Forrest Lake was the most powerful man in Seminole County for the first 3 decades of the 1900s. 

In fact, he was the man who created Seminole County. 

How powerful was Forrest Lake?

He was Sanford’s mayor, a state representative and he was the banker that funded much of the development in downtown Sanford that still exists today.

But 95 years ago this week, Forrest Lake’s empire  came crashing down and the city of Sanford was left to clean up his mess.