About Celebration

Take the best ideas from the towns of yesterday and the technology of the new millennium, and fuse them into a community that meets the needs of modern families. The developers of Celebration started down a path of research & study that resulted in an innovative new community. Homes are a blend of traditional southeastern exteriors with front porches and interiors that enhance today’s lifestyles. A showcase for some of the world’s leading architects, MARKET STREET at CELEBRATION is a unique collection of charming shops and tempting eateries nestled around a serene lakeside promenade. Always on the menu at MARKET STREET are flavorful styles, distinctive ambiance, and outdoor patio dining. Celebration is made up of numerous smaller villages with its own character and amenities. Each village has its own park, palyground, tennis courts, basketball courts, community pool , etc. At the center of all these amenities is the Celebration Golf Club which features a target oriented course by Robert Trent Jones. There are also jogging and bike trails dispersed throughout the community. Celebration is home to a hospital, fitness center, hotel, and a Stetson University satellite branch which adds to its appeal. Keeping with the modern theme, a local intranet is provided to all residents. This is a compelling choice for a primary or vacation residence. The only gripe about the community is that the CDD fees add a lot to your property taxes and you do get a lot of traffic from wandering Disney tourists. For further info please visit http://www.celebrationfl.com

About Winter Garden, FL

A.B. Newton moved to the area from Mississippi with a history of poor health. It was in this area that his health improved and lived a long and healthy life. Newton gave credit to the city for his recovery, so he gave the city the name, Winter Garden. Records trace land titles of property in Winter Garden back to about 1880. Transportation during these years were by steamboat on Lake Apopka, but the steamship line went out of business when the first railroad was built in 1886. The railroad, or Orange Belt as it was called then, traveled from Sanford to St. Petersburg, Florida. The Orange Belt was later named the Atlantic Coast Line until it merged with the Seaboard Airline Cost Line. From this merger the Seaboard Coast Line Railroad was formed and provided freight service for the vast citurs industry from Winter Garden. Today, the Railroad Museum stands as a tribute to the vital form of transportation which enabled the citrus industry in the area to flourish. Incorporated in 1903 on the southern shores of Lake Apopka, Winter Garden was largely an agricultural community. Citrus and vegetables were the foundation of the area’s economy.

Change came in the 70’s and the 80’s when several back to back winter freezes combined with the opening of Disney World changed the local economy. Winter Garden adapted to the change and replaced the railroad tracks in the center of the town developing the West Orange Trail and Fowler’s Grove (luxurious retail center) bringing people from all over the area back to downtown. Today, the Winter Garden Heritage Foundation operates three museums in the downtown area. On any given day, a stroll down historic Plant Street in Winter Garden will uncover a slice of small-town life at its best. In the heart of this quaint Main Street community, one can see the successful efforts of redevelopment. Antique stores, ice cream shops and cafés line the downtown of this west Orange County community. My personal favorite is “Choctaw Willy’s” restaurant. The West Orange Trail provides a place to ride bicycles or jog through Winter Garden and enjoy the scenery. Winter Garden consists of approximately 17 square miles and is home to over 23,000 residents. The area that used to be known for its citrus industries is now home to many new families and businesses. Even with all the new growth in this historic city, Winter Garden has preserved its heritage while moving the community into the 21st century. The City will continue with its revitalization of the historic downtown area, including building a new City Hall and restoring the old theater and other buildings. In addition, the City is anticipating the 1.15 million square foot Winter Garden Village at Fowler Groves. The complex will include shopping, dining and banking options for West Orange County residents.

Southwest Orlando Zip Codes

A List of Southwest Orlando Zip Codes:

• Dr. Phillips 32819, 32836
• Windermere 34786
• Metrowest 32835
• Gotha 34734
• Ocoee 34761
• Winter Garden 34787
• Clermont 34711
• Williamsburg 32821
• Hunters Creek 32837
• Celebration 34747

About Windermere and the Butler Chain

Most first time visitors to the area may say that it is a little further away from everything than Dr. Phillips, but for luxury living at its best, look no further than the Town of Windermere. Pristine sand bottom lakes surround this small West Orange community. Boaters and Bass fisherman will love the system of canals that connects eleven lakes known as the Butler Chain of Lakes comprised of Lake Down, Little Lake Down, Wauseon Bay, Lake Butler, Lake Louise, Lake Isleworth, Lake Chase, Lake Pocket, Lake Tibet, Lake Sheen, and Fish Lake. The most popular types of boats to navigate the chain are ski boats, pontoon boats, and bass fishing boats. Lake Butler is the largest lake in the chain and houses a island bird sanctuary commonly referred to as “Bird Island” which many boaters use as a gathering place. A large blue pontoon boat covered in speakers, coolers, and of course a grill named “Grillin and Chillin” is a fixture there on most popular weekends and holidays. Some popular neighborhoods on the Butler Chain include Isleworth, Lake Butler Sound, Kelso, Keene’s Pointe, Windermere Downs, Marina Bay, Osprey Isle, Tibet Pointe, Bay Hill, Emerson Pointe, Cypress Isle, Cypress Point, and Chaine du Lac.

Lake Down is the northernmost lake but when the water levels become too low or high it becomes difficult to make it through the canal to the rest of the chain depending on the type of boat you’re in. Lake Tibet is the second largest lake in the chain and the Bay Hill marina offers a place to buy gas while on the chain. Another place to get gas on the chain is the Orange County Sportsman’s Club on Lake Sheen. A Sportsmans’s Club membership is a sought after commodity in Southwest Orlando because it’s only just a few hundred bucks a year and you get 2 boat ramps, boat storage, clubhouse, and a beach for your weekend boating excursions. The waiting list for membership typically runs at least two years but like many clubs, knowing the right person could expedite the process. To join the legions of boaters waiting to join, membership information can be obtained at 407-876-2010. The only public access to the Butler Chain is at the R.D. Keene Park located on Chase Road in Windermere and during the summer months the 47 parking spaces fill up by the early morning hours. The Lake Down ramp does provide another place for access but there’s no place to park so what’s the point.

Probably the least desirable lake on the Butler Chain, if there is such a thing, is Wauseon Bay because much of the lake is a no wake zone. Dont’ get me wrong, I would take a house on Wauseon Bay in a second. Heck, I’ll take one on one of the canals. The water on this chain are crystal clear and are spring fed. Most lakes in Central Florida such as the Clermont Chain, Conway Chain, Winter Park Chain, Harris Chain, and Lake Toho tend to have bathwater temperatures during the summer months but the water in the Butler Chain remains cool even in the peak summer months. The only complaint I have about the Butler Chain of Lakes is that I can’t afford a house on it but other than that, boat houses on docks are no longer allowed and the pre-existing boat houses have been grandfathered in.

The depth, temperatures, and water clarity also contribute in making the Butler Chain one of the best for bass fishing. It’s a little less renowned than nearby East Lake Toho, but the locals know that the Butler Chain is pretty comparable and a heck of a lot easier to fish. Bass tend to congregate tightly during the cold winter months at the ledges of drop offs which can go as deep as 41 feet then migrate to offshore submerged grass beds in 10 to 20 feet of water. Spring brings spawning season and the best time of the year for bass fishing where bass bed in shallow water which can be a foot or less. There’s so many different types of structures to fish here and most of them are easy to access. Jigging a gold spoon works well in fishing deep water holes like the one on Little Lake Down and popular baits for fishing various structures on the lakes include: Gary Yamamoto Senkos, Zoom Trick Worms, Zoom Flukes, White Willow Leaf Spinnerbaits, and various swim baits suited for really clear water. I really like the chartreuse shad color on my crankbaits and slashbaits and the watermelon color with red or black flecks work well for Senkos and Trick Worms. Fishing on the Butler Chain is a lot more pleasant during the weekdays with far less boaters crowding the waters. The fish bite all year round, but your best chance to catch the bass of a lifetime is during the Spring spawning season. Tim Fey, a resident of SW Orlando, is a well known guide along these waters who authors Bass Fishing Florida, a great resource for finding out what lures are working where.

This chain of lakes makes waterfront living in Windermere the premier location to live in Southwest Orlando. Windermere was given its name from Dr. Stanley Scott, whose father purchased 160 acres in this picturesque location in 1885. Dr. Scott built his home on the shore of Lake Butler, and it is believed by many that he named this town after England’s Lake Windermere. A book entitled Windermere Among the Lakes by Carl D. Patterson, Jr. published in 2005 creates the most detailed account of Windermere’s history.

Today, more than 2,300 people inhabit the Town of Windermere. The community, however, has not based its success on how rapidly it grows, but on how natural and pleasant a community in which it is to reside. Windermere tries to focus on preserving the town’s natural state and strong community atmosphere. The town’s quality of life is its most distinguishing feature. In fact, many of the town streets remain unpaved to continue their commitment to retain the pristine nature of the chain of lakes. The only paved street is 2nd Avenue which leads to Bumby Point, a peninsula that lies between Wauseon Bay and Lake Butler.

For luxury living with a small-town feel, you can’t beat the Town of Windermere. The Windermere Police Department, although comprised of I believe just 3 officers, have a reputation in the area for handing out speeding tickets for going even a mile an hour over the speed limit so beware. They’re probably bored from the lack of crime so I guess I can’t blame them. Other than that, the dirt roads, small town feel, and the canopy of age old oaks makes Windermere a really neat place to call home.

Click this link to see a stunning QTVR of the Butler Chain of Lakes created from a helicopter by Ed Fink of Big Eye in the Sky.

click fishing map to view in full screen

related post: Private Lake Access on the Butler Chain

related links: Butler Chain of Lakes Ecology, Butler Chain Conservation Association, Orange County Environmental Protection Division, Butler Chain Fishing Tips, Central Florida Fishing Report

Gotha: A Place for History in SW Orlando

Yellow Dog Eats

Age old oaks and peaceful lakes surround the tiny town between Windermere and Orlando called Gotha. It was found in 1885 by Henry Hempel after his hometown in Germany. Throughout this tiny town you’ll find wonderful examples of old Florida architecture. A quaint sandwich shop called Yellow Dog Eats is a great example of this style of architecture and the church across the street. I believe the church was called Camp Ithiel and it served as a camp for German POW’s in World War II. Both these buildings can be found at the corner of Hempel Rd. and Gotha Rd. The Palm Cottage Gardens established by a famous botanist Dr. Henry Nehrling, a property listed in the National Register of Historic Places as Florida’s oldest Botanical Garden, is located at 2267 Hempel Ave. More detailed information about Henry Nehrling can be found HERE.

The history here, the tall oaks that canopy the streets, and the unique architecture have contributed to the charm of Gotha but today some over development and a few new subdivisions have taken away from its ambiance. My personal feelings are that the town should have kept a closer watch on what some these developers have been doing.

Palm Cottage Garden by Botanist Dr. Henry Nehrling

History of Clermont

The City of Clermont was founded in 1884 and incorporated in 1916. The City is located in south Lake County in rural north central Florida. About 22 miles west of the City of Orlando and 22 miles southeast of the City of Leesburg, the city is located conveniently for most of its residents. Clermont is a booming city in Lake county Florida. Its population has soared recently as orange groves are converted into subdivisions. Development has prospered in the city, notably the vast amount of new subdivisions and homes. Clermont has also surged in economic growth, attracting big box retail names like Wal-Mart, Target, K-Mart and Kohls as well as many smaller establishments. Clermont is noted also for East Ridge HS, the largest school in the county. East Ridge is popular for its well earned academic achievements, and athletic talents. Unfortunately growth has become so rapid, that most of the schools in Clermont, including East Ridge are largely overcrowded (with over 2,500 students). In Early 2006, its been speculated, that there may be plans to build one of the biggest malls in Florida. However, this is yet to be confirmed. Clermont is noted for its natural Hills, which is unusual for central Florida. According to census data 21.5% of residents were born in the Northeast while 18.8% were born in the Midwest. Southerners make up 17.1% of residents. Just 6.5 % of residents were foreign born. At 323 feet above see level, Sugarloaf Mountain, located near route 561 between Astatula and Clermont, is the second highest elevation in Florida. Until the devastating freezes of the 1980’s, Sugarloaf was covered with citrus groves owned, in large part, by Willoughby T Cox Jr. and the Price family, all long-time residents of Lake County. Currently there are some homes zoned for horses and a new golf community planned. Sugarloaf Mountian is also a favorite place for cyclists to train traversing up the steep hill. Some of my personal favorite places in Clermont include Jack’s BBQ, The Country Skillet, Tiki Hut, Two Dog Cafe, Benchwarmers, and the Corner Restaurant. Clermont is a great lower priced alternative to Southwest Orlando provided the added distance is not a factor.

Who in the World is Dr. Phillips?

As most of us, Philip Phillips was not a native of Central Florida. He came here over a hundred years ago in search of a dream. Phillips wanted to move to Florida and become a cattleman. In the mid-1890’s, he first settled in the small farming community of Satsuma, Florida. In the winter of 1894-1895, a freeze wiped out his $5,000.00, investment in a small orange grove. After his loss, he returned home to Tennessee, disheartened but not defeated. Over the next several years, undaunted, he continued to buy small groves around Orlando. By 1903, Phillips had packed up his wife and infant son, Howard, and moved to Kissimmee. Walter, Phillip’s second son, was born shortly thereafter-and became the only Florida native in the family. In 1905, Phillip moved his family to Orlando. With a wife and two young sons to support, “Doc” Phillips’ dream of becoming a Central Florida cattleman faded as he struggled to eek out a living in his orange groves. Over the next several years, droughts, freezes, and banker continually threatened his livelihood. But this medical school grad, and son of a French immigrant farmer, plodded on day by day working from sunrise to sunset. His hard work and determination finally paid off.

By 1910, Doc had struck it rich. His vast holdings of groves were now producing a fortune in profits. Doc shared his good fortune and worked hard to help the less fortunate in the community. By the early 1920’s, Doc had built his showcase property in Southwest Orange County. The property eventually grew to encompass land from Conroy Road on the North to South of the Sand Lake chain in what is now Bay Hill, Sand Lake Hills, Orange Tree, and most of the other developments along Dr. Phillips Boulevard, Apopka-Vineland Road, Conroy-Windermere Road, and Sand Lake Road. A giant grove covered the land which is now South Bay and North Bay. If you look carefully, you can still find remnants of his giant citrus grove along Apopka-Vineland Road. Maybe, there is still one of his trees flourishing in your neighbor’s back yard. As the 20’s roared in, Howard and Walter had grown to be young men. As brothers, they couldn’t have been more different. Howard graduated from Harvard while Walter shunned the classroom but loved working outdoors in his father’s groves. As Doc’s sons matured so did his business. Howard struck out to sell his father’s citrus to customers in the Midwest; while Walter remained busy at home learning the day-to-day operations of the Phillips’ expanding citrus empire. The brother’s diverse interests provide the foundation for a Central Florida dynasty.

During the 30’s and 40’s, the Phillips citrus business grew even stronger when Doc developed a new process for canning orange juice. This industry innovation of flash pasteurizing allowed Doc to can his product without ruining its taste. Another boost to sales was generated when the American Medical Association declared that orange juice was good for one’s health. During World War II, Walter left the family business and became a respected consultant, helping orange growers all over Central Florida. Howard bought Walter’s shares in the family business and Walter moved to a 200 acre plot near Sand Lake and the family’s landing strip. The landing strip was used for another Phillips’ citrus industry first – aerial crop dusting. The airstrip was located on property which today has become the beautiful housing development of Phillips Landing. Walter continued to work the land that he loved, and Howard took up the reins of the family business.

In 1953 Doc, his wife Della, and Howard established the Dr. Phillips Foundation. Six years later Doc died a multi-millionaire. After his father’s death, Howard made the Dr. Phillips Foundation into Central Florida’s most prestigious philanthropic organization: which to this day, donates millions of dollars a year to organizations which make our community a better place to live. Howard established the framework within the family foundation which nurtured and molded the area into the neighborhood it is today. The foundation played a significant role in planning the development so that this area would become a neighborhood that the Phillips family could be proud of. Since 1953, the Dr. P. Phillips Foundation and Dr. Phillips, Inc. have provided tremendous support for the Central Florida community. Born from a mission to secure the future of philanthropy for our community, The Dr. P. Phillips Foundation and Dr. Phillips, Inc. today provide $7.5 million in philanthropic support to the community each year. The creation of the Howard Phillips Center for Children & Families, brings help to young victims of abuse and provides support to children coping with chronic disability or disease. The center would not have been possible without the financial support, guidance and advocacy provide by the Dr. P. Phillips Foundation and Dr. Phillips, Inc. They not only provide $1.5 million to launch this crucial endeavor, but were instrumental in securing additional funding as well. We, as residents, are Doc Phillips heirs. He and his family left us a beautiful neighborhood with wonderful schools, upscale restaurants, serene parks and magnificent churches. Doc and Howard’s legacy was not limited to Southwest Orange County. All of Central Florida benefits every day because of what he and his son achieved. We owe it to ourselves to strive to improve on Doc’s dream. Cherish your family and befriend your neighbors. Dedicate a small portion of your time to making this community a better place to live. Then, and only then, will we all achieve the true success that Philip Phillips worked hard all his life to achieve. Dr. Philip Phillips was a pioneer in the citrus industry, responsible for several key innovations in the processing and packaging of orange juice.

He owned thousands of acres of groves, stretching across nine Central Florida counties. Dr. Phillips eventually sold the bulk of his property to Minute Maid in the 1950s. The property he owned in southwest Orange County was sold to developers who built Bay Hill and other subdivisions. The area has experienced explosive growth in the last 30 years, due largely to the location of two key local industries; defense and tourism. Initially, it was the construction of defense giant Martin Marietta (currently Lockheed Martin) that had the greatest impact on Dr. Phillips, but that was only until the arrival in 1971 of Orlando’s most famous resident, Mickey Mouse. The impact of Walt Disney World on all of Central Florida has been huge, but nowhere is it more recognizable than in southwest Orlando and the Dr. Phillips area. The Dr. Phillips area has been able to maintain its superb quality of life by timely upgrading the infrastructure and controlling growth. Many people move to the Dr. Phillips area due to the reputation of the public schools alone. Located on the eastern shore of the Butler Chain of Lakes, many residents are active in boating and water sports.