Altamonte Springs

Altamonte Springs. Seminole County Historic Marker. In 1880 the South Florida Railroad completed a line from Sanford to Orlando. A flag stop was established at Snowville or Snows Station where the railroad crosses SR436. By 1886 the line connected New York City to Tampa via Altamonte. The community of Snowville, for tourists reasons, became Altamonte Station and finally Altamonte Springs, when a spring was found on the southwest shore of Lake Adelaide., With the potential for winter tourism, Boston capitalists chartered the Altamonte Land Hotel and Navigation Company in 1882 to build a winter "Florida Boston Town." They purchased 1200 acres along the shores of Lakes Adelaide and Orienta and built a hotel on what is now the SW corner of SR436 and Maitland Avenue, dividing a portion of the land near the hotel into building lots. A horse drawn tram carried visitors between the railroad station and the hotel. The hotel (opened only for the winter season) was hots to many families and notable visitors. The hotel burned in 1953., Many of the winter visitors started citrus groves nearby. Pineapples and sugarcane were also grown. Agriculture needed year round labor and black, as well as white workers became permanent residents. The great freezes of 1894-95 wiped out citrus throughout the state. Due to its wealthy tourist base. Altamonte Springs survived while many of the local citrus centers disappeared as people abandoned their properties and moved elsewhere., During the early part of the 20th century Asparagus Plumosis ferns and oranges were grown here. Altamonte was incorporated as a town in 1921. In 1947, year round residents took control of the city government. Altamonte Springs was reorganized as a city in 1967., (see marker at Hermits Trail Park)