Clermont Citrus Tower keeps the grove view in memory

The Citrus Tower was built for a view that mostly is not there anymore.

When it opened on July 14, 1956, the Clermont tower gave visitors a high look over Lake County citrus country. The idea was simple and very Florida: ride up, look out, and see groves spread across the rolling center of the state. The tower sat on U.S. 27, back when roadside attractions helped explain Florida to drivers one stop at a time.

The view changed. Freezes, disease, development, shopping centers, roads, and new neighborhoods reshaped the old grove country. That does not make the tower less interesting. It makes it better as a memory marker.

Clermont today is part of a fast-growing Central Florida edge, with lakes, hills, commuters, new homes, and old citrus clues mixed together. The tower helps a visitor notice both versions at once: the orange-grove landscape people came to see and the modern city that grew around it.

Before going, check current hours, tickets, elevator details, and events. The ride up is short. The view asks for a little longer.