Visitors flock to Central Florida for its mild winters, pristine
waterways, and proximity to Atlantic and Gulf beaches, and in the heart
of Central Florida lies Altamonte Springs, the largest city in Seminole
County. Taking its name from the many spring-fed lakes and sand hills
that make up the area, Altamonte Springs is now home to more than 40,000
residents. Developed into a winter resort town in the late 1800s during
the area's first tourism boom, Altamonte Springs became a sunny
playground for the wealthy and an oasis for those requiring a healing
environment in which to recuperate from various ailments. Times were
good, but this was just the beginning of the once tiny village's growth
and prosperity. From the era when rolling pineland along the lakes drew
the first settlers to the area that would became Altamonte Springs, this
community has attracted visitors and new residents from far and wide.
The early railroad transported winter tourists who sought the medicinal
qualities of local springs, and this influx of people led to the
development of many businesses, including Fuller's Store, the grand
Altamonte Hotel, and the Jasmine Theater. After surviving the challenges
brought about by the Great Freeze of 1894-1895, the city continued to
grow, and its citizens, with an unyielding spirit, continued to work,
worship, socialize, and raise families in the community they called
home. Today, Altamonte Springs is the bustling retail center of Seminole
County.
