Melrose, Florida
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Melrose is a northern Florida town located in Putnam, Alachua, Clay, and Bradford Counties.
Melrose was originally named "Shakerag". It is believed that this stems from a horse racetrack that was located there. They would drop a rag to begin the race, hence the name. During the 1890s, North Central Florida was the center of the Florida Citrus Industry. Melrose was a shipping hub for citrus fruit. The fruit was brought from neighboring areas to Melrose, and was then shipped by boat across Lake Santa Fe to the nearby town of Waldo. From the railhead in Waldo, the fruit was shipped to other parts of the United States. A severe freeze in 1893 killed many of the citrus trees in the area, and the citrus industry moved further south.
Located an hour from Jacksonville and a half hour from Gainesville, the small town is popular with retired military veterans stationed at Mayport Naval Base and with professors at the University of Florida in Gainesville.
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