerner, Putnam County’s 1st woman doctor came to Interlachen from India
1914 - J. I. Wimberly becomes the Interlachen Precinct Registration Officer
1917 - Alligator Creek Local of the Farmers Union celebrates 1st. anniversary at its hall in the Mannville-Hollister section
1917 - World War I begins for US
1918 - World War I ends
1920 - Charles Francis gives Boy Scouts 4 acres on south side of Lake Lagonda
1921 - Irrational land speculation called the “Florida Land Boom” begins
1926 - Route 14, later renamed, Route 20, constructed around Interlachen
1925 - Poles and wires go up to bring electricity to Interlachen
1926 - Electricity comes to Interlachen
1926 - Florida land prices collapse, depression starts in Florida
1927 - H. R. Ellsworth begins publishing The Home Builder
1927 - Interlachen Tourist Club formed
1927 - Charles Francis Jr. dies Sept. 22, 1927, he was a 46-year resident.
1928 - Lake View House, last Interlachen hotel, closes
1929 - Stock Market crash; Great Depression begins
1930s - Sue Bates becomes librarian thanks to Roosevelt’s WPA Program
1930 - Dr. Lydia Woerner dies at the age of 70 and is buried in Pineview Cemetery
1930s - Hey-day of train service: Trains arrive every two hours
1936 - The Annie C. Jones School is built as a WPA project
1939 - World War II begins in Europe
1941 - December 7th RM. 3rd Class Bleeker Lattin dies at Pearl Harbor on the USS Arizona
1941- United States enters World War II
1941- The Annie C. Jones School burns
1942 - Saint Mark’s Episcopal church burns
1945 - World War II ends
1948 - Baptist Church secures building from Camp Blanding to house new church
1950 - The cornerstone is laid for a new Episcopal Church
1951 - Post Office moves out of the Brush Store to the building next door
1953 - Santa Fe Telephone Company installs dial system
1963 - Dickerman Hall is dedicated as a youth recreation center
1964 - Private Robert Jenkins killed in Vietnam, receives Florida’s only Congressional Medal of Honor
1964 - Catholic Church built
1965 - Brush’s Store is sold after more than 80 years in Brush Family
1968 - Interlachen High School is built
1969 - Railroad depot razed
1975 - USA gears up for Bicentennial in 1976
1975 - Interlachen Historical Preservation Society formed by Town Council
1975 - Citizens start collecting memorabilia about Interlachen
1975 - Town opens another library in Interlachen Hall with Mrs. Clees as librarian
1976 - Howard Lattin donates bells in memory of his son Bleeker who went down with the USS Arizona. The bells are still at the fire station and the Episcopal Church
1976 - Interlachen joins USA in celebrating Bicentennial on July 4th
1976 - The telephone company donates small building located behind the “Gillett Store” in which to archive collected Interlachen memorabilia
1979 - Town’s 4th Post Office opens at corner of Commonwealth Ave. and Rt. 20
1980 - The blinking light at the intersection of Rt. 20 and SR 315 is replaced with Interlachen’s first and only “real” traffic light
1984 - Friends of the Interlachen Library is formed
1985 - Last train to Interlachen brings caboose
1985 - Interlachen Academy is restored and has Heritage Days Dedication Celebration
1986 - Historical Society of Interlachen, Inc. is formed
1987 - Friends of Interlachen Library is incorporated
1987 - Construction begins on the new Interlachen Elementary School on CR 315 South
1988 - Interlachen celebrates Centennial with yearlong events
1988 - A park is established along the former railroad right of way and named Jenkins Park in honor of Medal of Honor winner, PFC. Robert Jenkins
1990 - Historical Society receives Grant to get funding to evaluate an Interlachen Hall renovation
1992 - A Centennial celebration is held for the 1892 Interlachen Hall
1992 - Interlachen’s new library opens on CR 315 North
1993 - Town gets grant and joins forces with Historical Society to survey the oldest section of Interlachen for National Registry recognition and a Historic Element for the new Comprehensive Plan
2000 - Interlachen Hall is placed on the National Registry of Historic Places
2000 - The fifth Interlachen Post Office opens off Rt. 20 to the East. The first time an Interlachen Post Office is not located on Commonwealth Avenue
2000 - Town receives 2 grants to restore Interlachen Hall
2003 - The 1892 Interlachen Hall reopens after extensive restoration
2003 - Historical Society opens a museum in Interlachen Hall
2005 - Interlachen High School band continues its winning streak in Montreal for the 11th year under the direction of Mr. Nick Albanese
2006 - Interlachen Memories, a History of Interlachen, Florida is published