Prior to EUSTIS existed a place known as PENDRYVILLE,
established along the shore of lake Eustis July 9, 1877. On that date, Augustus
J. PENDRY opened a post office he named Pendryville. “
In the autumn of 1875,”
according to a Pendry biography, he had journeyed down St. Johns River, met
Henry S. SANFORD, and worked as manager of one of two hotels then under
construction. Within two years, he was proprietor of his own hotel, the
OCKLAWAHA HOUSE (shown in this post), located on Lake Eustis. In addition to
running a lakeside lodge, Augustus & Olivia C. (ENNIS) planted an orange
grove.
Originally part of Orange County, Pendryville was the second
settlement on the lake. James HULL had established the first lakeside community
six years prior, opening LAKE EUSTIS Post Office May 15, 1871. Lake County was
formed May 27, 1887.
Lake Eustis, Florida
