Tavares Chamber of Commerce
Tavares Chamber of Commerce
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Welcome to Tavares: The Capital of Lake County
15 miles from Florida’s Turnpike. It is the seat of government for a county totaling 1,156 square miles and more than 300,000 souls.
Tavares is known as the “Capital of Lake County.”
The future of Tavares is based on its past. The original transportation networks of waterways and railways are now integral to the vision of
what Tavares is to become in the 21st century. The planned location of a passenger rail station providing service to Orlando, Tavares is also
a stop along the blueways of Lake County as the city is situated on a land bridge surrounded by the Harris Chain of Lakes.
Orlando. The rail line is already serving Tavares well with many freight rail users located in Lake County. The Harris Chain of Lakes
connects Tavares by waterway to Mount Dora, Eustis, Leesburg, Howey-in-the-Hills, Astatula and Lake Griffin State Park, with at least one
marina or dock in each community. The chain flows to the Ocklawaha River and downriver to the St. John’s River to Jacksonville and the
Atlantic Ocean.
Tavares was named after Lopez Para y Tavares, the Portuguese ancestor of the city’s founder Major Alexander St. Clair-Abrams. True to its
Portuguese translation as “town center,” Tavares is the center of Lake County’s geography and government. The Tavares Chamber of
Commerce welcomes you to get acquainted with this authentic “Old Florida” town, where you will find a comfortable blend of history with
progress. Here, we see that our past holds the keys to our future.
A Natural Alternative
Only 45 minutes from the theme park area, Tavares is a refreshing alternative to the tourist spots along the I-4 corridor. Eco-tourism
abounds in Tavares and in Lake County. With more than 1,700 named lakes throughout a county the size of the state of Rhode Island,
numerous environmental areas and many points of lake access provide residents and visitors a multitude of means to get back to nature.
Accommodations range from nationally-known names to local lodging including cottages and bed-and-breakfasts.
Just 20 minutes away is the Ocala-Wekiva Greenway consisting of the Ocala National Forest and the Wekiva River Basin. Just north of
Leesburg is Lake Griffin State Park and just south of Clermont is Lake Louisa State Park. West in Sumter County is Withlacoochee State
Park, just east in Orange County is Wekiva Springs State Park and many other green gems are awaiting your discovery.
Active Living & Leisure
Boating and fishing can be enjoyed along the Harris Chain of Lakes. Boat ramps are located throughout the community. Tavares also has
great canoe and kayak access to the Dora Canal via Summerall Park on the west side of downtown. Blueways for canoeing and kayaking
have been designated along the chain of lakes. The community is also home to golf courses, public and private. Each offers its own unique
challenge. In Tavares you’ll find Baytree Golf Course and just south of town in neighboring Howey-in-the-Hills, you can experience Mission
Inn Resort.
Other outdoor activities can be found like the enchanting Wooton Wonderland, an elaborate wooden playground located downtown in
lakeside Wooton Park. The city government maintains several active and passive parks like Tavares Skate Park on Woodlea Road or like
Squibb Park’s boardwalk into the wetlands off Dead River Road.
Tavares Nature Park offers a passive experience adjacent to Lake Dora’s western shore. Aesop’s Park features tennis courts and a lake
with nature trail. Fred Stover Field, located in the city’s center, provides a collection of baseball fields utilized year round. The Central Florida
YMCA, located on David Walker Drive, provides numerous options in recreational/wellness facilities and programs.
Lake County’s Agricultural Center is located in Tavares. This educational resource features the Discovery Gardens, a series of themed
demonstration garden areas designed in a park-like setting. Tavares is also developing a regional trail system for biking or walking. The
trail currently connects downtown to the commercial areas west toward Leesburg. Bikes routes are designated along certain roadways such
as Lakeshore Drive along Lake Dora Drive and Lake Eustis Drive.
A Downtown with a Vision
“Tavares, the capital waterfront city of Lake County – building on a historic foundation – creating an authentic, accessible community of
neighborhoods, businesses and citizen services – Distinguishing itself as the defining vision of where you want to be!”
The above is the official vision statement of the Tavares community resulting from a two-year process in which citizens and stakeholders
created a plan for the rebirth of downtown. The community embraces assets like the trailways, waterways and railways of Tavares. The new
master plan states that the downtown will embrace being a center of government while also encouraging people to once again live in
downtown.
The community vision is one of a multi-modal community in which folks can walk, bike or ride into downtown. They may choose an
automobile, a bus or perhaps and electric vehicle. The city has planned its future down to details such as electric car charging stations, a
railroad station for passengers, sidewalk and trail networks and a land use plan that entices mixed-use redevelopment.
With a long-term plan to encourage folks to live in downtown, new housing units will be added. As more people live in downtown, more
businesses will be attracted to a downtown that also serves the Lake County governmental campus. By diversifying the downtown economy
between governmental services and a sustainable mixed-use downtown, the 21st century holds much potential for “Lake County’s Capital.”
Tavares founder Major St. Clair Abrams would be proud.
A Place to Call Home
For historic living, Tavares still retains the charm of its early years. Throughout the downtown, homes from throughout the last century mix in
ages and styles. The same can be said for the residents as the community is a melding of ages, incomes and origins.
The community has undergone an expansion through the last decade, adding homes near Waterman and closing the gaps between Eustis
and Mount Dora. The city has also expanded to the south to the retirement community of Royal Harbor. New neighborhoods are growing
along the SR 19 corridor toward Howey-in-the-Hills.
The community has seen a shift from the mobile home parks of the 1960s and 1970s to adult communities in apartment, townhome and
assisted living settings. Tavares offers a diversity in housing styles and prices.
The Capital of Lake County
Tavares has always been a central location. Geographically, Tavares sits midway on the Florida peninsula. Native tribes found the Tavares
highlands overlooking the lakes to be a safe location set away from the storms coming in off the coast. Later, Tavares became a
transportation center. It was the boat that first allowed settlement, as Tavares is connected by navigable waterway system to the Atlantic
Ocean via the Ocklawaha River to the St. Johns’ River.
However, it was the train that populated Lake County. Conveniently located northwest of Orlando, Tavares saw a major line enter from the
south. Another line from Jacksonville entered from the north, from Eustis. A line through Mount Dora led to Sanford and a line west extended
to a rail hub in Wildwood.
Back in the 19th century, Major St. Clair Abrams began implementing a vision for Tavares. He not only oversaw the development of the hub of
rail lines converging in Tavares, he saw the future capital of the state waiting to be realized. Had it not been for an inadvertent fire 125 years
ago, the major’s vision of Tavares being the state capital may have become reality. The spark from a train ignited the adjacent lumberyard in
the downtown, destroying three dozen buildings in a matter of minutes. That same year, the Florida legislature removed Tavares from
consideration as a potential new center of state government.
Although the times have changed, one factor remains a constant for Tavares. It is the center of government for Lake County and it is,
therefore, Lake County’s Capital City. A partnership has evolved through the years between Lake County’s Board of County Commissioners
and the Tavares City Council. The two elected bodies work together to make downtown Tavares a supportive home for the civic activities of
Lake County.
From Pre-K to University
In the city center is Tavares Elementary School and Tavares High School, a circa 1930s campus that is a major center of community activity,
especially when the Tavares Bulldogs play. Tavares Middle School sits in the southern portion of the city. Several pre-kindergarten
opportunities are also available as are private school options. The administrative offices of the Lake County School District are located in
Tavares. The offices include those of the Lake County School Board and superintendent.
Just 10 minutes west in Leesburg sits the 60-acre Lake-Sumter Community College. Founded in 1963, this two-year institution offers
Associates of the Arts degrees and four-year degrees in partnership with the University of Central Florida. Lake Technical Center in
neighboring Eustis develops skilled workers in more than 30 technical occupations. The main campus of the University of Central Florida is
a little over an hour away as is the Gainesville campus of the University of Florida.
Business, Commerce and Industry
Opportunities abound as the city expands its boundaries while still maintaining a balance with its small town charm. The business
community is predominately commercial, light industrial and legal support. The largest employer in Tavares is government. More than
1,500 Tavares jobs are public service positions ranging from city to county, from school district to state positions.
Being the center of government provides an opportunity for attorneys and legal support services, surveyors and engineers, and many small
businesses. Tavares also boasts a booming medical corridor centered around Florida Hospital Waterman on US 441.
The community is also home to several unique industries, such as G&T Conveyors, a custom baggage conveyance manufacturer for many
airports, and Trident Pontoon Company, a custom pontoon boat manufacturer that ships globally. Tavares features one of the largest
employment centers in Lake County. Southridge Industrial Park, at CR 561 and CR 448 is home to several major employers, like 84 Lumber
and Blue Rhino Propane. Florida Central Railroad serves the job center by providing freight rail services into Orlando. Vulcan materials is
located just south in Astatula.
Tavares is known as the “Capital of Lake County.”
The future of Tavares is based on its past. The original transportation networks of waterways and railways are now integral to the vision of
what Tavares is to become in the 21st century. The planned location of a passenger rail station providing service to Orlando, Tavares is also
a stop along the blueways of Lake County as the city is situated on a land bridge surrounded by the Harris Chain of Lakes.
Orlando. The rail line is already serving Tavares well with many freight rail users located in Lake County. The Harris Chain of Lakes
connects Tavares by waterway to Mount Dora, Eustis, Leesburg, Howey-in-the-Hills, Astatula and Lake Griffin State Park, with at least one
marina or dock in each community. The chain flows to the Ocklawaha River and downriver to the St. John’s River to Jacksonville and the
Atlantic Ocean.
Tavares was named after Lopez Para y Tavares, the Portuguese ancestor of the city’s founder Major Alexander St. Clair-Abrams. True to its
Portuguese translation as “town center,” Tavares is the center of Lake County’s geography and government. The Tavares Chamber of
Commerce welcomes you to get acquainted with this authentic “Old Florida” town, where you will find a comfortable blend of history with
progress. Here, we see that our past holds the keys to our future.
A Natural Alternative
Only 45 minutes from the theme park area, Tavares is a refreshing alternative to the tourist spots along the I-4 corridor. Eco-tourism
abounds in Tavares and in Lake County. With more than 1,700 named lakes throughout a county the size of the state of Rhode Island,
numerous environmental areas and many points of lake access provide residents and visitors a multitude of means to get back to nature.
Accommodations range from nationally-known names to local lodging including cottages and bed-and-breakfasts.
Just 20 minutes away is the Ocala-Wekiva Greenway consisting of the Ocala National Forest and the Wekiva River Basin. Just north of
Leesburg is Lake Griffin State Park and just south of Clermont is Lake Louisa State Park. West in Sumter County is Withlacoochee State
Park, just east in Orange County is Wekiva Springs State Park and many other green gems are awaiting your discovery.
Active Living & Leisure
Boating and fishing can be enjoyed along the Harris Chain of Lakes. Boat ramps are located throughout the community. Tavares also has
great canoe and kayak access to the Dora Canal via Summerall Park on the west side of downtown. Blueways for canoeing and kayaking
have been designated along the chain of lakes. The community is also home to golf courses, public and private. Each offers its own unique
challenge. In Tavares you’ll find Baytree Golf Course and just south of town in neighboring Howey-in-the-Hills, you can experience Mission
Inn Resort.
Other outdoor activities can be found like the enchanting Wooton Wonderland, an elaborate wooden playground located downtown in
lakeside Wooton Park. The city government maintains several active and passive parks like Tavares Skate Park on Woodlea Road or like
Squibb Park’s boardwalk into the wetlands off Dead River Road.
Tavares Nature Park offers a passive experience adjacent to Lake Dora’s western shore. Aesop’s Park features tennis courts and a lake
with nature trail. Fred Stover Field, located in the city’s center, provides a collection of baseball fields utilized year round. The Central Florida
YMCA, located on David Walker Drive, provides numerous options in recreational/wellness facilities and programs.
Lake County’s Agricultural Center is located in Tavares. This educational resource features the Discovery Gardens, a series of themed
demonstration garden areas designed in a park-like setting. Tavares is also developing a regional trail system for biking or walking. The
trail currently connects downtown to the commercial areas west toward Leesburg. Bikes routes are designated along certain roadways such
as Lakeshore Drive along Lake Dora Drive and Lake Eustis Drive.
A Downtown with a Vision
“Tavares, the capital waterfront city of Lake County – building on a historic foundation – creating an authentic, accessible community of
neighborhoods, businesses and citizen services – Distinguishing itself as the defining vision of where you want to be!”
The above is the official vision statement of the Tavares community resulting from a two-year process in which citizens and stakeholders
created a plan for the rebirth of downtown. The community embraces assets like the trailways, waterways and railways of Tavares. The new
master plan states that the downtown will embrace being a center of government while also encouraging people to once again live in
downtown.
The community vision is one of a multi-modal community in which folks can walk, bike or ride into downtown. They may choose an
automobile, a bus or perhaps and electric vehicle. The city has planned its future down to details such as electric car charging stations, a
railroad station for passengers, sidewalk and trail networks and a land use plan that entices mixed-use redevelopment.
With a long-term plan to encourage folks to live in downtown, new housing units will be added. As more people live in downtown, more
businesses will be attracted to a downtown that also serves the Lake County governmental campus. By diversifying the downtown economy
between governmental services and a sustainable mixed-use downtown, the 21st century holds much potential for “Lake County’s Capital.”
Tavares founder Major St. Clair Abrams would be proud.
A Place to Call Home
For historic living, Tavares still retains the charm of its early years. Throughout the downtown, homes from throughout the last century mix in
ages and styles. The same can be said for the residents as the community is a melding of ages, incomes and origins.
The community has undergone an expansion through the last decade, adding homes near Waterman and closing the gaps between Eustis
and Mount Dora. The city has also expanded to the south to the retirement community of Royal Harbor. New neighborhoods are growing
along the SR 19 corridor toward Howey-in-the-Hills.
The community has seen a shift from the mobile home parks of the 1960s and 1970s to adult communities in apartment, townhome and
assisted living settings. Tavares offers a diversity in housing styles and prices.
The Capital of Lake County
Tavares has always been a central location. Geographically, Tavares sits midway on the Florida peninsula. Native tribes found the Tavares
highlands overlooking the lakes to be a safe location set away from the storms coming in off the coast. Later, Tavares became a
transportation center. It was the boat that first allowed settlement, as Tavares is connected by navigable waterway system to the Atlantic
Ocean via the Ocklawaha River to the St. Johns’ River.
However, it was the train that populated Lake County. Conveniently located northwest of Orlando, Tavares saw a major line enter from the
south. Another line from Jacksonville entered from the north, from Eustis. A line through Mount Dora led to Sanford and a line west extended
to a rail hub in Wildwood.
Back in the 19th century, Major St. Clair Abrams began implementing a vision for Tavares. He not only oversaw the development of the hub of
rail lines converging in Tavares, he saw the future capital of the state waiting to be realized. Had it not been for an inadvertent fire 125 years
ago, the major’s vision of Tavares being the state capital may have become reality. The spark from a train ignited the adjacent lumberyard in
the downtown, destroying three dozen buildings in a matter of minutes. That same year, the Florida legislature removed Tavares from
consideration as a potential new center of state government.
Although the times have changed, one factor remains a constant for Tavares. It is the center of government for Lake County and it is,
therefore, Lake County’s Capital City. A partnership has evolved through the years between Lake County’s Board of County Commissioners
and the Tavares City Council. The two elected bodies work together to make downtown Tavares a supportive home for the civic activities of
Lake County.
From Pre-K to University
In the city center is Tavares Elementary School and Tavares High School, a circa 1930s campus that is a major center of community activity,
especially when the Tavares Bulldogs play. Tavares Middle School sits in the southern portion of the city. Several pre-kindergarten
opportunities are also available as are private school options. The administrative offices of the Lake County School District are located in
Tavares. The offices include those of the Lake County School Board and superintendent.
Just 10 minutes west in Leesburg sits the 60-acre Lake-Sumter Community College. Founded in 1963, this two-year institution offers
Associates of the Arts degrees and four-year degrees in partnership with the University of Central Florida. Lake Technical Center in
neighboring Eustis develops skilled workers in more than 30 technical occupations. The main campus of the University of Central Florida is
a little over an hour away as is the Gainesville campus of the University of Florida.
Business, Commerce and Industry
Opportunities abound as the city expands its boundaries while still maintaining a balance with its small town charm. The business
community is predominately commercial, light industrial and legal support. The largest employer in Tavares is government. More than
1,500 Tavares jobs are public service positions ranging from city to county, from school district to state positions.
Being the center of government provides an opportunity for attorneys and legal support services, surveyors and engineers, and many small
businesses. Tavares also boasts a booming medical corridor centered around Florida Hospital Waterman on US 441.
The community is also home to several unique industries, such as G&T Conveyors, a custom baggage conveyance manufacturer for many
airports, and Trident Pontoon Company, a custom pontoon boat manufacturer that ships globally. Tavares features one of the largest
employment centers in Lake County. Southridge Industrial Park, at CR 561 and CR 448 is home to several major employers, like 84 Lumber
and Blue Rhino Propane. Florida Central Railroad serves the job center by providing freight rail services into Orlando. Vulcan materials is
located just south in Astatula.
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