Floridiana Magazine

History. Heritage. Home.

Dunlawton Sugar Mill Gardens

Just a short drive off Nova Road (Highway 5A) in Port Orange is another one of those hidden gems in Florida. Dunlawton Sugar Mill Gardens is a 12-acre mix of gardens and Florida history.  I have to admit, one of the things that drew me here in the first place, was the knowledge an old Florida tourist attraction used to be on this site.  More on that later, but first a little about the sugar mill.

Entrance to Dunlawton Sugar Mill Gardens. Don’t forget to drop a donation in the box just inside.

Dunlawton Sugar Mill Plantation

The history of the plantation goes back to before Florida even became a state when it was part of a 995 acre land grant in 1804.  After passing through several hands, it was eventually purchased by Sarah Petty Anderson (Dunn) in 1832 under the name Dunlawton Plantation – a combination of Anderson’s maiden name and the previous owners of the land, Charles and Joseph Lawton. For three years, sugar and molasses were produced here, until the Second Seminole War.  Like many other mills in Florida, Dunlawton was burned to the ground. With no money to rebuild it, the Anderson family abandoned the property.  The mill changed hands a couple more times until it was burned down again during the Third Seminole War.  During the Civil War, Dunlawton was a camp for the St. John’s Rangers, in the 2nd Florida Cavalry who used the kettles for the “production of salt for food preservation and ammunition.”

Side view of the sugar mill, showing the purgery which contained vats to catch molasses drippings.

Kettle trains in the boiling room

Cane crusher

Visitors can get a good glimpse of what the sugar making process entailed.  Many of the old pieces of machinery are still in place, including a cane crusher, the boilers and kettles.  The brick structures are now protected by a metal roof, although at one time in its history a wooden roof created an “enclosed” sugar factory.

There are plenty of informational placards that provide a better understanding of the history of the mill and the process of sugar making. Make sure you stop and read them all.

One of many informational signs throughout the gardens

Bongoland

Who would have thought the site of protected archaeological ruins would also one day turn into a tourist attraction?  During the 1940s and ‘50s, the property was transformed into Bongoland – an attraction that featured animals, an Indian village, a train to take visitors around the park and a series of dinosaurs created out of chicken wire and concrete. Oh, and Bongo – the baboon that lived on the grounds.  Unfortunately, the whole idea of theme parks hadn’t caught on and Bongoland closed due to a lack of interest.

Bongoland brochure

Five of the original dinosaurs remain on the property and can be viewed during your walk around the park.  Most of them are located near the Children’s Garden and still remain an attraction in their own right. One park goer says she used to climb under and around the dinosaurs, but they have since been cordoned off with fencing.  Still, kids love to stand in front of these prehistoric animals and marvel at their size.  Plus they are perfect for picture taking!

Watch out for the dinosaurs!

Tyrannosaurus Rex – don’t let his “smile” deceive you!

Dimetrodon

Triceratops

Ground Sloth

Kids love the dinosaurs!

After Bongoland closed, the property sat neglected until it was bequeathed to Volusia County in 1963. An organization known as Botanical Gardens of Volusia, Inc. made a deal with the county and began leasing the property in 1985. Their work at the gardens relies 100% on donations and volunteers.

The gardens are filled with water features, flowers and plants.

Vine growing wild

Ginger

Fern

Confederate Oak – according to legend, Confederate soldiers frequently camped under it.

Whether you visit to meander along the many trails and look at the plants and flowers, view the dinosaurs or take a look back into the history of Florida sugar making, this is worth the visit.

Flower Circle

Floridiana Magazine (FM) Notes: The gardens are open every day from 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. (except for Christmas and New Years).   There is no admission fee, but donations are accepted. Botanical Gardens of Volusia, Inc. is always looking for volunteers to serve on committees or work in the gardens.  Visit their website for more information.

Micanopy: The Town that Time Forgot

A quiet Saturday morning on Cholokka Boulevard in Micanopy.

A Saturday visit to Micanopy demonstrated the laid back way of life in this small Florida town.  Closing in on 10:00 a.m., the streets were void of cars and the shops had not yet opened.  The only life in this little town at that time of the morning was at the Coffee n’ Cream Café.  Guests sat outside on the porch, having their morning coffee and catching up on each other’s lives.  They were the early birds.  We were told most people didn’t start showing up in town until sometime between 10:00 a.m. and noon.

Micanopy is the oldest inland community in Florida and was named for Seminole Indian Chief Micanopy.  The town started out as an Indian trading post in 1821.  When a 45-mile road from present-day Palatka to Micanopy was built in 1822 by a select group of settlers and craftsmen from New York, it opened the area up to what would become a vegetable growing hub and busy market town in this section of the state.

The town fell into some hard times during the Second Seminole War in the 1830s and had to be rebuilt. Some of those buildings are now on the National Register of Historic Places.

Just one of the buildings holding this distinction.

 

Known as “The Town that Time Forgot,” Micanopy is home to about 600 people.  The main street through town, Cholokka Boulevard, is lined with gift shops and antique stores, from the eclectic to the traditional.  Those shops are a draw for tourists.

Another draw is The Herlong Mansion Historic Inn and Gardens which epitomizes the charm of Micanopy.  A long brick sidewalk leads to the front doors of this bed and breakfast.  Built in 1845, the mansion now hosts a series of suites, rooms and cottages.

An inviting entrance to the Herlong Mansion

The charm of this little town has also been the backdrop for a couple of movies.  Micanopy was the setting for Cross Creek in 1985 and then in 1991 turned into Grady, South Carolina for a few short months during the filming of Doc Hollywood, starring Michael J. Fox.  If you look close enough, you can see where the building that served as the garage where Dr. Stone’s car was repaired.

This building served as the garage in the 1991 movie Doc Hollywood starring Michael J. Fox.

Not everything is always quiet here.  One weekend out of the year, the town transforms into a two-day arts and crafts festival which draws in tens of thousands of people into the small downtown area.  The main boulevard is closed off for vendors from around the state for the Micanopy Fall Festival.

Food, crafts and art.  A winning combination for Micanopy.

Crowds are the norm for the Micanopy Fall Festival.

A descendant of the original Florida Highwaymen shows off his talents at the festival.

Once the festival ends, the town goes back to the way it was:  one of those little gems that can be found off the main highways.  If you want to get out early on a Saturday to do a little antique shopping, wait until after 10:00 a.m.  But if you’re looking for a quiet way to start the day, this little town is the perfect place.

A quaint little town.

This antique store is permanently closed. FM Facts

The 42nd Annual Micanopy Fall Festival will be held Saturday and Sunday, October 28 and 29, 2017.

Solomon’s Castle

If you could imagine a castle anywhere in Florida, where would it be?  Palm Beach County?  Miami Beach?  How about Ona?

Yes, ONA!  A small community between Arcadia and Wauchula.  Still not sure where that is?  This is one place you may have to find using an atlas or the map app on your smart phone.

Solomon’s Castle is a shining three-story structure in the middle of a swamp.  Even though I grew up in Hardee County, I did not actually tour the castle for the first time until a couple of years ago.  At that time, Howard Solomon – the creative genius behind this castle – could be seen around the property – offering up commentary and stories to his guests.

I knew when I planned my most recent visit there had been a big change.  The king of the castle had recently passed away.

Solomon bought the property for the castle in 1972 and began building.  One of the first things to notice is the exterior – covered with aluminum printing plates from the local newspaper.  There are also 90 stained glass windows, including some dedicated to the arts, fairy tales, and even planets.

Inside the castle there’s a gallery of his artwork, made from recycled materials.  From gears and chains, to lawn mower parts and wire hangers, Solomon had a knack for taking mundane objects and turning them into masterpieces.  And he did it all without drawing any of it out on paper.

Carousel made with old turntables

Solomon’s art is also a testament to his sense of humor.  The tour guides readily say the castle is the “Pun Palace.”  Nearly all of the sculptures come with their own play on words.

The Lion’s Club – a lion sculpture with a baseball bat. (By the way, the lion weighs 190 pounds and took 45 days to make.)

The Florida Cadillac – an orange hauler which represents all the Cadillacs bought with oranges.

And Busting Out – the equal rights lady.

Like the Lion, many of his pieces were made out of oil drums.  The story is when Solomon said he was going to create an oil drum sculpture, people just showed up with the drums.

Today’s visit also included a tour of Solomon’s personal car collection, which he started in 2007.  Two large showrooms house the cars, along with other pieces of his art.  Snoopy gets to fly in the Red Baron’s plane, a hot-air balloon hovers overhead, and the wooden frame of a zeppelin hangs from the ceiling.  Also on display, Solomon’s last completed project – which you will have to go see for yourself, although here is a hint as to what it is.

Part of Solomon’s personal car collection

Snoopy

Hot air balloon

Zeppelin

A sneak peek at Howard Solomon’s last completed project

No visit to Solomon’s Castle would be complete without stopping at the Boat in the Moat for a bite to eat or a cool beverage.

 

Solomon’s Castle is definitely on the list of places to see in Florida.  It is what you would expect it to be:  fun, quirky and yes, a little corny.  But as even the youngest of visitors said during the tour, “Oh, I get it!”

And so will you!

NOTE:  A special thanks Howard Solomon’s daughter, Alane, for the hospitality.

 

 

Florida Backroad Travels

Most days are spent in the car heading to a specific location: the office, the grocery store, a restaurant or one of the many Florida parks and attractions on my list of places to visit.  But there are days when it’s good to just get out on the backroads with no real destination in mind.

County Road 665

Recently, my travels took me down some backroads in Hardee County – a rural county tucked in the middle of the state about 75 miles southeast of Tampa.  Hardee is where I grew up, graduated from high school, and where my family still lives.  If there’s one thing that can be said about this place, it’s that there are some beautiful backroads and a lot of opportunities to see “old Florida.”  You just have to look for them.

County Road 665

Whether you head to Hardee or any of the other smaller counties in Florida, there are a few things to keep in mind before setting out:

  • Carry a map – Some country roads are in areas with limited cell service. You probably wouldn’t get lost, but why take a chance?
  • Take your time – The speed limit is usually lower on these backroads anyway, and there’s nothing wrong with going that speed, or even slower. If you go too fast, you’re going to miss the sights, which defeats the purpose of backroad travel.
  • Look everywhere – Not everything there is to see will be by the side of the road. Deer, turkeys and other wildlife can often be spotted, but you have to look for them.  Look in the wooded areas, in pastures, in the middle of orange groves.  And don’t forget to look in the trees or on power poles.  Eagles and other birds can be spotted nesting here as well.
  • Take your camera and binoculars – The binoculars will give you a close up look at some of the wildlife and the camera will preserve your travels.
  • Watch out for the other guy – Believe it or not, you probably won’t be alone on some of these backroads. They are also popular for motorcyclists who spend their weekends out riding.

 

The state’s many backroads offer the adventurer mile after mile of “old Florida.”  Fill up your gas tank and head on out.  The scenery is well worth the drive.

Sweetwater Road

What are some of your favorite backroads to travel?  Leave us a comment!