Astor, Florida facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Astor, Florida
Census-designated place
Astor post office
Location in Lake County, Florida
Country	United States
State	Florida
County	Lake
Area
• Total	2.65 sq mi (6.87 km2)
• Land	2.33 sq mi (6.05 km2)
• Water	0.32 sq mi (0.82 km2)
Elevation	16 ft (5 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	1,759
• Density	753.32/sq mi (290.89/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code	32102
Area code(s)	352 386
FIPS code	12-02275
GNIS feature ID	2402654

Astor is a small community in Lake County, Florida, in the United States. It's located right next to the St. Johns River, which is a famous river in Florida. Astor is nestled between two lakes, Lake George and Lake Dexter.

The main road through Astor is State Road 40. On the other side of the St. Johns River is the community of Volusia. To the west, you'll find Astor Park. In 2020, about 1,759 people lived in Astor. It's also considered part of the larger Orlando–Kissimmee–Sanford Metropolitan Area.

Exploring Astor's Location

The Astor Bridge over the St. Johns River connects Astor to Volusia.

Astor is in the northern part of Lake County. If you travel west from Astor on State Road 40, you'll reach Ormond Beach in about 31 miles. Going east on the same road, you'll get to Ocala in about 39 miles. The county seat, Tavares, is about 32 miles southwest.

This community covers about 2.65 square miles. Most of this area is land, but about 0.32 square miles is water. The water includes part of the St. Johns River and many canals. These canals are over 4 miles long and help residents get to the river easily. Astor is also completely inside the Ocala National Forest.

Astor's Past: A Look at Its History

Early Settlements and Challenges

Before Europeans arrived, the Timucua native people lived in the Astor area. They lived along the St. Johns River. In 1763, the English tried to set up a trading post here. Later, in 1822, a sugar cane and orange farm was started by Moses Elias Levy.

However, these early attempts didn't last. The Seminole Wars began in 1838. The U.S. government built Fort Butler to protect the river, which was a key travel route. But because of war and sickness, the area was mostly empty until the 1870s.

William Astor's Vision for Manhattan

In 1874, a wealthy man named William Backhouse Astor Jr. bought over 12,000 acres of land. He was from the famous Astor family in New York City. He wanted to build a town there and called it "Manhattan."

New people came to Manhattan by steamboat. William Astor built a church, a school, a botanical garden, and even a free cemetery. He also built a hotel, a saw mill, and a railroad. The railroad, called the St. Johns and Lake Eustis Railway, went southwest to towns like Eustis and Leesburg.

A small community called Astor Park grew a few miles west of town. It was by Lake Schimmerhorn, named after Astor's wife. William Astor saw his town grow, but the name "Manhattan" never really stuck. After he passed away in 1892, the town was officially renamed "Astor" to honor him.

Changes and Challenges Over Time

William's son, John Jacob Astor IV, took over the family's businesses in Florida. But he sadly died when the RMS Titanic sank in 1912. His son, William Vincent Astor, then inherited the estate. However, Vincent wasn't very interested in his grandfather's Florida projects. So, the Astor family sold their land and businesses in the area.

Around this time, steamboat travel on the St. Johns River became less popular. More people were using trains instead. This meant the town of Astor became less important. The first Astor Bridge was built in 1926. By 1928, Astor's hotel had burned down, and the railroad was no longer used. For many years, Astor didn't even have telephone or telegraph service.

Today, Astor mostly relies on tourism. It's a popular place for people who visit Florida in the winter. Many people also come to Astor for fishing, hunting, and boating.

Astor's Population and People

The St. Johns River at Astor, with the Astor Marina across the river.

In 2000, there were 1,487 people living in Astor. These people lived in 641 households. About 20% of these households had children under 18. Most households (55.2%) were married couples.

The people in Astor were of different ages. About 19.9% were under 18 years old. About 23.8% were 65 years or older. The average age in Astor was 48 years.

Notable People from Astor

• Moses Elias Levy
• Robert M. McTureous Jr.

See also

In Spanish: Astor para niños