Maitland, one of the oldest
incorporated municipalities in Central Florida, is a city rich in history. The area was
once called Fumecheliga (Musk Mellon Place) by the Seminole Indians before it was
established as Fort Maitland in 1838 by the U.S. Army. The fort was named after captain
William Seton Maitland, a hero of the Seminole Wars who,
ironically, was never in this area, having died in a battle near Tampa. At that time, the
only way of getting to Central Florida was by boat from Jacksonville down the St. Johns
River to Fort Mellon (Sanford), then by horse or foot. Fort Maitland was a small fort
built on the west shore of Lake Maitland as a rest stop between Fort Mellon and Fort
Gatlin (Orlando). What is now Maitland Avenue was part of the Old Black Bear Trail which
ran from Montreal, Canada to St. Petersburg, Florida, and passed by the fort.
When the Indian wars ceased and the fort had been torn down, people began settling in this
area because of the natural spring water and extensive pine forests. At the close of the
Civil War, settlers came buying large tracts of land, clearing them and planting citrus
groves. The first deed for property in the city was written in 1873 to George H. Packwood
who built a large hall for town meetings and social gatherings. Packwood Hall, since
burned down, was located where City Hall now is. There was a large hotel, Park House,
built between Park Lake and Lake Catherine, which became the winter resort for famous
people of the time, including two presidents, Grover Cleveland and Chester Arthur.
By 1876 the orange trees were coming into production and difficulty in marketing the fruit
caused Dr. Haskell, of the Boston Herald newspaper, to form a syndicate and construct a
railroad from Jacksonville to Maitland. This was completed to Maitland in 1880 and for
several years, Maitland had an ice factory, two livery stables, and besides the citrus
groves, a large packing house in the center of town. As many as 300,000 boxes of fruit
were to be shipped each season. The city was incorporated as the Town of Lake Maitland in
1885. After two years of devastating, tree killing freezes in 1894 and 1895, many of the
grove owners were so financially affected that they left Florida. The town survived,
however, and wealthy visitors kept coming to enjoy the climate. By 1926, Maitland had its
largest year in citrus.
In the 1950’s the space age had the eyes of the nation on Central Florida. The Martin
Marietta Corporation, as we know it today, moved from Baltimore to Orlando. Families were
moved down in contingents of two or three hundred at a time. Due to its proximity to the
plant, Maitland became a natural place for them to come. In 1959 a new city charter
changed the name from Lake Maitland to Maitland.
In the 1960’s, Maitland Avenue and Orlando Avenue (U.S. Highway 17-92) came alive
with building construction. Supermarkets opened, as did restaurants, service stations,
condominiums, garden apartments and churches. Even though the nation was in a recession,
the arrival of Disney World, in 1971, to the Orlando area, had a strong impact on the
continuous growth of Maitland. New buildings were sorely needed and numerous older
buildings were demolished, including those on the site of the new City Hall, Fire and
Police Departments. This complex was completed in 1975.
The growth of the city continued to spiral during the 1970’s. Between 1972 and 1979,
five branch banking establishments moved to Maitland, and twelve new residential
subdivisions were developed. Late in the 1970’s, 226 acres of land were purchased by
an Atlanta, Georgia firm and developed into Maitland Center west of Interstate 4. Maitland
Center is within the city limits and continues to grow.
While growth continues, residents of the city are proud of the city’s past and
actively pursue preservation of historical residences. A “historical corridor”
has been established. This corridor encompasses old residences still standing and occupied
in the Lake Lily-Lake Catherine area and extending through the Central portion of the
city. Examples of these homes are: the Arthur O’Heir House (1885), Chadburne Hall or
High Oaks (1890), the James Arch House (1885), the Robert L. Wagner House (1881) and the
Hill-Stone House (1908). Also, the Florida Audubon Society was founded in Maitland and
continues in its protection of wild birds on Lake Sybelia.
The City of Maitland has a history of strong residential identity, sustained by the beauty
of the area and the diverse economy in the region. This history continues today, and the
City will maintain and advance this tradition well into the future.
Maitland real estate 
