>>COMING UP ON CENTRAL FLORIDA ROADTRIP, WE'RE EXPLORING THE HISTORY OF LAKE COUNTY.

WE'LL VISIT ONE OF FLORIDA'S OLDEST ROADSIDE ATTRACTIONS, THE PRESIDENT'S HALL OF FAME, AND THEN HONOR THE LEGACY AND COURAGE OF MABEL NORRIS REESE.

WE'LL STEP BACK IN TIME AT THE HOWIE MANSION.

ALL THIS AND MORE ON THIS EDITION OF CENTRAL FLORIDA ROADTRIP.

♪ THEME MUSIC ♪ >>HELLO, EVERYONE.

I'M DR. PHIL HOFFMAN.

WELCOME TO THIS EDITION OF CENTRAL FLORIDA ROADTRIP.

THIS WEEK, WE SPIN UP NORTH TO UNCOVER THE INTERESTING AND UNUSUAL STORIES ABOUT OUR NEIGHBORS IN LAKE COUNTY.

THE COUNTY WAS CREATED IN 1887 FROM PORTIONS OF SUMTER AND ORANGE COUNTIES.

THE CITY OF TAVARES BECAME THE COUNTY SEAT AFTER THREE ELECTIONS THAT INCLUDED SOME POLITICAL MANEUVERING AND SOME ALLEGED OUTRIGHT CORRUPTION.

MAJOR ALEXANDER ST. CLAIR ABRAMS WHO FOUNDED TAVARES BORROWED $10,000 AND BUILT A COURTHOUSE IN ORDER TO SECURE TAVARES AS THE COUNTY SEAT.

THE COUNTY WAS NAMED FOR THE MANY LAKES CONTAINED WITHIN ITS BORDERS, A TOTAL OF NEARLY 1,400 NAMED LAKES.

AMONG THE RENOWNED PERSONALITIES TO CALL LAKE COUNTY HOME WAS SHARP SHOOTER ANNIE OAKLEY.

OAKLEY SPENT WINTERS IN LEESBURG FROM 1911 THROUGH 1923 UNTIL HER BELOVED TEN-YEAR-OLD DOG NAMED DAVE WAS STRUCK AND KILLED BY A CAR.

ANNIE INSISTED THAT DAVE BE BURIED IN THE CITY'S ONLY CEMETERY AT THE TIME, LONE OAK, BUT THE CEMETERY BOARD SAID NO.

SO, ANNIE BURIED DAVE IN AN UNMARKED GRAVE NEAR LONE OAK AND LEFT TOWN, NEVER TO RETURN.

WHEN IT COMES TO LANDMARKS IN LAKE COUNTY, THE HIGHWAY 27 CORRIDOR IN CLERMONT IS HOME TO ONE OF THE ORIGINAL OLD SCHOOL FLORIDA ATTRACTIONS, THE CITRUS TOWER.

OPENED IN 1956, THE CITRUS TOWER IS 226 FEET TALL AND IT ALLOWS VISITORS A PANORAMIC VIEW OF THE SURROUNDING ORANGE GROVES.

DURING THE FIRST SEVERAL YEARS OF OPERATIONS, THE TOWER DREW UP TO HALF A MILLION VISITORS A YEAR.

IN THE SHADOWS OF THE CITRUS TOWER IS ANOTHER LONG-STANDING ATTRACTION, THE PRESIDENT'S HALL OF FAME, WHICH OPENED ITS DOORS IN THE EARLY 1960S.

THE HOUSE OF PRESIDENTS OPENED IN 1964 AS A WAX MUSEUM.

MR. AND MRS. ZWEIFEL BOTH PURCHASED IT IN '93, ADDED THEIR COLLECTION AND CHANGED THE NAME TO THE PRESIDENT'S HALL OF FAME.

JOHN AND JANE ZWEIFEL HAD A LOVE FOR AMERICA AND AMERICANA.

AS A CHILD, JOHN BUILT A MINIATURE CIRCUS WITH HIS GRANDFATHER, AND THEN IN THE 1960S, HE DECIDED TO BUILD A REPLICA OF THE WHITE HOUSE.

>>THE PASSION THAT JOHN HAD FOR THE WHITE HOUSE IS DEPICTED IN THE DETAIL THAT'S PORTRAYED IN THE REPLICA.

HE WANTED TO BRING THE WHITE HOUSE TO THE PEOPLE FOR PEOPLE WHO COULD NOT TRAVEL TO WASHINGTON.

HE WAS GOING TO BRING IT TO THEM AND TO BRING IT TO THEM IT HAD TO BE THE EXACT REPLICA OF THE PEOPLE'S HOUSE.

>>FOR 15 YEARS, JOHN SWEIFEL TOOK HIS REPLICA ON A WORLD TOUR OF ALL 50 STATES, GREAT BRITAIN, THE NETHERLANDS, AND JAPAN, BUT NOW THE PEOPLE'S HOUSE HAS A PERMANENT RESIDENCE RIGHT HERE IN CLERMONT.

>>WITH THE WHITE HOUSE REPLICA, YOU CAN SEE MORE ROOMS IN THE WHITE HOUSE THAN IF YOU HAD GONE TO THE WHITE HOUSE FOR THE TOUR.

THE RESIDENT'S FLOOR, THE SECOND FLOOR, YOU'RE NOT PERMITTED UP THERE UNLESS YOU'RE INVITED BY THE FIRST FAMILY.

THAT IS THEIR PRIVATE RESIDENCE.

IN THE REPLICA, YOU CAN SEE ALL THOSE ROOMS.

DETAIL WAS PARAMOUNT TO JOHN.

THAT WAS JUST WHO HE WAS.

>>JOHN ZWEIFEL PASSED AWAY IN DECEMBER, 2020.

BUT BEFORE HIS PASSING, WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK WITH HIM ABOUT HIS PASSION.

>>I'VE BEEN LUCKY ENOUGH TO WORK WITH 11 PRESIDENTS AND FIRST LADIES AND EVERY INCH OF THESE DISPLAYS AND EXHIBITS ARE AUTHENTIC IN EVERY WAY WHATSOEVER TO BE ABLE TO GIVE YOU THE FEELING THAT YOU'RE ACTUALLY THERE.

YOU'RE ACTUALLY IN THOSE ROOMS.

THE WONDERFUL THING ABOUT THE PRESIDENTS ALLOWING US FREEDOM OF THE HOUSE, THAT WE CAN GO IN THERE AND PHOTOGRAPH AND MEASURING EVERYTHING, FROM THE TOP TO BOTTOM, WE TAKE PICTURES OF THE ROOM THERE, THEN WE TAKE PICTURES OF THE MODEL AND WHEN YOU CAN'T TELL THE DIFFERENCE, THEN WE KNOW YOU'RE RIGHT.

>>AS YOU WALK THROUGH THE MUSEUM, IT IS WALKING THROUGH HISTORY.

>>JOHN AND JANE COLLECTED THOUSANDS UPON THOUSANDS OF BITS AND PIECES OF MEMORABILIA.

>>IN FACT, YOU CAN EVEN GAZE UPON A REPLICA OF THE STATUE OF LIBERTY, AS WELL AS TAKE A STOP IN SOUTH DAKOTA FOR A VISIT TO MOUNT RUSHMORE.

>>AMERICANA AND PATRIOTISM, I BELIEVE, IS STILL GOING STRONG.

THAT WILL NEVER DIE.

>>WHEN WE LOOK TO PEOPLE OF IMPACT IN LAKE COUNTY HISTORY, ONE NAME THAT STANDS TALL IS THAT OF MABEL NORRIS REESE, A JOURNALIST WHO STOOD FOR TRUTH, JUSTICE, AND THE AMERICAN WAY.

FOR SOME 20 YEARS, MABEL NORRIS REESE WAS THE OWNER AND EDITOR OF THE MOUNT DORA TOPIC NEWSPAPER STARTING IN THE 1940S.

SHE WAS A CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVIST AND JOURNALIST DURING A TIME WHEN SEGREGATION WAS STILL THE RULE.

THIS WAS ALSO DURING THE TIME OF THE GROVELAND FOUR, FOUR BLACK MEN ACCUSED OF RAPING A 17-YEAR OLD WHITE GIRL.

THEY WERE VICTIMS OF THE TIME AND THE VICTIMS OF LAKE COUNTY SHERIFF WILLIS MCCALL.

>>I THINK LIKE WITH A LOT OF NEWSPAPER REPORTERS AT THE TIME, THEIR INFORMATION IS BEING GIVEN TO THEM BY LAW ENFORCEMENT AND BY THE STATE ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.

THAT WAS THE NARRATIVE THAT SHE KNEW.

AFTER THE SHERIFF SHOT TWO OF THE DEFENDANTS, SHE JUST SORT OF HAD A CHANGE OF HEART.

FROM THAT MOMENT ON, SHE REALLY MADE IT HER LIFE'S WORK TO FOCUS ON THE INJUSTICES THAT SHE WAS OBSERVING AROUND HER.

SHE BEGAN REPORTING ABOUT THIS AND REPORTING ABOUT CIVIL RIGHTS VIOLATIONS, AND OBVIOUSLY, ENCOUNTERED A GREAT DEAL OF RESISTANCE BY REPORTING ON THAT.

>>IF I WROTE AN ARTICLE AND SOMEBODY STARTED THROWING BOMBS AT MY HOUSE OR KILLING MY DOG OR BURNING A CROSS IN MY YARD, I'D THINK, "HEY, NOW'S THE TIME TO SAY GOODBYE."

BUT SHE STUCK AROUND.

SHE STAYED HERE.

NEVERTHELESS, SHE PERSISTED.

>>GROWING UP WITH HER, SHE WAS MY LOVING GRANDMOTHER, BUT ALSO HAD A VERY STRONG SENSE OF RIGHT AND WRONG.

EVERYBODY SHOULD BE TREATED EQUALLY, FAIRLY, NO MATTER WHAT THEIR BELIEFS, NO MATTER THE COLOR OF THEIR SKIN.

I'M JUST EXCITED THAT PEOPLE ARE FINDING OUT JUST WHAT A FIGHTER SHE WAS.

>>WHEN YOU HAVE A MONUMENT TO THE GROVELAND FOUR SITTING RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE COURTHOUSE, ONE FLOOR BELOW US IN THE BASEMENT, SUSPECTS WERE TORTURED, THAT'S AN EXTENSION OF MABEL'S WORK.

>>HER STORIES, HER ARTICLES, WE BELIEVE THAT'S WHAT HELPED SAVED THEM.

IT DIDN'T MATTER WHAT COLOR SHE WAS.

SHE JUST DID SOMETHING THAT WAS RIGHT.

SHE DID SOMETHING THAT WAS NEEDED TO BE DONE.

I WISHED I HAD THAT OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE MET HER JUST TO LET HER KNOW HOW GRATEFUL WE ARE FOR WHAT SHE DID.

>>IF YOU FANCY WEIRD ART, THEN YOU MIGHT WANT TO CHECK OUT LAKE COUNTY'S UMPY GOOMBA.

THAT'S THE NAME OF THIS FIGURE THAT WAS CREATED ABOUT 30 YEARS AGO BY JONATHAN HARRINGTON AND HIS ARTIST FRIEND, DICK RETEY.

THEY GOT TOGETHER AND BUILT THIS SIX FOOT HIGH MESO-AMERICAN OLMEC HEAD.

THE PAIR SPENT SEVERAL HUNDRED DOLLARS CREATING THE SCULPTURE OUT OF FOAM, MASONRY AND CONCRETE.

ONCE COMPLETED, THE TWO MEN PLACED THEIR WORK OF ART IN JONATHAN'S PARENTS' YARD, WHERE IT STILL SITS TO THIS DAY OFF COUNTY ROAD 44-A IN UMATILLA.

IF YOU'RE DRIVING ON HIGHLAND STREET IN MOUNT DORA, LOOK OUT FOR THE ATTACK OF THE VW SPIDER.

THE SCULPTURE IS DESIGNED AROUND THE SHELL OF A VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE, STANDING HIGH IN THE AIR ON EIGHT ARACHNOID LEGS.

WE DON'T KNOW WHY, BUT IT'S THERE IN THE CORNER OF NORTH HIGHLAND AND THIRD AVENUE.

WHILE DRIVING INTO MOUNT DORA ON OLD HIGHWAY 441, YOU'LL PASS THIS UNUSUAL LOOKING HOUSE.

IN 2017, THE OWNERS PAINTED THEIR SURROUNDING WALL AS A TRIBUTE TO VINCENT VAN GOGH'S STARRY NIGHT.

WHEN CITY OFFICIALS TOLD THEM THAT THE TOWN ORDINANCE SAID THAT THE WALL HAS TO MATCH THE HOUSE, THEY JUST DECIDED TO PAINT THE ENTIRE HOUSE TO MATCH THE WALL.

IF YOU'RE IN MOUNT DORA, VINCENT VAN GOGH, SEE IT ON THE WEST EDGE OF DOWNTOWN.

HERE ARE THE TOP THINGS YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW ABOUT LAKE COUNTY.

GEORGEFEST IN EUSTIS IS THE SECOND LONGEST RUNNING FESTIVALS CELEBRATING THE BIRTHDAY OF GEORGE WASHINGTON IN THE US.

IT'S BEEN HELD ANNUALLY IN FEBRUARY FOR GEORGE WASHINGTON'S BIRTHDAY FOR NEARLY 120 YEARS.

THE POSTAL SERVICE INITIALLY DENIED FRUITLAND PARK'S REQUEST FOR THE TOWN'S NAME BECAUSE THERE WAS ALREADY A FRUITLAND IN FLORIDA.

POSTAL AUTHORITIES CHANGED ITS NAME TO GARDENIA.

FOR ABOUT FOUR YEARS, BOTH NAMES WERE USED IN THE MAIL AND RAILROAD STOPS WHICH CAUSED A LITTLE CONFUSION.

A PETITION FINALLY CONTRIBUTED TO FRUITLAND PARK'S PERMANENT TOWN NAME.

THE LAKE WALES RIDGE'S WHITE SANDS ARE VISIBLE FROM SPACE.

AT 312 FEET, THE HIGHEST POINT OF THE RIDGE IS SUGARLOAF MOUNTAIN, WHICH IS ALSO THE HIGHEST NATURAL POINT IN PENINSULAR FLORIDA.

AS YOU CRUISE DOWN HIGHWAY 48 IN LAKE COUNTY, YOU PASS BY THE YALAHA BOOTLEGGING COMPANY.

MOONSHINING IS ACTUALLY NOW LEGAL FOR DISTILLERIES LIKE THIS ONE SO WE STOPPED IN TO SEE HOW IT'S DONE.

WE'RE HERE WITH OWNER DOUG MCCORMACK TO LEARN A LITTLE BIT ABOUT DISTILLING.

MORNING.

>>HOW YOU DOING, PHIL?

>>TELL US, TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT THIS IS AND WHAT MOONSHINE IS AND SORT OF HOW THAT BECAME A THING THAT PEOPLE DID?

>>MOONSHINE IS KIND OF UNIQUE.

IF YOUR FAMILY CAME FROM MONEY OR THEY DIDN'T HAVE MONEY, THEY EITHER MADE MOONSHINE FOR THEIR PERSONAL CONSUMPTION OR THEY SOLD IT TO GET WEALTHY.

>>WHEN WE SAY MOONSHINE, IF PEOPLE THINK ABOUT THE SORT OF ALCOHOLS THAT THEY MIGHT KNOW, WHERE DOES IT FIT IN THAT FAMILY?

>>MOONSHINE IS A CLEAR LIQUID AND IT'S NO COLOR AT ALL.

USUALLY, IT'S NOT FLAVORED AT ALL.

IT'S KIND OF LIKE A VODKA OR A CLEAR RUM.

IT'S A SPIRIT THAT'S EASILY MIXED WITH CERTAIN THINGS TO CONSUME.

>>WE'RE STANDING RIGHT HERE NEXT TO THE BUSINESS, RIGHT?

>>YES, WE ARE.

YOU CAN FEEL THE HEAT RIGHT NOW.

>>YES I CAN.

TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW ALL THIS CONTRAPTION WORKS.

>>WELL, THIS IS OUR STILL.

THIS IS A 50 GALLON POT STILL.

RIGHT NOW, IT'S A DOUBLE REFLUX.

IT'S GOT TWO COLUMNS, WHICH IS FILLED WITH COPPER MESH THAT STILL DOES NOT HAVE TO BE MADE OUT OF COPPER.

IT JUST HAS TO HAVE IT EVOLVE.

BECAUSE THE FOSSIL OILS ARE WHAT MAKES THE ALCOHOL BITTER ARE NATURALLY CHEMICALLY BONDED TO THE COPPER.

I LOVE TO COOK SO THIS CAME KIND OF NATURAL TO ME.

I HAD BLUEBERRIES, YEAST, AND WATER, AND THEN I LET IT FERMENT FOR TWO WEEKS.

THEN, I TASTE IT AND SAY, "WELL, IF IT TASTES LIKE MERLOT, IT'S READY TO GO BECAUSE THAT MEANS ALL THE SUGAR HAS BEEN CONSUMED BY THE YEAST AND ALCOHOL'S BEEN MADE."

>>IT TASTES LIKE A NICE DRY WINE, EXCEPT YOU'VE TOLD ME YOU CAN'T TRY THIS AT HOME.

>>NO, DEFINITELY NOT.

>>DON'T TRY THIS BECAUSE THE FIRST STUFF THAT COMES OUT IN THIS STILL IS NOT DRINKABLE, RIGHT?

>>NO, THE HEADS ARE NOT.

THERE'S MORE OR LESS ACETONE.

IT'S FINGERNAIL POLISH.

YOU DON'T WANT TO CONSUME THAT.

IT'S ILLEGAL TO DO THIS AT HOME, ALSO.

WINE, YOU CAN DO.

BEER, YOU CAN DO.

IF YOU DO THIS, THEY'RE GOING TO TAKE YOUR HOUSE AND YOUR DOG AND EVERYTHING THAT YOU LOVE SO MUCH.

>>WE DON'T WANT THAT.

>>NO, SIR, WE DON'T.

>>YOU TO MEASURE?

ARE YOU GOING TO SHOW ME HOW TO MEASURE?

HOW WE DO ALL THIS?

>>SURE, LET ME SHOW YOU HOW... >>LOOKS LIKE WATER.

IT JUST LOOKS LIKE WATER.

>>IT REALLY DOES.

IF YOU CAN TELL ME WHAT THE PROOF IS.

>>ALL RIGHT, SO WE ARE AT, IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S CLOSE TO ALMOST 88.

>>BUT IT'S ACTUALLY AT 168 PROOF RIGHT NOW.

>>SO, 80% ALCOHOL, RIGHT?

>>YES, SIR.

>>WOW.

THAT'S PROBABLY A LITTLE MUCH, RIGHT?

>>YEAH, THAT'S A LITTLE MUCH.

YOU DON'T REALLY WANT TO DO THAT.

THAT WILL CLEAN YOU OUT REAL GOOD.

IT'S NOT SAFE TO DRINK THAT.

>>YOU BEGAN THE DISTILLING COMPANY AS PART OF SORT OF GROWING YOUR AGRICULTURAL WORK OUT HERE, RIGHT?

>>YEAH.

>>YOU GOT A BLUEBERRY FARM AND A BUNCH OF OTHER THINGS THAT ARE ALL BASED AROUND AGRICULTURE.

>>WE HAVE A CERTIFIED ORGANIC BLUEBERRY FARM AND THIS IS A FAMILY-OWNED BUSINESS.

FAMILY WORKS HERE.

WE GROW ALL THE BLUEBERRIES ON THE FARM.

NOT ONLY FOR OUR AWARD-WINNING MOONSHINE, BUT FOR SOME PIES MADE WITH FRESH BLUEBERRIES.

>>DOUG, THANKS SO MUCH FOR SHOWING US HOW ALL OF THIS STUFF WORKS.

IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF CENTRAL FLORIDA HISTORY ON CENTRAL FLORIDA ROADTRIP, GOING BACK TO PROHIBITION DAYS AND DISTILLING.

>>FOLKS IN LEESBURG MIGHT RECALL DRIVING DOWN MIKE STREET.

OF COURSE, WE HAD TO ASK: WHO THE HECK IS MIKE?

MIKE STREET RUNS OFF OF EAST MAIN STREET IN DOWNTOWN LEESBURG.

>>MR.

MIKE WAS A SLAVE WHO WAS FREED BY THE WAR.

AT THAT TIME AFTER THE WAR, THERE WAS A LOT OF MOVEMENT AND WE HAD QUITE A FEW BLACK PIONEERS.

>>WHEN HE CAME TO LEESBURG AS A SLAVE IN 1860, HIS NAME WAS DENNIS DICKEY.

BUT WHEN HE WAS FREED, HE CHANGED HIS NAME.

>>HE CHOSE THE NAME MIKE, BECAUSE HE LIKED HIS OWNER AND HE LIKED HIS OWNER'S SON, ESPECIALLY.

HIS OWNER'S SON WAS NAMED MIKE SO HE DECIDED HE WAS GOING TO USE THE NAME MIKE.

MR. MIKE LIVED TO BE VERY ELDERLY.

PEOPLE SAID HE WAS CLOSE TO A HUNDRED WHEN HE PASSED AWAY, >>MIKE STREET WAS PAVED AND NAMED FOR THE MIKE FAMILY IN 1928.

>>MANY CITRUS GROWERS HAVE BEEN IN THE BUSINESS FOR GENERATIONS AND THE OWNERS OF SENSATIONAL FARMS IN UMATILLA ARE NO EXCEPTION.

BUT WHAT SETS THEM APART FROM THE REST?

WELL, THEY'RE THE OWNERS OF THE ICONIC PIECE, THE BIG ORANGE.

>>I'M SHARON FARYNA, OWNER OF SENSATIONAL FARMS IN UMATILLA AND HOME TO THE BIG ORANGE, AS WE LIKE TO CALL IT, WHICH IS A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE CITRUS INDUSTRY THAT WE PURCHASED IN 2012.

MY HUSBAND AND I HAVE BEEN IN THE CITRUS BUSINESS FOR 54 YEARS.

A RELATIVE ACTUALLY OWNED IT AND WE ALWAYS JOKED WITH HIM THAT IF HE EVER CAME TIME TO SELL IT, WE WOULD LIKE TO PURCHASE IT FOR OUR COLLECTION OF CITRUS MEMORABILIA THAT WE'VE COLLECTED FOR SO LONG.

WHEN HE DECIDED TO SELL IT, HE DID GIVE US THE FIRST OPPORTUNITY.

WE WERE THRILLED TO DEATH TO BE ABLE TO COMPLETELY REFURBISH IT AND HAVE IT AT ITS NEW HOME HERE IN UMATILLA.

>>THE BIG ORANGE WAS PURCHASED IN SOUTH FLORIDA IN THE LATE 1960S AND AFTER A WHILE WOUND UP SITTING ALONG HIGHWAY 441 IN MOUNT DORA FOR NEARLY 30 YEARS.

THE IN MUCH NEED OF REPAIR OF FIXER UPPER WAS PURCHASED BY SHARON AND HER HUSBAND AND THE REHAB PROJECT BEGAN.

>>IT WAS IN PRETTY BAD CONDITION.

IT HAD BEEN VANDALIZED, HOLES SHOT THROUGH IT, THE DOORS BROKEN OUT, THE AIR CONDITIONER STRIPPED OUT.

IT TOOK QUITE A BIT TO REFURBISH IT AND BRING IT BACK TO THE WAY IT SHOULD BE.

IN FACT, WE HAVE THE ACTUAL CHANDELIER STILL IN IT THAT WAS IN IT FROM THE VERY BEGINNING.

RIGHT NOW I JUST HAVE A FEW ANTIQUES AND THEY'RE ON DISPLAY.

I JUST FEEL HONORED THAT WE WERE THE ONES THAT HE ALLOWED US TO PURCHASE IT FROM HIM.

LIKE HE TOLD MY HUSBAND AND I, HE COULD HAVE SOLD IT A HUNDRED TIMES, BUT HE KNEW THAT WE WERE SO DEDICATED TO CITRUS BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN HERE FOR 54 YEARS AND WE WERE THE ONES THAT HE WANTED TO HAVE IT.

IT'S AN HONOR TO BE ABLE TO SAY THAT WE OWN IT.

>>WHEN IT COMES TO FARMS IN LAKE COUNTY, ONE OF THE MORE UNUSUAL ONES IS IN FERNDALE, WHICH IS NEAR CLEREMONT.

IT'S NOT CITRUS OR LUMBER OR EVEN CATTLE.

INSTEAD, IT'S ALPACAS.

>>A LOT OF PEOPLE ASK, WHY WOULD YOU EVER WANT TO SPEND TIME WITH ALPACAS?

ALPACAS ARE A BEAUTIFUL AND UNIQUE ANIMAL.

IT IS A VERY DOCILE, VERY INTERESTED ANIMAL.

THEY'RE INQUISITIVE.

THEY'LL COME UP TO YOU.

THEY'RE VERY SHY.

THEY MOVE FAST OR RUN AWAY.

IT'S ALL ABOUT BUILDING TRUST.

THERE YOU GO.

THERE YOU GO.

HI, GOOD MORNING.

HOW ARE YOU?

THEY'RE VERY FRIENDLY ONCE THEY GET TO KNOW YOU.

THEY'RE A TRUSTING ANIMAL.

IT TAKES A LONG TIME TO GET THEM TO TRUST YOU.

BUT ONCE THEY CAN TRUST YOU, THEY LIKE HANGING OUT.

THEY ALL HAVE DIFFERENT PERSONALITIES.

I HAVE 35 ALPACAS ON THE FARM.

IT'S LIKE HAVING 35 INDIVIDUAL CHILDREN.

ALL OF THEM HAVE DIFFERENT QUIRKS AND PERSONALITIES.

ONCE YOU'VE BEEN AROUND THEM A LONG TIME, YOU KNOW HOW THEY INTERACT.

>>ALPACAS ARE PART OF THE CAMELID FAMILY.

THEY'VE COME FROM SOUTH AMERICA.

COUNTRIES LIKE PERU, BOLIVIA, CHILE, HIGH ALTITUDE, 10,000 PLUS FEET, WHERE WE'RE AT VERY LOW ALTITUDE HERE IN FLORIDA.

THIS IS NOT THEIR IDEAL CLIMATE SO WE HAVE TO DO SOME DIFFERENT PRECAUTIONS TO MAKE SURE WE KEEP THEM COOL ENOUGH.

>>EVERYONE ALWAYS WANTS TO KNOW WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A LLAMA AND WHAT IS AN ALPACA?

THIS IS LILY.

SHE'S A LLAMA.

THEY ARE BIGGER AND SMARTER.

THEY HAVE BANANA EARS, A LONG NOSE.

JOLENE IS AN ALPACA.

LITTLE SMALLER, IS VERY FRIENDLY.

BORN HERE ON THE FARM, NOT AFRAID OF PEOPLE.

SHE'LL COME RIGHT UP TO YOU.

EVERYONE ASKS, "CAN THEY BITE YOU?"

WELL, BEING PART OF THE CAMELID FAMILY, LLAMAS AND ALPACAS ARE BORN WITH NO TOP TEETH SO THEY CAN'T BITE YOU LIKE A HORSE.

>>I HANDLE MY ANIMALS EVERY DAY SO AT TIME THEY'LL BECOME MORE FRIENDLY.

THERE'S NOTHING BETTER THAN HAVING AN ALPACA FARM.

ONCE YOU COME OUT AND SPEND TIME WITH YOUR HERD, THE WHOLE WORLD WILL COME TO A STOP.

YOU'LL FORGET THE WORLD AND YOU'LL JUST WANT TO INTERACT WITH THEM.

THEY'RE PLAYFUL.

THEY'RE INQUISITIVE.

THERE'S NOT A MEAN BONE IN THEIR BODY.

DID YOU LIKE THAT?

WAS THAT GOOD?

IS THAT A YUMMY TREAT?

THERE'S NOTHING MORE SOOTHING OR MORE COMFORTING THAN OWNING A HERD OF ALPACAS.

>>NOTHING LIKE SOME GREAT CHAINSAW ART TO BRIGHTEN YOUR DAY.

IN DOWNTOWN UMATILLA AT CADWELL PARK, VISITORS CAN TRULY BE INSPIRED BY NATURE'S BEAUTY.

>>NOW EVERYBODY LOVES TREES.

UNFORTUNATELY, WE HAD TO TAKE THESE TREES DOWN BECAUSE THEY WERE OLD AND DECAYING.

BUT WHAT WE TRIED TO DO IS TAKE A BAD SITUATION, TAKING DOWN TREES, NO ONE LIKES THAT, AND MAKE IT SOMETHING POSITIVE FOR THE COMMUNITY.

RATHER THAN JUST CUT DOWN THE TREES IN TOTAL, ONE OF OUR STAFF MEMBERS SUGGESTED CREATING SOME TREE CARVINGS OUT OF THESE TREES THAT WERE DECAYED.

WE CONTACTED A COUPLE OF LOCAL FLORIDA CHAINSAW ARTISTS.

THEY CAME OUT AND THEY STARTED CARVING DIFFERENT TYPES OF WILDLIFE INTO OUR TREES.

WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT WHAT TYPE OF CARVINGS WE WOULD LIKE, WE'RE UMATILLA, WERE NEXT TO THE NATIONAL FOREST SO WE WANTED ANIMALS AND WILDLIFE THAT WERE TYPICAL THAT YOU WOULD SEE IN OUR SURROUNDING AREA.

WE HAVE ALLIGATORS, BEARS, EAGLES, JUST A VARIETY OF WILDLIFE THAT, THAT YOU MIGHT SEE NOT TOO FAR FROM HERE IN THE FOREST.

>>I THINK IN THE PARK HERE, WE HAVE NINE TREE CARVINGS AND I'M NOT POSITIVE, BUT I THINK WE HAVE MORE TREE CARVINGS IN THIS SMALL AREA THAN YOU MIGHT FIND IN ANY ONE LOCATION THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF FLORIDA.

THIS DEFINITELY WAS A FEATURE THAT WE WANTED TO ADD TO THE PARK SO OUR COMMUNITY, NOT ONLY OUR CITIZENS, BUT THROUGHOUT NORTH LAKE COUNTY COULD COME AND LOOK AT SOME VERY CREATIVE ARTWORK.

IT'S NOT JUST A TREE CARVING.

IT REALLY IS ART.

IF YOU COULD WATCH THE PROCESS OF WHAT THESE ARTISTS DO TO CREATE THESE PIECES, YOU WOULD JUST BE ABSOLUTELY AMAZED.

>>YOU REALLY CAN'T APPRECIATE THE DETAIL IN THIS ART UNLESS YOU SEE IT WITH YOUR OWN EYES.

BUT UNLESS YOU WALK UP TO IT AND REALLY LOOK AT IT, YOU CAN'T SEE HOW INTRICATE THIS WORK IS.

IT'S AMAZING TO SEE IT BEING DONE AND IT'S AMAZING TO SEE IT AFTER IT'S BEEN DONE.

CADWELL PARK, IT IS BEAUTIFUL, IT HAD A BUNCH OF TREES IN IT, AND EVEN THE ONES WE TOOK DOWN AND CREATED THESE BEAUTIFUL CARVINGS WITH, WE KNEW THAT WE HAD TO COME BACK AND PLANT FOR THE FUTURE.

IF WE TOOK A TREE OUT, WE WOULD COME BACK AND WE'D PLANT A NEW TREE.

THEY'RE YOUNG YET, BUT 20 YEARS FROM NOW, THEY'LL BE BEAUTIFUL JUST LIKE THE ONES WE HAD TO TAKE DOWN.

>>THE LAKE COUNTY COMMUNITY OF HOWEY-IN-THE-HILLS ONLY HAS A LITTLE OVER A THOUSAND RESIDENTS, BUT IT'S HOME TO ONE OF THE COUNTY'S BEST KNOWN LANDMARKS.

HOWEY-IN-THE-HILLS WAS FOUNDED BY WILLIAM JOHN HOWEY, A CITRUS GROWER AND REAL ESTATE DEVELOPER.

IN FACT, THE VERY FIRST CITRUS JUICE PLANT IN FLORIDA WAS BUILT IN WHAT IS NOW HOWEY-IN-THE-HILLS IN 1921.

TODAY, HOWEY-IN-THE-HILLS IS KNOWN AS THE LOCATION FOR THE MISSION INN RESORT AND GOLF COMMUNITY, AS WELL AS THE LAKE RIDGE WINERY.

HOWEVER, IT IS THE HOWEY MANSION THAT CONTINUES TO BE THE MOST PROMINENT LOCAL LANDMARK.

>>THE HOWEY MANSION WAS BUILT FROM 1925 TO 1927 AND BACK IN THAT TIME WAS A TRUE SHOWPLACE.

MR. HOWEY WOULD BRING FOLKS DOWN FROM NEW YORK AND FROM THE MIDDLE OF THE COUNTRY TO INVEST IN ORANGE GROVES AND THEY WOULD GIVE THE BIG TOUR AND HE WOULD ENTERTAIN HERE.

>>MRS.

HOWEY LIVED IN THE MANSION UNTIL HER DEATH IN 1981.

THROUGH VARIOUS CIRCUMSTANCES, THE MANSION FELL INTO DISREPAIR FOR YEARS UNTIL TWO BROTHERS, BOTH THIRD GENERATION FLORIDIANS, STEPPED FORWARD TO BRING THE MANSION BACK TO ITS GLORY.

>>MY BROTHER AND I SAW THIS HOUSE, THE CROWN JEWEL OF HOWEY-IN-THE-HILLS, BOARDED UP FOR SO MANY YEARS AND WE REALLY WANTED TO HELP THE TOWN RESTORE IT.

IT REALLY IS KIND OF THE LIVING ROOM FOR THE TOWN AND WE WANTED IT TO STAY THAT WAY.

MR. HOWEY BUILT THIS HOME WITH HIS WIFE AS A SHOWPLACE FOR HIS BUSINESS, BUT ALSO AS HIS PERSONAL RESIDENCE.

WE WANTED TO RESTORE THE HOME TO HOW IT WAS USED WHEN MR. HOWEY WAS HERE.

ALL OF THE ROOMS KEEP THEIR INTENDED PURPOSE.

ONE OF THE MOST INTERESTING FEATURES OF THE HOME IS MR. HOWEY'S BASEMENT.

THE WHOLE BASEMENT WAS BUILT AS A BANK VAULT FOR PROHIBITION TIMES AND THAT'S WHERE HE STORED HIS LIQUOR.

>>WE TRIED AND REALLY BE THE LIVING ROOM FOR THE TOWN OF HOWEY-IN-THE-HILLS.

THERE'S NOT A WHOLE LOT OF HISTORY IN FLORIDA AND WE WANTED TO PRESERVE A REALLY NEAT PART OF IT.

>>LAKE COUNTY IS NATURALLY FULL LAKES.

CONNECTING LAKE DORA AND LAKE EUSTIS IS A WATERWAY CALLED THE DORA CANAL.

IT'S THE PERFECT PLACE TO EXPERIENCE A CALMING CRUISE ALONG THE WATER AS WELL AS A PIECE OF HISTORY.

>>THE DORA CANAL, ORIGINALLY CALLED THE ELFIN RIVER IS A NATURAL WATERWAY.

BEAUTIFUL, IT CONNECTS LAKE DORA WITH LAKE EUSTIS, THIS ENTIRELY IN THE CITY OF TAVARES.

GRANTLAND RICE USED TO VISIT HERE IN THE 1940S AND 1950S.

HE WAS VERY WELL KNOWN.

HE WAS A SPORTSWRITER, VERY WELL KNOWN FOR HIS PROSE AND HIS WORDS.

GRANTLAND RICE HAD SAID THAT THE DORA CANAL WAS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL MILE OF WATERWAY IN THE WORLD.

HE WAS RIGHT.

>>THE DORA CANAL WAS FIRST DUG BACK IN THE 1880S TO ENABLE BOAT TRAFFIC TO HELP WITH THE TRANSPORTING OF GOODS AND PRODUCTS TO MARKET.

TOURISTS AND LOCALS NOW CAN TAKE AN ECO BOAT TOUR TO GET A FIRSTHAND LOOK AT THE PRISTINE NATURE ALONG THE DORA CANAL.

>>WE LIKE TO CALL IT THE JUNGLE RIVER THAT WERE ALIGNED TO BALD CYPRESS TREES ON EITHER SIDE, CREATING A GREAT ENVIRONMENT TO SEE ALLIGATORS, TURTLES, LOTS OF DIFFERENT WATERBIRDS, ALL THAT HERONS.

WE ALSO GO THROUGH THE RESIDENTIAL SECTION, WHICH WAS THE HAND DUG SECTION.

>>NOW, WE'RE STILL IN THE MANMADE PORTION OF THE DORA CANAL.

TOOK 70 MEN TWO YEARS TO DIG THIS OUT BY HAND IN THE 1800S.

SHOVELS AND AXES WHERE THE TOOLS OF THE DAY.

IT WAS PRETTY INCREDIBLE BACK IN 1800S IS THEY DID NOT LOSE ONE MAN, NOT TO A SNAKE BITE, A GATOR BITE, DISEASE OR ACCIDENT.

PRETTY INCREDIBLE.

ALL RIGHT, WE'VE GOT A PRETTY GOOD SIZED GATOR LAYING IN THE WATER HERE.

NINE OR 10 FOOT GATOR RIGHT THERE.

THERE ARE SIX SNAKES IN FLORIDA THAT ARE POISONOUS OR ACTUALLY VENOMOUS, AND ALL SIX OF THEM ARE IN THIS CANAL.

>>IT'S JUST SO NATURAL THAT EVERYONE LIKES TO CALL IT OLD FLORIDA.

ON A BUSY DAY, HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE GO AND SEE THE DORA CANAL BECAUSE IT IS THAT SPECIAL.

THIS WHOLE AREA, THE HARRIS CHAIN OF LAKES AND THE DORA CANAL ESPECIALLY REALLY IS OLD FLORIDA.

ABSOLUTELY.

ONE OF MY CAPTAINS LIKES TO SAY, "EVERY DAY, IT'S DIFFERENT IN THE DORA CANAL.

>>THINK YOU MIGHT KNOW A BIT ABOUT THE CENTRAL FLORIDA HISTORY THAT WE MISSED?

WELL, THEN HEAD ON OVER TO FACEBOOK.COM/WUCFTV AND LET US KNOW.

FOR MORE ADVENTURES AROUND OUR AREA, CHECK OUT THE OTHER EPISODES OF CENTRAL FLORIDA ROADTRIP AT WUCF.ORG/ROADTRIP.

WELL, THAT WRAPS UP THIS LAKE COUNTY EDITION OF CENTRAL FLORIDA ROADTRIP.

I'M DOCTOR PHIL HOFFMAN.

JOIN US AGAIN NEXT TIME AS WE CONTINUE TO EXPLORE THE RICH HISTORY THAT SURROUNDS US ALL EVERY DAY, RIGHT HERE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA.