Our Town

Osceola County at a glance

LAND AREA: 1,385 square miles
PERSONS PER SQUARE MILE: 148
POPULATION: 219,544
POPULATION INCREASE (1990-2004): 104%
MEAN TRAVEL TIME TO WORK: 28.1 minutes
MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME: $38,214
FACTOID: Hispanics represent the fastest-growing segment of the county's population. Yet their influence on the county dates back long before the first Hispanics moved into the area. Explorers were the first to bring cattle to the region-and until tourism's emergence, cattle was the county's No. 1 industry.

KISSIMMEE

"Big-time attractions, small-town hospitality." Although much has changed during the past several decades, that onetime slogan for Kissimmee still largely rings true.

This is a friendly, down-to-earth community still best known for its biannual Silver Spurs rodeo and its genuine cowboy panache. It just happens to exist alongside Walt Disney World, the world's No. 1 tourist attraction.

Kissimmee, formerly called Allendale, had its beginnings as a tiny trading post on the northern bank of Lake Tohopekaliga. The community was incorporated in 1887 and renamed Kissimmee. It later became the Osceola County seat and, by the 1930s, cattle rivaled citrus as its main industry.

Looking to diversify in the 1950s, Kissimmee launched a major campaign to attract relocating retirees. But when Disney opened in 1971, people of all ages came in droves.

The population multiplied while the employment base shifted from agriculture and cattle ranching to tourism-related service industries. Today, more than 100 hotels and motels are located on or near Irlo Bronson Highway, along with countless restaurants and strip shopping centers.

And the growth continues, highlighted by burgeoning Osceola Parkway, along which both residential and commercial development has mushroomed. Today, more than 41,200 people call Kissimmee home.

And more are coming. A 1,600-acre parcel of ranchland on the north shore of Lake Toho, previously owned by the Partin ranching family, has been bought by D.R. Horton Homes, which plans to build 4,000 homes there over the next 15 years.

And developer Rob Miller has bought 600 acres from another ranching family, the Bronsons, increasing the size of his Legacy Resort project to 1,600 acres that will ultimately contain some 10,000 mostly vacation rental units as well as a golf course and a condominium hotel.

The Hispanic relocation market is particularly vibrant in Osceola County. Two large communities, in particular, have been magnets: Buenaventura Lakes and Poinciana, both of which are marketed heavily in Latin America and in Northeastern cities with large Hispanic populations.

To make certain that at least some of Kissimmee's heritage is preserved, the city's Community Redevelopment Agency has actively sought to improve the historic downtown district through such projects as a cowboy-themed arched gateway at Main Street and U.S. 192 and several major streetscape efforts.

In addition, the Italianate Osceola County Courthouse, built in 1890, was renovated when a new government complex was built in 2000 and still houses county offices. Kissimmee is also a sporting paradise, with numerous boat ramps on the shores of Lake Toho, which is known for excellent bass fishing.

Southport Park offers covered pavilions, grills and campgrounds, while picnic areas abound at Partin Triangle Park and Whaley's Landing. Hunters can enjoy the wide-open Osceola Plain, home to turkey, white-tailed deer and fox squirrels.

ST. CLOUD

St. Cloud has been called "A Soldier's Colony," "The Friendly Soldier City," "The Wonder City" and "The City of Schools."

It's also been known as an inexpensive place for tourists to stay while visiting Walt Disney World, although city officials are now actively downplaying the once-ballyhooed tourism connection and promoting the charms of St. Cloud as a great place to live.

The military references hearken back to 1909, when the Grand Army of the Republic, an organization for Union soldiers who had served in the Civil War, bought 35,000 acres for development as a community for veterans.

Property in "The New Town of St. Cloud" was offered by lottery, and more than 1,200 old soldiers snatched up lots at $50 each. Within a year, more than 2,000 people had relocated. Following the stock market crash in 1929, city boosters actually gave away lots to attract more new residents, including veterans of all wars.

In the 1970s, St. Cloud teamed with much-larger Kissimmee to market itself internationally as an affordable alternative for vacationers wishing to explore the theme parks without paying resort hotel prices for accommodations.

Although the affiliation still exists, the city has recently begun an effort to reposition itself. A logo redesign has dropped Disney's ubiquitous Cinderella castle and replaced it with a sailboat and the words "Soldier City" and "Celebrating Small Town Life."

Indeed, St. Cloud already boasts one of Central Florida's most charming downtown districts, replete with antique shops occupying vintage storefronts. Several excellent restaurants, a historical museum and Veteran's Memorial Park are located downtown.

See expanded story on Osceola County in this issue.

Lake County at a glance

LAND AREA: 953 square miles
PERSONS PER SQUARE MILE: 221
POPULATION: 260,788
POPULATION INCREASE (1990-2004): 71%
2005 PROJECTED POPULATION: 237,500
MEAN TRAVEL TIME TO WORK: 27.6 minutes
MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME: $36,903
FACTOID: Lake County, named for its 1,400-plus lakes, had Florida's largest peach orchard in the 1920s and was the nation's second-largest citrus producing county until the 1960s.

LAKE COUNTY

The Citrus Tower, built in 1956, once drew awestruck tourists to its observation deck for panoramic views of Lake County's sprawling citrus groves. For as far as the eye could see, there were dark, leafy rows over which a seemingly infinite number of oranges were sprinkled. When the season was right and the wind was gently blowing, the fragrance of orange blossoms could be even more intoxicating than the view.

The tower-now considered a kitschy relic of a bygone era-is still there, but the landscape has changed. Now you'll see thousands of new homes on the rolling hills that have always distinguished burgeoning Lake County from its topographically challenged neighbors.

Which isn't to say that sprawl has destroyed Lake County's charm-at least not yet. There are still groves, woods, barns and more than 1,400 lakes scattered across 221 square miles. The county's unpretentious municipalities still boast quaint business districts with mom-and-pop shops.

But like other previously rural areas in Central Florida, Lake County is struggling to accommodate growth without compromising its country credentials. That's a particular challenge in south Lake County, which has increasingly become an attractive suburban alternative for people who work in more populous Orange and Seminole counties.

The city of Clermont, with a population that recently topped 20,000, is ground zero for the county's housing boom. The stage was set with construction of the turnpike system's Western Beltway, which made a once-daunting Orlando commute quite manageable.

Clermont is truly at the crossroads of Florida, located at the intersection of S.R. 50, which runs east and west, and U.S. 27, which runs north and south. Bordered by Lake Minnehaha on the south and Lake Minneola on the north, Clermont is on a chain of 16 lakes connected by the Palatlakaha River in the Ocklawaha Basin of tributaries of the St. Johns River.

"The Gem of the Hills," as Clermont is sometimes called, is also popular among triathlon enthusiasts. South Lake Hospital's 15-acre, all-in-one campus is home to the USA Triathlon National Training Center, which is designed to meet the needs of all ages and fitness levels.

Wine enthusiasts may also be familiar with Clermont through the Lakeridge Winery & Vineyards, one of only three wineries in Florida. Located on 35 acres and surrounded by land abundant with grapevines, the winery offers free tours, tastings and retail sales. At capacity, it produces more than 1,250 cases of wine per day.

Although most of its growth has come in the past decade, south Lake County's heritage goes back thousands of years, when Timucuan Indians called the area home. Reminders of their presence can be found at more than 1,000 archaeological sites scattered throughout the county.

Settlers of European descent started moving into Clermont immediately following the Civil War. But there was little activity until 1884, when a landowner named T.J. Hooks sold 100 acres to New Jersey investors, who in turn formed the Clermont Improvement Company and began selling lots to other Northerners. Lake County, carved from Orange and Sumter counties, was chartered in 1887.

In east Lake County, Mount Dora (population 10,658) is the center of attention and the focus of development.

The aptly named "New England of the South" was founded in 1874, when homesteaders first discovered the gently sloping lakeside hills that rise to 184 feet-hardly a mountain, but a formidable height by Central Florida standards. The city hugs the shores of 3,600-acre Lake Dora, named for Dora Ann Drawdy, who homesteaded two miles south with her husband in 1846.

In 1884 the Lakeside Inn, still in operation today, was opened for business. The inn was a catalyst for growth, attracting tourists from all over the United States, including such luminaries as President Calvin Coolidge and inventor Thomas Edison.

Today, downtown Mount Dora contains dozens of historic buildings housing antique shops, art galleries, boutiques and restaurants. Tree-shaded Donnelly Park occupies a full block in the center of town, inviting picnickers and tennis players to enjoy its lush surroundings. Within walking distance is Palm Island Park, adjacent to Gilbert Park, which boasts one of the most beautiful nature trails in the state.

Downtown also hosts an annual art festival as well as numerous antique and craft fairs, specialty auto shows and historic home tours. The city has a respected community theater, an art center and a historical museum.

Other nearby communities such as Leesburg, Howey in the Hills and Montverde have personalities all their own and are attracting new residents by offering a balance of seclusion and convenience.

In fact, Montverde, a once-isolated community that grew up around a century-old boarding school, is home to one of the hottest luxury developments in the region. Last April more than 1,300 wealthy buyers from across the United States and Europe arrived to vie for 403 remaining home sites at Bella Collina, developed by Ginn Clubs & Resorts. By noon, the development had sold out.

Polk County at a glance

LAND AREA: 1,874 square miles
PERSONS PER SQUARE MILE: 258.2
POPULATION (2004): 524,389
POPULATION INCREASE (1990-2004): 29%
2005 PROJECTED POPULATION: 541,840
MEAN TRAVEL TIME TO WORK: 25.4 minutes
MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME: $36,036
FACTOID: Polk County sits atop a huge supply of phosphate rock called the "Bone Valley Deposit." About 200,000 acres, roughly 15 percent of the county, have been mined for the rock which, after processing, is one of the three main ingredients in fertilizer. Polk, along with neighboring Hillsborough, Hardee and Manatee counties, provides about 75 percent of the nation's and 25 percent of the world's phosphate supply.

Sandwiched between Orlando and Tampa Bay, Polk County is a bit like an overlooked middle child, sometimes overshadowed by flashier younger and older siblings.

But shine a spotlight on the county that sits in the geographical center of Florida and you'll realize that, despite its low profile, Polk County is a special place indeed. It has picturesque small towns and giant master-planned communities; historic tourist attractions and a college designed by a legendary architect; a strong arts community and a diversified economy.

Larger than Rhode Island and as big as Delaware, with a population of more than a half-million, one of Polk County's key selling points is the very thing that sometimes causes it to be overlooked: its location between two metropolises that are steadily growing toward one other.

But Polk boasts its own rich history and distinctive identity. Tourism was thriving in Polk years before Walt Disney started buying land in Central Florida, and continues to boost the local economy.

Venerable Cypress Gardens, one of Florida's first major tourist draws, has been renovated and enlarged beyond its traditional water-ski shows and hoop-skirted southern belles to include an amusement park with heart-stopping rides. And historic Bok Tower Gardens, with its 60-bell carillon tower, remains the perfect place for a pastoral stroll through lush parklands.

Polk County has its share of bustling mid-sized cities including its two largest, Lakeland, population nearly 90,000, which is on Money magazine's "Best Places to Live in America" list, and Winter Haven, home to almost 28,000. Bartow, population about 16,000 is the county's seat.

A thriving arts scene is also evident, with a string of museums, art centers and theaters. And architecture buffs can see the largest collection of Frank Lloyd Wright's work in one location on the campus of Florida Southern College.

Fans of the Boys of Summer can watch the Detroit Tigers tune up during spring training in Lakeland, or the Cleveland Indians in Winter Haven.

But it looks like housing may be Polk's next big industry, particularly in the Four Corners area where Polk, Lake, Orange and Osceola meet. Huge new communities, such as ABD Development's Providence, with plans for 4,800 homes, are quickly coming out of the ground.

In addition, at the 365-acre former site of Boardwalk and Baseball at U.S. 27 and I-4, Victor Posner Enterprises is set to build a pedestrian-friendly "Garden City," with brand-name retailers, boutiques, restaurants, offices, a hotel and homes.

Volusia County at a glance

LAND AREA: 1,103 square miles
PERSONS PER SQUARE MILE: 401.9
POPULATION (2004): 478,670
POPULATION INCREASE (1990-2004): 29%
2005 PROJECTED POPULATION: 493,144
MEAN TRAVEL TIME TO WORK: 25.4 minutes
MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME: $35,219
FACOID: Stetson University, the state's first private university, was founded in 1883 by New York philanthropist Henry A. DeLand, who named it DeLand Academy. Just two years later it was renamed Stetson University after John B. Stetson, the famous hat manufacturer, who gave generously to the institution.

Geographically, Volusia County sits 50 miles northeast of Orlando, between the St. Johns River and the Atlantic Ocean. But these days, in a region where the growth is pushing outward in all four directions, geography doesn't mean as much as it once did.

Indeed, as metro Orlando spreads north and east along I-4 through Seminole County, Western Volusia is directly in growth's path.

Today the area, once identified almost exclusively with Daytona Beach, is emerging as a suburb of Orlando. With nearly 70,000 residents, Deltona has long since surpassed Daytona Beach as the largest municipality in Volusia County. It has seen a 343-percent growth rate since 1980 and adds roughly 1,100 new homes each year.

Much of the activity is spurred by commercial development along the so-called High-Tech Corridor, which runs the length of I-4 between Tampa and Daytona Beach. Projections call for the stretch of interstate between Lake Mary and Sanford, just east of the Volusia-Seminole border, eventually to contain more than 13 million square feet of office space.

With the recent widening of the I-4-St. Johns River Bridge, one of the region's most annoying traffic bottlenecks was alleviated, making western Volusia an easy, 30-minute commute to downtown Orlando.

Lured by that surprising proximity, as well as by the region's abundance of lakes, springs and the nearby beach, families began flocking to the new home communities near I-4, including the St. Joe Company's Victoria Park, on the outskirts of DeLand.

Buyers have also discovered the impressive stock of historic residences west of downtown Deland, which is clearly one of the coolest small towns in Florida.

The quaint downtown district, which is on the National Registry of Historic Places, is thick with eateries and antique shops. And stately Stetson University, which has been located here for more than a century, adds an air of permanence.

Those interested in more natural settings, plus an unusual lunch, may head north on U.S. 17 to DeLeon Springs State Park, where you can cook your own pancakes at the Old Spanish Sugar Mill then paddle a canoe through the wilderness.

In the winter, manatees seeking warmer water can be seen lolling around at Blue Springs State Park. In the summer, humans, seeking relief from the heat, plunge into the same bubbling blue oasis.