Additional Books

Lakeside Inn (the oldest continuously operating hotel in the state of Florida) is the nucleus of Mount Dora offering the legacy of frontier Florida! An adventurous and courageous team of pioneers formed a partnership to erect a hotel that was spearheaded by lawyer Colonel John M.

Alexander who recruited newcomers to visit and relocate to Central Florida in a Florida version of Manifest Destiny. The partnership of Alexander with Colonel John MacDonald from Canada and Phoebe Anna Stone Donnelly, a rugged and resilient woman ahead of her time, and her eventual lifelong love, John Philip Donnelly contributed to the early vision of a Florida Inn.

The flourishing orange culture and the intellectual components of Chautauqua shaped the evolving communities and influenced the extraordinary historic and artistic spirit of modern-day Mount Dora. Traditionally a seasonal hotel, the recreational oasis is sought after year-round by visitors and organizations who can glimpse a hint of the Gilded age and marvel at the experiences of legendary guests since the hotel’s conception in 1882!