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Fort Meade Florida

Welcome back to #TravelThursday. For 50+ years – Fort Meade was a military post and town that I grew up near in the 1970s. It’s in Anne Arundel County Maryland – between Baltimore, Washington, and Annapolis. It’s named after U.S. Civil War Union Major General George Gordon Meade (1815-1872).

But then this past year I was made aware of another Fort Meade – 30 miles away from my current home here in the Heartland of Florida. Fort Meade Florida is also named after George Gordon Meade. After graduating from the U.S. Military Academy in West Point New York in 1835 – he served in the Second Seminole War here in Florida from 1835 to 1842. He continued his service in the Mexican-American War from 1846 to 1848.

Fort Meade Florida is a small historic city in rural southwestern Polk County. It’s the oldest city in the county – with origins dating back to 1849. (Happy 175TH Anniversary !) It was established along a new military road (a portion of modern-day U.S. 98) that was constructed between Fort Brooke (Tampa on the west coast) and Fort Pierce (on the east coast).

Fort Meade’s population has held fairly steady over the past 60 years – between 4,000 and 6,000. I’ve driven through Fort Meade a few times recently – on my way to and from Bartow and Lakeland to the north (along U.S. 98). Kiki’s Egg House is a wonderful diner along the main road through downtown. They serve breakfast and lunch, and you’ll find a lot of the locals there. Every future drive through Fort Meade will probably include a hearty meal there for me.

I have not yet visited the Historical Society Of Fort Meade Florida Museum – which I had hoped to do before publishing this blog post. But there will be plenty of opportunities to do so. They are currently open 3 days a week – on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays – from 10 AM to 2 PM. I actually have it on my schedule to visit today, so if I actually do so then this will become a 2-part series, and I’ll write all about it next – #TravelThursday.

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All rights reserved (c) 2024 Christopher M. Day, CountUp

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Blogging History Travel

Pioneer Daze 2024

Welcome back to #TravelThursday. We are exactly one month away from the biggest event of the year for the Sebring Historical Society – “Pioneer Daze”. It’ll be held at the Alan Jay Arena – adjacent to the Highlands County Fairgrounds / Firemen’s Field – at the corner of Sebring Parkway and Kenilworth Boulevard near downtown Sebring Florida.

It’s our 2ND annual event, and it’ll be bigger than last year. You’ll want to get there early, as the fun starts at 9:30 AM. Enter at the Blue Streak Boulevard gate off Kenilworth Boulevard. My volunteers will get you, your party, and your vehicle to a great parking space. (I’m in charge of parking.)

Admission is free !

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Next #TravelThursday – I’ll tell you all about Fort Meade Florida. Let’s keep traveling together.

All rights reserved (c) 2024 Christopher M. Day, CountUp

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Blogging History Travel

The Hotel Jacaranda

Welcome back to #TravelThursday. A favorite place of mine in Avon Park Florida – aside from the historic Avon Park Depot Museum – is the historic Hotel Jacaranda – AKA “The Jac” – AKA “Queen Of The Ridge”.

Built between 1923 and 1926 along Main Street in the historic downtown district – it’s been operating continuously as a hotel with a restaurant for the past 98 years. It’s named for an estimated 150-year-old Jacaranda tree that had to be knocked-down and removed to make room for the building at its location at 19 East Main Street. The entire mile-long Main Street historic district (eastward from U.S. 27) is on the National Register Of Historic Places.

During the late-1920s and into the 1930s it housed visiting major and minor league baseball players who were training in the city. Babe Ruth stayed at the hotel, as did Clark Gable, George Burns and Gracie Allen, and other famous stars of sports and screen. During World War 2 it housed military pilots who were training at the nearby Army Airfield.

Since 1988 it’s been owned and operated by the South Florida State College Foundation. The college has classrooms within the building as well as offices and student dorm rooms. Culinary students train in the kitchen of the restaurant and create many of the meals that are served to its customers. I’ve enjoyed a half-dozen delicious meals at the restaurant, and I’ll continue to support them and enjoy the ambience of the historic hotel.

If there ever comes a time where I need to vacate my home for a night or two (power outage, no A.C. in the summertime, no water, etc.) – then I would definitely consider checking the availability of a room at The Jac. I would love to spend a night or two there.

Financial donations support continuous restoration of the hotel.

#CountUp & #TravelThursday is on Facebook.

Next #TravelThursday – Pioneer Daze is coming. I’ll tell you all about it. Let’s keep traveling together.

All rights reserved (c) 2024 Christopher M. Day, CountUp

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Blogging History Travel

Tasmania Florida

Welcome back to #TravelThursday. Last week I wrote about the historic Avon Park Depot Museum – operated by the Avon Park Historical Society. It’s located about 4½ miles from my neighborhood. On a recent visit a friendly docent greeted me, and we had a nice conversation about local history – not just of Avon Park, but also of the entirety of Highlands County and beyond. Truly I could have spent several hours in conversation with him.

He told me about Tasmania (Florida) and Fisheating Creek. That led me to do some historical research on the ghost town and the natural free-flowing stream that runs alongside it.

So Tasmania is actually located in western Glades County (our neighbor to the south). It’s about 10 miles west of the small community of Palmdale, and about 4 miles south of the Highlands County line. What remains of Tasmania are foundations and a few farm buildings along what is now Tasmania Road, or Glades County Road 731. (That zigzagging road also enters Highlands County.)

Tasmania was established during the late-1880s, and it got its name in 1916. The small settlement along Fisheating Creek (its original name) was mostly abandoned during the Great Depression of the 1930s when it was bypassed by the railroad to the east (along what is now U.S. 27).

Fisheating Creek begins in the hills of southwestern Highlands County, and it flows downhill for about 50 miles southward into Glades County and then eastward into Lake Okeechobee providing the big lake with about 9% of its water (the second-largest natural source of water after the Kissimmee River). There’s actually a gap in the 30-foot-high Herbert Hoover Dike that surrounds Lake Okeechobee where Fisheating Creek flows freely through to the lake on its west side. (The dike parallels the Creek at its mouth.)

I’m glad I had that conversation with that docent on that day in Avon Park. I got to learn all about Tasmania and Fisheating Creek. I’ve driven over the Creek about 60 times over the past 18 months via U.S. 27. Now when I drive over it – I’ll be thinking about everything that I’ve learned about it from source to mouth – from swampland past settlement to lake.

As a fellow historical museum docent – I’m encouraged to know that my visitors are learning about the local area from me, and then they are leaving and telling their family and friends about their experience. They may also be doing historical research of their own. That’s a great way to preserve, protect, and promote history around us.

Florida Fish And Wildlife Conservation (FWC) Commission –
Fisheating Creek Wildlife Management Area

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Next #TravelThursday – we take a trip out west to Texas. Let’s keep traveling together.

All rights reserved (c) 2024 Christopher M. Day, CountUp