Melrose in Alachua County, Florida — The American South (South Atlantic)
Melrose
Photographed By Mike Stroud, 2011
1. Melrose Marker (side 1)
Inscription.
Melrose. . (side 1) , The region south of Santa Fe Lake was not settled until after the Seminole War in 1842, although it was on the Spanish mission trail from St. Augustine from about 1600 to 1763 and, during the English (1763-1784) and second Spanish (1784-1821) periods, on the overland route to Pensacola. Florida's first Federal highway, the 1826 Bellamy road, followed about the same path. Many of the early landowners came from South Carolina and Georgia. After the decade of Reconstruction following the Civil War, an influx of new families came to the region, many to engage in planting orange groves, a few of which had been started in the 1850's. Because the route of the Florida Railroad, completed in 1861 and reorganized after the War, passed west of the region, the Santa Fe Canal Company was chartered in March of 1877 to open a waterway from the railroad in Waldo through Lake Alto to Santa Fe Lake. In May of 1877 Alexander Goodson, Isaac Weston, and Meredith Granger, platted a 30-block town site south of the little bay on the southeast side of Santa Fe Lake. The old Bellamy Road was the main east-west axis, with Centre Street, straddling the Alachua, Putnam, and Clay county border, as the north-south axis. The origin of the town name,
(Continued on other side). (side 2)
(Continued from other side). Melrose, is shrouded in conflicting legends. The canal linking Waldo to Santa Fe Lake was completed in March of 1881. The stern-wheel steamer, F.S. Lewis, built in Waldo, made its maiden voyage in April 1881. Northern visitors, who came to improve their health and invest in orange groves, built winter cottages or stayed at the boarding houses or the several hotels that catered to the winter tourists. The town soon had a number of general stores, a sawmill, cotton gin, livery stables, several churches, and a high school. The Western Railroad reached Melrose from Green Cove Springs in 1890. The town was then a thriving waterfront resort, lake port, and a horticultural and agricultural center. Devastated by the freezes of 1894-95, the citrus groves never recovered. Melrose became a quiet lakeside retreat for seasonal and week-end residents, with a small permanent population. In 1901 Melrose was incorporated but gave up its charter in 1917. Many of the nineteenth century homes and buildings still survive. The Melrose Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1990.
(side 1)
The region south of Santa Fe Lake was not settled until after the Seminole War in 1842, although it was on the Spanish mission trail from St. Augustine from about 1600 to 1763 and, during the English (1763-1784) and second Spanish (1784-1821) periods, on the overland route to Pensacola. Florida's first Federal highway, the 1826 Bellamy road, followed about the same path. Many of the early landowners came from South Carolina and Georgia. After the decade of Reconstruction following the Civil War, an influx of new families came to the region, many to engage in planting orange groves, a few of which had been started in the 1850's. Because the route of the Florida Railroad, completed in 1861 and reorganized after the War, passed west of the region, the Santa Fe Canal Company was chartered in March of 1877 to open a waterway from the railroad in Waldo through Lake Alto to Santa Fe Lake. In May of 1877 Alexander Goodson, Isaac Weston, and Meredith Granger, platted a 30-block town site south of the little bay on the southeast side of Santa Fe Lake. The old Bellamy Road was the main east-west axis, with Centre Street, straddling the Alachua, Putnam, and Clay county border, as the north-south axis. The origin of the town name,
(Continued on other side)
(side 2)
(Continued from other side)
Melrose,
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is shrouded in conflicting legends. The canal linking Waldo to Santa Fe Lake was completed in March of 1881. The stern-wheel steamer, F.S. Lewis, built in Waldo, made its maiden voyage in April 1881. Northern visitors, who came to improve their health and invest in orange groves, built winter cottages or stayed at the boarding houses or the several hotels that catered to the winter tourists. The town soon had a number of general stores, a sawmill, cotton gin, livery stables, several churches, and a high school. The Western Railroad reached Melrose from Green Cove Springs in 1890. The town was then a thriving waterfront resort, lake port, and a horticultural and agricultural center. Devastated by the freezes of 1894-95, the citrus groves never recovered. Melrose became a quiet lakeside retreat for seasonal and week-end residents, with a small permanent population. In 1901 Melrose was incorporated but gave up its charter in 1917. Many of the nineteenth century homes and buildings still survive. The Melrose Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1990.
Erected 1990 by The Alachua County Historical Commission in Cooperation with the Florida Department of State. (Marker Number F-328.)
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Notable Places. A significant historical month for this entry is March 1877.
Location.
Photographed By Mike Stroud, March 20, 2011
2. Melrose Marker (side 2)
29° 42.577′ N, 82° 2.914′ W. Marker is in Melrose, Florida, in Alachua County. Marker is at the intersection of State Road 26 and Grove Street, on the right when traveling east on State Road 26. Marker was relocated to Melrose Heritage Park in Putnam County. The original location was at 4 blocks west at 25501 FL-26 (29.70967, -82.05267) in Alachua County. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 300 FL-26, Melrose FL 32666, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regarding Melrose. Melrose Platted in 1877 and once called Banana, the town thrived with the opening of Sante Fe Canal, connecting the town with Waldo. Melrose became a tourist center, with many hotels and winter residents during the 1880s and a shipping center for citrus and vegetables. The freezes of the 1890s destroyed both
Photographed By Mike Stroud, March 20, 2011
3. Melrose Marker, looking east near Trout Street
the citrus industry and tourism, but the city's
fine homes survived and today Melrose features scores of older restored homes and a historic district.
National Register of Historic Places:
Melrose Historic District (added 1990 - District - #89002305) •
Historic Significance: Event, Architecture/Engineering •
Architect, builder, or engineer: Multiple •
Architectural Style: Greek Revival, Late Victorian, Other •
Area of Significance: Architecture, Exploration/Settlement •
Period of Significance: 1875-1899, 1900-1924, 1925-1949 •
Historic Function: Commerce/Trade, Domestic •
Historic Sub-function: Single Dwelling, Specialty Store •
Current Function: Commerce/Trade, Domestic •
Photographed By Mike Stroud, March 20, 2011
4. Melrose Marker, looking west along State Road 26, near Quail Street
Photographed By Mike Stroud, March 20, 2011
5. Melrose Marker, seen along State Road 26
Photographed By Tim Fillmon, October 12, 2017
6. Melrose Marker, restored and at new location (side 1)
Photographed By Tim Fillmon, October 12, 2017
7. Melrose Marker, restored and at new location (side 2)
Credits. This page was last revised on August 7, 2018. It was originally submitted on March 24, 2011, by Mike Stroud of Bluffton, South Carolina. This page has been viewed 1,330 times since then and 42 times this year. Last updated on November 16, 2016, by Tim Fillmon of Webster, Florida. Photos:1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on March 27, 2011, by Mike Stroud of Bluffton, South Carolina. 6, 7. submitted on July 16, 2018, by Tim Fillmon of Webster, Florida. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.