Florida Citrus Tower
| Florida Citrus Tower | |
|---|---|
| 150px
Florida Citrus Tower in 2015
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| General information | |
| Type | Observation tower Radio broadcasting tower |
| Location | Clermont, Florida |
| Coordinates | Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. |
| Completed | 1956 |
| Owner | Greg Homan |
| Height | |
| Antenna spire | 500 feet (152 m) above sea level[1] |
| Roof | 226 feet (69 m) |
| Design and construction | |
| Developer | A.W.Thacker and F.J.Toole |
The Florida Citrus Tower is a 226-foot-tall (69 m) structure built in 1956 in Clermont, Florida.[2] Once the most famous landmark of the Orlando area, it was built to allow visitors to observe the miles of orange groves surrounding it; developments in the citrus industry since its construction have left it providing a view of suburban neighborhoods today. With the antenna reaching over 500 feet (152 m) above sea level, it is the highest observation point in Florida. In early 2015, the Citrus Tower received a new paint job, giving it a new but retro look, with an orange line going down the middle of each side. [3]
History
The tower opened in 1956 after 13 months of construction. During the first several years of operation, the tower was a popular attraction boasting up to 500,000 visitors a year due to being located on Highway 27 between Cypress Gardens and Silver Springs.[4] However, in 1964 the Florida Turnpike was extended north, providing a faster route south through Central Florida. Since then the tower has exchanged ownership multiple times, each trying to regain popularity for the tour. In 1988 a tram tour was built to tour visitors of various citrus crop being grown. The tower was purchased in 1995 by Greg Homan, who intends to keep and maintain the tower.[5]
Attraction
The Citrus Tower includes a wishing well, where visitors can hear their coin drop all the way to the bottom, and all proceeds are donated to the Green Isle Children Ranch. A recent addition to the Citrus Tower is their new banquet facility, ROOM: Valencia. During Christmas season lights are put up on the tower that dance to Christmas music.[6] Adjacent to the tower is the Presidents Hall of Fame - a wax exhibition museum in tribute to the 44 Presidents of the United States of America which includes a full scale model replica of the actual interior of the White House.[5]
Gallery
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Citrus Tower Clermont01.jpg
The Citrus Tower before the orange stripe was added
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Citrus Tower Clermont elevator01.jpg
The elevator of the Citrus Tower
References
- ↑ Spreading Out In All Directions, by Lindy T. Shepherd, Orlando Weekly
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Frommer's Florida '93 by Springer, George McDonald, Marylyn Springer, Don A Schultz
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ http://www.citrustower.com/clermont/light-show/
External links
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