Sumterville in Sumter County, Florida — The American South (South Atlantic)
Home of The Villages
Greetings from Sumter County
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Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, October 6, 2026
1. Home of The Villages Marker
Sumter County is home to one of the fastest-growing metro areas in the nation. Anchored by The Villages, a bustling master-planned retirement community, the area continues to attract the young and young at heart to North Central Florida. Known for its charming town squares, nightly live music, and golf cart-friendly streets, The Villages encompasses the dream of American retirement, blending resort-style living with natural beauty.
Full of recreation, relaxation, and small-town spirit, the Villages makes Sumter County a standout destination for an active, yet laid-back Florida lifestyle.
Florida's Pioneer Spirit
Erected by America250FL Road Trip.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Notable Places. In addition, it is included in the America 250 series list.
Location. 28° 47.197′ N, 81° 58.919′ W. Marker is in Sumterville, Florida, in Sumter County. It can be reached from Florida's Turnpike (Florida Route 91 at milepost 299), 5 miles south of U.S. 301. The marker is at the Okahumpka Service Plaza on Florida's Turnpike. Touch for map.
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Regionally, this marker is 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, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 7 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Adamsville (approx. 2.6 miles away); Baker House (approx. 3.7 miles away); Sumterville (approx. 5.8 miles away); Attorney Virgil Darnell Hopkins (approx. 5.9 miles away); Okahumpka Rosenwald School (approx. 5.9 miles away); Bank of Wildwood (approx. 6.4 miles away); The Casino (approx. 6˝ miles away); Veterans of All Wars (approx. 6˝ miles away).
Also see . . . The Villages, Florida (Wikipedia).
Excerpt: The Villages spans Sumter, Marion, and Lake counties in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves(Submitted on October 6, 2026, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)as the central area of a master-planned, age-restricted community, situated in central Florida, about 20 miles south of Ocala and 45 miles northwest of Orlando.Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, October 6, 20262. Home of The Villages MarkerThe inscription is on the north side of the marker.
In the 1960s, Michigan businessman Harold Schwartz began selling land in the area now known as The Villages through mail-order sales. In 1983, Schwartz brought his son, H. Gary Morse, into the business. Inspired by successful retirement communities like Del Webb's Sun City, Morse expanded amenities, including golf courses and recreation centers, and pursued nearby commercial development. In 1992, the community was officially renamed "the Villages". By the early 1990s, the Villages had grown to over 8,000 residents, with three golf courses and a Winn-Dixie supermarket. Between 2010 and 2019, the Villages was the top-selling master-planned community in the United States, with 24,440 homes sold. Since the 2010s, the Villages has expanded southward, acquiring land in Sumter and northward into Marion counties.
The Villages is governed by community development districts and neighborhood declarations of restrictions, regulating aspects like landscaping and exterior modifications. Anarchitectural review committee, composed of residents, oversees property alterations. As an age-restricted community, at least 80% of homes must have a resident aged 55 or older, and persons under 19 may not reside permanently, except in designated family subdivisions.Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, October 6, 20263. Home of The Villages MarkerThe marker is on the south side of the Okahumpka Service Plaza.
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, October 6, 2026
4. Home of The Villages Marker
Looking south from the south side of the Okahumpka Service Plaza.
Credits. This page was last revised on October 6, 2026. It was originally submitted on October 6, 2026, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 5 times since then. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on October 6, 2026, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.
