Nellie's Cafe

Not far from this here stands a giant Cypress Tree. Aptly named, The Senator, as it and the land it stands on were donated to Seminole County by Senator M. O. Overstreet in 1951. This tree has stood for more than 3,000 years, as a towering beacon. It first guided the Indians so that they could find their way to the trading grounds. Then early settlers used it as a landmark to find their way through the unclaimed wilderness. Though the height of The Senator has been shortened by age and weather, the sheer enormity of this bald cypress personifies the endurance and fortitude of this area’s people.One of the notable forefathers of Longwood was a Confederate Soldier from Tennessee by the name of John Neill Searcy. He arrived in Sanford (then known as Mellonville) on the steamer Starlight in 1873. Searcy helped construct the Christ Episcopal Church in 1882 and later held the position of Longwood’s Postmaster. The Christ Episcopal Church is identified as the oldest existing church in Seminole County and was originally built on land donated by E.W. Henck, but is now located in our Historic District on West Church Street.Other buildings located in our Historic District include the Clouser House. Originally built by Josiah B. Clouser, a master cabinetmaker, around 1885, this large two-story home on West Warren Avenue has operated as a gift shop, a birthing center and most recently an office building. Though severely damaged by lightening a few years ago, plans are in the works to restore this area treasure back into a functioning part of the community.