Lake County, Florida facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lake County
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Old Lake County Courthouse in Tavares
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Location within the U.S. state of Florida
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 Florida's location within the U.S. |
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| Country |  United States |
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| State |  Florida |
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| Founded | May 27, 1887 | ||||
| Seat | Tavares | ||||
| Largest city | Clermont | ||||
| Area | |||||
| • Total | 1,157 sq mi (3,000 km2) | ||||
| • Land | 938 sq mi (2,430 km2) | ||||
| • Water | 219 sq mi (570 km2) 18.9%% | ||||
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 383,956 | ||||
| • Density | 409/sq mi (158/km2) | ||||
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) | ||||
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) | ||||
| Congressional districts | 6th, 11th | ||||
Lake County is a county located in the central part of Florida, a state in the United States. In 2020, about 383,956 people lived here. The main town where the county government is located is Tavares. The biggest city in Lake County is Clermont. Lake County is also part of the larger Orlando–Kissimmee–Sanford Metropolitan area.
Contents
History of Lake County
Lake County was created in 1887. It was formed from parts of Sumter and Orange counties. The county got its name because it has many lakes. There are 250 named lakes and over 1,700 other water bodies!
In the 1800s, people in the area mostly grew cotton and raised cattle. Later in the 1800s, people started growing citrus fruits like oranges. A person named Melton Haynes helped introduce citrus farming. By the 1940s and 50s, citrus farming became the biggest industry. However, a very cold winter in December 1989 damaged most of the citrus groves. Many farmers could not recover from this. They sold their land to builders, which led to more towns and cities being built.
Geography of Lake County
Lake County covers a total area of about 1,157 square miles. About 938 square miles of this is land. The rest, about 219 square miles, is water. This means almost 19% of the county is covered by water.
Sugarloaf Mountain is the highest point in the Florida peninsula. It stands at 312 feet (95 meters) above sea level.
Neighboring Counties
- Volusia County – to the northeast
- Orange County – to the east
- Seminole County – to the east
- Osceola County – to the southeast
- Polk County – to the south
- Sumter County – to the west
- Marion County – to the northwest
Protected Natural Areas
- Lake Woodruff National Wildlife Refuge (part of it)
- Ocala National Forest (part of it)
People of Lake County
In 2020, Lake County had 383,956 residents. There were 137,446 households and 94,332 families living in the county.
The population has grown a lot over the years. For example, in 1950, there were about 36,340 people. By 2010, this number grew to 297,052. The county is a mix of different cultures and backgrounds.
Education in Lake County
Lake County has many public schools. These schools are part of the Lake County Schools system.
Colleges in the County
You can find several colleges in Lake County:
- Lake-Sumter State College
- Beacon College
- Southern Technical College
- Lake Technical College
Transportation in Lake County
Air Travel
The Tavares Seaplane Base is a special airport for seaplanes. It is located on Lake Dora in Tavares.
The Leesburg International Airport is another airport. It is located near Lake Harris, east of downtown Leesburg, Florida.
Mid Florida Air Service Airport is on State Road 44 east of Eustis.
- Umatilla Municipal Airport
Main Roads
Florida's Turnpike is a major highway that runs north and south through Florida. It has four exits in Lake County.
US 27 is a main road that goes through the western part of Lake County. It connects Four Corners to The Villages.
US 441 is another important highway. It runs through Mount Dora and Leesburg.
SR 19 is a scenic road that goes from Groveland through Tavares, Eustis, and the Ocala National Forest.
SR 33 connects Lakeland in Polk County to Groveland.
SR 40 is an east-west road in the northern part of Lake County. It goes through the Ocala National Forest.
SR 44 runs east and west through central Lake County.
SR 46 starts in Mount Dora and goes through Sorrento and Mount Plymouth.
SR 50 is the main east-west road in southern Lake County.
Public Transport
LakeXpress is the public bus service that helps people get around Lake County. It has been operating since 2007.
Communities in Lake County
Cities
Towns
- Astatula
- Howey-in-the-Hills
- Lady Lake
- Montverde
Census-Designated Places
These are areas that are like towns but are not officially incorporated as cities or towns.
Other Communities
- Bassville Park
- Fort Mason
- Grand Island
- Lanier
- Orange Bend
- The Villages (partly)
Famous People from Lake County
- Flora Call and Elias Disney were married in Kismet, Lake County, in 1888. They were the parents of Walt Disney, who created Mickey Mouse and Disneyland.
- Willis V. McCall was a sheriff in Lake County.
- Randy Rhoads was a famous American heavy metal guitarist. He played with Ozzy Osbourne and Quiet Riot.
- Ginger Minj is a well-known drag queen. She was a runner-up on the TV show RuPaul's Drag Race.
See also
