WQBQ Talk Track: Mount Dora’s History Is Hiding in Plain Sight

The Chamber, The “Q,” and You on WQBQ is a free on-air opportunity for Chamber members to share insights, highlight their services, and connect directly with the community.

Stand at Fifth Avenue and Donnelly Street and look down the block. The storefronts tell one story about downtown Mount Dora. The small historical markers on the buildings tell another.

“We’ve got an inside museum. Now we’ve got an outside,” Mount Dora Historical Society President Barnett Schwartzman said during Tuesday’s conversation on WQBQ. He joined board member and historian Debi Rager to talk about the stories the Society is preserving—and its upcoming fundraiser to keep that work going.

A Walking Tour Built Into Downtown

The Society has installed about 25 history markers on downtown buildings. Each shares details about the building’s origins, and a map connects them into a self-guided walking tour. The markers also link visitors to the searchable Mount Dora Archives, where photographs, documents and publications give those stories more room to unfold.

Barnett said the markers have changed the way he sees downtown. From Fifth and Donnelly, he can spot one on nearly every other building. A walk past familiar shops becomes a chance to learn who built them and what came before.

The Society’s work also reaches beyond downtown. It helps preserve local records, cares for the historic Mount Carmel-Simpson Cemetery and brings students into the Mount Dora History Museum to explore the town’s past. The museum itself has plenty to tell: before it held historical exhibits, the Royellou Lane building served as a firehouse and later the city jail.

Debi’s research often starts with an overlooked detail. She described finding old city council records about cattle wandering through Mount Dora, eating residents’ landscaping and causing enough trouble that the marshal was asked to round them up. It is the kind of story that makes the town’s history feel close—and gives people a reason to look again at places they pass every day.

An Evening to Support the Stories

That work is the reason behind Celebrating Mount Dora’s History, the Society’s third annual fundraiser. It takes place Wednesday, October 14, from 5:30–7:30 p.m. at Lakeside Inn.

Guests can expect appetizers, a cash bar, live jazz, raffles and a silent auction. Barnett said the musicians are drawing inspiration from 1930s and ’40s records held at the museum. More than 50 businesses and organizations have contributed auction and raffle items, including local dining, overnight stays, trail rides and other experiences.

Tickets are $25 for Society members and $30 for nonmembers. An advance ticket purchase includes a raffle ticket. See event details and purchase tickets.

Visit the History Museum

You can explore the history in person at the Mount Dora History Museum, 450 Royellou Lane. It is open Tuesday through Sunday, 1–4 p.m. Admission is $2 for adults and $1 for students. The Society also welcomes volunteer docents—people willing to help visitors discover the stories behind the town they thought they knew.