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In the 1960's Lake Santa Fe in northeastern Alachua County is nothing more than a recreation center for fishermen and boating enthusiasts, and a scenic view for those who live on its banks. But before the present excellent road net was anything better than rutted sand trails through woods, Lake Santa Fe and other waterways were the means of transportation to augment the railroads. In the last three decades of the 1800's Lake Santa Fe was part of a water highway connecting the railroad at Waldo with the rich orange groves around Melrose, by way of the Waldo Canal, Lake Alto, and Lake Santa Fe. Constant dredging of the canals and lakes was needed to clear away hyacinths. The era of steamers lasted from the 1870's,when Waldo Canal was dug, into the 1920's, and a few cargo boats worked a few more years after that. This drawing is from "Eden of the South," 1883.

Photograph of a drawing.