Longwood is lucky to have an ancient bald cypress, called The Senator. When the area was just a mere settlement it was used for navigation.  Today the tree is estimated at over 3000 years old and is the oldest tree in the Eastern U.S. and something that leaves you awestruck.  This tree is Florida’s oldest tourist attraction and is protected in Big Tree Park in Spring Hammock Preserve.    

The first settlers in Longwood arrived in 1873 and started homesteads at Fairy Lake.  The area was named Longwood by E.W. Henck who choose the name after a Boston suburb he helped design.  In 1886 the population had reached 1000 and the area was doing very well.  In late 1894 the area had a great freeze and the orange farmers were badly hurt with many leaving the area and by 1900 the Census recorded the population at 325.  By 1923 the town was thriving again and incorporated into a city.  The area has had a bumpy past but the Space Industry and Disney opening nearby concreted Longwood into a place people want to live.  Today this is especially true as people are trying to move here to take advantage of the great school system Longwood has. 

Longwood is today a city well versed in culture by the festivals and events the city puts on.  The amount of art galleries and museums in the area is high.  The city also puts on many great festivals and having an opportunity to see a visiting orchestra play every few months is also a special treat.

Another great way to get culture is through education and when one has graduated from high school in the great Longwood schools there are many great university options within commuting distance.  The institutions are:

• University of Phoenix – Orlando Campus
• Seminole Community College
• Rollins College
• University of Central Florida
• Valencia Community College
• Stetson University
• Embry Riddle Aeronautical University

There are some other options and smaller trade schools but those are the main ones that are closest to Longwood. 

The recreation benefits of Longwood are amazing as well.  The city has great parks for people of any age to enjoy and pristine bodies of water.  Residents can be found daily using these resources and happy to have such great options to choose from.  The parks and lakes include:

• Arbor Park
• Smallworld Park
• Sandalwood Park
• Highland Hills Park
• Shadow Hill Park
• Magnolia Park
• Raven Park
• Candyland Park
• Reiter Park
• Lake Jane
• Lake Searcy
• East Lake
• Lake Orange
• Lake Wildmere
• Lake Evergreen
• Lake Fairy
• West Lake

 
There are so many recreational opportunities available in Longwood but just a short drive away you can be at Disney World or golfing on one of the over 10 golf courses under 15 miles from the city.  The commute into Orlando for a job is not bad either.  The distance is short and the roads are easy to navigate.  It is hard to know why people only vacation here after experiencing the area firsthand but the smaller number of residents makes the city much more tight knit.