1883 Bloomfield's Illustrated Historical Guide

The St. John's River.

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Volusia, Volusia County, Florida, 134 miles from Jacksonville, on the east bank of the river; post-office. This is also the site of an ancient Spanish settlement, no vestige of which remains. An immense land grant was afterwards obtained here from the Spanish government by Mr. Dennison Rolles, an English merchant of wealth, who erected a beautiful mansion and established a home for the unfortunate women from the streets of London, with a view to their reformation. Numerous disasters befell the colony, and it was finally broken up.

Emporia is a new town, started in the interior; distance from Volusia about four miles, amidst pine land.

Astor, Orange County, Florida, northern terminus of the St. John's and Lake Eustis Railway, 134 miles from Jacksonville, on the west side of the river.

Manhattan, Orange County, Florida, is a landing on the west side of the river, 136 miles from Jacksonville.

Bluffton, Volusia County, Florida, 140 miles from Jacksonville, on the east side of the river; post-office. South and east of this point are Lake Dexter and Spring Garden Lake, on the east side of which are very rich lands and large orange groves.

Hawkinsville, Orange County, Florida, 160 miles from Jacksonville, on the west side of the river, is a post-office.

De Land Landing, Volusia County, Florida, 162 miles from Jacksonville, on the east side of the river, is a landing. De Land is 5 miles from this river landing. A stage line connects with mail-boats.

Beresford, Volusia County, Florida, 163 miles from Jacksonville, is a post-office, on the east side of Lake Beresford. There are several landings and orange groves on this lake.

Blue Spring, Volusia County, Florida, 168 miles from Jacksonville, is a landing on the east side of the river. Orange City is two miles and a half from this landing. Stages connect with mail-boats.

Sanford, Orange County, Florida, 193 miles from Jacksonville, on the south side of Lake Monroe; a thriving town, with excellent hotel accommodations, and a favorite resort of tourists and invalids.

Mellenville is the site of Fort Mellen, erected during the Indian wars. In the vicinity are several fine orange groves. It possesses hotel and boarding facilities. Its post-office is located at Sanford.

Enterprise, Volusia County, Florida; county seat; situated on the north side of Lake Monroe; 198 miles from Jacksonville. Excellent hotel, and transportation facilities for hunting parties and tourists. One mile from the hotel is the Green Sulphur Springs, the waters of which are transparent and of a delicate green color. Near Enterprise are the residence and extensive orange grove of Fred. de Bary, Esq., the owner of the Merchant Line of Steamers on the St. John's River.

Lake Jessup, 10 miles south of Lake Monroe; Lake Harney, 15 miles southeast of Lake Monroe; Salt Lake, the landing for Titusville, distant 6 miles; and the Indian River, Lake Poinsett, the head of navigation on the upper St. John's, is the landing for Rock Ledge on the Indian River, distant 2-1/2 miles.

Extracted 24 Sep 2019 by Norma Hass, from Bloomfield's Illustrated Historical Guide, Embracing an Account of the Antiquities of St. Augustine, Florida (with map). To which is added a condensed guide of the St. John's, Ocklawaha, Halifax, and Indian Rivers, by Max Bloomfield, published in 1883, pages 86-87.