Eustis, Florida
Eustis is a city in Lake County, Florida, United States. It lies about 35 miles northwest of Orlando, Florida and is part of the Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population in the city proper was 23,189 at the 2020 census.
Eustis is often referred to by its motto "America's Hometown" and is known for its small-town charm. The City of Eustis holds a festival every year which begins on the last Friday of February and runs through Sunday and has been held since 1902. This annual festival, referred to as GeorgeFest, is recognized as the longest consecutive running event held in honor of George Washington, first President of the United States.
History
Source:Eustis is one of several towns in Lake County that trace their origins to the 1870s, a post-Civil War era when settlers moved southward into the Florida frontier. The city is named after then Colonel Abraham Eustis, a U.S. Army officer who served during the Seminole Wars and skirmished along the south shore of what is now Lake Eustis, near Tavares.
Early settlement and founding (1825–1880)
The U.S. government opened the region for homesteading in the 1850s, though settlement was delayed by the Civil War.Surveying was completed in 1875, and by 1876, A. S. Pendry had homesteaded on the eastern shore of Lake Eustis and planted a citrus grove. In 1877, he opened the Ocklawaha Hotel and operated a post office from its lobby under the name "Pendryville."
By 1879, Pendry platted 80 acres of his land as Pendryville, but the settlement's name changed shortly thereafter to Lake Eustis, and then simply "Eustis."
G. D. Clifford, another early settler, opened a general store and launched the area's first mail service. The second floor of his store was used to organize Eustis's first churches, including Episcopal, Methodist, and Presbyterian congregations.
In 1878, Eustis was connected to Leesburg, Florida and Mellonville, via telegraph.
Before the arrival of railroads, steamboats served as the main means of travel and shipping. Eustis was connected by steamer to Mellonville and Jacksonville via the St. Johns River. A key boat landing was located at the foot of Macdonald Avenue, which became a commercial corridor.
Railroad and incorporation (1880–1890s)
In 1880, the St. Johns and Lake Eustis Railway reached Fort Mason, north of Eustis, transforming travel and commerce. The first train coming from Astor to Fort Mason, where passengers and freight made lake steamer connections to Leesburg, Helena, Yalaha, Bloomfield, Lane Park, and Tavares. The town grew rapidly with new stores, schools, a bank, and churches.In 1881, Clifford and Smith built the town's first general store building. By 1883, residents voted to drop “Lake” from the name and incorporated the City of Eustis. D.W. Herrick was elected the first mayor. Bertie Clifford was the first baby born before Eustis was incorporated in 1883, and Edith Hutchins was the first baby of the newly incorporated town.
In 1886, Dr. J. H. Potter and Professor Byron F. Marsh established the Eustis Seminary, a school serving grades 1–12 near today's Eustis High School. The school closed in 1895 due to financial constraints.
An 1887 business directory listed the Clifford Store as a regional commercial hub, selling goods from groceries to hardware. Its upstairs opera house served as a cultural venue for Central Florida.
On January 1, 1888, Elias Disney and Flora Call—parents of Walt Disney—were married in Kismet, a now-defunct settlement near the Ocala National Forest. They honeymooned at the Kismet Hotel. In 1909, that hotel was dismantled and reassembled in Eustis as the Grand View Hotel, which operated until 1955.
Citrus boom and the [Great Freeze] (1890s)
Citrus farming became a cornerstone of the Eustis economy in the late 19th century. The area was surrounded by orange groves, and packing houses shipped produce to northern markets. However, the Great Freeze of 1894–1895, followed by another in 1898–1899, devastated crops and crippled the local economy.Despite this, Eustis rebounded and became known as the “Orange Capital of the World.” The United States Department of Agriculture established a research station and lab in Eustis, pioneering the study of citrus plant diseases and hybridization.
G.D. Clifford's Victorian home, designed in 1894, was delayed due to the freeze and completed in 1911. It now houses the Eustis Historical Museum and Preservation Society. Says Eustis historian Louise Carter, "Even though the freeze brought the town's economy to a standstill, Mr. Clifford kept his lakefront general store open and extended credit until people could recover."
According to an 1887 business directory, the Clifford Store on Lake Eustis sold groceries, hardware, building material, fertilizers, stoves, crockery, glassware, hay, and grain. The opera house, on the second floor, was a cultural center of Eustis and a wide swath of Central Florida. The eighteen-room house at the corner of Bay Street and Bates Avenue today houses the Eustis Historical Museum and Preservation Society, and takes visitors back to the gracious Lake County lifestyle of one hundred-odd years ago.
Dr. J. H. Potter, the founding pastor of the First Presbyterian Church, encouraged the development of Eustis Seminary in 1886, under the direction of Professor Byron F. Marsh. The seminary served students from first through twelfth grades. Its buildings were located near the present site of Eustis High School on Washington Avenue. Struggling financially, the school closed around 1895
Early 1900s–Great Depression (1900–1930s)
By the early 1900s, Eustis had become a popular winter resort, with the Ocklawaha Hotel catering to wealthy visitors.In 1902, the city began an annual George Washington's Birthday celebration, now called GeorgeFest—the longest consecutively running annual festival in the United States honoring Washington.
The Dixie Highway and growing use of automobiles brought increased tourism. In the 1910s, the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Depot on Magnolia Avenue served train travelers.
1913: The city established Ferran Park, named for local businessman Edgar L. Ferran. A bulkhead and land reclamation project created public green space along Lake Eustis.
1922: The Woman's Club of Eustis opened, now a historic landmark.
1923–1927: Eustis City Hall was constructed in Neoclassical style during the Florida land boom. It now houses municipal offices and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
1923: Frank D. Waterman built the Fountain Inn, which served tourists until it closed in 1936. In 1937, it was converted to Waterman Memorial Hospital.
Mid–Late 20th century
1955: The Grand View Hotel was demolished.1983: Eustis celebrated its centennial of incorporation.
Eustis remained a center for agriculture, including citrus, timber, and vegetables, before transitioning into a residential and commercial hub. Many Victorian homes and early 20th-century buildings survive today and are part of the historic downtown district.
Motorboating was—and remains—a popular activity on Lake Eustis, praised in period newspapers as unmatched in Florida.
21st century
2004: Florida Hospital Waterman (Now AdventHealth Waterman Hospital relocated from downtown to its current site on U.S. 441.2013: The city completed a major downtown streetscape project as part of its revitalization efforts.
2025: Today, Eustis continues to embrace its motto of “Culture, Opportunity, Vitality” while preserving its rich heritage. The Clifford House serves as a museum showcasing local artifacts and stories from Eustis's past.
Historic sites
Eustis, Florida, features a rich collection of historic landmarks that reflect the city's cultural, civic, and architectural heritage. Several of these properties are listed on the National Register of Historic Places, highlighting their local and national significance. For a complete listing of registered historic places in the region, see National Register of Historic Places listings in Lake County, Florida.A special thanks is extended to the for providing detailed historical information and for their continued efforts in preserving the city's historic identity.