Since the moment of its 1881 founding, Mount Dora on Lake Dora has been thought of as an extra special place. “The picturesqueness of that part of Florida”, wrote a New England Senator in 1943, “its hills and valleys so like some parts of New England, its beautiful lakes, its good roads, its excellent water, its wealth of flowers and citrus fruit, and its mild climate, all combine to allure people.”

The story of how Mount Dora came to be is like no other, a history fitting for a place like no other. Credit for founding this charming lakeside town belongs to a spirited young woman left abandoned after being lured to central Florida’s wilderness, and arguably, the most fascinating aspect of Mount Dora’s history is the leading role frontierswomen played in shaping this intriguing place called Mount Dora.

A story of extraordinary town builders, men and women, Mount Dora: The Lure. The Founding. The Founders is a history of a storybook town, a place that continues today to capture the hearts, minds, and spirits of townsfolk who are forever proud to call themselves, Mount Dorans.