Apopka is a city of about 50,000 people located 16 miles northwest of Orlando. The name is a Seminole Indian word that means “potato-eating place”. There were about 200 Seminoles in the community, but they were forced to find another place to eat potatoes after finally losing the Second Seminole War to the United States Army in 1842.
Florida had been a U.S. territory since America took it from Spain in the First Seminole War. The government was eager to have Florida become the 27th state to join the union. With the Seminole War concluded Congress passed the Armed Occupation Act, which basically gave native land to white settlers. Florida became a state in 1845.
The settlers built roads and houses as Apopka grew into a sizable trading post. The biggest building in town was a Masonic Lodge at the intersection of Alabama Ave. and Main Street. In 1882, the square mile area around the lodge was incorporated as the City of Apopka. Today nearly 50,000 people live in Apopka. (According to census figures, 150 residents are descendants of Native Americans, so the indigenous population abides.)
It is known as the “Indoor Foliage Capital of the World” because of its many greenhouse nurseries. In the 1920s, fern growing became so extensive that Apopka was known as “The Fern City”.
It is also a top destination for outdoor recreation, with a beautiful landscape of lakes, springs, and natural land areas. Visitors can enjoy fishing or hiking along the vast north shore of the local lake.
Historic Apopka
The city has preserved its history and visitors can find many interesting and noteworthy sites. The Seaboard Air Line Railroad depot and the Ryan & Company Lumberyard are on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. Several prominent area homes are of historic interest and are also listed as public treasures.
The Museum of the Apopkans is located at 122 East Fifth Street, Apopka, Florida. The museum contains exhibits about the history of Apopka and Northwest Orange County. It also displays artifacts from indigenous tribes and settlers. The museum is run by the Apopka Historical Society.
Some say they were surprised by the museum and were blown away by the wealth of information and variety of artifacts. The museum has an average customer rating of 4.1/5 from 19 reviews. Admission is free, but donations are appreciated.
The museum is open Tuesday through Friday from 1 to 5 PM. The phone number is (407) 703-1707.
In the Movies
In the movie Ernest Saves Christmas, Ernest disguises himself as an Apopka snake rancher to sneak Santa into a movie studio. Ernest poses as a Crocodile Dundee-esque worker from the “Apopka Snake Ranch” to get by the studio guards. Santa is hidden beneath a tarp in the bed of a pickup truck, wriggling around to emulate a cargo of agitated snakes. The guard moves in to check the truck anyway, but Ernest dissuades him. The movie was filmed at Disney-MGM Studios and on location in Orlando, Florida, and Nashville, Tennessee. It was released on video in 1989.
Apopka Car Accident Attorneys
The city is also home to the Apopka office of Florida’s premier personal injury law firm, Martinez Manglardi. Located in Bear Lake Shoppes at 3840 East Semoran Blvd., Martinez Manglardi has been fighting for Florida families for more than 35 years. Call 407-846-2240 for a free consultation.
We also have offices in Orlando, Orange County, Seminole County, Lake County, Polk County, Kissimmee, Osceola County, Palm Bay, Brevard County, and Ocala as well as other cities and counties throughout Florida. Don’t take chances with your claim.
