Nalcrest Florida and The Former Fedhaven Florida

by Mike Miller
(Mount Dora, Florida)

Sign At Entrance To NALCREST, Florida

A stretch of Florida State Road 60 runs 45 lonely miles between Lake Wales and Yeehaw Junction. Lots of cattle land on both sides of the road, and few developments and populated places.

About 11 miles east of Lake Wales, you will come to a road heading south, Doherty Road. For almost 50 years, a sign pointed the way to the two communities of NALCREST and FEDHAVEN. Fedhaven changed its name recently to Lakeshore, but it's still the same place it always was although it suffered a lot of damage from three hurricanes back in 2004.

NALCREST is an acronym that stands for National Association of Letter Carriers Retirement, Education, Security and Training. It was designed and built by the union that represents letter carriers of the U.S. Postal Service.

Ground was broken and construction started on NALCREST back in 1962. It is primarily a community of garden apartments on a couple of hundred acres on the north shore of Lake Weohyakapka.

All residents of this community have to be retired members of the National Association of Letter Carriers. A funny thing about NALCREST is that mail is not delivered to individual apartments; residents have to walk to the local post office to get their mail.

Nearby Lakeshore was called FEDHAVEN for most of the years since it was built. It is about one mile east of NALCREST and was developed as a retirement community for retired federal employees. FEDHAVEN was built about the same time as NALCREST.

FEDHAVEN was eventually sold to private developers who changed the name to Lakeshore.

Drive to the end of Doherty Road off State Road 60. The road stops at Leisure Lane. Leisure Lane West takes you to NALCREST and Leisure Lane East takes you to Lakeshore.

Take a look. At least you'll be able to say you saw these unusual little Florida retirement communities.

Comments for Nalcrest Florida and The Former Fedhaven Florida

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Aug 18, 2018

Nalcrest Foundation Living
by: Anonymous

It use to be a great place to live now they have more rules and regulations than a Condo Assoc. Residents are fearful of reporting any issues they may have with maintenance needed in their apts., because of being evicted or have the rent raised. Basically being bullied into not saying anything. You can't enjoy yourself anymore in fear you might step on the wrong toes(Property Manager/office workers/ or the trustees).Everything is up to their discretion. There is a salon/barber, Laundromat, chapel, pool/hot tub, library, activities and clubs but no restaurant/café(rents too high) or Social Club where residents can just kick back, relax, have a few drinks and socialize with each other in an A/C environment. The grounds are very well kept with beautiful garden areas. Two lagoons with walking paths and benches around them. It is very peaceful and safe. This community has changed so much over our 6 years.

Apr 06, 2018

The great statue
by: Anonymous

We believe we saw it on the road as we passed. Is the statue still there?

EDITOR SAYS

It was there a year or two ago. It's not directly on SR-60, however, it's down in the community itself.

Aug 23, 2017

Nalcrest
by: Jack Shaver

Nalcrest is a hidden paradise in central Florida.

The people there are very friendly and helpful. My wife carried mail and brought me to PARADISE.

Jan 13, 2016

The Former Fedhaven Florida
by: Kat Liddy

It is amazing that the senior retirement apt. community would have damage by a hurricane being right smack in the middle of the state. My grandparents Max & Loretta Mueller lived there for only 6 months then came back to Indiana for 6 months.We were down there as a family in the 70's & 80's. I remember riding my g'ma & g.pa's 3 wheeler around the lagoons & down to the center,swimming & having a Jewish lady teaching me how to float. We spent Christmas down there in the 70's, that was something. Frogs croaking, lizards inside the apt. crickets chirping,seeing alligators too. In 1980 I was down there for 1 mo. attending a trade school in Kissimmee at Southeastern Academy & spent weekends at my grandparents. I visited a lot of the attractions down there. Had a great time!

Sep 23, 2015

Fedhaven in the 1960s
by: Deena

My Grandpa and Grandma Stoops lived here for a while when I was a kid. I loved visiting them and riding bikes around the lagoons, swimming in the pool, playing shuffleboard, dances and dinners at the community place. I remember a lady I think was a reporter for the little newsletter. Her name was Kit. I remember a man named Eddie at the swimming pool. He always had a white float belt of some type around his waist and sang a song about Dan Dan....I learned to swim from a lady visiting her parents who was an actual Olympics coach. I remember the alligators roaring at night and getting our pictures taken standing right next to them. Great memories!

EDITOR SAYS

Deena, thanks for sharing the memories about Fedhaven. You are the reason we publish these little stories about places that are mostly forgotten: because we know that some people will remember, and those that don't might be interested anyway.

Aug 02, 2014

Florida Retirement Communities
by: foresttrace

This is a great thing. Thanks for giving the time to share such nice information.

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Florida Back Roads Travel is not affiliated with or endorsed by Backroads, a California-based tour operator which arranges and conducts travel programs throughout the world. By Mike Miller, Copyright 2009-2019 Florida-Back-Roads-Travel.com