Historical Homes of Lake County

  The EDGE House of Groveland, Eighth in a Series   Elliott Erastus Edge of Groveland (1870-1934)   The historic EDGE residence of 1902 Taylorville , now located on the western edge of the town of Groveland , looks today as if it is on the edge of extinction. The impressive residence, much like many other central Florida historic homes, was moved in years past to pave the way for progress. But in my view, removing notable structures from their rightful domain diminishes the history which surrounds the venerable structures, so that in the end, any inherent value in the building itself is forever lost. Such is certainly the case for the Edge House. Elliott Erastus & Cornelia Evelyn (Patterson) Edge, both natives of North Carolina, relocated to Florida from Georgia’s Liberty County, where Elliott was a “ Manufacturer of Naval Stores ”, an important clue to understanding why the family settled in downtown Taylorville of 1902. One year prior, brothers Charlie and ...

Possibly the oldest Lake County residence! Reverend Sellers Residence on Emeralda Island (1863) The historic residence above could also be called the house that inspired this series. Featured in an early Facebook post, a follower commented that I should do a series about historic Lake County residences - and so, here we are - already on our 7th such historic home. Most fascinating about this home is that it is also the oldest known residence still standing today. In fact, neither Eustis, Mount Dora, Tavares, or Lake County itself existed at the time this home was built in 1863 .  Emeralda Island, where this home now stands, was actually part of Orange County. The distant county seat - Orlando - was but a tiny four-acre village then only six years young. Fewer than 1,500 citizens lived in ALL of Orange County then, and 1863 travel was limited to “real” horsepower. For those who lived in this house when it was first built, it was more convenient to travel to Ocala rather than to...