CLERMONT: From Gem of the Hills to Choice of Champions is a richly detailed book compiled and edited by Doris Bloodsworth along with members of the Cooper Memorial Library Association. Filled with photographs and stories that bring Clermont’s past to life, the book is available for purchase at Sunshine Book Co. Proceeds from every sale benefit Cooper Memorial Library, making it both a great read and a meaningful gift.
About 40 years ago, as Clermont prepared to celebrate the 100th anniversary of its 1884 founding, you can trace the roots of this project to Miriam Johnson and Rosemary Young. Their vision was to create a lasting record of the community they loved. Published in 1984, Clermont: Gem of the Hills, A History of Clermont, Florida, and Neighboring Communitiesquickly became a favorite among local historians.
You learn that Young and her father were deeply involved with the Chamber of Commerce, while Johnson served on the Centennial Planning Committee and was active in both the South Lake and Lake County Historical Societies. Johnson devoted countless hours to research, often with a tape recorder in hand, combing through South Lake Press archives. She later transcribed her interviews on a typewriter, sometimes using the backs of lined notebook paper and ad sheets to capture stories from longtime residents with deep roots in the community.
Although brief accounts of Clermont’s history existed before, nothing matched the scope Johnson and Young envisioned. Creating such a comprehensive work—long before computers and the internet—was an extraordinary accomplishment.
When the original manuscript and printing plates were later purged by the publisher, you might expect the story to end there. Instead, the Cooper Memorial Library Board Association stepped in, taking on the monumental task of retyping more than 300 pages and locating over 200 photographs. Their goal was to sponsor a revised edition of GEM, adding chapters that covered events after 1974. The late Ann Dupee—Library Board member, former South Lake Press owner, and Beta Theta Chapter member—played a key role by providing valuable resources for the project.
The result is Clermont: From Gem of the Hills to Choice of Champions, a comprehensive history that spans from the Ice Age and the first Native Americans to the founders of modern-day Clermont and the years leading up to 2019. As you turn the pages, you’ll find hundreds of rare photographs and stories published for the first time.
This in-depth history is dedicated to two deceased board members, Ann Dupee and Ray Goodgame, in recognition of their support and their shared passion for improving the quality of life for others.
Books are available at Cooper Memorial Library, 2525 Oakley Seaver Drive (North Hancock), and at Sunshine Book Co., 647 Lake Ave., Clermont. Proceeds from book sales are donated to Cooper Memorial Library.
