Eustis in Lake County, Florida — The American South (South Atlantic)
Eustis
Greetings from Lake County
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Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, September 26, 2026
1. Eustis Marker
Before railroads reached central Florida, long distance travel and shipping relied on steamboats, and early settlements that were concentrated along navigable waterways. Steamboats along the St. Johns River connected Eustis with Mellonville (today Sanford) and Jacksonville.
With the arrival of the St. Johns and Lake Eustis Railway in 1880, replacing steamboats as the prevailing mode of transportation and shipping, the frontier settlement of Eustis grew into a small city. Once surrounded by Citrus groves, Eustis was home to the first citrus research facility in the world. In 2024, a newly renovated Citrus museum opened offering a glimpse into the city's past as the Citrus Capital and highlighting citrus labels from the region's heyday as the largest producer of oranges in the world.
Notably, the city is also home to Georgefest, the longest running celebration of George Washington's Birthday in the State of Florida, and is now the longest, continuously running celebration of its kind in the entire United States.
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Erected 2026 by America250FL Road Trip.
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Location. 28° 51.227′ N, 81° 41.07′ W. Marker is in Eustis, Florida, in Lake County. It is at the intersection of East Magnolia Avenue and North Eustis Street, on the right when traveling west on East Magnolia Avenue. The marker is beside the sidewalk at the southwest corner of Fountain Green. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 101 East Magnolia Avenue, Eustis FL 32726, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Greater Orlando and in Central Florida. It is also in the American South. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, a Gulf of Mexico state, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain, the territory of the Mississippian Culture, one of the Confederate States of America,
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, September 26, 2026
2. Eustis Marker
The inscription is on the northeast side of the marker.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Dr. Edgar J. Banks (about 700 feet away, measured in a direct line); Ferran Park (about 700 feet away); S.T.E. Pinkney (about 700 feet away); Alice B. McClelland Bandshell (about 800 feet away); Battle of the Bulge Memorial (about 800 feet away); Lake County Service Memorial (about 800 feet away); Flagpole Dedicated March 3, 2001 (about 800 feet away); Historic Downtown Eustis (approx. 0.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Eustis.
Related markers. Click here for a list of markers that are related to this marker.
Also see . . .
1. St. Johns and Lake Eustis Railway (Wikipedia).
Excerpt: The St. Johns and Lake Eustis Railway was chartered in 1879 and construction started at Astor on the St. Johns River. The line was built 3 ft narrow gauge and its rails passed through Altoona, Umatilla, and Fort Mason before reaching Eustis, 27 miles, in 1880. Construction continued southward through Tavares, reaching Lane Park on Big Lake Harris, 7.5 miles, in 1882–83. The line was then extended(Submitted on September 26, 2026, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)15 miles from Fort Mason, around the north and west sides of Lake Eustis to Leesburg in 1884.Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, September 26, 20263. Eustis Marker (southwest side)Looking northeast from the southwest corner of Fountain Green.
The line originally served as a land bridge for the river and lake steamboats that provided transportation into the interior of Florida. Passengers and freight could come down the St. Johns River on steamboats from Jacksonville and transfer to the railroad at Astor for ports on Lakes Eustis, Dora and Harris. They could then transfer back to a lake steamer to continue to points further south.
2. GeorgeFest (Wikipedia).
Excerpt: GeorgeFest is held annually in the last weekend of February in the city of Eustis, Florida, to honor Founding Father George Washington. With 125 consecutive events, the Eustis GeorgeFest is the longest ongoing festival of its kind in the United States. The event is sponsored by small donors as well as the Lake Eustis Chamber of Commerce and the City of Eustis.(Submitted on September 26, 2026, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
From a simple one-day parade of Ford Model Ts to an event that attracts thousands of visitors every year, the Eustis GeorgeFest has increased in both size and scope.While it continues to grow, the primary theme of the festivities has never changed. GeorgeFest is a patriotic event held in honor of America's Founding Father, George Washington.Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, September 26, 20264. Eustis Marker (northeast side)Looking southwest into downtown Eustis from Fountain Green.
In spite of the COVID-19 pandemic, the City of Eustis chose to continue hosting the annual Georgefest event. In doing so, the Eustis event passed Laredo, Texas' “Washington Birthday Celebration” as the longest running celebration of George Washington’s Birthday in the United States, following that event's cancellation in 2021.
3. America 250 FL Road Trip. (Submitted on September 26, 2026, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
Credits. This page was last revised on September 26, 2026. It was originally submitted on September 23, 2026, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 8 times since then. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on September 26, 2026, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.
