A family that has been a fixture in south Marion County for over a century is being honored with a street named in their honor.
The Marion County Board of County Commissioners approved the renaming request during its regular meeting Tuesday. The renaming affects a short stretch of SE 142nd Court that historically served as a connecting service road to a property owned by the Fritch family.
A portion of that roadway now be known as “Fritch Court,” recognizing the contributions of the Fritch family, who have called the area home for over 100 years.
The tribute honors a legacy that began when Stuart Fritch moved to Weirsdale from Pennsylvania in 1920 at the age of 20 to help build citrus packing houses. He eventually opened a construction office and built many homes in Marion and Lake counties that are still standing today.
Among his most visible contributions is a stucco wall along East Highway 42, which he was contracted to build for a winter resident. The vine-covered structure remains a local landmark. Fritch built his own family home on the property adjacent to the wall, where the family established deep roots in the citrus industry and community life.
Mr. Fritch and his wife, Elizabeth Knobloch, whose family owned the East Lake Weir Grocery Store, were pillars of the small town. They were active members of the Weirsdale Presbyterian Church and the Lake Weir Yacht Club.
During World War II, Mrs. Fritch’s garden club made bandages for soldiers, while Mr. Fritch taught woodworking and shop skills to veterans at what is now the Orange Blossom Opry.
The renaming proposal garnered strong support from prominent local figures. Marion County Tax Collector George Albright III, a lifelong resident raised in Weirsdale, endorsed the change in a letter to the commission.
“The Fritch family has provided leadership, love, and compassion to our community for over a century,” Albright wrote. “I can’t think of a better tribute to this wonderful family!”
William Phillips, a nearby property owner and former citrus grower, also wrote in support, noting that the family has been an active part of the town for over 100 years.
Richard Fritch, Stuart and Elizabeth’s younger son, still resides in the house his father built behind the landmark wall. According to county documents, Richard, who is 85 years old, is currently the oldest surviving resident to have been born in Weirsdale.