Historical Markers in
Seminole County, Florida

Altamonte Springs American Revolution Belair Historical Marker Big Tree Bookertown Businesses Casselberry Central Florida Cattlemen Chuluota Citrus to Celery City of Sanford World War Memorial Civil War Concord Cemetery Dr. Seth French (1824~1896) Early City Development Early Hospitals in Sanford Evergreen Cemetery First Presbyterian Church of Lake Mary Fixed Signal Florida Honors and Remembers our POW’s and MIA’s Florida Honors and Remembers our POW’s and MIA’s Forest City Fort Concord Fort Lane Fort Mellon Park Fort Reid Fort Reid 1836 Gabriella George C. Means Memorial Bridge Georgetown Georgetown Georgetown and Goldsboro Goldsboro Henry Shelton Sanford Heroes Monument Historic Longwood/E.W. Henck Historical Figures Historical Winwood Hotel Forrest Lake Jamestown John & Annie Griffin King Philipstown/Osceola Korean War Lady Liberty Lake Charm Lake Jesup Lake Mary Historic Sites Lake Monroe Bridge Lawton House Longwood Hotel/Bradley McIntyre House Marina Isle Markham Martin Luther King Jr. Martin Luther King Jr. Mayfair Country Club Michelle Akers Midway/Canaan City NAS Sanford/City of Sanford Naval Air Station - Sanford Navy Plane Crash/Jim Jones: An Eyewitness Old Folks Home Orange Belt Railway Osteen Bridge Turner Oviedo Oviedo Turntable Presbyterian Church of Upsala Ramey Field Rollins College RVAH 12 Speartips Sanford & Tucker Sanford Est. 1877 Sanford Avenue Sanford Est. 1877 Sanford Est. 1877 Sanford High School/Sanford Grammar/Student Museum Sanford Railroad Historical Data Sanford State Farmers' Market Sanford's First Residents Second Seminole War Seminole County Seminole County Seminole County Seminole County Courthouses Seminole County World War Monument Site of Fort Mellon Slavia Speer Grove Park St. James African Methodist Episcopal Church St. Johns River and Lake Monroe Steamboats Sylvan Lake Park The Altamonte Hotel The Bishop Block The Brumley - Puleston Building The Dala Horse The DeForest Block The DeForest Building The E. E. Brady Livery Stable The First National Bank No. 1 The First National Bank No. 2 The First United Methodist Church of Geneva The Gate City of South Florida The Henry B. Lord Building The Hill Hardware Building The Imperial Opera House The Meisch Building The N.P. Yowell and the Garner-Woodruff Buildings The North American RA-5C Vigilante The Peoples Bank Building and Block The PICO Block The PICO Hotel, Restaurant, and Stores The Sanford Herald Building The Senator II The Springs The U.S. Navy Enlisted Bombardier/Navigator The U.S. Post Office The Whalers Saloon Turpentine Industry U.S. Navy Enlisted Bombardier / Navigator Upsala Swedish Community Vanished Sanford Veterans Memorial Veterans Memorial Park Veterans Park Vietnam War Wagner War of 1812 White’s Wharf William Bartram Trail Winter Springs Veterans Memorial Woodland Park World War I World War II "The Phoenix"…
The first European to explore Florida was actually a Spanish sailor named Juan Ponce de León in 1513, not the more well-known Christopher Columbus.
Seminole County, Florida, has a rich history that dates back thousands of years to the indigenous people who first inhabited the area. The Timucua tribe was one of the early Native American groups that lived in what is now Seminole County, even before the arrival of European explorers. Spanish explorers first made contact with the Timucua people in the 1500s, but conflict and diseases brought by the explorers ultimately led to the decline of the Timucua population.

In the 19th century, Seminole County was part of an ongoing struggle between Native American tribes and European settlers. The Seminole Wars, primarily fought in the early 1800s, were a series of conflicts between the Seminole tribe and the United States government. The war had a significant impact on Seminole County, as it was the site of several battles and served as a refuge for the Seminole people. The wars ended with the forced removal of many Seminole people to reservations in present-day Oklahoma.

Following the Seminole Wars, Seminole County saw an influx of settlers, particularly after the area was opened up for settlement in the late 1800s. The construction of railroads, such as the South Florida Railroad, played a crucial role in the growth of the county by connecting it to other parts of the state. This led to the establishment of towns like Sanford, which became a major transportation hub and center of commerce.

In the 20th century, Seminole County continued to develop and diversify. The growth of the aerospace industry in nearby Cape Canaveral and the establishment of the Kennedy Space Center brought economic opportunities to the county. With its proximity to the Orlando metropolitan area and the development of Walt Disney World, Seminole County also became an attractive location for residents looking for suburban living. Today, Seminole County is known for its vibrant communities, natural beauty, and successful blend of urban and rural areas.

This timeline provides a condensed summary of the historical journey of Seminole County, Florida.

  • 1821 - Florida becomes a territory of the United States as part of the Adams-Onís Treaty.
  • 1824 - The Seminole Tribe is recognized as a separate nation by the U.S. government.
  • 1835-1842 - The Second Seminole War takes place, leading to the removal of many Seminole Native Americans from the area.
  • 1845 - Florida is admitted as the 27th state of the United States.
  • 1911 - Seminole County is created from portions of Orange County and St. Johns County.
  • 1913 - The county seat of Seminole County is established in Sanford.
  • 1920s - The citrus industry thrives in Seminole County, contributing to its economic growth.
  • 1941-1945 - Seminole County plays a role in World War II as a training site for military personnel and the location of an Army Air Forces' bomber base.
  • 1971 - Walt Disney World Resort opens its doors in nearby Orange County, having a significant impact on tourism in the region.
  • 1991 - The City of Lake Mary is incorporated, becoming the largest city in Seminole County.
  • 2010 - The population of Seminole County reaches over 400,000 residents.