Protect the Legacy and the Land: Eatonville Community Land Trust is Key.
Eatonville, Florida was one of the first self-governing all-Black municipalities in the United States, incorporated in August 1887 by 27 Black men. Eatonville grew over the next few decades to include commercial, religious, and residential buildings, as well as the Robert Hungerford Normal and Industrial School, the first school for Black children in Central Florida.
Despite its significance, currently Eatonville’s historic properties and cultural landscape do not have the necessary legal protections to support preservation-sensitive growth and development. Many historic buildings in Eatonville also need investment and rehabilitation so they can continue to illustrate the legacy and significance of the town.
Eatonville has now been included on the National Trust for Historic Preservation's 2024 list of America's 11 Most Endangered Historic Places.
Sign Your Name to the Petition Below.
Dear Mayor Gardner and Town Council,
The Robert Hungerford School site is one of the most important historic properties to Eatonville’s unique legacy.
Its existence as the Tuskegee Institute model for self-sufficiency and economic sustainability here in Florida illustrates American history.
Decisions about the future of the Hungerford Property must rest in the hands of the community of Eatonville. Establishing a nonprofit Community Land Trust dedicated to preservation and equitable development is the most effective path forward.
Your immediate action is essential. Please ask Orange County School Board Chairwoman Teresa Jacobs and other school board members to follow through on the transfer of the 100-acre Hungerford property from Orange County Public Schools to a newly formed Eatonville Community Land Trust.
The National Trust and its African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund are prepared to assist the Town of Eatonville in ensuring that the Hungerford Property is placed in an appropriately structured community land trust.
