Black History: day 17 - Eatonville, Fla, the first town in the US to be incorporated by A/A.

[marble falls]

Last edited Sun Apr 19, 2020, 10:28 AM - Edit history (2)

https://eatonvillefl.wordpress.com/history/




Captain Eaton and the other two officers found the land in Central Florida very inhabitable, not just for living but for development. They developed the ran around Lake Maitland, thus giving us the City of Maitland we know today. The former slaves who stayed in Central Florida were used to help clear the lands, and a black community popped up beside Maitland where the workers lived.

Remember, Union officers founded Maitland, so as the town developed and grew nobody in the town thought of excluding blacks from being town officials. Tony Taylor, a black man, was elected as the town’s first mayor. And another black man, Joe Clarke, was elected town marshall.

Clarke has envisioned an all black town and was determined to make it happen. He discussed the idea with Captain Eaton and Captain Lawrence, both of which supported the idea. After a year of planning, Eaton and Lawrence bought a parcel of land adjacent to Maitland and built a church and hall, for general assembly. Shortly thereafter, in August of 1887, the town of Eatonville received its charter of incorporation from Tallahassee.
Not Your Ordinary Town

Eatonville was what many of that time called a “race colony.” Rather than being pushed to the undesirable areas of a town by whites, many blacks would establish independent communities – as was evident the creation of in Eatonville.

[UniteFightBack]

1. Very interesting. Thanks for posting ! nt

[Baitball Blogger]

2. I wonder if this early history of Central Florida also expanded

to include the black community that was once Winter Park? The area between what is now the Mall and the railroad was once a community of small wooden houses owned by black Americans. They were there in the late seventies when I went to school, and now the area has been gentrified.

[marble falls]

3. This might interest you ...

http://www.hannibalsquareheritagecenter.org/



There's still a vibrant black community.

[Baitball Blogger]

4. Very cool!

Not too surprising that you won't find this historical information highlighted in Winter Park, or Central Florida for that matter.

I find it incredibly interesting.

[akraven]

5. AND it's a great town, and a place to visit if you get the chance.

AND OMG the FOOD!!!