Melrose is fortunate to
have many facilities frequently found only in larger communities such as a cemetery, parks, public library, and a
community water system.
Melrose is a small, unincorporated community in north central Florida
that sprawls into Alachua, Bradford, Clay and Putnam counties. The town has 1 traffic light, a post
office, a library, a water system, a grocery store, an elementary school, 10
churches, 2 beauty shops, 1 barber shop, 1 funeral home, 2 retirement homes, 1
convenience store, a hardware store, and 2 video rental shops. We can eat
breakfast, lunch or dinner in our town without messing up our kitchen. We can
choose from pizza, chicken, seafood, steaks or good old home-style cooking.There is a florist, a TV repair shop, a
physical therapist, a dentist, 2 veterinarians, a bank, a couple of antique
shops, a realtor, a few lawyers, 2 day care facilities for children, 1 gas
station, beautiful historic homes, Baden-Powell Boy Scout Reservation, the
Ordway Preserve. Our area produces grapes, pecans, blueberries,
watermelons, vegetables, and the Chinese Honey, a citrus
fruit that is absolutely delicious.
Melrose sits adjacent to Lake Santa Fe and our Melrose Business and
Community Association has a lakefront park on Melrose Bay for our
citizens to have a place to swim. Lake Santa Fe is excellent for fishing,
swimming, water skiing, etc. There are a couple of public boat ramps with
playgrounds and picnic areas in close proximity to town. We are located about
midway between Florida's east and west coasts, and 20 miles east of Gainesville,
home of the University of Florida. Our main road is one of the major
Gainesville-to-the-beach routes. This causes a lot of traffic for our 1 little
light to have to manage, but it seems to be doing the job.
The Melrose Youth Sports Association recently received a state grant
to build a very nice sports complex for this area. Right now they are using the
playing fields at the school, but with the grant money the new complex will
feature soccer fields, baseball fields, a basketball court, tennis and
volleyball courts, a walking path, and a support building with restrooms. Our
area children are beginning to feel very fortunate.
In 1996, Putnam County finished a new building at Melrose Elementary School
which accomodates 16 classrooms and a computer lab. Originally, the school was
Melrose High
School from 1925 until 1968, at which time it was converted to
an elementary school.
This section of Florida is dotted with lakes, large and small. Lake Santa Fe
is one of the largest in the state. We also have Lakes Swan, Rosa, Serena,
Ashley, Winnot, and Melrose, plus numerous smaller lakes and ponds. This area is
really convenient to both coasts and we can also enjoy the St. John's River
which flows north through Palatka and Green Cove Springs on its way to
Jacksonville and the Atlantic Ocean. Melrose used to be known as a retirement
area, but in recent years it has become a bedroom community for the larger towns
around, such as Gainesville, Ocala, Palatka, and Starke, and we even have
commuters to Orange Park and Jacksonville.
If ever you are in the area, come visit our little community. You'll have to
plan to stay in Gainesville,
Palatka, Starke,or Ocala as we do not have a motel.
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Revised February 23, 2007
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