OTHER LAKE ALFRED SITES OF INTEREST:
Aerial Photograph - 1920's.
How we got started . . .
In 1839, during the Second Seminole War, Fort Cummings was established in what is now Lake Alfred, Florida. It was built as part of a line of forts between Fort Brooke in Tampa, Florida and Fort Mellon in Sanford, Florida. The fort was moved 1/2 mile west of the original location in 1841 and was the site of the meeting with Coacochee and Colonel William Jenkins Worth. The fort was abandoned later that year.
Alfred Parslow and William Van Fleet came to the area in the 1870's with a plan to establish a railroad through the area. They formed the Jacksonville, Tampa and Key West Railroad, which was later sold to Henry Plant. The JTK became part of the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad. Lake Alfred is named for Alfred Parslow.
The Florida Fruitlands Company was established in 1910 by Frank Gardner and three other partners. This was a land development company which was heavily advertised in the northern states. The company also offered citrus grove land, and promoted the citrus industry. Mr. Gardner was the only original partner who was still with the company when it was sold in the 1940's. Gardner and Frank Goodman then formed the Lake Alfred Realty Company.
The town went through many name changes throughout the years. It came to be known as Lake Alfred in 1913 , and was incorporated in 1915.