Two of the oldest houses in Longwood's historic district came from Altamonte Springs. They were moved in 1973. The Longwood Historic Society now wants to move an 1885 house one more time, to a lot one block from where it was first built.
For anyone living along the Markham Woods Corridor, Longwood's historic district is the nearest old downtown. On the weekend before Thanksgiving it also hosts the 50th annual Longwood Arts & Crafts Festival. More than 150 artists will set up booths among buildings that, in several cases, started their lives somewhere else. The district is still being put together, and festival weekend is a good time to walk through it with that in mind.
The Weekend at a Glance
- Dates: Saturday, Nov. 21, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, Nov. 22, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. One line on the City of Longwood's event listing gives a 4 p.m. close for Saturday too, so check before a late-afternoon run.
- Cost: Free to attend.
- Who's selling: The festival site says more than 150 artists and crafters, 98% of them original artists. The city's listing says more than 200.
- Beyond the booths: A free kid zone, festival food, beer, wine and cocktails, and live entertainment on both days.
- Dogs: Allowed if well behaved, but the organizers strongly suggest leaving them home because the streets get crowded.
- Reputation: The festival shows Sunshine Artist magazine's Top 200 badges for 2022, 2023 and 2024.
The exhibitor list for 2026 isn't posted yet. The visitor FAQ still shows last year's map, so the booth layout may change.
Two of the Oldest Houses on the Route Came From Altamonte Springs
The Longwood Historic Society was founded in 1969 for one reason: to save the Bradlee-McIntyre House from demolition. In 1973 its members moved that house and the Inside-Outside House out of Altamonte Springs, where both were run down and facing the wrecking ball, and restored them in Longwood.
| House | Built | Original site | Address today | Open to visitors |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bradlee-McIntyre House | 1885–1888, designed by Boston architect Nathaniel J. Bradlee | Altamonte Springs | 130 W. Warren Ave. | Docent tours Wednesdays and Sundays, 1–4 p.m. |
| Inside-Outside House | 1873 | Boston Avenue, Altamonte Springs, near Lake Orienta | 141 W. Church Ave. | Home of the Cottage Gift Shop |
The Inside-Outside House had already been moved once before 1973. According to the Historic Society's history of the house, it was one of the earliest prefabricated houses in the United States. It came by steamship to Sanford and by mule cart to Altamonte Springs, where it was put together. The name comes from its structural framing, which sits on the outside of the walls. The Society still owns it and replaced the roof with a metal one in April 2024.
So the festival's anchor houses are restored buildings brought in from elsewhere. That's also true of the next house in line.
The Next House Is Waiting One Block From Where It Started
The J.D. & N.J. Lewis House dates to 1885 and is one of the oldest buildings still standing in Longwood. It has already moved twice. It first stood at Warren and Wilma. The Longwood Community Building took that site in 2002, so the house went to a temporary spot on Bay Street and then to where it sits now.
Here is the timeline so far, as the Society laid it out in its Sept. 13, 2026 update:
- September 2025: The City of Longwood voted to move the house to Reiter Park and set aside money for it. Only one bid came in, well over budget, and the city's plan stopped there.
- September 2026: The Christ Church vestry agreed in principle to take the house on an open grass lot on its Church Avenue campus. At its Fall General Meeting, Society members voted unanimously to back the plan.
- Still ahead: A Longwood City Commission vote on transferring the deed and on possible funding.
- 2027 and 2028: The Society hopes to spend 2027 planning and fundraising and to start work in 2028.
- 2029: The goal is to finish the move and exterior work in time for Christ Episcopal Church's 150th anniversary.
The church and the Society have signed on, but the move still needs city approval and funding. The proposed site is right in the middle of the festival area. The Society describes it as one block from the house's original spot at Wilma and Warren, beside the church, City Hall, the Clouser Cottage that houses Ruby Sun Gifts, and the Society's other buildings. In the Society's words, it would "fill a visual gap, connecting them all!" If you walk down Church Avenue during the festival, you'll pass the empty lot where the next piece of the district could go.
The Society has already named a few trade partners. AC Cowboys has pledged to donate an HVAC system. Relic Pine, a Georgia-based restoration specialist with deep Seminole County roots, has been advising on the restoration. Advantage Installation recently donated a new entryway for the Inside-Outside House.
The Parking Lot Is Waiting on Its Next Use Too
The festival's free parking adds another site that's waiting for its next chapter. Visitors can park for free at the former Orlando Health South Seminole Hospital, 555 W. SR 434, and at the SunRail lot, 149 E. Church Ave. Accessible parking is in Reiter Park. The festival's 2026 homepage confirms both the SunRail and hospital lots. Coming from the corridor, the hospital lot is right on SR 434.
That hospital served the area for four decades. It closed on Jan. 11, 2025, when patients moved to the new Orlando Health Lake Mary Hospital. WESH reported that Lake Mary Hospital's chief operating officer said, "We're going to reimagine that space," and that Orlando Health would keep an emergency department presence there. In April 2026, Hoodline, summarizing Orlando Business Journal reporting, described the campus as mostly vacant apart from a standalone ER. It reported that Orlando Health had cleared the way for possible mixed-use redevelopment within walking distance of the SunRail station, but hadn't named a buyer or a detailed plan.
If you park there, you'll be walking from a site that may be redeveloped toward a district that keeps adding old buildings.
Planning a Festival Visit Around the District
The open hours on festival weekend favor Sunday if you want to see inside the old houses as well as shop.
- Park at the hospital lot or the SunRail lot. Both are free, and the SunRail lot is on Church Avenue.
- Shop the booths in the morning. Sunday's festival hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Stop at 141 W. Church Ave. That's the Inside-Outside House, home of the Cottage Gift Shop.
- Look at the grass lot on Christ Church's Church Avenue campus. It's where the Lewis House would go.
- Tour the Bradlee-McIntyre House after 1 p.m. Docent tours run Sundays from 1 to 4 p.m., cost $5 a person, and are free for children under 5. The Society takes cash or card.
Saturday works better for food and errands. The Longwood Farmers Market runs at Reiter Park from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Nov. 21. GoodWay Café, at 111 W. Magnolia Ave., is open Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. and closed Sundays.
After the Booths Come Down
The festival is the first of several weekends in Longwood's holiday season. Most of the events after it are centered on Reiter Park, which the city had once chosen for the Lewis House.
| Date | Event | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Thursday, Dec. 3, 7–9 p.m. | Holiday Concert & Tree Lighting | Reiter Park |
| Saturday, Dec. 5, 9 a.m.–1:30 p.m. | Farmers Market | Reiter Park |
| Saturday, Dec. 5, 3–5 p.m. | City of Longwood Christmas Parade | Ronald Reagan Blvd., north of SR 434 |
| Friday, Dec. 11, 6–9 p.m. | Celebrate the Season | Reiter Park |
According to the city's event page, Celebrate the Season includes the tree lighting in Reiter Park, a snow maze, giant slides, train rides, photos with Santa and live reindeer, and a laser light show to finish.
If you'd like suggestions for the festival weekend, or want to talk about life at the south end of the corridor near Longwood's historic district, Tara Mruk would be glad to help. Schedule a free consultation, and we'll plan a Sunday around the booths and the 1 p.m. house tour.
