The Birth of The Villages, New Poll, Day Trip 3

Plus: Live Music and More Events

🌅 Good Morning, Villages. It’s National Fudge Day so maybe a good day to make a stop at Kilwins in Spanish Springs, or Peterbrooke’s in Lake Sumter Landing. On this day, in 1903, The Ford Motor Company was incorporated. Welcome to a new week, and a new feature. Today I’ll begin a weekly History of The Villages story. Today’s starts at the very beginning with the story of how Harold Schwartz got things rolling towards what is now The Villages.

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In today’s Villages Pulse:

  • Poll of The Week + Final Results of the Favorite Country Club Restaurant

  • Villages History: The Birth of the Villages

  • New Day Trip: Webster Westside Flea Market

Let’s dive in.

— Kevin Rogers, Publisher

Poll of The Week

Quick and easy poll this week:

Year Round Villages Resident or Snowbird?

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Last Monday’s Final Poll Results

Due to the number of restaurants, you’ll have to zoom in a bit to read this.

Open House + $65,000 Price Drop

4774 Cosentino Ct. | Asking $699,900 | Open House: Jun 17, 20, 22 and 25th

This 3/2 designer home in the Village of Chitty Chatty is a must-see! It had a price drop of $65K on June 12, which comes as no surprise if you read the Alexander Kac Team’s Sotheby’s Market Report from last Thursday’s issue. It’s loaded with $200K in upgrades—think custom-painted driveway, a lead glass front door, and a block lanai with a killer outdoor kitchen. I LOVE THAT OUTDOOR KITCHEN! The oversized corner lot screams pool potential! Inside, a stone fireplace, tinted stackable sliders, and wood-look tile. The kitchen’s a dream: quartz counters, stainless appliances, sleek gray cabinets. The owner’s suite? Tray ceilings, dual custom closets, and a luxe Roman shower. Plus, a stretched garage with epoxy floors and a water filtration system. Golf cart to Brownwood or Lake Deaton Plaza for fun! Check it out!

Villages History

Welcome to the Villages Pulse History Adventure!

Part 1: The Birth of The Villages – From Swamp to Retiree Haven

Ever wonder how The Villages, “Florida’s Friendliest Hometown,” grew from swampy cattle land to a retirement paradise? In this multi-part series, we’ll explore its quirky history, from a risky land scheme to a golf cart utopia, packed with fun facts and historical tidbits!

The Story Begins…

In the 1960s, Michigan businessman Harold Schwartz and partner Al Tarrson sold Florida land by mail order, advertising sunny plots in Northern newspapers. Their target: a scrubby patch near Lady Lake, where alligators outnumbered people. But in 1968, the feds banned mail-order sales, leaving them with unsold swamp. By the 1970s, they pivoted to Orange Blossom Gardens, a mobile home park with 386 trailers in Lake County. Sales were slow—only 400 lots sold in a decade. Who wanted to retire in a mosquito haven?

In 1983, Schwartz’s son, H. Gary Morse, joined with a vision: transform this backwater into a retiree’s dream with golf, pools, and community vibes. By 1986, new homes, a golf course, and a clubhouse sprouted. In 1992, they rebranded as “The Villages,” evoking small-town charm. Morse’s genius? Community Development Districts (CDDs), which funded roads and amenities via low-interest bonds, paid by residents’ taxes, fueling rapid growth.

Quirky Facts & History

  • Seminole Roots: This was Seminole land until the 1840s, later cattle ranches and citrus groves. Steamboats brought tourists to Silver Springs, 25 miles away, for glass-bottom boat tours.

  • Eau de Swamp: Orange Blossom Gardens was named for citrus scents, but locals called it “Eau de Swamp” in rainy season.

  • Cow Patty Golf: The 1985 golf course was so rustic, players dodged cow patties!

  • Free Golf: Schwartz promised “free golf for life,” now a complex Villages perk.

Why It Mattered

Affordable homes ($25,000) and amenities drew retirees, boosting Lady Lake’s population from 3,000 to 10,000 by 1990. Morse’s lifestyle focus—golf carts, clubs—sparked a retiree magnet.

In Next Monday’s issue:

How did The Villages become a true hometown? Next Monday’s update reveals the town square that started it all! In the meantime share your favorite Villages spots with us at villagespulse@gmail.com.

Get Out Of Town!

A Fun-Filled Day Trip to Webster Westside Flea Market!

Leave your golf cart at home and head 20 miles south (from Brownwood) for a treasure-hunting adventure at Webster Westside Flea Market, Florida’s oldest and largest! Open every Monday from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m., this 35-acre open-air market in Webster is a bargain-hunter’s paradise. With 1,500+ vendors, you’ll find antiques, handmade crafts, fresh produce, and quirky finds like taxidermy gator heads or $10 quilts. Hungry? Savor hot dogs, kettle corn, or a cold beer from two restaurants and snack stands.

Park for a few $$ (free if you walk a bit!) and roam shaded stalls or sunny rows. Arrive early to beat the summer heat! A first-Sunday motorcycle swap adds extra fun. It’s a perfect day trip for Villagers craving deals and local flavor. Visit websterwestsidefleamarket.com for details, or check out their facebook for more timely info.

Upcoming Events

🍽️ Cooking Class | Prima Steakhouse | Mon Jun 16 | 12pm | Reserve going fast 🔥 

🍽️ Cooking Class | Legacy | Tue Jun 17 | 12 PM or 2:30 PM going fast! 🔥 

🎹 Dueling Pianos | Waterfront Inn | Tue Jun 17 | 6:30 PM | Tickets

An Ocklawaha River Odyssey by Elizabeth Randall | Rohan Rec | Thu Jun 19 | 6PM | Details

🏌️‍♂️ Tom’s Full Swing Clinic | Sarasota Practice Center | Thu Jun 19 | 8 am | Details

🍷 Wine Class | Legacy | Sat Jun 21 @ 1pm | Book Now

🎹 Double Diamond Dueling Pianos | Belle Glade CC | June 19 | 5:30 PM | Details & Tickets

🤣 Dad Bods Comedy Show | Bonifay CC | Sat June 21 | 5:30 pm | Details & Tickets

🏌️ New To Golf School | Sarasota Practice Center | Mon Jun 23 | 9 am | Details

🏌️‍♀️ Ladies Only Full Swing Clinic | Palmer Legends | Tue Jun 24 | 9:30 am | Details

🍽️ Cooking Class | Legacy | Tue Jun 24 | 12 PM or 2:30 PM

🎙️ Elvis Blue Hawaii Concert with Sebastian Garland | Old MIll Playhouse | June 26 - 6pm | Details

Jukebox Bingo - Villagers For Veterans | Old Mill Playhouse | Jun 26 | 6:30 pm | Tickets

💃 Suzie Casta/Donna Moore 70’s Dance Party | Colony Cottage Rec | June 28 | Details

🥃 Around The World Spirit Dinner | Bonifay | Sat Jun 28 | 4:30 pm | Details

📽️ Free Movie: Formula1 | Old Mill Playhouse | Tue Jul 1 | Details Few Tickets Left 🔥 

🎸 Yacht Rock Gold | Reilly Arts Center | July 12 | 7:30 pm | Details & Tickets

Out of Town Events

🐂 Bull Bash & Country Music Festival | Ocala | June 20, 21 | Bull Riding and Country Music by Lonestar and Parmalee | Details

🎸 Seaside Fiesta Music Festival | New Smyrna Beach | June 19 - 22 | Details

Sponsored By First Class Rides

Weather

Monday: 87 🌡️ 74 | 🌦️ | 60% | 🌬️ SW 5 mph

Tuesday: 93 🌡️ 76 | 🌦️ | 40% | 🌬️ S 5 mph

Wednesday 96 🌡️ 75 | 🌦️ | 40% | 🌬️ SE 5 mph

Live Music Lowdown

Monday

Spanish Springs

Jerico - rock

5 - 9 PM

Lake Sumter

Never Never Band - rock

5 - 9 PM

Brownwood Paddock

Uncle Bob’s Rock Shop

5 - 9 PM

Sawgrass Grove

Boozy Bingo

5 - 9 PM

Edna’s On The Green

Scooter The DJ

3 - 6 PM

Red Sauce Sumter

Miranda Madison

6 - 9 PM

RJ Gators Sumter

Mike & Terrie

2 - 5 PM

Tuesday

Spanish Springs

Latin Ambition - pop/latin

5 - 9 PM

Lake Sumter

Old Skool - rock

5 - 9 PM

Brownwood Paddock

Clark Barrios Band - rock

5 - 9 PM

Sawgrass Grove

Jeff Whitefield Trio -country

5 - 9 PM

Edna’s On The Green

Tim Hargis

3 - 6 PM

Red Sauce Sumter

Mark Raisch

6 - 9 PM

RJ Gators Sumter

Coyote Joe

2 - 5 PM

Holy Shmokes

KJ Diamond Dave

6 - 9 PM

Bonifay Country Club

Karaoke w/ Pat Atkinson

5 - 8 PM

Wednesday

Spanish Springs

4 For The Road

5 - 9 PM

Lake Sumter

MPIRE

5 - 9 PM

Brownwood Paddock

Ampli-Fires

5 - 9 PM

Sawgrass Grove

Blonde Ambition

5 - 9 PM

Edna’s On The Green

Big Bad Duo

3 - 6 PM

City Fire Sumter Landing

Karaoke

7 - 10 PM

Red Sauce Sumter

Lisa Beck

6 - 9 PM

RJ Gators Sumter

The Beach Billies

2 - 5 PM

Glenview Country Club

Chris Patti

5 - 8 PM

Holy Shmokes

Pwill Music Trivia

6 - 8 PM

Blondie’s Bar

Thomas Watkins

2 - 4 PM

Boosters Bar & Grill

Tyler Glynn

4 - 6 PM

Tierra Del Sol

Bobby Blackmon

3 - 5 PM

Bonifay Country Club

Boozy Bingo

5 - 7 PM

Thanks!

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