The Dead River, found in

Lake County, Florida Lake County is a county in the central portion of the U.S. state of Florida. As of the 2020 census, the population was 383,956. Its county seat is Tavares, and its largest city is Clermont. Lake County is included in the Orlando-Kissimmee-San ...

, USA, serves as the division between the cities of

Tavares Tavares may refer to: Places Brazil *Tavares, Paraíba *Tavares, Rio Grande do Sul *Rodovia Raposo Tavares, the longest highway in São Paulo *Tavares Bastos (favela), a favela in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil *Tavares River Jamaica *Tavares Garden ...

and Leesburg. It received its name due to lack of a current. Studies have shown that a simple

john boat A jon boat (or johnboat) is a flat-bottomed boat constructed of aluminum, fiberglass, wood, or polyethelene with one, two, or three seats, usually bench type. They are suitable for fishing, hunting and cruising. The nearly flat hull of a jon b ...

can remain in nearly the same position if left on the river overnight with less than five feet of drift. The Dead River connects

Lake Eustis Lake Eustis is located in Central Florida, west of the city of Eustis. It covers approximately . It is spring fed and is a member of the Harris Chain of Lakes, and is connected to Lake Harris by means of the Dead River. It is also connected ...

and Lake Harris. The only roadway to cross the river is U.S. Highway 441/ SR 44 near the river's northern mouth toward Lake Eustis. There are two businesses located directly on the river. Hurricanes Dockside Grill (2017) previously known as Dead River Vic's (1999), Harbor Side (2006), Nates River Deck (2008) and JJ Fin's (2009). Across Highway 441, opposite from Hurricanes Dockside Grill, there is a fish camp/restaurant named Palm Gardens. For a historical look at Lake County waters, this was written in the 1930s: On June 18, 2003, Brian Griffin, 12, was killed by a 10' 4"

alligator An alligator is a large reptile in the Crocodilia order in the genus ''Alligator'' of the family Alligatoridae. The two extant species are the American alligator (''A. mississippiensis'') and the Chinese alligator (''A. sinensis''). Additiona ...

while swimming in the Dead River near a boat ramp.

References

Excerpt from "Florida: The March of Progress" published circa 1930s by the Florida Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Immigration.
Rivers of Lake County, Florida Rivers of Florida {{Florida-river-stub