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On Thursday, State Sen. Keith Truenow filed a resolution, declaring Feb. 2, 2025, “Town of Windermere Day” in recognition of the town’s 100th anniversary and “its commitment to building and maintaining a strong community that reflects its residents.”
Truenow, a Republican, represents Lake County along with a sliver of Orange County that includes the charming town among the lakes.
The resolution chronicles Windermere’s history, which dates to 1888 when a British doctor named Dr. Stanley Scott settled on 160 acres of Central Florida land and named it Windermere after the Lake Windermere town in England’s Cumbria County. The land was purchased in 1911 by town forefathers J.C. “Cal” Palmer and J. Howard Johnson and formally incorporated in 1925 as the Town of Windermere.
Truenow’s resolution also cites the town’s iconic tree canopy and notes that Windermere has been designated as a Tree City USA by the Arbor Day Foundation. In an effort to further protect its tree canopy, the town recently instituted stiffer penalties for developers who do not get permits before clear-cutting lots prior to building.
“The Town of Windermere appreciates the Florida State Senate Resolution recognizing our Windermere Centennial celebration,” Mayor Jim O’Brien told VoxPopuli by text. “I am appreciative to all those who have played a role in making this a special yearlong celebration for our community.”
O’Brien, who requested the Senate Resolution, said it would be displayed in the town administration building lobby.
The Senate Resolution wasn’t the only recognition the town received from Tallahassee. In January, State Rep. Leonard Spencer, the freshman Democrat representing Windermere, attended the Jan. 24 inaugural festivities for the town’s yearlong centennial celebration.
During the ceremony, Spencer presented the town with a proclamation from the House of Representatives, which cited the town’s “close knit community that values its rich history, scenic landscapes, and the strong bonds among its residents.” The proclamation also praised the town for its “remarkable legacy, its contributions to the cultural and economic fiber of the fabric of Central Florida and the bright future it continues to build.”
