ASTOR
POPULATION: 1,560 SIZE: 2.34 SQUARE MILES
The tiny town of Astor, located on the St. John River in an area once inhabited by ancient Native American and Spanish civilizations, once had a promising future as the dream of William Backhouse Astor Jr., of New York. He purchased 12,000 acres of land in 1874 to establish a town he called Manhattan. Accessible by steamboat, new arrivals settled the land owned by one of the nation’s wealthiest men. Astor built a church, schoolhouse, botanical garden, free cemetery, hotel, sawmill and even a railroad, which connected the settlers to Eustis and Leesburg. The town grew, but the name never caught on. After his death, the town was renamed Astor in his honor. His son, John Jacob Astor
ALTOONA POPULATION: 88 SIZE: .5 SQUARE MILES
Altoona may be a small town, but it has a big heart, as evidenced by attractions dedicated to a war veteran and a horse. McTureous Homestead and Museum and McTureous Memorial Park on State Road 19 honor the memory of Altoona’s only native World War II Medal of Honor recipient: Private Robert M. McTureous. He was the son of Robert M. McTureous, Sr., Altoona’s one-time postmaster and justice of the peace, and his wife, known to the community as “Aunt Bessie.”
Fiddlers Green Ranch offers full-service vacation villas for horse and nature-lovers in a cozy setting overlooking ranch grounds. Fiddler’s famed 100-mile equestrian trail in the Ocala National Forest is popular with endurance and competitive trail-riders, local riding groups and individuals. Great for family reunions, company retreats, club outings and seminars, the ranch provides cable TV and Internet Wi-Fi, plus kitchens and dining rooms, decks, and grills.
17 WELCOME TO LAKE COUNTY
IV inherited the estate and continued his father’s legacy, town and business interests in Florida. He died on board the Titanic when it sank in 1912. His son, Vincent, did not have the same interest in Florida as his father and grandfather, and sold off all area assets. That, combined with a significant drop in steamboat travel, ended the town’s prosperity, prominence and promise. Today, Astor holds many “well-kept secrets.” With numerous eclectic places to stay (the Blackwater Inn and Astor-Florida Inn), eat (William’s Landing, Castaways on the River, and Sparky’s Place), and sightsee along the river (Captain Ernie River Tours). The area is devoted to tourism. Enjoy a leisurely boat ride