Maitland in Orange County, Florida — The American South (South Atlantic)
Lake Lily Drive
A Florida Heritage Site
Photographed By Julie Szabo, April 2, 2008
1. Lake Lily Drive Marker
Inscription.
Lake Lily Drive. A Florida Heritage Site. This road was the first direct route from Northeast Florida to Maitland. It followed Maitland Avenue around this west side of Lake Lily and continued south on what is now Highway 17-92. During the Second Seminole War the United States Army used this trail to connect the forts along its route. Fort Maitland was built in 1838 on the west shore of Lake Maitland, a day's march from Fort Mellon (Sanford). The fort was named in honor of Captain William Seton Maitland (1798-1837), who was cited for bravery in the battle of 1836, and died in 1837 as a result of wounds received there. The fort was located south of present Fort Maitland Park and was in use only until 1839. In 1915, Orange County paved the route with bricks, making it the first grouted brick road in Florida. This road became part of the Dixie Highway, which opened in 1925 and ran from Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan to Miami. In 1927 the road was joined to the Black Bear Trail at Lake Lily. Both names described the road from this point south. These bricks were covered by asphalt in the 1960's and in 1998 the asphalt was removed and the Maitland Historical Society restored the bricks, with assistance from the City of Maitland and the Florida Department of State.
This road was the first direct route from Northeast Florida to Maitland. It followed Maitland Avenue around this west side of Lake Lily and continued south on what is now Highway 17-92. During the Second Seminole War the United States Army used this trail to connect the forts along its route. Fort Maitland was built in 1838 on the west shore of Lake Maitland, a day's march from Fort Mellon (Sanford). The fort was named in honor of Captain William Seton Maitland (1798-1837), who was cited for bravery in the battle of 1836, and died in 1837 as a result of wounds received there. The fort was located south of present Fort Maitland Park and was in use only until 1839. In 1915, Orange County paved the route with bricks, making it the first grouted brick road in Florida. This road became part of the Dixie Highway, which opened in 1925 and ran from Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan to Miami. In 1927 the road was joined to the Black Bear Trail at Lake Lily. Both names described the road from this point south. These bricks were covered by asphalt in the 1960's and in 1998 the asphalt was removed and the Maitland Historical Society restored the bricks, with assistance from the City of Maitland and the Florida Department of State.
Erected 2004 by City of Maitland and Florida Department of State. (Marker Number
Location. 28° 37.338′ N, 81° 21.989′ W. Marker is in Maitland, Florida, in Orange County. Marker can be reached from Lake Lily Drive (now a footpath). Marker can be accessed by the footpath which runs around Lake Lily. Park at the Historical Society building just north of the marker. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Maitland FL 32751, United States of America. Touch for directions.
More about this marker. Within yards of the Black Bear Trail marker.
Photographed By Julie Szabo, April 2, 2008
2. Lake Lily Drive Marker, facing south
Credits. This page was last revised on January 3, 2020. It was originally submitted on November 17, 2008, by Julie Szabo of Oldsmar, Florida. This page has been viewed 1,914 times since then and 29 times this year. Photos:1, 2. submitted on November 17, 2008, by Julie Szabo of Oldsmar, Florida. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.
