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 Lake
County is located in the geographical center of the State
between the Florida Cities of Orlando and Ocala. The County
contains over 1,000 lakes and 202 square miles of water.
Lake County's terrain is very different from the rest of
Florida, which is mostly flat. Averaging 184' above sea
level, it contains some of the highest elevations in the
State. Lake County is the home of the Harris Chain of Lakes
covering over 76,000 acres connecting to the Atlantic Ocean
through the Ocklawaha River.
The winters in Lake County are cooler than in South Florida or
on the coasts. The average January temperature is 59.7
degrees F, and the average August temperature is 82.4 degrees
F. The average rainfall is 47.57 inches, falling mostly in
the rainy season between June and October.
We have distinct seasons with beautiful foliage color
changes, but our winters are mild. There's just enough of a
nip in the air to remind you that the cooler season is here.
The largest city is Leesburg with 15,409 residents. Eustis
comes in a close second with 15,379 residents. Expanding
Clermont has seen a 30% growth rate since 1980. In 2000 the
population of Clermont had expanded to a little over 9,000
residents. Lake County continues to grow and is one of the
fastest growing Counties in the State of Florida.
The City of Lady Lake is the home of "The Villages", one of
the largest planned retirement communities in the United
States with a population of over 80,000 residents.
Lake County is bordered on the North by the Ocala National
Forest. The forest covers a total of 383,573 acres of
pristine woodlands, ecological sites, trails and natural
springs. The City of Umatilla, with just over 2000 residents,
is the gateway to the National Forest.
The heart of Lake County is the Golden Triangle Area. The
triangle is made up of the cities of Mount Dora, Tavares and
Eustis. Tavares is the county seat housing the County Court
House and Government Centers. Eustis is a small city that is
rich in history. Nestled along the eastern shore of Lake
Eustis, the 7,000 acre lake provides a picturesque background
for this beautiful small town where friendliness is not a
thing of the past.
Mount Dora is the shinning jewel of the Golden Triangle.
Named by Money magazine as one of three "Best Places to Live"
in America, the streets are lined with giant oaks, giving all
who visit here a feeling of being in 19th Century England.
Historic and Interesting facts:
Lake County became a legal entity on July 27, 1887 when it was
created out of portions of Orange and Sumter counties.
It was named Lake County because there were over 1400 lakes
within its proposed boundaries. Tavares became the county
seat after 3 elections that included political maneuvering and
outright corruption.
As part of his effort to have Tavares named as County Seat,
Major St. Clair Abrams, who founded Tavares, borrowed $10,000
and built a courthouse, which later was known as the Pioneer
Building. In 1922 the county floated a $250,000 Bond Issue
and built a new courthouse which is now known as the Historic
Courthouse.
The first Post Office was established in Okahumpka in 1845
when Florida was still a territory. In 1890, the first census
was formed and there were 8,034 people in the county.
Agriculture was the main industry until the freezes of 1983,
1985 and 1989.
Walt Disney's parents were married in a small town named
Kismet, which no longer exists, on December 27, 1887. As a
child, Walt used to spend vacations visiting his Aunt Jessie
Perkins in Paisley.
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