National Register of Historic Places

Lakeside Inn

Mount Dora, Lake County, Florida
Listed
March 19, 1987
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
87000481

About this property

The Lakeside Inn is a historic site in Mount Dora, Florida. It is located at 100 North Alexander Street. On March 19, 1987, it was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. It was for sale in 2010, and purchased by new owners, who planned to renovate it, later that year. The Lakeside Inn, originally named the Alexander House, was built in 1883 by the partnership of Col. John M. Alexander, Col. John A. McDonald (real estate dealer from Eustis), and his daughter, Annie McDonald Stone. The partners hired Caroline Bruce to manage the ten-room inn as they were busy with other interests. In 1895, Caroline Bruce left in order to start her own establishment, the Bruce House. Management of the hotel shifted to Emma Boone and it was renamed the Lake House. Boone married George D. Thayer in May of 1903, and Thayer formed a stock company to operate the hotel. Boone died in 1909 and Thayer continued management of the hotel after remarrying in 1920 to Dora Berry Thayer, until his retirement in 1924. The Gatehouse was built in 1908 and the Sunset Cottage was built in 1914. The hotel was sold to Archie Hulbert, an experienced hotel operator from Boston. A three-story center, dining room, kitchen, and circular driveway were added. Operation was then shifted over to Lakeside Inn Properties Inc. (headed by Charles Edgerton and Fred Wentworth) in 1933. It is the oldest continuously operating hotel in the State of Florida and the last of the Grand Victorian Era Hotels still remaining in Central Florida and is said to be the most historic hotel there. Throughout its 130-year history, Lakeside Inn has hosted many noted dignitaries and celebrities, including President Calvin Coolidge and First Lady Grace Coolidge, for a month-long stay in the winter of 1930. Lakeside Inn has also been distinguished as the number one venue in the Central Florida Lakes Region for wedding ceremonies and receptions

Location

100 N. Alexander St.
Mount Dora, Lake County, Florida
28.79807, -81.64493

Categories

COMMERCEARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Overview
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The Land
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Geology
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Conflict & War
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The Civil War
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The Soldiers
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Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
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Rivers & Rail
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Notable People
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Finds & Access
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Nearby Historic Sites

Mount Dora A. C. L. Railroad Station, Old
Industrial
0.1 mi
Donnelly House
Industrial
0.2 mi
Mount Dora Historic District
Listed
0.5 mi
Witherspoon Lodge No. 111 Free and Accepted Masons (F&AM)
Industrial
0.9 mi
Purdy Villa
Industrial
2.5 mi

Questions about this property

When was Lakeside Inn listed on the National Register?

Lakeside Inn was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on March 19, 1987.

What type of historic resource is Lakeside Inn?

Lakeside Inn is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Lakeside Inn?

The period of significance for Lakeside Inn is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Lakeside Inn?

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