FL-SC033 Peter Demens

Marker text: PETER DEMENS

During the 1880's Longwood was among the larger towns in Orange County with a population of around 1,000. It flourished because of the lumber industry and the orange groves that surrounded it. Peter A. Demens owned the large sawmill and woodworking facility. His mill, located on the east side of the railroad, between East Warren and Bay Avenues and South Myrtle and Oleander Streets, provided building materials for the growing towns along the South Florida Railroad and elsewhere in the State. He is known to have supplied the lumber to build the first buildings at Rollins College in 1885. Mr. Demens was one of the important entrepreneurs that opened Florida to settlers and vacationers during the early years of railroad development in this area.