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Florida State Road 50 Part 3; Lake County

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Picking up from Part 2 of the Florida State Road 50 series Part 3 covers the sections of the highway headed eastward through Lake County.


Part 1 of the Florida State Road 50 series covered Hernando County and can be found below:

Florida State Road 50 Part 1; Hernando County

Part 2 of the Florida State Road 50 series covered Sumter County and can be found below:

Florida State Road 50 Part 2; Sumter County 

As stated in Part 2 the route of FL 50 east enters Lake County shortly past CR 469.  FL 50 east enters the small community of Sloans Ridge upon reaching Lake County.



Immediately east of Sloan's Ridge FL 50 enters Stuckey.


Stuckey was a small siding of the Orange Belt Railway.   There are various older structures which can be found on the Stuckey Loop dating back to a much earlier era of Florida.





East of Stuckey FL 50 enters the City of Mascotte.


Near Lake Jackson the route of the Orange Belt Railway crossed over from the south side of FL 50 to the north side.  Much of the route of FL 50 westbound in Mascotte is lined with abandoned buildings that were serviced by the railroad.

As FL 50 east enters downtown Mascotte on Myers Boulevard where it meets CR 565 at Bay Lake Road.



As FL 50 east approaches CR 33 at Bluff Lake Road it expands back out to four lanes.  CR 33 is a fairly recently relinquished part of FL 33.





Immediately east of CR 33 the route of FL 50 in Mascotte has Clermont signed 8 miles away and Orlando 30 miles away.


FL 50 east enters the City of Groveland as Broad Street and junctions the northern segment of CR 565 at Villa City Road.



In downtown Groveland the route of FL 50 splits into dual one-way configurations.  At Howey Road FL 50 east meets the south terminus of FL 19 which is signed as a "TO" route for Florida's Turnpike.  The Groveland Rail Depot is located just off the former Orange Belt Railway right of way on the northwest corner of FL 50 west and FL 19.






East of downtown Groveland FL 50 converges back together and meets FL 33.



Clermont is signed as 6 miles east on FL 50 past FL 33.


At Monte Vista Road FL 50 east meets the south segment of CR 565A.


Less than a mile from the south segment of CR 565A the route of FL 50 east meets the north segment.


The north segment of CR 565A was part of the original route of FL 50 through Lake County.  FL 50 originally utilized the following roadways to reach Orange County from Groveland which can be seen on the 1936 Lake County Road map in Part 1:

-  CR 565A to CR 561 on the west shore of Lake Minneola.
-  CR 561 to Lake Shore Drive on the northeast shore of Lake Minneola in the City of Minneola.
-  Lake Shore Drive in Minneola to Washington Street.
-  Washington Street to County Route Old Highway 50 (yes that's what it is designated) in Clermont.
-  CR Old Highway 50 to the Orange County line near the Town of Oakland.

Modern FL 50 is far more direct and is routed on the south shore of Lake Minneola east of CR 565A.  Off in the distance eastward the Florida Citrus Tower can be seen from FL 50.



At Palatlakaha Creek FL 50 east enters the City of Clermont.



At 12th Street FL 50 east meets CR 561.  East of CR 561 the route of FL 50 is signed with Winter Garden being 12 miles away with Orlando shown as 23 miles.



East of downtown Clermont FL 50 east meets US Route 27.  US 27 is elevated above FL 50 on an overpass.




The Florida Citrus Tower is located about a mile north of FL 50 on US 27 at Citrus Tower Boulevard.


The Florida Citrus Tower is a 226 foot tall structure which has a commanding view of the surrounding terrain of Central Florida.  The Florida Citrus Tower was completed in 1956 and once attracted 500,000 annual visitors a year.


To the North there is a striking view of the US 27 expressway looking towards Howey and Sugarloaf Mountain.






To the east Orlando can be seen 23 miles away.



Southward US 27 can be seen heading towards Disney World.



To the west Lake Minneola can be seen.



Immediately east of US 27 the route of FL 50 has Orlando signed as 21 miles away.


FL 50 east in Clermont east of US 27 rises high above the surrounding terrain to an elevation over 200 feet above sea level.  Downtown Orlando can be faintly seen off to the east.


At Hartle Road the route of FL 50 east meets CR 455.



At Lake Boulevard the route to the Orange Trail is signed from FL 50 east.  Lake Boulevard connects directly to CR Old Highway 50 just short of the Orange County Line.  The Orange Trail was built on the former grade of the Orange Belt Railway.


FL 50 east enters the Town of Oakland and Orange County.  FL 50 starting in Oakland is routed on Colonial Drive.



Part 4 of the Florida State Road 50 series covers the highway through Orange and Brevard County. 

Florida State Road 50 Part 4; Orange County and Brevard County
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