History of The Villages, FL

The Villages Retirement Community dream began with the vision of its founder and developer, Harold Schwartz. In the early 1970s, the visionary Mr. Schwartz purchased the Orange Blossom Garden Manufactured Home Park. Subsequently, Harold Schwartz enlisted his family’s assistance, including his son Gary Morse, to develop what became known as The Villages Retirement Community.

Today, approximately forty years since its humble beginnings, The Villages boasts approximately 40,000 homes and a population estimated at approximately 95,000 people (projected to be 110,000 at buildout). Residents of The Villages typically use either a golf cart or a low speed vehicle (LSV) to provide a portion or all of their transportation needs. An estimated fifty thousand (50,000) golf carts are operated in The Villages and provide an estimated eighty percent (80%) of all resident trips. In addition to providing transportation within The Villages, golf carts operate daily on the 37 golf courses located within The Villages.