Evelyn Pilchick, Realtor

HISTORY

Located to the northwest of the Orlando metro area, Oviedo, Florida, has a rich and vibrant history that predates the Civil War. In 1859, Walter Gwynn purchased land from the state of Florida just south of of Lake Jesup and established a homestead for his family on the nearby shores of Lake Charm. As the Civil War ended, returning Confederate soldiers as well as migrants from northern climes bought land in the surrounding area and the thriving Lake Jesup Settlement grew.

When Dr. Henry Foster arrived from Clifton Springs, New York in 1870, he capitalized upon the benefits that the mild climate offered by planting orange groves and developing the land near Lake Charm as a resort for northerners like himself that sought refuge from the harsh winters of New England. In 1879, Andrew Aulin, the postmaster of the area and an immigrant from Sweden, renames the town Oviedo as a nod to the Spanish explorers who discovered and settled Florida; Oviedo is also a city in northern Spain and is a sister city to Oviedo, Florida.

Oviedo became part of Seminole County in 1913 and suffered a disastrous fire in 1914 which destroyed much of the downtown area. As the twentieth century progressed, Oviedo evolved from an agricultural area that depended upon orange groves and celery crops to a thriving community with housing developments, shopping attractions, parks, and nature preserves.

For more information about the history of Oviedo, Florida, visit the Oviedo Historical Society online at www.oviedohs.com.

PARKS AND RECREATION

In 2011, Oviedo, Florida was named one of the Top 10 Family Friendly Cities in America by Family Circle magazine, reflecting the abundance of family friendly recreation activities available in Oviedo. From a manmade Snow Mountain at local Oviedo Mall in December to a Martin Luther King Day Parade to a Marshmallow Drop every Easter weekend, there is always something fun and exciting to do throughout the year in Oviedo.

Oviedo features eleven parks within city limits and also offers recreational youth athletics, adult athletics, and an indoor gymnasium and aquatic center. For more information, go to this website.

AREA ATTRACTIONS

Oviedo and the surrounding area are is home to numerous cultural attractions including the Winter Festival of the Arts, a fine arts festival in October sponsored by the Oviedo-Winter Springs Chamber of Commerce; see www.wsfota.org for more information.

Oviedo is also home to the Seminole State College Oviedo Campus, offering beginning and continuing education programs; see www.seminolestate.edu for more information.

Within a thirty minute drive of Oviedo lies Orlando, Florida, which offers a multitude of events, attractions, restaurants, and festivals.

EVENTS

An Independence Day Celebration is hosted by the city of Oviedo every July at the Oviedo Mall and features bounce houses, food and drink, local craft and artisan booths, and a fantastic firework display to end the night. Call 401-971-5575 for more information.

Every October, Oviedo, Florida hosts a Halloween Carnival of Screams and Haunted House at Riverside Park, 1600 Lockland Boulevard, which offers costume contests, hay rides, a scary haunted house, and food and music. Ticket sales benefit the local Oviedo Food Bank. Call 407-971-5575 for more information.

For more information about upcoming events in Oviedo, please click here .