Winter Springs was almost called Semoran

A late bloomer relative to its neighbors, Winter Springs went through some growing pains including an intense debate over what its name should be.

Lake Jesup near Central Winds Park. — City of Winter Springs

Nestled peacefully along the marshy south shore of Lake Jesup, Winter Springs is regularly listed as one of the best places to live in Florida. Its beautiful well-manicured streets have limited commercialization; its town leaders have made it a point to shun big box stores.

Today it is a suburban town of 35,000 that has the feeling of just now hitting its stride. Perhaps that’s because it got off to a slow start. During the 1800s development was hampered by legally-tricky Spanish private land grants. Lack of major railroads and highways then continued to slow its pre-1950 advancement relative to its neighbors.

Granville’s 1886 map (left) and State Farm Insurance 1939 map (right)

Prior to being incorporated as North Orlando in 1959, the area was variably known as Wagner, Clifton, Tuskawilla, Alluvia, Gee Hammock, Econtohatchee, White’s Landing, Solary’s Wharf, and Lake Jesup. It served as the southernmost terminus for steamboats from the St. Johns River before railroads became the…