GOTHA

A Hidden Gem

Gotha is a charming and historical hidden gem located between the city of Ocoee and the town of Windermere. The Orange County rural settlement is generally located south of Old Winter Garden Road, north of Windy Ridge Road, east of South Apopka-Vineland Road and west of Maguire Road.

Gotha was established in 1885, when Henry A. Hempel, a German native, came to the area and founded the community. He named it after his homeland of Gotha, Germany. The main street through the community — Hempel Avenue — is named for him, as well.

Hempel first came to Central Florida in 1879 and began purchasing land. In a few years, he had amassed 1,000 acres and created a town plat, although the town was never incorporated. Hempel established a sawmill to generate lumber, which was used to construct a general store — today’s Yellow Dog Eats restaurant — a post office, school, community hall and more. The sawmill also provided orange crates for the booming citrus industry. In its heyday, Gotha was thriving with schools, churches, a railroad, social hall and the sawmill.

Six years after Hempel arrived, horticulturalist and naturalist Dr. Henry Nehrling began purchasing land. Nehrling bought more than 65 acres and established the 25-acre Palm Cottage Gardens, a popular tourist destination in the early 20th century. There, he developed an experimental testing facility to help establish Florida’s ornamental horticulture by testing more than 3,000 plants.

NOTABLE NAMES

n Henry A. Hempel was the German native who founded Gotha and named it after his homeland. n Dr. Henry Nehrling was a horticulturalist and naturalist who established the Palm Cottage Gardens, known today as Nehrling Gardens. n Bob Ross was a famous landscape artist, art instructor and television host known for his serene scenes and his “happy little trees.”

SIGNATURE EVENTS

Caladiums, Canvases and Coffee. Guests of this event can take a morning stroll through Nehrling Gardens while enjoying coffee, mimosas, pastries and live music. Plein-air artists showcase their work, and attendees can browse a selection of original art available for purchase.

Holiday Amaryllis Festival. As Nehrling Gardens’ signature event, this December event features beautiful and rare amaryllis bulbs for sale, as well as nature-themed vendors, food, music and crafts.

SERVICE WITH A SMILE

n Cable/internet: Spectrum, (407) 291-2500; DIRECTV, (866) 906-2621; DISH, (844) 306-7067; AT&T, (866) 817-0776; CenturyLink, (877) 862-9343; EarthLink, (844) 903-3107 n Power/electric: Duke Energy, (800) 700-8744 n Fire: Orange County Fire Rescue, (407) 836-9000 n Police: Orange County Sheriff’s Office, (407) 254-7000 n Trash: Orange County Solid Waste, (407) 836-6601 n Utilities (water/sewer): Orange County Utilities, (407) 836-5515

LOCAL LEADER

Orange County District 1 Commissioner Nicole Wilson Gotha stands as a peaceful community known for its lakes, mossdraped oaks and unique history. Gotha’s historic buildings stand as a reminder of the area’s roots in agriculture. As Central Florida grows, Gotha stands as a protected Rural Settlement, where neighbors help one another and make sure nature and history are preserved.