Lanier, Florida facts for kids
Lanier was a small town in Florida. It was started in 1886 by a man named Colonel Thomas C. Lanier.
The Early Days of Lanier
In 1895, about 87 people lived in Lanier. The town had a post office, an express office (for sending packages), and a train station. But sadly, the town didn't last long. Two very cold freezes destroyed all the citrus crops in the area. Because of this, people left, and the town was abandoned soon after.
The official map of the town is called "The Infant Town of Florida, Map of Orange Bend." It shows 35 building lots. In 1887, Lanier became part of Lake County. Colonel Lanier bought the land from Hubbard Hart.
The original map also had an advertisement that said: It was located five miles from Leesburg. It offered special benefits to settlers because of the new Florida Southern Railway extension. There were large areas of rich, drained land near Lake Griffin. This land was great for farming and protected from dry spells. The new town and station were on healthy, high land. This land was next to famous wild orange groves. These groves had made the area a center for wealthy people.
Colonel Thomas C. Lanier 1886
The Lake County Historical Society has more information about Lanier. It seems to have been the second post office ever opened in Lake County. Some records suggest the town was founded by a relative of a famous poet, Sydney Lanier. However, if Colonel Thomas C. Lanier was related, it wasn't a close family connection.
Lanier's Land Today
In February 2003, a company called Cattle Country, LLC bought most of the old town lots. This company started selling the land using the original town map. However, Lake County rules required combining the old small lots. This was to meet today's building density rules. So, each new lot sold by Cattle Country, LLC included at least two of the original small lots.
Some of the roads shown on the old map were actually built. But many other roads were no longer needed because the lots were combined. These unneeded roads were either officially removed or simply never built. This land was also marketed as "Lanier Glen" for selling purposes.
When the land was being redeveloped, workers only found small pieces of old dishes and glass. These were the only clues left from the original settlement.
Colonel Thomas C. Lanier's own orange groves were shown on the original map. They didn't have a lot number but were just east of the numbered lots. We don't know if he had a house on this land. Today, his land is at the southwest corner of Treasure Island Avenue and North Treasure Island Road in Leesburg, Florida. In 2004, Cattle Country, LLC mapped this land and some nearby land as "Lanier Groves."
