Karen Coy
(352) 209-2828
|
|
 
Marion County, Florida, is home to Silver Springs, one of the world's largest artesian springs, and dozens more, including Rainbow Springs, Salt Springs, Juniper Springs and Silver Glen. Located in north central Florida along Interstate-75 and spanning 1,652 square miles, Marion County boasts a mix of urban, suburban and rural areas and includes the vast Ocala National Forest, Florida's second largest national forest.
The Marion County Board of Comissioners oversees Marion County's departments and services and works with Marioin County's constitutional officers to serve the citizens needs, Commissioners are deicated to using straregic methods to meet the challenges of growing in the county and ensuring that staff condusts activities in a iscally responsible manner.
|
Anthony
|
The community is named after Edwin Clark Anthony who bought land from the pioneer Jacob Leitner. Anthony was incorporated in 1892 during the days phosphate was mined in the area. During economic strain brought on by the Great Depression and pressures of financing roads the town was disincorporated in 1932. There is a community in this area called Jumbolair which you have an airplane hanger beside your house that will accomodate 747 planes. A well-known actor by the name of John Travolta lives in the community.
|
Belleview Florida
CITY WITH SMALL TOWN CHARM
|
Belleview which means "Beautiful View" came from one of the original settlers who had a daughter named "Belle". The motto for the city which is 'the city with Small Town Charm' reflects the feeling of the area, which was written by the former Chamber of Commerce President Vincent Razzano in the late 1950s. The area was considered a health haven in the mids of natural and attractive scenery, rolling terrain fertile soil and mild equable climate. Its attractiveness to northerners in feeble health seeking a place for winter residence was soon recognized.
|
Citra Florida
|
Citra is an unincorporated community in Marion County, Florida. It is the home of the pineapple orange.[1] The town has two buildings on the National Register of Historic Places: The Citra Methodist Episcopal Church and the Armstrong House The community is part of the Ocala Metropolitan Statistical Area. Popular tenor James Melton grew up in Citra.
Citra is also home to the Orange Shop, a favorite stop for citrus, honey, candles and souvenoirs. Also there's Grand Lake RV & Golf Resort located in Citra. |
What is now Blue Cove subdivision was one of the original mines where phosfate was mind and took place around the Rainbow River which was originally called Blue Run, the used the river to transport the phosfates. The Rainbow River is located in Dunnellon Floria which is in the southwest corner of Marion County, Florida about 20 miles southwest of Ocala. The Rainbow River is formed by a the Rainbow Springs first magnitude spring which is ranked ourth in the state for volume of discharge. In addition to the springs located at the headwaters, there are many smaller springs that discharge from caves,rock crevices and sand boils the entire length of the river. The river is over five miles long and merges with the Withlacoochee River at Dunnellon Florida. The headwaters is the anchor for the Rainbow State Park. The first magnitude spring is numerous vents that send 400 - 600 million gallons of crystalline water every day.
Once named Wekiwa Creek, Blue Spring, and Blue Run, archaeological evidence indicates that the waters of The Rainbow River have attracted and sustained human inhabitants for over 10,000 years. The crystal clear water, abundant with fish, wildlife and vegetation along with the constant water temperature of 73 degrees, has attracted a number of modern day activities.
The Rainbow River was designated as a Registered Natural Landmark in 1972, an Aquatic Preserve in 1986, and an "Outstanding Florida Waterway" in 1987. The state purchased the original area that was the Rainbow Springs Attraction in 1990. Volunteers cleared the overgrown park and opened the park on weekends to the public. The Florida Park Service officially opened Rainbow Springs State Park on a full time basis on March 9, 1995.
|
|
Fort McCoy was a fort built during the Seminole Wars. It included brick structures, some evidence of which could still be seen in the 1940s. It may have also been a fort or way station on the King's Highway. It was also a station on the Ocala Northern Railroad and served as the location for a large sawmill built by E.P. Rentz of the Rentz Lumber Company circa 1910.
|
|
Kerr City
Kerr City is a ghost town located in Marion County, Florida, USA. It lies on CR 316 approximately three miles west of SR 19, on the north shore of Lake Kerr.
Kerr City was the second town in Marion County, platted in 1884. The town grew to 100 residents, a hotel, sawmill, general store, pharmacy, school/church, and a post office. It served as the stage stop for travelers commuting from the St. John's River to Ocala. Originally a cotton plantation during the Civil War,
it flourished as an orange-growing community.The community deserted the town after the freezes of 1894-95. In 1884 there were 205 acres (0.83 km2) and a platted 26-block town with streets such as Michigan, Indiana and Ohio.
Junis Terry, a doctor from Chicago and his wife arrived and built in 1885 the Lake Kerr House. This hotel was three stories high and was made of virgin pine.
Despite the precautions of taking down all the surrounding trees, the hotel burned down in 1907, reportedly by arson.
The post office, established in 1884 and renamed Lake Kerr in 1888, was in operation until 1942.[1] The founder, George Smiley continued to live in Kerr City
when all the neighbors moved out after the freeze. He gradually bought most of the abandoned properties around him. By 1955 his son Alfred owned the entire town.
More recently, the area has come to be owned by Arthur Brennan, a descendant of some of the original homesteaders. Brennan has renovated many of the old homes,
now on the National Register of Historic Places, and rents them
|
|
Marion Oaks Ocala FL
More than thirty years ago the Deltona Corporation developed Marion Oaks has a community center, with a 450 seat auditorium, meeting rooms, a well stocked library, medical facilities, recreational facilities and houses of Worship.
Marion Oaks holds a spring celebration every year in the month of April which includes a parade, health fair, book sale, talent show, car show and many individual booths selling everything from homemade crafts to ethnic foods that are popular in the area.
Marion Oaks is definitely Florida style. Wherever you are from, you will find just about anything to do here. Likely other typical Amrtican small-town. It is a warm nostalgic, "Norman Rockwell" kind of placethat's friendlier, morefamily-focused, with real community spirit and a genuine sense of civic pride.
There are Two challenging, tree-shaded, championship, 18 hole public golf courses; community shopping areas; medical facilities; 16 houses of worship; dozens of clubs, organizations and civic groups, and a magnificent Marion Oaks Community Center with a 450 seat auditorium, meeting rooms, well-stocked library, and recreational facilities like lighted multi-purpose sports courts.
No matter where you live in Marion Oaks you have immediate access to all the recreational advantages that residents in nearby "retirement communities" pay extra for. That means you can put more into your own home and less into someone else's community amenities. Why pay for something you don't want, don't use or don't need?
|
|
McIntosh a small Victorian town where you can step back in time.
The town has a canopy of old libe oak trees. McIntosh area prior to the beginning of its development. In 1851 qn account of plantation llife in the vincinty of McIntosh is given a diary kept by George Houston.
A description of the Indians burning Col. McIntosh;s sugar mill is included in an account dating back to that tiime. Col. McIntosh never actually owned the townsite. However his colofrul reputation while serving with the Georgia 4th Regiment during the Second Seminole War, plus ownership of the plantation, may have suggested the name fior the town.
In 1830, Nehemiah Brush bought 4,000 acres from an old Spanish land grant . Early settlers came by boat up the St. Johns River to Palatka, about 60 miles away, and gradually drifted to this lakeside spot. But as with many rural towns, it was the railroad that brought settlers and then development. The Brush heirs donated land for creation of the narrow-gauge Florida Southern Railroad; later the Seaboard Railway Co. established a depot.
Today, this small town of just over 400 residents lures thousands of guests each year to the shores of Orange Lake, north of Ocala. With its quaint antique shops and fishing camps, it presents a vision of the Sunshine State as it was, plus an extraordinary opportunity to enjoy it today.
.
|
Ocala FL "Horse Capital of The World"
Ocala was established in 1846 by Matthew Edward Hall near the site of Fort
King, a military outpost of the Seminole Wars. Greater Ocala is known as the "Kingdom of the Sun" The area was an important center of citrus production until the Great Freeze of 1894-1895 The first thoroughbred horse farm in Florida was created by Carl G. Rose in 1943 Earlier, in 1916, Rose had come to Florida from Indiana to oversee the first asphalt road ever constructed in the state. When he ran into problems with the asphalt, he improvised and experimented with one of Florida's abundant resources: limestone. He also realized that the Limestone would be a good source of nutrition for raising strong horses,the entrepreneur Bonnie Heath soon set up his own thoroughbred horse farm and produced the state's first Kentucky Derby winner.
Ocala is surrounded by some of the most beautiful horse farms in the world, the Silver Springs Attraction with its famous glass-bottom boats, and the Ocala National Forest. We are about an hour's drive to either coast or to the attractions in Orlando. We enjoy a moderate climate, diverse economy and an excellent public education system. Also,many historic homes are preserved in Ocala's large residential Historic District, established in 1984. A focus of this district is East Fort King Street, featuring many excellent examples of Victorian architecture. Ocala structures on the National Register of Historic Places include the Coca Cola Building, the E. C. Smith House, East Hall, the Marion Hotel, Mount Zion A.M.E. Church, the Ritz Historic Inn, and Union Train Station.The original Fort King site itself was designated a National Historic Landmark in 2004.
Ocala, incorporated as a town on February 4 1869 and later Incorporated as a city on January 28 1885.
|
|
Rainbow Springs
Rainbow Springs Florida may not have much in the way of scenic mountains, or canyons, or waterfalls, but the state's natural springs have always attracted tourists. Once upon a time it was just plain old "Blue Springs," but that was before the developers in the 1930's decided that "Rainbow Springs" had a nicer ring to it. Instead of glass bottom boats, "Submarine Boats" were built to show off the springs. In these passengers sat below the waterline, looking out at the fish and the springs through windows in the sides. A lodge and, of course, gift shop, were also built.
Then, in 1967, S & H Green Stamp heir Walter Beinke bought Rainbow Springs with an eye toward turning it into a major attraction. In 1968 animal shows were added, along with an aviary, a paddlewheel riverboat, newly air-conditioned submarine boats, a rodeo demonstration ring, and an unusual leaf-shaped monorail that went right through the upper reaches of the aviary. The one thing they couldn't change was its location outside Dunnellon -- I-75 went through miles away to the east, and the tourists went right on past in their rush to Orlando and Walt Disney World. Although a trickle of tourists came to Rainbow Springs, it just wasn't enough business to support all that investment. In 1970 Holiday Inn bought in for 50 percent, and then, in 1972, Beinke sold out his half to a Miami Development group. Rainbow Springs the tourist attraction closed in 1973.
For a time it looked like the springs would be completely built up, with the entire area and springs turned into one big waterfront housing development. But, under pressure from local citizens who wanted to preserve the springs, the State of Florida finally bought the former park in 1990, with some help from Marion County. Now the land was preserved, but the state, then undergoing a budget crunch, lacked the money to clean up the park, fix the facilities, and reopen what was left. Rainbow Springs State Park was on hold, but the locals wanted their park back. Volunteers got together to do the work, and had the park open on weekends by 1992. "The Friends of Rainbow Springs State Park, Inc." organization to assist the park was officially incorporated in 1993.
In 1995 Rainbow State Park opened for daily operation under the state park system, still assisted by volunteers. The monorail and boats are gone, but the beauty of the springs lives on.
|
|
Reddick FL
The town seems to be named from the practice of locals saying I’m going to Reddick’s. George Bender Reddick born in 1848 which he & his wife established a hotel and store in 1880 at the site which came to be known as Reddick. The town was formally established in 1882 and on March 14, 1882 the first postmaster was John Mills Reddick the brother of George. The founders of Reddick have aconnection to a well-known Revolutionary war figure.
|
|
Salt Springs
Salt Springs is located near Lake George.. The community is part of the Ocala Muncipal area. Salt Springs offers plenty of activities for the family; including, fishing, camping, biking and hiking Marion County, It is locate. The neighboring body of water known as Lake Kerr is also a place to enjoy a variety of water sports. Located in the Ocal National Forest is Salt Springs Run, where crystal clear water rises from ancient subterranean springs and flows about 5 miles before discharging into Lake George (St. Johns River). inside the town limits is "Bass Champions," a seafood/country cooking restaurant that has become a favorite of locals as well as those from other parts of the state
|
|
Summerfield is located in Southern Marion County. Also it is within 20 minutes of I-4 and I-75. Summerfield is pretty LARGE, just very spread out and rural You are located minutes away from most major restaurants, shopping, service and entertainment. You will find Many Doctors, clinics and therapeutic facilities in the area as well. It is within 15 minutes of some very relaxing fishing on the Oklawaha River, hunting or camping in the Ocala Forest, some local entertainment in Silver Springs Park or Uncle Donald's Farm (lady lake) AND the Market of Marion Fleamarket.
|
|
|
|