About the Inverness Olde Towne Association
click here to view our Board of
Directors
Inverness
is a true gem within the Nature Coast of Florida. Over
the years, our city has retained its historic old town
charm while developing and enhancing its parks and
natural resources. Our unique completely renovated "Olde
Towne" landscape offers diverse activities that rival
many larger cities . We boast unique boutiques, local
festivals, outdoor musicals, varied fine restaurants, a
museum (located in our 1912 historic courthouse), parks,
lakes, a 46-mile biking/hiking/nature trail (with bike
rental available). You don't have to travel far to
browse antique shops, flea markets, take in an Airboat
ride, enjoy a fabulous fishing experience or paddle your
way through our beautiful lake system. Check out our
on-line calendar to view our active and growing schedule
of community events & festivals.
Located in
Citrus County (founded 1887), our history dates back to
1889, when the original settlement called
"Tompkinsville" was renamed Inverness, meaning "at the
mouth of the river", given that name due to its relation
to the Tsala Apopka chain of seven lakes. Inverness,
Scotland may very well have been the inspiration for
this name change and over 100 years later, it has become
our sister city. While we cannot claim any Loch Ness sea
monster sightings, you should have no problem locating
many a cooter (our local mascot turtle), beautiful water
fowl and alligator in our lakes.
When you visit Inverness, you will be struck by the
beauty and quaintness of our historic "Courthouse
Square" shopping district, the centerpiece of which is
our stately Historic Courthouse. Originally completed in
1912, it is one of only 15 remaining historic
courthouses left in Florida and one of three that are
virtually unaltered, having gone through a complete
restoration in 2003. It was placed on the National
Registry of Historic Places on April 2, 1992 and serves
as the home of the Old Courthouse Heritage Museum
(Citrus County Historical Society). The museum focuses
on the presentation of the county's history and
heritage. Be sure to check out its permanent and special
exhibits.
For a relatively small city we can boast a number of
significant brushes with fame, including the 1961
filming of a scene from the Elvis Presley movie, "Follow
that Dream", in our historic courthouse. In more recent
years Inverness has received coverage on the satirical
Comedy Central News Program "The Daily Show",when our
city introduced its First Annual Cooter Festival in
October 2003. Don't miss checking out our link to the
episode (link...).
Our city is experiencing a significant renaissance
thanks to the collective efforts of the local
government, Chamber of Commerce, Community Redevelopment
Agency, Historical Society, Rotary Club of Inverness,
Sheriff's Department and the Inverness Olde Towne
Association. We hope you enjoy your time here in
Inverness as much as we do!
