After nearly 20 years of effort, the town of Groveland in Lake County has taken ownership of its 101-year-old train depot. The building is to be restored and opened to residents.
The transfer deed was signed Friday, Oct. 30. The town had been trying to buy back the privately owned property since about 2007. The price of the transaction was not disclosed.
The depot played a key role in Groveland’s growth. It connected the town by rail with Sanford and St. Petersburg and served as a shipping point for citrus, lumber and turpentine.
The site also has a painful history. In 1949, 16-year-old Charles Greenlee, one of the “Groveland Four,” was arrested there. The four Black men were wrongly accused of rape. The case became one of the symbols of racial injustice in Florida.
The town has set aside $500,000 for the first phase of the restoration. Work is scheduled to begin in 2027. Plans include an event hall and a historic brick plaza around the depot, which is meant to become a gateway to downtown and a starting point for trails. “This is a watershed moment for Groveland,” Mayor Keith Keogh said.
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Source: Słoneczne Radio
