Melrose, Florida facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Melrose
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A former gas station now serving as commercial building on Florida SR 26 and Grove Street.
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 Melrose
Location in Florida
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| Country | United States |
| State | Florida |
| County | Alachua, Bradford, Clay, and Putnam |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code |
32666
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Melrose is a small community in Florida, USA. It is special because it spreads across four different counties: Alachua, Bradford, Clay, and Putnam.
Melrose is located on State Road 26. It is about 17 miles (27 km) east of Gainesville. It is also about 50 miles (80 km) southwest of Jacksonville. The community sits right next to Lake Santa Fe, a beautiful lake.
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History of Melrose
Melrose was first settled in the second half of the 1800s. It grew where two important roads crossed. These roads were the Bellamy Road (now State Road 26) and the Starke-Orange Springs Road (now State Road 21). The new town was named Melrose after a famous abbey in Melrose, Scotland.
Citrus Industry and Challenges
In the late 1800s, growing citrus fruits was a big business in the Melrose area. Farmers would bring their oranges and other fruits to Melrose. From there, the fruit was loaded onto steamships on Lake Santa Fe. These ships traveled through man-made canals to Lake Alto and then to the town of Waldo.
Once in Waldo, the citrus was put on trains. This train route was known as the Lake Santa Fe Route. It carried the fruit all across the United States. Many families moved to houses near Lake Santa Fe to be close to the citrus groves.
However, in 1894, two very bad freezes hit the Melrose area. These freezes destroyed many of the local citrus groves. Because of this, many growers moved to warmer parts of central and southern Florida.
Melrose in the 20th Century
After the big freezes, citrus farming slowly grew back in the 20th century. However, it never became as large as it was before. During this time, grapevine farms also started around the community.
On January 12, 1990, a special part of Melrose was named a U.S. historic district. This area is called the Melrose Historic District. It covers about 1,250 acres (5.1 square kilometers). It has many old buildings, including the well-known Trinity Episcopal Church.
Throughout the 20th century, many small businesses and restaurants opened in Melrose. This made the town a popular stop for travelers. People going to states like Georgia and Alabama would often stop here. It was also a convenient stop for people traveling to and from larger cities like Gainesville and Jacksonville.
Fishing in Lake Santa Fe also became very popular. Locals enjoyed catching fish like catfish and bass.
Melrose Public Library
The Melrose Public Library was the first full-service library branch in Putnam County. The idea for the library came from members of the Melrose Women’s Club. One of the main people who helped raise money was Maud Watkins, a former principal at Melrose Elementary School.
The Melrose Public Library officially opened on December 22, 1984. Virginia Bird was the first librarian. Later, Stella Brown and Sheree Sims took over as librarians.
