[kwflconch]

MICANOPY - In its 186 years, this Alachua County village has been home to Seminole tribes, pioneer traders, Jewish utopians, pot-growing hippies, Hollywood crews, a B&B ghost and even a celebrated family of actors.

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Wes Smith can be reached at dwsmith@orlandosentinel.com or 407-420-5672.

[tallrick]

That until the little town becomes the next millionaire's bubble paradise.

[riveree]

Originally Posted by tallrick

That until the little town becomes the next millionaire's bubble paradise.

It's already pretty expensive. Years back, I looked there thinking 'oh, wouldn't it be nice to pick up a little cracker house for a weekend getaway'.......nope! It ws more expensive than even a modest home in Jax, I can only imagine what the prices must be like today .

Still love it though - great tiny town !

[tallrick]

It's funny how many dumpy places in Florida are mega-expensive. I got a good laugh at property values in "Yeehaw Junction".

[gypsychic]

Micanopy is a nice little day-drive. There isn't much turnover in those antique stores, though and they are expensive. Nice place to visit but I could never live there.

However, it is surprising how many people are moving to central Florida. South Florida is losing school enrollment but here in Polk County and other central Florida counties, enrollment is booming. People have discovered it's so much nicer to live in community-based "old Florida" type towns, rather than the crazy tourist and retirement meccas. We love it here in landlocked Polk County (besides, we have 550 lakes!)

[House4Sale]

That was back when Sonny Howard had the place. Then the small historic downtown center started going downhill and many shops closed. It's good to hear some appreciative folk are moving in to fix Micanopy up. It's a sweet little town not far from Gainesville.

[EB2]

Originally Posted by tallrick

That until the little town becomes the next millionaire's bubble paradise.

Nooo, don't say that! You'll break my heart!

I used to work there, and it's one of, if not, my favorite place(s) in the state.

[BlueWillowPlate]

Originally Posted by kwflconch

MICANOPY -
"Key West folks say that the millionaires bought out the locals, and now the billionaires are buying out the millionaires," said Shirley Nelson Hicks, 72, whose roots in Key West date to 1835.

A familiar theme.
This is happening other places, as well.

I remember Telluride, Colorado, before the film festival, before the arrival of Oprah and Ralph Lauren, before it became an over-priced ski resort, when it was just a tiny little mining town.
It was hard to get to, but worth it.

However, it wasn't always so quiet.

Back at the turn of the century, with the railroad and Colorado's silver-and-gold rush, Telluride had plenty of millionaires walking the streets.
Then the boom faded, and isolated Telluride barely clung to life later on during the Depression, only to be rediscovered 40 years later.

Key West has had its own history of booms and busts.
Land speculation, migration, and hurricanes are not new to the Keys.
I feel bad for people who have such deep roots and must leave, but I am glad they are reinventing their community elsewhere.
Perhaps it is only a matter of time till the Hard Rock Cafe discovers Micanopy, but it might take awhile.

This migrating herd mentality is only human, but the greed factor can really mess it up.

[wacahootaman]

Dang!

I wuz at Telluride in March of 73. Almost bought one of those old houses in town for 40k but I dont like livin in the city.

I looked at some land on the Dallas Divide wif stupendously spactacular views for 400 bucks an acre but it didnt have any electicity and you would need snow shoes to get there in the winter.

Now there is a swanky golf course neighborhood on that same divide and the little crossroads of Ridgway nearby is a boom town.

An Ralph Loren has bought up the other half for his ranch.