Homosassa Springs in Citrus County, Florida — The American South (South Atlantic)
Florida Boom Sidewalk
Photographed By Tim Fillmon, August 2, 2013
1. Florida Boom Sidewalk Marker
Inscription.
Florida Boom Sidewalk. . The wide sidewalks of Homosassa Springs are a reminder of the 1920s Florida Land Boom in Citrus County. In 1924, at the height of the boom, the Florida West Coast Development Company bought several thousand acres in what is now Homosassa Springs and set out to create a "City Beautiful." Locally referred to as New Homosassa, the community was laid out with 80 to 100 foot-wide streets and nine foot-wide sidewalks. Also envisioned were plazas, parks, boulevards, a golf course, three country clubs, and 700 home sites. The city's ambitious plan reflects the aspirations of the City Beautiful Movement in urban planning. Popular during the late 1890s and early 1900s, proponents of this aesthetic believed that living in a beautiful, harmonious setting would lead to an improved quality of life. The grand plans envisioned for Homosassa Springs were quickly abandoned after the boom went bust in 1926. Most of the city's planned amenities were never realized, and only two commercial buildings and a few homes designed in the Mediterranean Revival style popular during the boom years were built. Today, this remaining portion of the city's original sidewalk reflects the City Beautiful aesthetic once envisioned for Homosassa Springs.
The wide sidewalks of Homosassa Springs are a reminder of the 1920s Florida Land Boom in Citrus County. In 1924, at the height of the boom, the Florida West Coast Development Company bought several thousand acres in what is now Homosassa Springs and set out to create a "City Beautiful." Locally referred to as New Homosassa, the community was laid out with 80 to 100 foot-wide streets and nine foot-wide sidewalks. Also envisioned were plazas, parks, boulevards, a golf course, three country clubs, and 700 home sites. The city's ambitious plan reflects the aspirations of the City Beautiful Movement in urban planning. Popular during the late 1890s and early 1900s, proponents of this aesthetic believed that living in a beautiful, harmonious setting would lead to an improved quality of life. The grand plans envisioned for Homosassa Springs were quickly abandoned after the boom went bust in 1926. Most of the city's planned amenities were never realized, and only two commercial buildings and a few homes designed in the Mediterranean Revival style popular during the boom years were built. Today, this remaining portion of the city's original sidewalk reflects the City Beautiful aesthetic once envisioned for Homosassa Springs.
Erected 2010 by The Citrus Board of County Commissioners and the Florida Department
Location. 28° 48.29′ N, 82° 34.508′ W. Marker is in Homosassa Springs, Florida, in Citrus County. Marker is at the intersection of West Aquaduct Street and South Pittsburgh Avenue, on the left when traveling east on West Aquaduct Street. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Homosassa FL 34448, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Credits. This page was last revised on August 18, 2020. It was originally submitted on August 12, 2013, by Tim Fillmon of Webster, Florida. This page has been viewed 1,003 times since then and 49 times this year. Photos:1, 2. submitted on August 12, 2013, by Tim Fillmon of Webster, Florida. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.
