History for Sale

If I had a couple million dollars burning a hole in my pocket, I'd be buying up historic real estate near downtown. On my bike ride through Orlando's Lake Cherokee neighborhood yesterday, I noticed many great old homes for sale, including two of my favorites.

My wife tells me that the house at 625 Palmer, behind Cherokee school used to house the Ebsen School of Dance, (as in Buddy Ebsen), and later a music school. It's a great property if you don't mind an occasional kid running through your yard as they attempt to elude their teachers. 

Also up for sale is the O'Neal house, right on Lake Cherokee. If my memory is correct, this one went up for auction not too long ago. We did a photo shoot there this year and it looked a little run down.  This home is one of two survivors of what was then known as "Honeymoon Row" because of the young couples that once inhabited all the houses in this area in the 1890s. 

I've always thought both these gems have great potential -let's hope someone else seizes the opportunity to polish up these jewels. Orlando needs to preserve whatever historical architecture it can, because it seems to vanish so quickly...