The Florida Writer      

     One Road Trip Worth Taking

By: Charles J. Asbury II

  With the economy tanking and gas prices rising to astronomical proportions, taking a road might seem impractical and out of the question. So what if you could take a short trip, car pool with some friends and spend as little as possible. Where would you go? I have the perfect place.

  Just one county over, this one stoplight town is well worth the drive. I’m assuming that we’re operating on a small budget. How appropriate, that I picked a small town with lots of character. It’s a quaint little town named, "Crescent City."

  To get an idea of what life looked like a century ago, one can find it in Crescent City. Small town America is still alive and well here, protected from the rush of the modern world. Founded in 1883 this "Mayberry," replica retains plenty of examples of the Victorian Era. You’ll find old southern houses sitting peacefully under the shade of massive mosey oaks and classically styled store fronts still in existence in the downtown commercial districts, many occupied to this day.

  Stimulated by the wealth producing citrus crops and snow birds from the north, the mid-1800's marked the beginning of the settlement of Crescent City. Several grand hotels once stood along the second largest lake in Florida(Lake Crescent). Unfortunately, all but one have fallen victim to fire. The "Sprague House," was constructed in 1892, and remains the only one left. It has been restored and reopened as a fascinating Bed and Breakfast.

  At the corner of Lake Street and Central Ave stands the oldest commercial building in the city. Built as the Benham General Store in 1883 and serving as the Masonic Lodge for nearly 75 years, three Bananas Restaurant has now moved in bringing a Key West flavor and a new lease on life to the landmark.

  While these locations just scratch the surface of the historic sites in Crescent City, hopefully it feeds your hunger just enough to want more. Maps for a tour of Crescent City are available from the Chamber of Commerce or just stop and ask someone for directions. Because wherever you’re going in this little city, it can’t be too far.

Published by: Shades of Pink Magazine 

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