Some hundred years ago in the eighteen eighty-five
A man had a dream that would soon come alive.
He traveled by rail to a place near Fort Meade;
The he rode on horseback to Township thirty-three.

In the wilds of South Florida where the panther still roamed
He looked on the land he would soon call his home,
Where the pine trees were tall and the lakes crystal clear.
Oliver M. Crosby was the founding pioneer.

Then from Old England came William and Mary King;
Two things of great importance with them they did bring.
He gave us our spirit; she gave us our name.
And the town of Avon Park would never be the same.

(chorus)
Avon Park - Avon Park
Florida's little city with a great big heart;
We grow our orange trees and the Jacaranda, too.
Avon Park - we love you.

From the sands of the Ridge, many homes and farms did rise.
In tribute to our God there were steeples in the skies.
Times they were good, some fortunes were made
And the town of Avon Park began to come of age.

But then came the freeze of eighteen ninety-five.
The sound of bark abusting caused many a man to cry;
No orange tree left astanding that the cold did not kill;
and the dreams of a lifetime were shattered by the chill.

Now many had to leave; all hope to them was lost.
But some chose to stay no matter what the cost.
With a pioneer spirit they struggled to survive,
And the town of Avon Park barely stayed alive.

(repeat chorus)

At the turn of the century things were kind of slow
But the railroad came to town and it sure helped us grow.
The days of World War One meant plenty of work for all;
Dr. Donaldson led the people in the building of the Mall.

The decade of the twenties roared flaming and bright
And the Jacaranda Hotel was a beacon in the night.
Main Street came alive with stores along the mall
And times were mighty good for most of them all.

But in the year of twenty-nine the town knew great pain.
Mr. King and Mr. Crews were lost beneath a train;
And the stock market fell like a giant crashing hand;
The pall of Depression was felt across our land.

(repeat chorus)

By nineteen thirty-five at the age of fifty years
The town had known great joy but had shed many tears.
Then the hands of time did roll like the waves of the sea
Till the soul of Avon Park has seen a century.

So I think it's kind of nice that you can join with me
As we search for our roots and a place in history.
People of all colors -  people of all ages
Looking through the past, turning back the pages.

Now some folks always stand a little above the rest;
so let's dedicate these verses to one of our best.
Leoma Maxwell -  you sure helped us along;
From your book of memories came the heart of this song.

(repeat chorus)

(Copyright (c) 1986 - by Don Farrens, used by permission)