Historical Homes of Lake County

  The Mote Residence of Leesburg Photo above is courtesy Leesburg Chamber of Commerce (aka Mote – Morris House)     A 19 th century architectural masterpiece, the 1892 residence of Edwin & Lucretia Mote was moved from its original Leesburg location in 1988 as part of a church expansion. The unique home, with a four-story lookout-tower - likely allowing for a sweeping view of Lakes Griffin and Lake Harris when first built, rightfully became, in 1974 , a member of an exclusive National Registry of Historical Places. Leesburg’s Chamber of Commerce ( photo above as the house is currently being renovated ) says simply that the home was built for an “eight-term Leesburg Mayor.” A brief biography of Edwin H. Mote however falls short of explaining the extent of this man’s achievements – accomplishments made in less than a decade after first arriving in 1880s central Florida. Photo by this author (2020) when home being renovated At times referred to as Edward, Le...

  The Summerlin Residence at Tavares   Southeast corner of Rockingham Avenue & Alfred Street A law practice today occupies a Tavares residence built 140 years ago by two Orlando Attorneys. The year was 1881 , and the two lawyers – founders of the city of Tavares that year, each built a personal home as well, two historic Lake County residences that are still standing today. “On the 1 st day of January, not five months ago, a woodman’s axe sounded in the primeval forest, and the foundations of the first houses were laid among the wild-place.” The Weekly Floridian, May 30, 1882 Among the first structures built in what was then a new Orange County town, the Summerlin Residence at Tavares , occupying the southeast corner of Alfred Street at Rockingham Avenue, has long remained submerged in mystery, and for good reason. The “ other ’ 1881 residence, the home of Alexander St. Clair-Abrams at Alfred Street and New Hampshire, is not only well-known today, but adorned w...

  The Gibbons Residence of Umatilla   Mebane Street, Umatilla, Florida   Track laid down in 1879 by St. Johns & Lake Eustis Railroad, by 1910 , began skirting the front lawn of the residence of George & Anna Gibbons. But visit the Gibbons homeplace site today, as I did while searching for Umatilla resident and Mount Dora developer, “ Mrs. George A. Gibbons (widow) ”, and instead of railroad track, you will find two State Road 19 southbound traffic lanes. And where once stood the historic Gibbons home, you will see instead bungalows gracing the east shore of Umatilla’s charming Lake ENOLA .   “ Enola Hill , (Oregon) since time immemorial, has been a place utilized by American Indians from all around the northwest for vision quests, ceremonies, and medicine gathering.” From the book, Orlando Lakes: Homesteaders & Namesakes (2019) by this author A driveway exists today where the Gibbons Home was located from 1910 until 2003   Intendin...