Shepherd
-
Shepherd (Starbuck) Spring
Shepherd Springs is about 2,200 feet north of Palm Springs on the west side of the river. It was never developed, and a thick upland hammock surrounds it. The Little Wekiva River is adjacent to the spring, so the pool of clear water is limited. During the early decades of Longwood, travelers reached Shepherd Springs by road from Wekiva Springs Road. It was a picturesque spot for picnics, and the Boy Scouts also used it for overnight camping. It is believed the original name came from a family named Shepherd living in that area. The name was changed to Starbucks…
-
Thomas Shepherd
Longwood’s founder, Edward Warren Henck, recruited workers from Georgia and South Carolina to move to Central Florida to help construct his South Florida Railroad. This was the first rail line through Orange and Seminole County, running from Sanford to Orlando via Longwood. Thomas Shepherd heeded that call in 1879. Shepherd, born a Georgia slave in 1849, became the patriarch of one of the most prominent black pioneer families in Longwood. He aspired to do much more than laboring on railroads; he wanted to own his land. Since he did not know how to read, Shepherd paid Henck $1.50 to help…